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CarMen

Project description

Biometric solutions for continuous border control

Lower-quality live biometric data and the limited time to read ePassports are significant challenges for ‘on-the-move’ biometrics. Additionally, fully automated biometric border control solutions, even when a stop is allowed, are currently used only for pedestrians in controlled environments. The EU-funded CarMen project aims to develop biometric solutions for the continuous border control of both pedestrians and vehicles, with a focus on fraud detection, compliance with legal and ethical standards, and privacy protection. The project will implement a two-step authentication process using Near Infrared (NIR) and RGB live biometric images. To safeguard against data injection attacks, CarMen will use Digital Traveller Credentials (DTC). The project will demonstrate these solutions at the UK-France border.

Objective

Challenges related to “on the move” biometrics are 1/ lower quality live biometric data, and 2/ no time to read the ePassport. Also, fully automatic biometric border control solutions, even with a stop allowed, are currently deployed only for pedestrians in controlled environments. Carmen innovates biometric solutions for non-stop border control, suitable for pedestrians and vehicles, in uncontrolled environmental conditions. Travellers’ authentication is achieved in two steps: 1) the biometric data (face, iris, periocular) of travellers is securely stored in their smartphones, thanks to a DTC (Digital Traveller Credential); 2) the biometric data is securely transferred from the DTC to the border authroity infrastructure, and compared to the live biometric data collected as the traveller crosses the border control point.
To address a variety of environmental conditions, Carmen uses both NIR and RGB live biometric images and compares them to the reference images that have been acquired with one type of lighting only. To make biometrics more robust, Carmen has a multimodal approach on face iris and periocular regions. In fraud detection, Carmen detects presentation attacks on moving travellers and detects anomalous traveller behaviour. To address small and large border crossing points, Carmen enables the use of fix and body-worn cameras. To address travellers in cars or lorries, Carmen detects face images in slowly moving vehicles, through the windows.
Travellers in coaches are controlled by border guards walking through the coach, using dedicated portable equipment as they walk.
Carmen addresses the robustness of DTC via data injection attacks. Carmen complies with the existing legal and ethical standards, and privacy is a central concern.
Carmen solutions will be demonstrated in operational conditions over the UK – France border, as French and UK border authorities are part of Carmen consortium, using the infrastructure proposed by the partner Brittany Ferries.

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(opens in new window) HORIZON-CL3-2023-BM-01

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Coordinator

YNCREA MEDITERRANEE
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 453 371,26
Address
MAISON DES TECHNOLOGIES PL GEORGE POMPIDOU
83000 Toulon
France

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Region
Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur Var
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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