Let's Ask: How Do We Recognise a Human Face?

Have you ever played ‘Where’s Wally’? How did you do? Some people can recognize other humans based on the smallest details, or easily pick someone out of a large group of people. Others may be what is called face-blind, they are unable to recognize a face due to a defect in the brain. How does facial recognition work? What neurological processes are at play here? Are we able to distinguish real faces from artificial ones, such as the infamous deepfakes? And how do we train machines to recognise a human face? 

Neuroscientist Meike Ramon studies face recognition, the neurofunctional basis of differences in this ability, and its implications for society - from face-blindness to so-called Super-Recognizers. She founded and leads the Applied Face Cognition Lab and directs the Cognitive and Affective Regulation Laboratory at the University of Lausanne. In this edition of Let’s Ask…  she discusses the risks and opportunities of deepfakes and synthetic identities.

In Let's Ask, researchers share their knowledge to provide context to topical issues and will answer your questions. This edition is organised in cooperation with the Jantina Tammes School of Digital Society, Technology and AI . Unfortunately there will be no livestream or recording available.