CYBULA Ltd is the massively complex face of technology made simple.

The trailblazing firm on York Science Park is on the verge of seeing its pattern recognition technology, which can recognise one face out of millions in two seconds, making a massive multi-million dollar breakthrough in the US.

FaceNforce, the 3-D biometric facial recognition system commissioned by Washington-based AC Technology in the US, has already been trialled by the US government's VISIT programme set up in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks on New York and Washington.

Now Professor Jim Austin, who runs the advanced computer architecture group in the department of science at the University of York and heads up Cybula, is awaiting the next step from AC Technology - hoping that his pattern recognition system will be adopted as standard in the fight to protect the US as well as other countries.

Now, as other uses are developed, exploiting what is known as AURA technology, Cybula is pitching for the title of Science and Technology Business of the Year in The Press Business Awards 2006.

The £500,000 turnover company with seven staff backed by 35 more scientists in the university's department of science is already marketing versions of its recognition systems to the security industry.

Prof Austin said the AURA technology had led to several projects "attracting leading international players in the mobile phone, computer hardware and laboratory instrumentation industry" and the company continued to be at the leading edge of 3-D face recognition systems.

He said: "The next 12 months will be a critical period as Cybula strives to attract external investment to fund further expansion."