Face recognition is a rapidly growing research area due to increasing demands for security in

commercial and law enforcement applications. This paper provides an up-to-date review of research

efforts in face recognition techniques based on two-dimensional (2D) images in the visual

and infrared (IR) spectra. Face recognition systems based on visual images have reached a significant

level of maturity with some practical success. However, the performance of visual face

recognition may degrade under poor illumination conditions or for subjects of various skin colors.

IR imagery represents a viable alternative to visible imaging in the search for a robust and

practical identification system