SAFR from RealNetworks, Inc., a facial recognition platform for live video, was selected as the facial recognition technology provider for a new biometric access control system in use at Japanese construction sites. Developed by Nextware corporation Ltd., in conjunction with Kids-way Corp., the new FACEma access control and health management system enables construction site workers to automatically register their attendance and departure while also checking body temperatures for fever symptoms.

“The FACEma solution has already been deployed at many construction sites and is helping to reduce costs and streamline access control and health management in the construction industry by providing fast, accurate face recognition with SAFR technology coupled with Kids-way body temperature measurement,” said Noriaki Takamura, APAC area vice president, RealNetworks.

With a multi-national workforce of varying skin tones, it was critical to choose a reliable facial recognition platform that exhibited low skin tone bias. SAFR’s facial recognition technology is able to meet that requirement.

“We are pleased to announce that we have started selling the AI-based FACEma biometric access control and health management solution for attendance and departure at construction sites using SAFR facial recognition technology,” said Kakumori Ban, president, Kids-way Corp.

More Japanese construction sites are using automated access control to reduce operational costs and human error while protecting worker health and safety. Attendance and departure management in collaboration with health management is a key component of advancing the digital transformation of the industry. At the behest of the Japanese Ministry of Land, the FACEma access control system utilizes the existing CCUS (Construction Career Up System) central database, which contains worker qualifications, insurance enrollments, and onsite working history records. The system enables workers to seamlessly travel between multiple sites and utilize the same authentication system throughout.

“We are confident that the FACEma solution can effectively respond to the growing needs for non-contact biometric authentication and screening for fevers. We believe that improving the efficiency of attendance and departure / physical condition management work at construction sites will contribute to the further development of the construction industry,” said Taka Toyoda, president and CEO of Nextware Co. Ltd., developer of the FACEma solution.