FBI launches $1 bln 'Minority Report-style' facial recognition system

London, Sept 10 (ANI): The Federal Bureau of Investigation is planning a nationwide launch of a one billion dollar facial recognition system designed to identify criminals.

The Next Generation Identification program, an update to the FBI's national fingerprint database, matches surveillance images to photos of known criminals to aid agents in identifying and catching suspects.

The technology is similar to the one shown in a one scene in the movie Minority Report where Tom Cruise boards a tram, and then the cameras scan and identify his face and alert the authorities.

According to a report by New Scientist, the facial recognition system works in two ways: it can compare an image to the FBI's massive database of mugshots to pinpoint criminals, and can also track suspects in surveillance footage by honing in on their faces in a crowd.

The FBI has not revealed what type of facial recognition software it is using for the program, the New York Daily News reports.

The most-advanced software in the field reportedly boasts an accuracy of more than 90 percent, the report said.

According to the report, several public advocates are wary of the project, fearing that the database will eventually extend beyond criminals to include images of the innocent. (ANI)