New facial recognition technology from BrainChip Studio can identify individuals in a crowd up to six times faster — and more accurately — than before.

BrainChip’s (ASX:BRN) technology — already used by police and casino authorities in the US — can scan live video streams to track down suspects in real time. It can even pinpoint suspicious, unattended packages to diffuse early threats.

News of the faster ‘BrainChip Accelerator’ technology pushed BrainChip’s shares up 2.8 per cent on Tuesday at 18c.

The Accelerator increases the speed and accuracy of object recognition, scanning up to 100 frames per second.

“In surveillance, speed and accuracy of analysis are critical concerns for law enforcement and security agencies,” senior vice president Robert Beachler said.

“The ability of BrainChip Accelerator to process video frames six times faster, while improving the accuracy of object recognition, is a significant force multiplier. It is also a further demonstration of the valuable role that artificial intelligence can now play in these applications.”

In the field, police or security can use a single low-resolution image to identify an object even in low-light, low-resolution or noisy environments.

BrainChip’s technology uses a type of neuromorphic computing which allows the system to be trained instantaneously,  to learn autonomously, evolve and associate information just like the human brain.

When pitted against Google’s own graphic processing unit networks BrainChip boasts a sevenfold improvement of frames per second per watt.

“The technology is specifically focused on mimicking human behaviour to recognise repeating patterns,” chief executive Louis Dinardo told Stockhead.

“We started with a vision and now can see that the technology could be used in other settings to detect dangerous objects in autonomous vehicles or to aid in human diagnosis.

“While there is always the risk of bad people doing bad things with the technology, the technology is only a decision-making tool and provides no physical response.”

BrainChip shares have traded between 10c and 37c in the past 12 months.

The company reported revenue of $US367,000 ($457,000) in the half-year to June and a $US5.8 million loss. It had $US4.5 million in the bank at the end of June.