Why Microsoft Created 3-D Scans of Random People

By Nina Zipkin Feb 29, 2016
Microsoft | Facebook

Waiting patiently for the day when you won’t have to keep track of all your passwords? Microsoft took a field trip this weekend to help further the development of an alternative.

On Saturday, the tech giant set up shop at popular Seattle tourist site the Ballard Locks to get help from a handful of volunteers who lent their visages to the company’s research for Windows Hello, a year-old biometric authentication system for Windows 10.

Related: 3 Biometrics Startups Heating Up the Password Security Race

The tech giant created 3-D infrared scan of participants’ faces in an effort to “gather a wide variety of real-world scans to improve the accuracy of the facial recognition technology,” according to GeekWire.

The people who donated five minutes and their likenesses signed a release ahead of time explaining that the 3-D scans would only be used for the company’s research.

Waiting patiently for the day when you won’t have to keep track of all your passwords? Microsoft took a field trip this weekend to help further the development of an alternative.

On Saturday, the tech giant set up shop at popular Seattle tourist site the Ballard Locks to get help from a handful of volunteers who lent their visages to the company’s research for Windows Hello, a year-old biometric authentication system for Windows 10.

Related: 3 Biometrics Startups Heating Up the Password Security Race

The tech giant created 3-D infrared scan of participants’ faces in an effort to “gather a wide variety of real-world scans to improve the accuracy of the facial recognition technology,” according to GeekWire.

The people who donated five minutes and their likenesses signed a release ahead of time explaining that the 3-D scans would only be used for the company’s research.

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Nina Zipkin

Staff Writer. Covers leadership, media, technology and culture. at Entrepreneur Media
Entrepreneur Staff
Nina Zipkin is a staff writer at Entrepreneur.com. She frequently covers leadership, media, tech, startups, culture and workplace trends.

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