Video surveillance systems are evolving and getting smarter. By using biometric-based technologies, surveillance cameras can now recognize faces and produce high-quality images that can help local law enforcement agencies identify and apprehend intruders, thieves and other malicious individuals caught on camera.

A new system by Animetrics now uses facial recognition algorithms to create a 3-D image of a face, even when only part of it is captured by the surveillance camera, according to a report by Mass High Tech.

"The problem is [traditional] store surveillance systems are usually set up to get the widest possible angle and the guys coming in to commit a crime, often disguised, are not interested in cooperating with the camera and so the quality is not so good," Animetrics president and CEO Paul Schuepp told Mass High Tech.

The advanced algorithm inside the surveillance system has the ability to pick up key facial qualities, such as nose proportions to the face and where the eyes are located in relation to other features, the news source said. Even if a face is covered by a bandana or an individual is wearing sunglasses, the technology is able to recreate accurate faces in a 3-D picture, helping authorities recognize and catch criminals more effectively.

The entire process is automated, making it the first of its kind to use facial recognition technologies to develop pictures of potential malicious individuals without manual work, Mass Tech High noted.

According to a report by TechNavio, the global market for facial recognition solutions is forecast to expand at a compound annual growth rate of more than 29 percent through 2014, largely driven by the increased performance of the technology.

Video surveillance systems will likely continue to use facial recognition capabilities in the coming years, as the software advances and matures.