Worldcoin opensources iris scanning device Orb, aiming to alleviate privacy concerns in the market.

Under public scrutiny, Worldcoin has finally open-sourced the hardware specifications of its iris scanning device Orb, and has introduced the operational processes and details of each device component, with the hope of alleviating market concerns regarding its privacy protection.

This article will explain the hardware architecture and software model design of Orb.

Orb Software

Open Source Documentation

• Open-source code Github
• IRIS Explanation Documentation

IRIS Iris Analysis System

The operation of Orb's IRIS Iris Analysis System, IRIS, can be mainly divided into the following steps:

• Image Segmentation: Iris texture segmentation using the team's open-source AI model.
• Normalization: Transforming iris texture from Cartesian coordinates to polar coordinates for further analysis.
• Feature Extraction: Generating IrisCode using Gabor filter functions.
• IrisCode Matching: Ensuring Hamming distance between iris codes.

For more detailed analysis model data on IRIS, refer to this information.

Fraud Prevention System

In addition to IRIS, Orb also includes fraud detection models that can achieve human verification, ensuring that verified data originates from humans.

Fraud prevention algorithms run locally to ensure data security.

Complete Deletion of Iris Images

After generating Iris codes using IRIS, the Orb system, by default, completely deletes iris images, while the Iris codes are statically encrypted and stored on AWS.

For further privacy, after a user's World ID is verified through Iris codes, subsequent operations are mainly carried out using the World ID instead of Iris codes.

For more information on privacy, refer to this document.

Model Training Data Source

Orb did not use any user data to train or fine-tune the IRIS model. Instead, with permission, it utilized the research dataset from Saint Mary's University ND-IRIS-0405 research dataset, which was manually annotated with relevant labels for research purposes.

Orb Hardware

Open Source Documentation

• Open-source specifications Github
• PCB Design

Design Architecture

After removing the casing, Orb can be divided into four core parts:

• Front: Optical system.
• Center: The motherboard divides the device into two hemispheres at an angle of precisely 23.5°, equivalent to the tilt of the Earth's axis.
• Back: Main unit and cooling system.
• Bottom: Replaceable battery.

Optical System

The team constructed a dual-lens system equipped with a wide-angle lens and a telephoto lens, adjusting the field of view by about 5° through a 2D balance ring to significantly increase the registration space, transforming the space from 20x10x5mm into a large cone.

The wide-angle camera captures the scene, combined with neural networks predicting the position of both eyes. Customized lenses optimized for near-infrared spectra were used, along with liquid lenses that are also customized, enabling millisecond autofocus controlled by neural networks.

Synchronized shooting with near-infrared illumination minimizes motion blur and suppresses sunlight interference. Infrared illumination complies with eye safety standards such as EN 62471:2008.

Battery

To ensure a full day's use with one battery replacement, the team used 18650 lithium-ion batteries to build a replaceable battery module with the same dimensions as those used in the Tesla Model S.

The battery module consists of 8 cells, with a voltage of 3.7V, using a 4S2P battery combination for 14.8V, a capacity close to 100Wh, and compliant with logistics-related regulations.

Electronic Devices

Consists of optical systems, security systems, motherboards, and connecting system PCB components.

The motherboard is primarily responsible for device power supply, time settings, and data storage:

• The main unit is Nvidia Jetson Xavier NX SoM.
• The front is equipped with capacitors for near-infrared illumination, along with some drivers to power the liquid lenses in the optical system.
• The STM32 microcontroller controls the precise timing of peripheral devices and initiates Jetson's power.
• A removable 250GB M.2 SSD is used for image storage for voluntary data retention and image data acquisition. Image protection is ensured through server encryption.
• Wi-Fi 6 and LTE: Network connections.
• GPS module for Orb positioning and prevention of misoperations.

Worldcoin's Clear Business Strategy

Transparency is a crucial key to Worldcoin's ecosystem growth and a concern for many potential users. Making Orb's hardware and software specifications public may contribute to the long-term development and decentralization of Worldcoin.

On the other hand, today's news suggests that the next generation of Orb may be launched in the first half of this year, and open-sourcing at this point will not temporarily affect the team's future competitiveness.