Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV) has achieved a major milestone in educational technology. The university has secured a patent for an AI-powered face recognition attendance system. The innovation promises to make attendance management faster, more reliable, and more eco-friendly.
The patent, titled “A System and Method for Taking Attendance in Educational or Professional Settings”, has been granted under the Indian Patents Act, 1970. Read more on the Patents Act here.
Developed by Faculty and Students
The project was developed over two years by Dr. Vaibhav Neema, professor at the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET), DAVV. He worked with a team of young graduates including Sumiran Jaiswal, Shubh Laad, Pranshu Jain, Utkarsh Gupte, Antriksh Tyagi, Divyanshu Parwal, and Anjali Phadke.
“This innovation will save time and reduce manual effort. It is a scalable and eco-friendly solution,” Dr. Neema said.
How the System Works
The system functions on a web-based interface. Teachers or administrators can upload classroom images. The platform uses machine learning algorithms to detect and identify faces. It then cross-verifies them with a stored database and generates an Excel attendance sheet in real time.
Unlike biometric systems, it does not require physical contact or specialized hardware. A single photograph is enough to register attendance. Once a face is recorded, the system can recognize it for up to 10 years without frequent updates.
Wide Range of Applications
Although designed for educational settings, the AI system has broader applications. Hospitals could use it to verify patient presence. Corporates could implement it for employee attendance. Public transport authorities might also adopt it to detect ticketless travelers.
The developers highlight that the technology is cost-effective and easy to use. Institutions can deploy it without investing in expensive infrastructure.
Why It Matters
The innovation reflects DAVV’s growing role in promoting AI-driven solutions in India’s education sector. With rising student numbers, such technology can cut down administrative load and improve efficiency.
India has seen a surge in AI-powered applications across industries, from healthcare to banking. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has also been pushing for wider adoption of AI tools in governance and services.