SAN JOSE, CALIF. — At the international airport in Sochi, Russia, the entry point for thousands of athletes, spectators and world leaders at the 2014 Winter Olympics, a state-of-the-art security system made by a Silicon Valley company is keeping watch.

Artec Group, a 3-D camera tech company founded in the valley by Russian engineers, has created facial recognition software that Sochi officials are using to improve airport security during the Games. The technology, which uses a 3-D camera to identify a person using their facial features, is screening airport employees and officials entering secure areas. Experts say facial recognition could soon be in airports across the United States to screen passengers.

Artec, which has offices in San Jose, Russia and Luxembourg, is set to open soon a showroom and 3-D printing centre in Palo Alto in Silicon Valley.

Artec chief executive Artyom Yukhin says the 3-D software can distinguish between identical twins, isn't fooled by disguises and offers one of the most advanced improvements in airport security. It also carries with it concerns by some about personal privacy violations and another layer of data gathering that has outraged many in the U.S.

"It's one thing to gather public data by having a police officer tail you," said Christopher Budd, global threats communication manager for data security firm Trend Micro. "When those physical limitations are removed, it becomes much easier to build a profile of someone."

Facial recognition is common in social media and retail. Facebook uses it to suggest names on photos, Google Plus's "Find My Face" relies on similar technology and even some TVs come with facial recognition. But the technology has also become a favourite tool for law enforcement and intelligence officials as the security industry has focused on real-time identification of threats, Budd said.

Yukhin said the facial recognition software is used at other Russian airports and has been tested in airports around the world. He said Artec Group's partners in the United States have been discussing with aviation authorities ways to add the technology to America's larger airports. Artec's partners include Unisys, one of the largest security technology companies.

"There is a lot of testing going on," Yukhin said. "It's definitely going to come to airports" to screen passengers.

A report published in May by The World Economic Forum and research firm Boston Consulting Group predicts that facial recognition will become part of a fully automated check-in system at airports and border crossings.

"Check-in for a flight would be expedited by replacing paper documents with an electronic passport, as well as biometric traveller identification through fingerprints, facial recognition or an iris scan," according to the report.