faceAPI

General FAQ

  1. Is there a free version available?
  2. What are the technical limitations of the Non-Commercial Version?
  3. What information does the faceAPI provide?
  4. Does faceAPI require any learning period?
  5. What is the minimum system configuration?
  6. What operating systems are supported?
  7. Can I track multiple people at the same time?
  8. What languages are supported?
  9. Will it work on anyone?
  10. What if I’m wearing sunglasses or thick spectacles?
  11. Does it work in dark conditions or bright sunlight?
  12. Can you track other things besides faces?
  13. Where did this technology come from?
  14. What are some applications for this technology?
  15. I am a student. Can I use the non-commercial product for my class projects?

1. Is there a free version available?

  • Yes – if you are an eligible non-commercial user. Click here to read the license terms.

2. What are the technical limitations of the Non-Commercial Version?

  • The non-commercial version is limited to a single-instance of a head-tracker and only works on webcams. No lip and eyebrow tracking is available.

3. What information does the faceAPI provide?

4. Does faceAPI require any learning period?

  • No, faceAPI is fully automatic.

5. What is the minimum system configuration?

  • “Intel Core-2 Duo”
  • “A good quality USB 2.0 webcam (we recommend the Logitech Quickcam Deluxe series or similar)”

6. What operating systems are supported?

  • Windows XP and Vista. Linux and Mac versions are planned

7. Can I track multiple people at the same time?

  • Not yet. If there are multiple people in the image, faceAPI locks onto one face only.

8. What languages are supported?

  • The API is a DLL and C library interface.
  • The Development version includes C++ open-source wrapper classes.
  • A C# interface will be available soon.

9. Will it work on anyone?

  • Yes we think it does. We obviously can’t prove this, but only assure you that we have a database of many thousands of faces.

10. What if I’m wearing sunglasses or thick spectacles?

  • It still works.

11. Does it work in dark conditions or bright sunlight?

  • Yes. The main issue is frame-rate. Webcams often throttle to low frame-rates in dark conditions. Tracking at 15Hz works, but not nearly as well as 20 or 30Hz.
  • If the image is completely black or saturated white, then obviously there is nothing the camera can “see” to track, however, for example, half the face can be covered and it still tracks fairly well.

12. Can you track other things besides faces?

  • No the faceAPI is designed for human faces. We don’t do hands, bodies, dogs, monkeys, cats, chickens or {insert strange thing here}.
  • We are focussed on building the world’s most automatic and robust face-tracking algorithms for advanced HCI applications.

13. Where did this technology come from?

  • This technology has been in development for over 8 years inside Seeing Machines Ltd.
    Original versions ran using stereo-camera rigs and it was originally designed for enhancing robot-human interaction.
  • It then became part of faceLAB, a research tool for studying human behaviour under real-world conditions.
  • The first large-scale application for the technology is the detection of drowsy and inattentive drivers, which is why the tracking has to be incredibly robust and completely automatic. See our DSS product.
  • We are now opening up this technology for other people (you) to develop applications that leverage face-tracking.

14. What are some applications for this technology?

  • There are so many ideas, we can’t keep track of them all. It’s up to you: go forth and innovate!

15. I am a student. Can I use the non-commercial product for my class projects?

  • Yes. However, the license provided does not include support, and lacks several features of the full Development License.