A novel embedded approach to face recognition using multi-threaded controller based on weightless neural network

Abstract

This research presents a high efficiency embedded face recognition system based on the weightless neural network-face recognition algorithm (WNN-FRA) integrated with a multi-thread controller to enhance execution time and recognition accuracy under limited hardware resources. The system implements a center-scan feature alignment model to address resolution discrepancies between reference and input facial images. The multi-threaded architecture divides processing into three concurrent threads front, left, and right facial orientations each handling approximately 20 facial patterns. Experimental evaluation on a dataset of 60 facial images demonstrated a maximum recognition accuracy of 96.83% and an average execution time ranging from 16 to 34 milliseconds per dataset, confirming real-time performance. Comparative analysis shows that the multi-threaded approach reduced the execution time by over 67% compared to single-thread processing 0.09 second vs. 0.271 second, while maintaining balanced workload distribution across threads. Memory analysis revealed that the entire system required only 24 KB from the available 512 KB flash capacity, indicating efficient resource utilization. The results confirm that integrating WNN-FRA with multi-threading provides a robust, low-cost, and scalable solution for real-time facial pattern recognition in embedded environments.