FACIAL RECOGNITION : *USER FRIENDLY SYSTEM*

AS facial recognition technology use generates intense scrutiny, a new system unveiled at Washington's Dulles airport is being touted as a ''user friendly'' way to help congestion for air travelers.

''Officials at Dulles unveiled two new face recognition systems Thursday, one to meet legal requirements for biometric  entry-exit records, and a second to help speed processing of travelers arriving on international flights by matching their real-time images with stored photos.

The growing use of facial recognition has ignited debate over  surveillance and privacy around the world  but officials  told media this system was a way to help reducing annoying lines and wait times without compromising security.

''The technology works,'' US Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Kevin McAleenan told reporters at an airport unveiling. ''It's fast, it's user-friendly, it's flexible and it's cost effective. And we believe it will change the face of international travel.''

Over time, officials say the biometric recognition system will allow a  traveler's face to  eliminate the need f for a boarding pass.

;;No more fumbling with your boarding pass when you have  two-carry ons, maybe a kid, no more trying to find a  QR  code  or trying to refresh your screen,'' McAleenan said.

In one test for the system, McAleenan said the boarding  350 passengers for Airbus  A 380   aircraft was completed in 20 minutes, or half the normal time.

At Dulles, officials showed how the new systems, operated with iPads mounted on poles, identified and matched the image of travelers during the boarding process.

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