MWC 2017: New Snapdragon Chip Supports Facial, Iris Recognition

EyeLock’s iris recognition technology has been integrated into the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor.

EyeLock and Qualcomm are teaming up to show off mobile iris scanning technology at this week’s Mobile World Congress.

The former’s iris recognition technology has been integrated into the Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 processor. The chip’s new Secure Camera feature supports both facial and iris recognition, with EyeLock providing the latter with its iris scanning solution, which assesses 240 characteristics of a given eye, and can function at a distance of 60cm.

In a statement announcing the MWC showcase, EyeLock CTO Jeff Carter said the companies are going to demonstrate a device offering “fast iris recognition at a comfortable arm’s-length distance.” Qualcomm Technologies’ Sy Choudhury, meanwhile, highlighted the growing importance of biometrics in mobile devices more generally, asserting that the Secure Camera feature “provides additional security for your most personal information – your biometric iris template, the key to all your data“.

With major mobile makers like Samsung and Apple thought to be planning iris scanning and facial recognition for their upcoming devices, the technologies of both EyeLock and Qualcomm should prove appealing to other MWC attendees eager to stay competitive through the mobile biometrics boom.