Company Name: Facesoft
Website: https://facesoft.io/
Founders: Allan Ponniah and Stefanos Zafeiriou
Business: Facesoft is an AI start-up which uses innovative computer vision technology and machine learning for face analysis applications such as facial recognition, detection and matching.
Founded in 2017, Facesoft is an innovative Artificial Intelligence business focused in facial analysis applications (e.g. facial recognition). The company was created through Imperial College London, which started when co-founder Allan Ponniah enlisted the help of Dr Stefanos Zafeiriou for one of his patients. This patient was a child with facial deformities, and together, both Ponniah and Dr Zafeiriou developed a 3D facial model which helped with the child’s surgery.
After this, the two realised that the technology they developed had many other potential uses, such as facial recognition, VR and 3D avatars. Facesoft’s technology can now create 3D avatars from a single image and has cutting edge facial recognition/analysis to name a few of its many impressive applications.
Whilst there is a lot of controversy surrounding facial recognition due to concerns of privacy and data protection laws, Facesoft strives to raise awareness for the good that can come out of this technology – such as using facial recognition to find missing children. Additionally, the company are also trying to challenge this stigma with constant improvements being made to its technology every day, including privacy protection.
Facesoft technology has undergone tests by the National Institute of Standards & Technology, its results scoring the highest in Europe for accuracy on photos with low-quality conditions (e.g. bad lighting and varied angles). The startup have also recently been searching for Series A investment to help further develop and improve its technology, wanting to expand further into the field of VR and gaming.
In 2018, Facesoft won an Innovate UK grant. For this grant, the company were able to create VR content for education centres such as schools and museums.
Facesoft have big plans for its future, wanting to expand its technology’s application from 3D gaming avatars to being used in online banking verification methods.
