batched inputs in representation

deepface/models/FacialRecognition.py

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@ class FacialRecognition(ABC):
     input_shape: Tuple[int, int]
     output_shape: int
 
-    def forward(self, img: np.ndarray) -> List[float]:
+    def forward(self, img: np.ndarray) -> Union[List[float], List[List[float]]]:
         if not isinstance(self.model, Model):
             raise ValueError(
                 "You must overwrite forward method if it is not a keras model,"
@@ -26,4 +26,10 @@ class FacialRecognition(ABC):
             )
         # model.predict causes memory issue when it is called in a for loop
         # embedding = model.predict(img, verbose=0)[0].tolist()
-        return self.model(img, training=False).numpy()[0].tolist()
+        if img.shape == 4 and img.shape[0] == 1:
+            img = img[0]
+        embeddings = self.model(img, training=False).numpy()
+        if embeddings.shape[0] == 1:
+            return embeddings[0].tolist()
+        else:
+            return embeddings.tolist()

deepface/modules/representation.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ from deepface.models.FacialRecognition import FacialRecognition
 
 
 def represent(
-    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray],
+    img_path: Union[str, np.ndarray, List[Union[str, np.ndarray]]],
     model_name: str = "VGG-Face",
     enforce_detection: bool = True,
     detector_backend: str = "opencv",
@@ -25,9 +25,9 @@ def represent(
     Represent facial images as multi-dimensional vector embeddings.
 
     Args:
-        img_path (str or np.ndarray): The exact path to the image, a numpy array in BGR format,
+        img_path (str, np.ndarray, or list): The exact path to the image, a numpy array in BGR format,
-            or a base64 encoded image. If the source image contains multiple faces, the result will
+            a base64 encoded image, or a list of these. If the source image contains multiple faces,
-            include information for each detected face.
+            the result will include information for each detected face.
 
         model_name (str): Model for face recognition. Options: VGG-Face, Facenet, Facenet512,
             OpenFace, DeepFace, DeepID, Dlib, ArcFace, SFace and GhostFaceNet
@@ -70,12 +70,25 @@ def represent(
         task="facial_recognition", model_name=model_name
     )
 
+    # Handle list of image paths or 4D numpy array
+    if isinstance(img_path, list):
+        images = img_path
+    elif isinstance(img_path, np.ndarray) and img_path.ndim == 4:
+        images = [img_path[i] for i in range(img_path.shape[0])]
+    else:
+        images = [img_path]
+
+    batch_images = []
+    batch_regions = []
+    batch_confidences = []
+
+    for single_img_path in images:
         # ---------------------------------
         # we have run pre-process in verification. so, this can be skipped if it is coming from verify.
         target_size = model.input_shape
         if detector_backend != "skip":
             img_objs = detection.extract_faces(
-            img_path=img_path,
+                img_path=single_img_path,
                 detector_backend=detector_backend,
                 grayscale=False,
                 enforce_detection=enforce_detection,
@@ -86,7 +99,7 @@ def represent(
             )
         else:  # skip
             # Try load. If load error, will raise exception internal
-        img, _ = image_utils.load_image(img_path)
+            img, _ = image_utils.load_image(single_img_path)
 
             if len(img.shape) != 3:
                 raise ValueError(f"Input img must be 3 dimensional but it is {img.shape}")
@@ -132,8 +145,17 @@ def represent(
             # custom normalization
             img = preprocessing.normalize_input(img=img, normalization=normalization)
 
-        embedding = model.forward(img)
+            batch_images.append(img)
+            batch_regions.append(region)
+            batch_confidences.append(confidence)
 
+    # Convert list of images to a numpy array for batch processing
+    batch_images = np.concat(batch_images)
+
+    # Forward pass through the model for the entire batch
+    embeddings = model.forward(batch_images)
+
+    for embedding, region, confidence in zip(embeddings, batch_regions, batch_confidences):
         resp_objs.append(
             {
                 "embedding": embedding,