Face-based recognition systems in the ABC e-gates

Automated border control (ABC) systems have been proposed as the best option to satisfy the actual needs that airport security has to face nowadays and in the next years. These needs are demanded by the rapid flow growth. High efficient biometric recognition systems using face, iris or fingerprint modalities placed inside the gates at airports entry points should cope with the problems caused by this growth. Problems such as, congestion at these gates, delays in the planned arrival schedules or lack of security control, require a fast automated biometric solution. Face modality is present in 2^nd generation passports and it is well accepted by travellers. In this work the state of the art for the most important face recognition models that are currently employed in ABC e-Gates is presented. The importance that image quality has in the ABC systems performance and how external factors affect this quality is described.