Indianapolis - The same high-tech tool that tracked and matched terrorist Osama bin Laden is fighting crime right here in Indiana.
It's facial recognition technology and it is hard at work protecting people every day at the BMV. In fact, every time you come to get your driver's license, facial recognition technology is hard at work. When they take your picture and you stand in front of the blue screen, they use the software to detect fraud.
The software needs an unobstructed view of your face, which is why you can't smile, wear a hat or even glasses to be photographed for your license. The BMV takes your picture and runs it against a database of 6 million photos to make sure there isn't a match; that is, your photo on someone else's license illegally.
"Your face is somewhat like your fingerprint in that it's very unique," said Dennis Rosebrough, Deputy Commissioner of the BMV. "You know where your eyes are, the distance between your cheekbones, various measurable points on your face. It is a very accurate system."
Facebook is also using the technology to tag your friends in photos. But, it's security that stands out. The BMV went from 2,000 image conflicts in 2009 to just 300 this year.
"The word is out that Indiana does use facial recognition," Resebrough said, "and so it has become a deterrent."
A deterrent that is stopping thieves from stealing your identity.
