Reliable iris localization using integral projection function and 2D-shape properties

Abstract

Iris recognition technology recognizes a human based on his/her iris pattern. However, the accuracy of the iris recognition technology depends on accurate iris localization. Localizing a pupil region in the presence of other low-intensity regions, such as hairs, eyebrows, and eyelashes, is a challenging task. This study proposes an iris localization technique that includes a localizing pupillary boundary in a sub-image by using an integral projection function and two-dimensional shape properties (e.g., area, geometry, and circularity). The limbic boundary is localized using gradients and an error distance transform, and the boundary is regularized with active contours. Experimental results obtained from public databases show the superiority of the proposed technique over contemporary methods.