Research overview

Biometric technologies and their applications including the techniques, devices and systems for acquisition, processing, analysis and synthesis of biometrics.

2018 - 2021 NSERC Strategic Project grant "Biometric-enabled Identity Management and Risk Assessment for Smart Cities ", in collaboration with NTUST, Taiwan

2018 MITACS-Calgary DI Centre "Feasibility Study of Biometric Technologies for Calgary Drop-In & Rehab Centre Society" (study on using infrared imaging for medical emergency detection: fever, hyperthermia or hypothermia)

2017 - 2018 UofC Human Dynamics Research Strategy VPR matching funds (project on Ubiquitous Monitoring within "Sensorized Society", study of biometric data de-identification, privacy aspects and "soft" biometrics (attributes, behavioral and contextual data))

2017 - 2018 UofC VPR funds, project "Non-invasive Automated Pain Detection and Fault Risk Assessment for Aging-in-Place Environments" within the W21C “Biomedical Innovations in Home Health Care to Support an Aging Population”

2014 - 2019 NSERC Discovery grant "Biometric Contactless Interfaces"

2013 - 2016 Canada Safety and Security Program project "Risk analysis of face and iris biometrics for automated border control applications", led by Canada Border Service Agency, and funded by DRDC Center for Security Science

2013 - 2016 Canada Safety and Security Program project "Privacy in the Age of Biometrics"

2013 NSERC Engage project "Integration of sensory data with video feed from unmanned aerial vehicles", with InnUVative Systems Inc.

2011 - 2012 NATO Collaborative linkage grant (Canada-Slovakia-Czech Republic) CBP.EAP.CLG 984228 "Intelligent Assistance Systems: Multisensor Processing and reliability Analysis"

Biometric technologies include techniques, devices and systems for acquisition, processing, analysis and synthesis of biometrics for the following applications:

Biometrics in health care systems includes analysis of vitals such as breathing, motor function (using wearables and video-based monitoring), video-based monitoring for fall detection and prediction, pain detection via facial expressions, and analysis of motor function in physiotherapy and rehabilitation.

Security (physical access control systems with biometric authentication, biometric devices for user's verification or identification). We have conducted joint projects such as Canada Safety and Security Program project on risk analysis of face and iris biometrics for automated border control applications, funded by DRDC Center for Security Science, 2013-2015, with Canada Border Services Agency . We led two NATO Collaborative Linkage grants: one with NASA's Robotics group led by A. Stoica and UVic in 2003-2004, and another one with StraDe group at Brno University of Technology, and University of Zilina, on Multi-sensor system development for secure borders, in 2011-2012.

The "cognition" function of any human-machine systems includes biometric data input and analysis. The design of a cognitive decision support system (DSS) includes machine reasoning that provides recommendations and predictions. It applies in cognitive, ambient, and contactless Human-Machine Interfaces (HMI), interview-supporting systems. The cognitive system performs detection and recognition of users' behavior, gestures, poses, and actions, and uses feedback to adjust.