SAFR from RealNetworks Inc., a provider of facial recognition and person-centric computer vision on live video, has been awarded two Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts of approximately $950k each or $1.9M in total from AFWERX.

These contracts provide funding to adapt the SAFR platform for use by the Air Force for perimeter security and secure access. Once developed for the United States Air Force (USAF), the SBIR/STTR program allows for any other federal agency to award a sole-source contract for technology developed under the program.

In partnership with Security Forces at a U.S. Air Force base, SAFR will be enhanced to integrate real-time facial recognition across a range of fixed and mobile device embedded cameras to secure the perimeter and enhance situational awareness for those charged with securing some of our nation’s most sensitive assets.

In partnership with another USAF wing, SAFR will be further hardened against spoofing attacks to provide contactless secure access for authorized personnel using existing IP security cameras. This development will enable the elimination of touch-based keypads, a potential transmission surface of COVID-19 and contribute to force health and readiness.

“Strong biometric identity authentication using face recognition has the potential to reduce the likelihood of contracting and spreading infectious elements including COVID-19 and seasonal flu into facilities, thus providing additional protection to our operational readiness,” said Donald Hudson, GG-15, technical director, USAF.

“SAFR is used by commercial customers around the world for tens of millions of recognitions per month using on-premise and cloud deployments for secure access, perimeter security and a variety of other use-cases,” said Dan Grimm, general manager of SAFR from RealNetworks. “As a U.S. company, we are honored to partner with AFWERX and these two Air Force wings to adapt our technology for mission-critical use by the U.S. Air Force and other DoD customers.”

These contracts are the result of a partnership between Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and AFWERX (a U.S. Air Force program) to streamline the small business innovation research processes and accelerate innovation by speeding up the experience, broadening the pool of potential applicants and decreasing bureaucratic overhead.

Visit www.safr.com for more information.