Overview of Privacy-Enhancing Face Biometrics

— Prof. Peter Peer University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Computer and Information Science, Slovenia

Abstract
Biometric recognition technology has made significant advances over the last decade and is now used across a number of services and applications. However, this widespread deployment has also resulted in privacy concerns and evolving societal expectations about the appropriate use of the technology. For example, the ability to automatically extract age, gender, ... race, and health cues from biometric data has heightened concerns about privacy leakage.
Face recognition technology, in particular, has been in the spotlight, and is now seen by many as posing a considerable risk to personal privacy. In response to these and similar concerns, researchers have intensified efforts towards developing techniques and computational models capable of ensuring privacy to individuals, while still facilitating the utility of face recognition technology in several application scenarios. These efforts have resulted in a multitude of privacy--enhancing techniques that aim at addressing privacy risks originating from biometric systems and providing technological solutions for legislative requirements set forth in privacy laws and regulations, such as GDPR. The goal of this overview is to provide a comprehensive introduction into privacy--related research in the area of biometrics and review existing work on \textit{Biometric Privacy--Enhancing Techniques} (B--PETs) applied to face biometrics.
To make this work useful for as wide of an audience as possible, several key topics are covered as well, including evaluation strategies used with B--PETs, existing datasets, relevant standards, and regulations and critical open issues that will have to be addressed in the future. Read more

Biography
Peter Peer is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Computer and Information Science, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia, where he heads the Computer Vision Laboratory, coordinates the double degree study program with the Kyungpook National University, South Korea, and serves as a vice-dean for economic affairs. ...
He received his PhD degree in computer science from the same institution in 2003. Within his post-doctorate he was an invited researcher at CEIT, Donostia – San Sebastian, Spain. He teaches courses on Operating systems, Game technology and virtual reality, and Image-based biometry. At the moment he is also a guest professor at the North-Caucasus Federal University, Russia.
His research interests include biometrics and computer vision. He participated in several national and EU funded R&D projects and published more than 100 research papers in leading international peer reviewed journals and conferences. He is a co-organizer of the Unconstrained Ear Recognition Challenge (2017, 2019) and Sclera Segmentation Benchmarking Competition (2020). He serves as an Associated Editor of IEEE Access and IET Biometrics. He is a member of the EAB, IAPR and IEEE, where he also served as a chairman of the Slovenian IEEE Computer chapter for four years. Read more

21 Years of Metamaterials at University of Zagreb: From Infancy to Adulthood

— Prof. Silvio Hrabar University of Zagreb, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computing, Croatia

Abstract
Back in 1964, Russian physicist Vesselago speculated that the materials with negative electromagnetic parameters (permittivity and permeability) would turn some basic physical laws upside down. He predicted the ‘inversion’ of Snell’s law of refraction,... Doppler's law of frequency shift, and the law of radiation pressure, just to name a few. However, such materials do not exist in Nature and Vesselago's work sank into oblivion until year 2000, when the first artificial structure with negative permeability and permittivity was constructed. This artificial structure was coined metamaterial.
Early proposed applications of metamaterials comprised a super-lens with infinite resolution that could increasing data storage on DVD media and lead to super-microscope, an electromagnetic " invisibility cloak” that hides an object, and miniaturization of waveguides, resonators, antennas and other communication components. Basic ideas have later been extended considerably. Nowadays, there are many novel kinds of metamaterials and related structures, operating in radiofrequency, optical, acoustic, thermal, mechanical, seismic, and even quantum domain. The field of metamaterials was classified as the one most important scientific and technological achievements of 20th century.
Can Croatia, as a small country, take part in above, cutting-edge, research activities? In July 2000 (just two months after the introduction of the world's first metamaterial), a group at the University of Zagreb developed its version of a double-negative microwave metamaterial. Furthermore, this group performed the first experimental demonstration of a metamaterial subwavelength resonator in 2005, developed the first active non-Foster metamaterial in 2011 and demonstrated first superluminal propagation in active metamaterials in 2013. During last 21 years, the activities at University of Zagreb have been growing steadily and continuously, leading to many projects, published technical studies and papers and, most importantly, encouraging many young people to enter the exciting world of Science and Technology. This plenary talks reviews some of the most important results achieved in the past, present on-going projects and highlight future research activities.
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Biography
Silvio Hrabar was born in 1962, in Trogir, Croatia. He received a Dipl. Ing and Master degree from the Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Zagreb and a PhD degree from Brunel University of West London.... In the past, he worked at the Institute of Radio Industry Zagreb, on the development of UHF transceivers and antenna systems, and at Brunel University of West London, on electromagnetic compatibility, numerical electromagnetics, electrostatics, and microwave tube design. Currently, he is employed at FER as a full professor, and has been a visiting professor and lecturer at several universities in America, Europe and Asia. His research interests include applied electromagnetics, electromagnetic compatibility, antennas, and radio frequency and microwave electronics. He has made a couple of important contributions in the field of electromagnetic metamaterials: theoretical explanation and experimental verification of subwavelength propagation in metamaterial waveguide as well as the first experimental demonstrations of a subwavelength resonator and broadband non-Foster active metamaterial in the world. He is the author and co-author of many papers in scientific journals, book chapters, conference papers and technical studies, and is a reviewer for a dozen of scientific journals. In 2012, he was awarded the ‘Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research and Innovation, for his contribution to the understanding of physics of electromagnetic metamaterials and development of their engineering applications’. Read more

Importance and role of satellite communications in times of climate changes and CORONA pandemic

— Tihomir Divjak CEE, eMedia Network

Abstract
We are witnessing of revolutionary transformations in the field of satellite communications, as well as their users in the past 50 years: changes... and improvements in technological performances, the transition from one-way to two-way interactive communications, for global, regional, and national services.
Their broadband application for the realization of Internet connectivity everywhere, reducing the "Digital divide", and meeting a large number of proclaimed Sustainable Developing Goals - UN SDG, especially in the field of tele-education and telemedicine in the COVID era in developing countries will be quoted.
The attention will be paid to the successful use of Satcom in SEE, its potential application for Smart City and Smart Region, with speial reference to successful results effected in Croatia, before and during catastrophic events in line with climate changes, as well future progress in this regard.
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Biography
The R&D expert in the field of satellite broadcasting and the application of satellite for multipurpose interactive, broadband connectivity for Smart City and Smart Region benefits with international reputation....
Have been JRT and RTB satellite broadcast project manager, and initiator of the common SEE TV Channel experiment.
With the climate changes entering the frame, as a Eutelsat consultant and West Balkans Region adviser, have realized several initiatives for the implementation of interactive broadband satellite services to prevent and control the catastrophic events, floods, and forest fires in the region.
The last activity is the initiative for the implementation of "Satellite Schools" in Sub-Saharan Africa - AeLeHSP Pilot Project in Chad - another smart multiservice bridge for the UN SDGs benefit, to bridge the info-gap and digital divide between developing African countries and Europe, as a real and important “Europe for Africa Aid”, are underway.
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