Four states adopt 'no-smiles' policy for driver's licenses
#1
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http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2009-0...m?se=yahoorefer
By Thomas Frank, USA TODAY
Stopping driver's license fraud is no laughing matter: Four states are ordering people to wipe the grins off their faces in their license photos.
"Neutral facial expressions" are required at departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) in Arkansas, Indiana, Nevada and Virginia. That means you can't smile, or smile very much. Other states may follow.
LICENSE FRAUD: States take steps to cut down fake IDs
The serious poses are urged by DMVs that have installed high-tech software that compares a new license photo with others that have already been shot. When a new photo seems to match an existing one, the software sends alarms that someone may be trying to assume another driver's identity.
But there's a wrinkle in the technology: a person's grin. Face-recognition software can fail to match two photos of the same person if facial expressions differ in each photo, says Carnegie Mellon University robotics professor Takeo Kanade.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Carnegie Mellon University
Dull expressions "make the comparison process more accurate," says Karen Chappell, deputy commissioner of the Virginia DMV, whose no-smile policy took effect in March.
Elaine Mullen of Great Falls, Va., bristled at the policy while renewing her license until she heard the reasoning. "It's probably safer from a national-security point of view," she says.
Arkansas, Indiana and Nevada allow slight smiles. "You just can't grin really large," Arkansas driver services chief Tonie Shields says.
A total of 31 states do computerized matching of driver's license photos and three others are considering it, says the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Most say their software matches faces regardless of expressions. "People can smile here in Pennsylvania," state Transportation Department spokesman Craig Yetter says.
In Illinois, photo matching has stopped 6,000 people from getting fraudulent licenses since the technology was launched in 1999, says Beth Langen, the state head of Drivers Services.
Contributing: Drew FitzGerald, Marisol Bello
By Thomas Frank, USA TODAY
Stopping driver's license fraud is no laughing matter: Four states are ordering people to wipe the grins off their faces in their license photos.
"Neutral facial expressions" are required at departments of motor vehicles (DMVs) in Arkansas, Indiana, Nevada and Virginia. That means you can't smile, or smile very much. Other states may follow.
LICENSE FRAUD: States take steps to cut down fake IDs
The serious poses are urged by DMVs that have installed high-tech software that compares a new license photo with others that have already been shot. When a new photo seems to match an existing one, the software sends alarms that someone may be trying to assume another driver's identity.
But there's a wrinkle in the technology: a person's grin. Face-recognition software can fail to match two photos of the same person if facial expressions differ in each photo, says Carnegie Mellon University robotics professor Takeo Kanade.
FIND MORE STORIES IN: Carnegie Mellon University
Dull expressions "make the comparison process more accurate," says Karen Chappell, deputy commissioner of the Virginia DMV, whose no-smile policy took effect in March.
Elaine Mullen of Great Falls, Va., bristled at the policy while renewing her license until she heard the reasoning. "It's probably safer from a national-security point of view," she says.
Arkansas, Indiana and Nevada allow slight smiles. "You just can't grin really large," Arkansas driver services chief Tonie Shields says.
A total of 31 states do computerized matching of driver's license photos and three others are considering it, says the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Most say their software matches faces regardless of expressions. "People can smile here in Pennsylvania," state Transportation Department spokesman Craig Yetter says.
In Illinois, photo matching has stopped 6,000 people from getting fraudulent licenses since the technology was launched in 1999, says Beth Langen, the state head of Drivers Services.
Contributing: Drew FitzGerald, Marisol Bello
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Originally Posted by lorinzo' post='891038' date='May 26 2009, 09:13 PM
That is funny.
Can't imagine there are many people here in CA willing to smile after waiting in the long lines at the DMW.
Can't imagine there are many people here in CA willing to smile after waiting in the long lines at the DMW.
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the one up here in n.y is great.. in and out... this is the second time they have changed the design of motor vehicle and its even quicker..
you can register a car in less then 30 minutes now
and im smiling on my drivers license. i hope n.y doesnt adapt to this new crap
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and im smiling on my drivers license. i hope n.y doesnt adapt to this new crap
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Originally Posted by lorinzo' post='891038' date='May 26 2009, 08:13 PM
That is funny.
Can't imagine there are many people here in CA willing to smile after waiting in the long lines at the DMW.
Can't imagine there are many people here in CA willing to smile after waiting in the long lines at the DMW.
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Originally Posted by craigm1841' post='891037' date='May 26 2009, 09:10 PM
......
But there's a wrinkle in the technology: a person's grin. Face-recognition software can fail to match two photos of the same person if facial expressions differ in each photo, says Carnegie Mellon University robotics professor Takeo Kanade.
......
But there's a wrinkle in the technology: a person's grin. Face-recognition software can fail to match two photos of the same person if facial expressions differ in each photo, says Carnegie Mellon University robotics professor Takeo Kanade.
......
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Originally Posted by theXman' post='891610' date='May 27 2009, 09:14 AM
Thats not what I saw on TV. The CSI and the FBI can match people up in minutes, never fail. ![Laughing](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/laughing.gif)
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My girlfriend loves CSI Miami, it drives me crazy.
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Stupid.
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Originally Posted by melimel' post='891544' date='May 27 2009, 05:36 AM
the one up here in n.y is great.. in and out... this is the second time they have changed the design of motor vehicle and its even quicker..
you can register a car in less then 30 minutes now
and im smiling on my drivers license. i hope n.y doesnt adapt to this new crap
![Wink](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/wink.gif)
![Wink](https://5series.net/forums/images/smilies/imported/wink.gif)
and im smiling on my drivers license. i hope n.y doesnt adapt to this new crap
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