Troubleshooting LaView Facial Recognition Issues
LaView's facial recognition technology adds a powerful layer of intelligence to your security system, allowing you to identify known individuals and receive specific alerts for unfamiliar faces. However, when this feature doesn't work as expected, it can be frustrating. Problems with facial recognition are rarely due to faulty hardware; they are almost always linked to the setup of the face database, camera placement, or specific configuration settings.
This guide will help you diagnose and resolve common issues with LaView's facial recognition, ensuring you get the accurate and reliable performance you expect from this advanced feature.
Common Problems with Facial Recognition
If you're having trouble, you are likely experiencing one of these issues:
- Faces Not Being Recognised: The system fails to match a person who is already in your database.
- Low Accuracy: The system frequently misidentifies one person as another or struggles to make any match at all.
- Unfamiliar Faces Not Flagged: The system is set to alert for strangers but fails to do so.
- No Detections at All: The system does not appear to be detecting any faces, known or unknown.
- Poor Low-Light Performance: The feature works during the day but fails completely at night.
Step-by-Step Guide to Improve Recognition Accuracy
Follow these steps in order to systematically optimise your facial recognition setup.
1. Build a High-Quality Face Database
The system is only as good as the data you give it. A poorly constructed database is the number one cause of inaccurate results.
- Use Clear, Frontal Photos: When adding individuals to your database, use high-resolution, well-lit photographs. The person should be looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
- Avoid Obstructions: Use photos where the person is not wearing sunglasses, a hat, or anything that obscures their key facial features.
- Add Multiple Images: For best results, add several different photos of the same person under slightly different lighting conditions or angles. This gives the AI more data to work with, improving the chances of a successful match.
- Name and Categorise: Properly name each individual and group them (e.g., "Family," "Staff," "Banned") to make managing alerts and searching for events easier.
2. Optimise Camera Placement and Angle
The camera must have a clear, unobstructed view to capture the details it needs for a match.
- Install at Eye-Level: The ideal camera position is at a height that captures faces head-on, not from a steep, top-down angle. Aim for a height of around 1.5 to 2.5 metres (5-8 feet).
- Ensure Adequate Lighting: The target area should be as evenly lit as possible. Avoid pointing the camera directly at a bright light source, which can cause backlighting and silhouettes. For nighttime performance, ensure the camera's IR illuminators are powerful enough or consider adding an external white light source.
- Minimise Distance: Facial recognition is most effective when subjects are within a certain range (e.g., 2-7 metres or 6-23 feet). Check your camera's specifications for its optimal detection distance.
3. Configure NVR and Camera Settings Correctly
Both the camera and the NVR need to be set up properly for the feature to function.
- Enable AI Mode: Log into your LaView NVR. Navigate to the AI -> Parameters or Smart Event section. Select the specific camera channel and make sure that "Face Recognition" is enabled. Sometimes, you may have to choose between different AI modes like "Perimeter Protection" or "Face Recognition" – you can only run one at a time on some models.
- Set the Detection Area: Draw a detection box on the screen where you expect faces to appear. This prevents the system from wasting processing power on irrelevant parts of the scene.
- Adjust Similarity Threshold: In the settings, you may find a "Similarity" or "Threshold" slider. This determines how close a match needs to be to count as a recognition. If you are getting too many false matches, increase the threshold. If the system is failing to recognise known people, try lowering it slightly.
4. Update Your Firmware
LaView periodically releases firmware updates that include improvements to their AI algorithms. Ensure both your NVR and your IP cameras are running the latest available firmware to benefit from performance enhancements and bug fixes.