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I'm only asking this question because I'm bored and curious as to the actual implementation of ICS's face unlock tech.
Face unlock is cool and all, but how does it work? Now, before you type "derp it take a picutre of ur face", read on. So the other night while in the passenger seat of my friend's car, in the dark, I pulled out my phone (a Mytouch 4G Slide) and hit the menu button to wake the screen. Obv I've got face unlock enabled, and obv I wasn't expecting it to work in the dark. But I noticed a very, very faint red (I mean, it downright looked like infrared -- just like the LEDs on a nighttime security camera or the sensor on a Kinect) light coming from the proximity sensor on the front fascia, to the left of where the earpiece grille is. "Weird," I thought, and I hit the padlock icon so I could enter my unlock pattern. The instant I hit the padlock icon and the front-facing camera disengaged, that faint red light turned off as well.
Seriously, try this out yourself. If you've got a device with both a front-facing camera and ICS, give this a shot in a super dark room, or outside at night. Unless you've got a verifiable explanation from Google/OEM documentation, that is.
So... what's going on, and how, exactly, does it work? What's it looking for that it needs infrared? Is it simply for low-light illumination (like an aforementioned nighttime security camera) or is it doing something super awesome with the heat signature from my face (sort of like the tech behind the Kinect)?
...nobody? i'm just really curious if any devs have poked around with the face unlock feature and know how it works.
I'm not sure about the 'infrared' you speak of because I've just been playing around with it on my Galaxy S2 and I didn't notice anything from the proximity sensor. I was under the impression that Face Unlock simply analysed the image for the position of your nose, eyes and mouth and their relative distances to each other in order to work out if it's you or not.
It's certainly not something as crazy as kinect-like sensors or heat detection hahaha, I spent a good few minutes with one of my friends fooling his Nexus's face unlock with a photo of him I had on my phone - I think you'll tend to find pictures where people are smiling maniacally don't tend to work.
Same here on my Asus Transformer. No light emitting sensor. My guess is, the sensor is input only unable to emit anything. The faint red you noticed might as well be a reflection of some kind?
Where are the pictures stored anyway, because I`m worried about privacy issues. Especially in the light (no pun intended) of the latest security flaws in iOs and Android OS regarding stored pics on internal memory. Or is it just me being paradroid?
Well, dang, I wish I had some way of posting a video of the faint, red light. It's one hundred percent absolutely not a reflection... you ever looked at a security camera's IR illuminating LEDs? How it looks super dim and dark red? It looks exactly like that. I know it's somehow related to the face unlock feature because it's only on while the camera is showing my face. As soon as it detects my face, or if I hit the little unlock icon to use the pattern instead, the LED shuts off. I was hoping someone could pull up a Google developer reference that had some explanation.
Maybe I'll borrow someone's cell phone and use it to take a video of it.
i have a one x att and i've noticed the infrared light
but i think its just for the proximity sensor
nothing to do with face unlock
---------- Post added at 04:24 PM ---------- Previous post was at 03:48 PM ----------
i have a one x att and i've noticed the infrared light
but i think its just for the proximity sensor
nothing to do with face unlock
Hello,it seems there is no Q&A forum for this device, so here is my doubt:
Although the tech manual for the xperia S from the sony website report a proximity sensor, I fail to find one on my phone.
There seems to be a black oval spot on the glass next to the light sensor as if some sort of sticker can be removed to install the sensor.
The light sensor seems to work, since I've seen the screen go darker and brighter, but when I'm in a call and put the phone in my ear the screen wont shut off like in my old SGS nor will it turn on when I move the phone away from my face.
are your phones like mine? or is mine a defective unit?
I guess ur device has something wrong with it.
By the way; did u place a screen protector?? Coz if u did that may be the problem!
I think the light and proximity sensor are the same.
There is something wrong with your phone,maybe you should try to flash a new firmware.
Sent from my LT26i using Tapatalk 2
grained said:
Hello,it seems there is no Q&A forum for this device, so here is my doubt:
Although the tech manual for the xperia S from the sony website report a proximity sensor, I fail to find one on my phone.
There seems to be a black oval spot on the glass next to the light sensor as if some sort of sticker can be removed to install the sensor.
