Biometric Screening Using Facial Recognition For Speedy and Convenient

Speedy and convenient biometric screening using facial recognition means you no longer have to show your boarding pass at Munich Airport Terminal 2. Simply walk up to the gate, the biometric camera will validate your ID using just your face with secure, touchless technology by Gunnebo.
Terminal 2, the modern home of all Lufthansa and Star Alliance flights at Munich Airport, has successfully been using Gunnebo’s Biometric e-Gates since late 2020 when a pilot project with the biometric screening technology was begun. Terminal 2 and Star Alliance see biometric e-gates as a key part of their efforts to improve passenger flows to make them faster, and more user-friendly, and help to meet the projected increase in traveller numbers.

You don’t have to look for your boarding pass in several pockets or wallets to find it. You just use your face and pass the checkpoint.”

says Mr Tim Dettloff, Manager of Aviation Processes at Munich Airport Terminal 2.

The terminal already had Gunnebo’s non-biometric BoardSec gates installed since 2018 but these needed an upgrade to allow fast, accurate, and secure biometric screening using facial recognition for a boarding pass control, Gunnebo was therefore asked to retrofit the existing gates.

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This required upgraded hardware in the form of biometric cameras and user displays, and the necessary exchange of the existing gate PC for an updated high-speed PC. On the software side, a new biometric platform and improved IT connections from the PC were necessary. As a result, front and back-end systems were fully updated and optimized to achieve a seamless passenger experience.

Biometric screening must also work with COVID face masks

The Terminal 2 biometric access implementation took place during late 2020, when the extent and longevity of COVID-19 was, and still is uncertain. Thus, the camera in the biometric system needed to be able to work both with and without face masks. Interestingly, the smart software built into the system allows good facial recognition even when the passenger is wearing a mask covering a portion of their face.

For hygiene reasons it also had to be a touchless process with the use of the gate being conducted without requiring one single point of physical contact with the gate and other surfaces. The chosen solution achieved this, eliminating touchpoints while allowing the traveller to walk straight through in a seamless flow, minimising bottlenecks and keeping passengers safe.

Recognition and matching speed of less than 2 seconds

A further upgrade that was needed concerned the system computer speed. If the biometric matching process took more than just a couple of seconds, users might get frustrated and during busy times, the seconds of delay per person would lead to increased queues and wait times. Therefore, the computer was upgraded to an IB917 system computer with the latest generation processor to give the highest image matching speed and avoid lags and possible delays.

Results

The addition of biometrics to the elegant entrance gates located at Munich Airport Terminal 2 has elevated the site’s people flow and customer experience. Biometrics allow for touchless processing of patrons which maintains a hygienic journey through the airport, an integral part of travel post pandemic.

To find out more, contact our team today.