IR as main camera support

[skjerns]

I'd like to use my IR camera as the main camera, not as an additional anti-spoofing.

Currently, when enabling IR mode, biopass tries to access both camera streams in parallel (I presume?). However, this is not possible with my WB7022, as only one stream can be active at any time.

Using the IR as a main camera has the advantage that it works also with low light settings.

I can successfully use the IR as main camera using the PR #90 (see #52), however then it timeouts quite often as the flashing of the IR leaves some frames black and the AI model can't find a face.

[2026-06-07 09:33:18.125] [biopass] [error] FaceAuth: Camera '/dev/video2' does not expose a GREY format for direct V4L2 capture
[2026-06-07 09:33:18.125] [biopass] [debug] AuthManager: Starting Face authentication (parallel)
[2026-06-07 09:33:18.171] [biopass] [debug] FaceAuth: Detection model loaded | threshold=0.800
[2026-06-07 09:33:18.218] [biopass] [debug] FaceAuth: Recognition model loaded | threshold=0.800
[2026-06-07 09:33:18.750] [biopass] [error] FaceAuth: Camera '/dev/video2' does not expose a GREY format for direct V4L2 capture
[2026-06-07 09:33:18.750] [biopass] [debug] FaceAuth: Anti-spoofing started (ai_enabled=false, ir_enabled=true, ir_camera='/dev/video2')
[2026-06-07 09:33:18.751] [biopass] [debug] FaceAuth: IR presence check | device='/dev/video2' detection_threshold=0.800 warmup_delay_ms=300
[2026-06-07 09:33:18.751] [biopass] [debug] FaceAuth: IR presence check — sleeping 300ms for camera stabilisation
[2026-06-07 09:33:19.051] [biopass] [debug] FaceAuth: IR presence check — opening new session on '/dev/video2'
[2026-06-07 09:33:19.051] [biopass] [error] FaceAuth: Camera '/dev/video2' does not expose a GREY format for direct V4L2 capture
[2026-06-07 09:33:19.051] [biopass] [error] FaceAuth: IR presence check — frame capture failed from '/dev/video2'
[2026-06-07 09:33:19.051] [biopass] [debug] FaceAuth: IR anti-spoofing method failed
[2026-06-07 09:33:19.051] [biopass] [error] FaceAuth: Anti-spoofing failed (one or more enabled methods failed)
[2026-06-07 09:33:19.051] [biopass] [warning] FaceAuth: Anti-spoofing failed — returning Failure (no retry allowed)
[2026-06-07 09:33:19.773] [biopass] [error] AuthManager: All parallel authentication methods failed

[phucvinh57]

[2026-06-07 09:33:19.051] [biopass] [error] FaceAuth: Camera '/dev/video2' does not expose a GREY format for direct V4L2 capture

I think your camera does not support IR option. Have you tried other /dev/videoX devices?

[skjerns]

I think your camera does not support IR option. Have you tried other /dev/videoX devices?

It certainly has and I can use it with howdy and also select it as a regular camera! (WB7022)

[phucvinh57]

Please provide some information about your camera. I think your IR camera's interface is not /dev/video2

[skjerns]

Please provide some information about your camera. I think your IR camera's interface is not /dev/video2

I'm 100% certain /dev/video2 is the IR stream, as I can select it with when using #90 and it works as a main camera
including flashing IR.

/home/user $ v4l2-ctl --list-devices                                                   (default) [0] 09:08:20
Dell Webcam WB7022 (usb-0000:09:00.3-4.2.1):
/dev/video0  # regular color webcam
/dev/video1  # (? error when accessing)
/dev/video2  # black&white with flashing IR
/dev/video3  # (? error when accessing, proximity sensor?)

also I can successfully play them

/home/user $ ffplay /dev/video2                                                        (default) [0] 09:08:22
ffplay version 8.0.1-3ubuntu2 Copyright (c) 2003-2025 the FFmpeg developers
built with gcc 15 (Ubuntu 15.2.0-13ubuntu3)
[...]
Input #0, video4linux2,v4l2, from '/dev/video2':B sq=    0B
Duration: N/A, start: 791.109850, bitrate: 110592 kb/s
Stream #0:0: Video: rawvideo (NV12 / 0x3231564E), nv12, 640x480, 110592 kb/s, 30 fps, 30 tbr, 1000k tbn, start 791.109850
[video4linux2,v4l2 @ 0x7af2200009c0] Dequeued v4l2 buffer contains corrupted data (387744 bytes).

for interface 1&3 I get

/home/user $ ffplay /dev/video3                                                        (default) [0] 09:08:22
[video4linux2,v4l2 @ 0x77ec840009c0] ioctl(VIDIOC_G_INPUT): Inappropriate ioctl for device
/dev/video3: Inappropriate ioctl for device   0KB sq=    0B

[phucvinh57]

Got that. There will be an update for camera compatibility.

[skjerns]

Thanks! Let me know if you need any support

[grohan47]

@phucvinh57 Same issue exists on Fedora/Asus Zephyrus G14. I cannot seem to select the camera used during face enrollment, thus my face is captured in standard RGB. However, If I set my IR camera in the IR settings and save that configuration, my IR camera successfully fires during any authentication step, however it inevitably fails and falls back to my password as the enrolled models have been captured in RGB, not in IR. Thus, a way to select the video feed during enrollment would be of great help.

[phucvinh57]

I have migrated from openpnp-capture to libcamera, which is widely compatible with modern devices. You could try the latest release https://github.com/TickLabVN/biopass/releases/tag/1.4.0

[skjerns]

@phucvinh57 I've tried the newest release, however, when I select video2 (which is the IR camera), the regular camera video0 opens! Something doesn't seem to work

indeed, even though video2 is selected, it is accessing video0

/home/user $ sudo fuser -v /dev/video2                                                (default) [0] 09:59:30
/home/user $ sudo fuser -v /dev/video0                                                (default) [0] 09:59:38
USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
/dev/video0:         user     122045 F.... biopass-helper

played back via ffplay /dev/video2 this should actually start the IR camera

[phucvinh57]

How weird! It is working on my side. Which version are you on?

[skjerns]

How weird! It is working on my side. Which version are you on?

biopass/now 1.4.1 amd64 [installed,local]

ps: a biopass --version would be useful! or any command line interface parameters :)