The light sensor seems to work, since I've seen the screen go darker and brighter, but when I'm in a call and put the phone in my ear the screen wont shut off like in my old SGS nor will it turn on when I move the phone away from my face.
are your phones like mine? or is mine a defective unit?
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Click to collapse
Hi,
Mine works fine...
Do this:
1>Go to dialpad and type *#*#7378423#*#* (*#*#SERVICE#*#*)
2>A menu pops up in that u will see service tests select that
3>Then scroll down and select Proximity Switch
4>Initially it will display as OFF. Now u place your finger or hand on the Proximity Sensor, then the value of Proximity Switch on the screen will change to ON.
If this is working then the sensor is just fine u need to update the firmware else u need to go and replace the piece IMO though.
Thank you all for the feedback.
I used the service menu to check the sensors ...
indeed the proximity sensor is always off, even when I put my finger on it, it seems someone forgot to remove the black paint from behind the glass, but I will update it anyway to make sure before returning it.
grained said:
Thank you all for the feedback.
I used the service menu to check the sensors ...
indeed the proximity sensor is always off, even when I put my finger on it, it seems someone forgot to remove the black paint from behind the glass, but I will update it anyway to make sure before returning it.
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Click to collapse
sensor is IR, so darkened window is normal for it. but if it have always closed windows - than its status must be always ON. so, most likely you have faulty sensor (or bug in firmware)
goodwin_c said:
sensor is IR, so darkened window is normal for it. but if it have always closed windows - than its status must be always ON. so, most likely you have faulty sensor (or bug in firmware)
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Hi,
Exactly it should be showing status as ON if it's covered replace the piece as soon as possible
shoz_on4u said:
Hi,
Exactly it should be showing status as ON if it's covered replace the piece as soon as possible
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Click to collapse
If it was covered by the glass/ cover it would show OFF because the glass doesn't radiate heat like your body does.
Sent from the Delta Quadrant using a transwarp conduit.
Pezo said:
If it was covered by the glass/ cover it would show OFF because the glass doesn't radiate heat like your body does.
Sent from the Delta Quadrant using a transwarp conduit.
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Proximity sensor on phones does not react to heat. It have simple IR transmitter, which emits a beam, and IR sensor, which react on reflected beam.
goodwin_c said:
Proximity sensor on phones does not react to heat. It have simple IR transmitter, which emits a beam, and IR sensor, which react on reflected beam.
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Click to collapse
You are right, just tested it and it seems to be a reflective sensor.
thanks for the tips, it was indeed a faulty sensor and they gave me a new phone right away .
I hope I don't get any more problems like a yellow tint :X (knock on wood with fingers crossed)
Hey, have this phone from yesterday, europe dual sim version. How is for you the 3d face unlock?
I feel it's often inaccurate and in these cases it it does not unlock the phone.
Also, when i am in a dark room wit a good light behind me it's often inaccurate and, again, in these cases it it does not unlock the phone always.
In fact, if you try to register your face in this last condition you will see the face very very dark and this is a problem obviously for the face unlock.
I remember this last same "dark" problem also with the P20 Pro sensor.
What you think? Any solutions? Maybe in next updates?
Edit 1: https://www.reddit.com/r/Huawei/comments/9rnmpa/mate_20_pro_face_unlock_issues/
Edit 2:
I'm having similar issues here.. It will work perfectly sometimes and then just doesn't
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UP
https://www.reddit.com/r/Huawei/comments/9rnmpa/mate_20_pro_face_unlock_issues/
Edit 2:
I'm having similar issues here.. It will work perfectly sometimes and then just doesn't
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just dont register your face in bad lighting conditions where it cannot be registered properly. I dont understand your problem tbh. Face unlock is a combination of the infrared thing and the camera.... if you use your phone while sitting in front of a bright light you cannot expect it to work. its like having wet or dirty fingers and comlpaining fingerprint isnt working.
