Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

UCSD Biometric Vending Machine

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the tracking-your-soda-habits dept.

dice writes to tell us that grad students at the University of California, San Diego (UCSD) are creating the first biometric vending machine. The current machine comes equipped with a barcode scanner, a fingerprint reader, and a web cam for facial recognition. One student dubbed it the "most over-designed soda machine in the world." The project, code-named "SodaVision," is the brainchild of associate professor Stefan Savage, but it was the students who really made it come to life. And yes, it runs Linux.

2 of 144 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Hmm.. by v783650 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Just because it's impractical doesn't make it useless. I'm sure the engineers behind it learned many valuable lessons. Why all the hate? There's nothing wrong with science for science's sake.

  2. This makes no sense by pHatidic · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Combining biometrics makes identification less accurate. Using both face recognition and a finger print scan would be less accurate than using either alone. For a source, see John Daugman's webpage. He is the one who invented the algorithm that modern iris scanners use.

    Anyway, methinks some investors are being taken for a ride here.