Facial recognition AI can identify mask-wearers, US research finds By Kate Hodge on 07/01/2021 Research suggests that AI systems will be able to identify people wearing masks, reducing the need to remove them in environments such as airports. Credit: Taylor Herring via Flickr Facial recognition technology can identify people wearing face masks, tests conducted by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the US suggest. The DHS hopes to reduce the need for people to remove their face masks during ID checks in facilities such as airports. The testing was conducted as part of the 2020 Biometric Rally, held in Maryland last autumn by the Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) within DHS. The focus was on exploring if biometric systems could “detect and recognise” mask-wearing travellers.