0alfred0 said:
just dont register your face in bad lighting conditions where it cannot be registered properly. I dont understand your problem tbh. Face unlock is a combination of the infrared thing and the camera.... if you use your phone while sitting in front of a bright light you cannot expect it to work. its like having wet or dirty fingers and comlpaining fingerprint isnt working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Conditions are good.
if you use your phone while sitting in front of a bright light
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Click to collapse
.... behind of a bright light, as written in first post, in fact if i try to register face in this last condition face is almost dark, but in this case the infrared camera should not help anyway?
With my iphone x in the SAME condition the face unlock works ALWAYS instantly, so i can see the difference.
denzel09 said:
Conditions are good.
.... behind of a bright light, as written in first post, in fact if i try to register face in this last condition face is almost dark, but in this case the infrared camera should not help anyway?
With my iphone x in the SAME condition the face unlock works ALWAYS instantly, so i can see the difference.
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Click to collapse
Well if you register your face in good lighting and the unlock does not work in good lighting then there is probably something wrong. You should contact huawei about that.
If you are trying to create a bad lighting condition on purpose and then it doesnt work I am not sure why you do this. There is no point. If you are in everyday live, like in a bar or pub and the lighting is bad you have to expect that face unlock is not going to be the most reliable. Its that simple. Sitting at home and trying to push it to its limits does not benefit you at all.
It is not as secure nor the same technology as face ID so there is no point in comparing them. If FaceID is better you have to accept it. No update can change the hardware.... maybe it will be optimized but it is not going to improve by 100%.
Surely ambient light has nothing to do with the face unlock method used here, as the camera is searching for an IR dot pattern. If anything, I'd expect it to work better in the dark.
0alfred0 said:
Well if you register your face in good lighting and the unlock does not work in good lighting then there is probably something wrong. You should contact huawei about that.
If you are trying to create a bad lighting condition on purpose and then it doesnt work I am not sure why you do this. There is no point. If you are in everyday live, like in a bar or pub and the lighting is bad you have to expect that face unlock is not going to be the most reliable. Its that simple. Sitting at home and trying to push it to its limits does not benefit you at all.
It is not as secure nor the same technology as face ID so there is no point in comparing them. If FaceID is better you have to accept it. No update can change the hardware.... maybe it will be optimized but it is not going to improve by 100%.
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Click to collapse
It works in good light but it's not accurate like FaceID or also other 2D unlock tried until now. It's not accurate, for example, when I'm sitting in an armchair often it wants certain angles to unlock, etc..
I can understand your point about create "bad light condition". Until few days ago i had a One Plus 6 with 2D face unlock, but not only it, and in the same Mate 20 conditions i had no one single problem with angles or light behind me! Maybe it's a bit hard to explain..
David Horn said:
Surely ambient light has nothing to do with the face unlock method used here, as the camera is searching for an IR dot pattern. If anything, I'd expect it to work better in the dark.
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Click to collapse
In fact it is the same thing that I thought! "Better in the dark", but in the evening when there is an artificial light behind me, sitting in an armchair, the unlock starts to have a bit of difficulty. And instead it should be the opposite, it should work better.
In this situation if i try to register my face in fact i see my face really dark cause the light behind me goes exactly on the sensor. Same thing with P20 Pro sensor. Only with Huawei i have seen this "problem". Nor with Samsung, nor with One Plus nor with Pocophone, etc..
It's really strange.
Check the software/EMUI problem thread, see if anyone else is reporting it. Otherwise, it's news to me.
roosta said:
Check the software/EMUI problem thread, see if anyone else is reporting it. Otherwise, it's news to me.
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I think no one until now. Like no one with P20 Pro. Surely it's not fast like Apple Face ID. In same conditions. Sure about this because i have both with me so...
denzel09 said:
In fact it is the same thing that I thought! "Better in the dark", but in the evening when there is an artificial light behind me, sitting in an armchair, the unlock starts to have a bit of difficulty. And instead it should be the opposite, it should work better.
In this situation if i try to register my face in fact i see my face really dark cause the light behind me goes exactly on the sensor. Same thing with P20 Pro sensor. Only with Huawei i have seen this "problem". Nor with Samsung, nor with One Plus nor with Pocophone, etc..
It's really strange.
