Face Recognition Using Neural Networks and Pattern

Averaging

Adnan Khashman

Department of Electrical & Electronic Engineering,

Near East University, Lefkosa, North Cyprus, Turkey
amk@neu.edu.tr

Abstract. The human ability to recognize objects has not so far been matched
by intelligent machines. This is more evident when it comes to recognizing
faces, where a quick human “glance” is sufficient to recognize a “familiar”
face. Face recognition has recently attracted more research aimed at developing
reliable recognition by machines. Current face recognition methods rely on
detecting certain features within a face and using these features for face
recognition. This paper introduces a novel approach to face recognition by
simulating our ability to recognize “familiar” faces after a quick “glance” using
pattern averaging and neural networks. A real-life application will be presented
throughout recognizing the faces of 30 persons. Time costs and the neural
network parameters will be described, in addition to future work aimed at
further improving the developed system.

1 Introduction
Many face recognition techniques have been developed over the past few decades.
These techniques use different methods such as the appearance-based method [1], [2],
[3]. Other methods were also developed that use dimensionality reduction techniques
such as the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) [1], the Linear Discriminant
Analysis (LDA) [4] and the Locality Preserving Projections (LPP) [3]. The main
difference between PCA, LDA, and LPP is that PCA and LDA focus on the global
structure of the Euclidean space, while LPP focuses on local structure of the manifold,
but they are all considered as linear subspace learning algorithms [5]. Some nonlinear
techniques have also been suggested to find the nonlinear structure of the manifold,
such as Locally Linear Embedding (LLE) [6]. Known approaches that use the
Eigenfaces method [1], the Fisherfaces method [4] and the Laplacianfaces method [3]
have shown successful results in face recognition. However, these methods are
appearance-based or feature-based methods that search for certain global or local
representation of a face. None so far has considered modelling the way we humans
recognize faces.
This paper presents a simple and efficient face recognition method that simulates
our recognition of familiar faces using pattern averaging and neural networks. The
human “glance” of a face can be approximated in machines using pattern averaging,
whereas, the “familiarity” of a face can be simulated by a trained neural network. A
real-life application will be presented throughout recognizing the faces of 30 persons
to demonstrate this method. Successful results have been achieved.

J. Wang et al. (Eds.): ISNN 2006, LNCS 3972, pp. 98 – 103, 2006.
© Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2006
 Face Recognition Using Neural Networks and Pattern Averaging 99

2 Image Pre-processing
The database used in developing face recognition systems relies on images of human
faces captured and processed in preparation for implementing the recognition system.
The variety of information in these face images makes face detection difficult due to
various obstacles [7]. However, as our novel approach to face recognition is based on
simulating a human glance and face familiarity, and since humans are able to
recognize familiar faces despite the above problems, only face orientation is
considered when developing the work presented within this paper, with the
assumption that the input image contains only one face which is not occluded by other
objects. Facial features, expressions, poses, structural components and imaging
conditions are not considered as an obstacle in our work and are left to the neural
network to learn via pattern averaging.
There are 30 persons whose faces are to be recognized and thus their face images
would be used as the database for the work presented within this paper. Each face has
three different projections, which were captured while looking: Left (LL), Straight
(LS) and Right (LR) as shown in Figure 1 thus resulting in 90 images that can be used
for developing and implementing this novel face recognition system. Figure 2 shows
LS face images representing the 30 persons of various gender, ethnicity and age.
All original images are gray and of size (512x512) pixels. The images have been
compressed and their size reduced to 128x128 pixels in order to meet one of the aims

a- LL b- LS c- LR
Fig. 1. Face orientation, person 25 looking: a- left (LL) b- straight (LS) c- right (LR)

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30

Fig. 2. Face image database of 30 persons looking straight (LS)