Chinese Police Expand Use of Biometric Smart Glasses
An article on FindBiometrics recently reported on the Chinese police authorities’ use of biometric smart glasses. The devices were first used by the police last month in Zhengzhou to survey a railway station. After this trial, police praised the technology and said it helped to catch fugitives.
The glasses are equipped with built-in cameras and paired with a handheld device to match facial biometrics of suspects to wanted criminals and persons of interest in police databases.
Currently, the smart glasses are being used outside of Beijing at a highway checkpoint to identify license plate numbers as well as individuals within vehicles. Again, the system is designed to flag cars within police databases, allowing the technology to be used as a criminal dragnet.
Biometric technology is becoming more prominent in China, particularly facial recognition systems. Many applications are for surveillance purposes, which is controversial amongst civil rights advocates due to increased government power, also evident in the recent abolition of term limits for President. However, the biometric smart glasses are undoubtedly a powerful new law enforcement tool for police authorities.