bqInsights Desktop
The program is currently undergoing testing and will be available soon.
Table of contents
🖥️ bqInsights Desktop is a local desktop application for biometric quality assessment — no data is ever sent to the internet.
What is bqInsights Desktop?
bqInsights Desktop allows you to analyse a collection of biometric files — such as face images, fingerprints, iris scans, or voice recordings — and understand their quality. It produces visual charts and metrics that help you identify low-quality samples, spot systematic capture problems, and assess the overall health of your dataset.
Prerequisites
Before installing or using OpenBQ Desktop, you will need the following software installed and running on your computer.
Docker
Docker is required for OpenBQ Desktop to run its analysis pipeline.
Windows and Mac:
- Go to https://www.docker.com/products/docker-desktop
- Download Docker Insights Desktop for your operating system
- Run the installer and follow the prompts
- Once installed, open Docker Insights Desktop from your applications or Start menu
- Wait for the status indicator to turn green — this means Docker is running
You must have Docker Desktop open and running before launching bqInsights Desktop. If you see a message saying “Docker is not running” in the app, open Docker Desktop and wait for it to start, then relaunch bqInsights Desktop.
Linux: Follow the official Docker Engine installation guide for your distribution.
Ollama (for AI features)
Ollama is required to use the built-in AI assistant. It runs an AI model entirely on your own computer — no data is sent externally.
- Go to https://ollama.com/download
- Download and install Ollama for your operating system
- Once installed, open a terminal and run:
ollama pull llama3.1
This downloads a local AI model (this may take a few minutes depending on your internet connection). You only need to do this once.
Ollama is optional. If you prefer, you can use OpenAI or Claude as your AI provider instead — see AI Settings below. If you don’t need AI features at all, you can skip this step.
Installation
Download the latest release of bqInsights Desktop from the releases page.
| Platform | File to download |
|---|---|
| Windows | .exe portable installer |
| macOS | .dmg disk image |
| Linux | .deb package |
Windows: Run the downloaded .exe file.
macOS: Open the .dmg file, drag OpenBQ to your Applications folder, then double-click to open. If macOS says the app can’t be opened, right-click the app icon and choose Open, then confirm in the dialog.
Linux: Install the .deb package with:
sudo dpkg -i openbq-desktop_*.deb
Getting Started
Loading Your Data
There are several ways to open a folder of biometric files:
- Menu bar: Click File → Open
- Button: Click Open Directory in the left-hand panel and browse to your folder
- Drag and drop: Drag a folder from your file explorer onto the app window
- Recent items: Previously opened folders appear in the left panel — click any to reopen
Once a folder is selected, the app will display how many files were found.
Running an Analysis
After opening a folder, select your modality and quality algorithm, then click the Start Analysis button in the left panel. The app will begin processing your files.
A progress indicator will appear while the analysis runs. Depending on the number of files, this may take anywhere from a few seconds to several minutes.
Click Cancel at any time to stop.
The first time bqInsights Desktop opens, it may take a few minutes to initialise. This is normal — it is downloading and setting up the analysis (bqCore) container. This only happens once.
Configuring the clusters
In order for bqInsights Desktop to cluster your results you must choose your required Cluster Sensitivity. Once selected click Apply, your results will be clustered based on the selected setting.
Understanding the Results
Once complete, charts and quality metrics will appear in the main area of the screen. Use these to identify:
- Outliers — individual files significantly lower quality than the rest
- Clusters — groups of similar files, useful for spotting capture issues
- Overall dataset health — whether your collection is suitable for its intended use
Click on individual data points in the charts to see more detail about specific samples.
AI Settings
Click the âš™ Settings icon in the top-right toolbar to open Settings and configure the AI assistant.
| Provider | Description |
|---|---|
| Local AI | Runs entirely on your computer using Ollama. No data leaves your machine. Recommended for sensitive data. |
| OpenAI | Uses ChatGPT. Requires an OpenAI API key. |
| Claude | Uses Anthropic’s Claude. Requires a Claude API key. |
| Apple Intelligence | macOS only. Uses Apple’s built-in on-device AI. |
đź”’ Local AI is recommended when working with sensitive biometric data, as no information is sent externally.
Focus Instructions
Optional: You can give the AI specific guidance on what to look for during analysis. In Settings, click + Add under Focus instructions to create a named instruction set, then type your instructions — for example:
“Flag any images where lighting is uneven or the subject is not centred.”
Select the instruction set you want active before running an analysis.
AI Summary
bqInsights Desktop can provide a summary report of the biometric quality results, click the AI Summary button and wait for a omprehensive summary report to be generated.
Cluster Labels
bqInsights Desktop can provide labl all of your clusters, click the AI Label Clusters button and wait for a comprehensive summary report to be generated.
Settings Reference
| Setting | Description |
|---|---|
| AI provider | Choose between Local AI, OpenAI, Claude, or Apple Intelligence |
| Focus instructions | Named instruction sets to guide AI analysis |
| Dark mode | Toggle between light and dark appearance |
| Clear analysis cache | Force a fresh re-analysis next time |
FAQ
Is my biometric data shared with anyone? No. All processing runs locally on your computer. Biometric data is never uploaded or shared externally.
What biometric types are supported? Face images, fingerprints, iris scans, and voice recordings. Available metrics depend on which OpenBQ modules are enabled in your version.
Docker is not running — what do I do? Open Docker Desktop from your Start menu or Applications folder and wait until the status indicator turns green, then relaunch bqInsights Desktop.
Results look the same even after I updated my files. Go to Settings and click Clear Analysis Cache, then run the analysis again.
The AI isn’t responding or gives errors. Check that your selected AI provider is configured correctly in Settings. For Local AI, ensure Ollama is installed and that you have pulled a model (e.g. ollama pull llama3.1). For OpenAI or Claude, verify your API key is entered correctly.
Support
For further help, click the ? Help button in the app and use the support email link.
More information is available at https://openbq.io.