Worldcoin has taken a significant step forward by making its Orb software open-source. This move aligns with Worldcoin’s broader mission to democratize access to the global economy.
By releasing the core components of Orb software as open-source, Worldcoin aims to enhance transparency and verifiability. This initiative not only fosters community collaboration but also facilitates innovation and adoption of the Worldcoin protocol.
Worldcoin takes an unexpected turn
Supported by Sam Altman Worldcoin’s eye-scanning Orb has faced skepticism due to its use in creating biometrically unique accounts for over four million users. However, Worldcoin has demonstrated transparency by announcing in a blog post on Friday morning that they will be making the core software supporting the Orb open source to the public.
The Orb’s shift towards open source has been a gradual process. Worldcoin had previously shared information about the device’s hardware and made its iris recognition component open source. However, they had not yet disclosed specific details about its main software to the public.
This recent release of the Orb’s core functionality provides insight into the process of converting iris scans into unique verifications within the World App, developed by Tools For Humanity. Nevertheless, the main application of the Orb does have certain code omitted from the internal version. The code that was removed pertains to fraud checks, as mentioned in the blog post.
The announcement states that the core components of the Orb software are available on GitHub under a dual license of MIT/Apache 2.0. The new open-source components enhance the hardware it previously released.
The release contains code related to the Orb, which plays a vital role in capturing images and securely transferring them to the product’s app.
Worldcoin stated that its software and iris recognition repositories represent a notable advancement in establishing transparency for Orb’s image processing, as well as providing verifiable privacy assurances.
Alongside making more of the software behind the well-known metallic, eye-scanning Orb available to the public, Worldcoin also introduced a new privacy feature called “Personal Custody.”
This new feature enables users to take control of their data by using a data package that is signed with a private key and encrypted with a user-provided public key before being transferred to their mobile phone.
What else is accessible?
The do_signup function within the orb-core repository, a crucial component of the Orb’s software, is now accessible for examination. This function explains the technical processes involved in each World ID verification method, such as image capture, biometric processing, and secure data submission.
While the software is capable of producing excellent eye and face images, the company acknowledges that they have faced difficulties in integrating the autofocus system. Their software uses a feedback controller incorporating a neural network to provide accurate real-time sharpness estimates.
Throughout the following biometric stage of image processing, Python interfaces are utilized to access custom neural networks and implement Gabor filters. The software first checks if the images have been altered or artificially created.
Then, the Iris Recognition System (IRIS), a software developed by Tools for Humanity and later made available as open source by Worldcoin, is used to analyze the eye images.
The Rust programming language has been fine-tuned to minimize the adverse effects of frequent reloading of components like IRIS and other models. This is accomplished through a design that draws inspiration from the Android Zygote process.
Worldcoin claims that the software’s implementation on the Orb ensures users’ control over their data with robust security measures. These mechanisms involve using Orb’s private key for signing and the user’s public key for encryption.
The signing process is performed by a dedicated secure element within the Orb, which is cryptographically paired with the Nvidia Jetson platform during manufacturing for enhanced security. In a blog post, the company explains that the encryption process ensures that only the intended recipient can decrypt the transmitted biometric data by using a sealed box.
The privacy claims of the Orb’s architecture underwent an audit conducted by Trail of Bits, a reputable security research firm.
Worldcoin has stated that specific parts of the orb-core and orb-secure-element include sensitive code that has been forked for public use. Their approach to minimizing the need for these forks involves a gradual transition towards open-sourcing the software components. This will allow them to develop the non-sensitive parts of the software in a transparent manner.
The company emphasizes that these efforts align with their commitment to user privacy, data security, and transparent governance.