• by Chuck Martin , July 18, 2018

A digital media software company is offering free facial recognition software to schools in the U.S. and Canada.

RealNetworks announced the machine learning based facial recognition software for Mac and iOS platforms can be downloaded by schools beginning today. The software, SAFR (Secure, Accurate Facial Recognition) will be available for Android and Windows in the fall, according to the company.

“School safety has become one of the top national issues in the United States in 2018,” stated Rob Glaser, chairman and CEO of RealNetworks. “We are proud to give our leading edge SAFR for K-12 technology solution to every elementary, middle, and high school in America and Canada. We hope this will help make schools safer.”

The program utilizes existing IP-based cameras and available hardware to recognize student, staff and school visitors in real time and can be used for record keeping. The facial data and images are encrypted and the facial data would remain within the school’s systems.

The software matches faces from IP-based cameras with existing school registration systems and can deliver instant alerts for unauthorized access. The launch follows a successful pilot at an independent elementary school in Seattle, which has been using SAFR to grant gate access to the school using the registered faces of staff, parents and guardians.