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for comparison. I just tested bad lighting with my mate 10 pro... worked just fine... immediate unlock
i am not sure about the IR thing. it should definately work with no light but i am not sure if it is able to "work against" light. if your light sends out inrared wavelengths it will definately interfere with the IR projector. I am pretty sure though it sends out infrared wavelengths since it gets hot.... heat=infrared light (that how heat cameras work).
denzel09 said:
I think no one until now. Like no one with P20 Pro. Surely it's not fast like Apple Face ID. In same conditions. Sure about this because i have both with me so...
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Click to collapse
Apple were the first to introduce dot-mapping (or whatever they call the technology) to scan all areas, from left to right, of the face. The android versions on phones is more watered down...but it seems Huawei are using their own software of facial mapping which I imagine is designed to work the same as Face ID on Apple...but as there's some bugs with the pre-releases, I'd potentially wait and update the phone in 3-4 weeks to see if it resolve the issue.
RoOSTA
0alfred0 said:
for comparison. I just tested bad lighting with my mate 10 pro... worked just fine... immediate unlock
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Click to collapse
It was perfect in my "condition" with mate 10 pro with light behind me and against the cam. Because it used only the frontal cam! When i tried to register my face with Mate 10 in "my condition" my face was no dark and clearly visible!
This IS a big difference and here there is an "error" starting from P20 Pro to Mate 20 Pro.
0alfred0 said:
i am not sure about the IR thing. it should definately work with no light but i am not sure if it is able to "work against" light. if your light sends out inrared wavelengths it will definately interfere with the IR projector. I am pretty sure though it sends out infrared wavelengths since it gets hot.... heat=infrared light (that how heat cameras work).
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Click to collapse
Perfect point of view. Problem is: with iPhone X the IR "thing" works PERFECT against light, etc..
roosta said:
Apple were the first to introduce dot-mapping (or whatever they call the technology) to scan all areas, from left to right, of the face. The android versions on phones is more watered down...but it seems Huawei are using their own software of facial mapping which I imagine is designed to work the same as Face ID on Apple...but as there's some bugs with the pre-releases, I'd potentially wait and update the phone in 3-4 weeks to see if it resolve the issue.
RoOSTA
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Yes, completely agree with you.
But i have a little doubt, this last comes from P20 PRO, also this with light behind me and against the sensor shows me my face all "dark" and obviously no update "fixed" this. I remember with this phone in my situation was IMPOSSIBLE use the 2D face unlock.
Idk honestly if an update here can improve this kind of sensor. I hope!
https://forum.xda-developers.com/showpost.php?p=77998095&postcount=83
Facial recognition evidently hates sunlight. If your face is side on to the sun it won't work, you have to either be in shadow or directly in the sun. The fingerprint scanner I'm also finding to be very hit and miss. I have just been out using it to take some photos, lost count of the number of times both methods of unlocking didn't work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Edit...
It seems to me like a directional or sensor spread issue,
If i hold the phone level with my eyes and head straight (straight neck) it works perfectly, if i'm at my desk with it in my hand looking down at it then it doesn't. If i raise my head and phone vertical as its giving me the 'recognising face' message then it unlocks just as i hit vertical/straight neck.
Problem is i look a t**t raising my phone every time i want to unlock it (looks like i'm checking myself out in a vanity mirror!!)
Had the iPhone XS before this and it worked flawlessly head down or not.
Can someone else who is having issues test this theory?
Edit......
I have noticed that face unlock doesnot work properly when you register the face without glasses and then try to unlock it with glasses on ad vice-versa.
Anyone else having the issue please confirm.
Any help would be really appreciated!! ??
Haven't faced this issue
Even I registered my face without glasses and even with my glasses on the face unlock works just as fast.
No such issue mate. Had mine on when i registered. its still accurate(10 out of 10) without them. Have you tried deleting the preexisting one and capturing a new one?
Works fine with or without glasses. Works also with my sun glasses on, flawlessly.
My face unlock still work fast when without or with glasses.
Maybe your front camera lens is dirty, because some cheap screen guard covered the lens but dust can entered the lens part.
abdispotiify said:
No such issue mate. Had mine on when i registered. its still accurate(10 out of 10) without them. Have you tried deleting the preexisting one and capturing a new one?
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Click to collapse
Tried several times mate but no positive results
manuks said:
My face unlock still work fast when without or with glasses.
