Credential Authentication Technology with Camera System (CAT-2) and AutoCAT (CAT-2 in an e-gate form factor)

Overview

Development stage

DeployedSource: c) Deployed – The use case is being actively authorized or utilized to support the functions or mission of an agency.

High-impact designation

High-impactSource: a) High-impact

Impact justification

Not reported

Start date

2023-09-01 (day precision)Source: 2023-09-01T00:00:00

Withheld from public reporting

Not reported

Mission

Topic area

Transportation

Operational functions

Biometrics and identity Derived by keyword rules; see methodology

Problem the AI is intended to solve

Improving the detection of imposters.

Expected benefits

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) uses AI-based, one-to-one (1:1) and one-to-many (1:n) facial matching technologies at some checkpoints to assist human reviewers with traveler identity verification. The purpose and expected benefits of the technology include increased speed and accuracy of identity verification at the checkpoint while improving detection of imposters.

System outputs

The system produces a recommendation to the Transportation Security Officer (TSO) to indicate if person presenting the identity document is similar to the face on the photo ID document. In the event of a non-match, the TSO is responsible for additional identity verification steps to verify the identity of the traveler.

Technology

AI classification

Classical / predictive MLSource: Classical/Predictive Machine Learning: Models trained on data to make predictions or classifications based on identified patterns or relatio…

System name(s)

STIP/CAT

Custom-developed code

No

Public source code

Not reported

Sourcing

How it was built

Purchased from vendorSource: a) Purchased from a vendor

Vendor (as reported)

IDEMIA Identity, Security USA LLC

Vendors (standardized)

None on the standard list

A vendor is the supplier named by the agency. It does not identify the underlying model or AI technology.

Data and privacy

Involves PII

Yes

Privacy Impact Assessment

www.dhs.gov ↗

Authorization to Operate

Yes

Demographic features

Not reported

Training and evaluation data

During the development, the original equipment manufacturer trained the technology using their own data for 1:1 facial comparison. Prior to initial deployment, DHS S&T conducted evaluation of the biometrics algorithms using volunteers for facial matching validation. During TSA's continuous evaluation, a photo is taken of the passenger and compared to the photo on the identification to determine whether it was an actual match to the individual.

Federal Data Catalog

Not reported

Governance

8 of 8 minimum-practice questions answered. A blank answer means the agency reported nothing; it does not mean the practice is absent.

Potential impacts and how they were identified

In the event of a non-match, the traveler may make a second attempt ot the TSA perform additional identity verification steps to verify the identity of the traveler. This process may add between 20 seconds or a few minutes to the identity verification and security screening process.