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Facial Recognition Vending Machine Debuts

Posted by samzenpus on from the no-more-candy-for-you-chubby dept.

Peter Hanami writes "Yesterday in Japan, a facial recognition vending machine went on sale that can tell the age of the buyer based on a range of features including number of wrinkles, bone structure and how the skin sits on the face. It was developed as a way to stop minors from buying cigarettes from vending machines. In Japan, cigarette vending machines are a common feature on the street and presently few safeguards exist to stop younger users from purchasing them. This new machine is seen as a positive step to reduce under age smoking. If the machine doesnt deem the buyer to be of suitable age, 20 years old, the buyer must provide further identification such as a drivers licence."

2 of 172 comments (clear)

  1. Why not compare ID with face? by Nyktos · · Score: 5, Insightful

    If it's that good, why don't they just require standard government ID and use the face recognizer to determine if the buyer is the person on the ID and let the ID provide the age?

  2. Honne and Tatemae by CB-in-Tokyo · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Well here is the Honne and the Tatemae (The real thing and the appearance or facade) of Japanese culture at work.

    It is not about actually preventing minors from purchasing cigarettes, it about making the appearance of doing so. By making the appearance of oing so, these vending machines will continue to be allowed, and it may even stop them from being "turned off" at 11:00 PM as they are now. It may also allow Beer vending machines to make a comeback (they are still here, but in far fewer quantities than they used to be.)

    Japan is about image, and showing that you are respecting the group consensus. Japan is not about actually making something foolproof.