Maybe your front camera lens is dirty, because some cheap screen guard covered the lens but dust can entered the lens part.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
But my screen guard leaves the notch area. So no chance of dust. Maybe it's just my device misbehaving
I'm also having the similar issue! My phone is also not unlocks when with the glasses!! Looks need to register face without specs!
atrirocks said:
I have noticed that face unlock doesnot work properly when you register the face without glasses and then try to unlock it with glasses on ad vice-versa.
Anyone else having the issue please confirm.
Any help would be really appreciated!!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1. Sunglasses it is no problem and very fast
2. With prescription eye glasses it is slightly delayed if face is registered without eye glasses.
In all probability it is due to eye detection mode of the face unlock. If Ur eyes are closed it won't unlock.
Btw u should try the pie based beta 8.10.30, face unlock ia insanely fast.
Hi all,
I've noticed that a lot of times I get a "face doesn't match" message even in very good lighting conditions where I'd usually have no issues.
I tried turning the screen off and then on again to scan my face in the same position, and it can display "face doesn't match" 2-3 times in a row before being successful.
I noticed that I need to use my fingerprint much more than on my previous device, before my face wasn't registered only in very dark situations, and now even during the day it displays this message a lot.
Did anyone else experience this?
yes, +1
i initially blamed the whitestone dome glass protection, then energy ring app; but no, I guess the front camera is the culprit, poorer quality or poorer settings
I jave exactly same problem my old xiaomi 10 pro have better face unlock and faster than 23 ultra i hope i fix comming soon
Yes here also same problem. Face Recolonization is not at par with Apple iPhone.
Keos214 said:
I jave exactly same problem my old xiaomi 10 pro have better face unlock and faster than 23 ultra i hope i fix comming soon
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Can confirm, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro is really fast and good with face unlock, Samsung has sucked with this for years, that's pretty much the only gripe I have with Samsung, their unreliable Face Unlock.
MasterThiefGarrett said:
Can confirm, the Xiaomi Mi 10 Pro is really fast and good with face unlock, Samsung has sucked with this for years, that's pretty much the only gripe I have with Samsung, their unreliable Face Unlock.
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Yes and with xiaomi 10 pro we dont need to puth the face front of camera you can easy unlock even if you are far from camera i dont understand why samsung not work well
Working fast and without any issues for me even at arms length. Try redoing face recognition in clear day light or with lights on, moving your face very slightly for different angles up down left right and then add the alternative one too.
I have try multiple time no succes even with friend face, same problem the device cant reconize
I use pin code no choice
Keos214 said:
I have try multiple time no succes even with friend face, same problem the device cant reconize
I use pin code no choice
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Click to collapse
Is your front camera covered by screen protector, glass, film, dirt, fingerprints, or scratched? Are you able to take clear perfect selfies and videos?
Why pin instead of fingerprint?
Yes the device is brand new 12 days and my protection is cuted around the camera front
Keos214 said:
Yes the device is brand new 12 days and my protection is cuted around the camera front
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Click to collapse
Do you have a face?
Strange. It works perfectly and instantly for me.
Have you tried setting it up different distances from your face too? Bright light? Day light?
I have tried all of the above suggestions, even before posting this thread. I also have alternative look added in the daylight. Since I used s21u before this one, I can definitelly say that there's something off about the face recognition on this device. I guess it's a software bug. With all the same settings it was working amazing on my s21u, even from an angle, in darker environments.
I'd suggest that we report this on samsung members app.
MrDusan said:
I have tried all of the above suggestions, even before posting this thread. I also have alternative look added in the daylight. Since I used s21u before this one, I can definitelly say that there's something off about the face recognition on this device. I guess it's a software bug. With all the same settings it was working amazing on my s21u, even from an angle, in darker environments.
I'd suggest that we report this on samsung members app.
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Click to collapse
Yep report please. It may be a software bug or glitch which they should know about so they can fix it.
I can't fault mine so there is definitely a difference in experience.
Same here, seems like the issue for Samsung to fix in the following updates.
gmadjara said:
Same here, seems like the issue for Samsung to fix in the following updates.
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Please also report on samsung members.