A vending machine in Japan is recommending drinks to customers based on facial recognition data. Two vending machines in JR Shinagawa with the recognition technology are believed to be responsible for a vast increase in sales in comparison to traditional machines.
Beverage recommendations are made by the machine after physical attributes of customers are picked up by sensors which allow the machines determine age, sex and other attributes. It's funny to think about how a customer may react to being recommended three diet beverages based on the vending machine’s judgment. The article states, "As the technology becomes more commonplace we can expect to see plenty more chubby commuters crying into their skinny lattes while waiting for a train, too afraid or unable to argue with the machine's decision." A catty machine could be interesting, but I am not sure if I am ready for a vending machine to judge me in such a way yet!
This is so funny! I'm pretty sure I laughed out loud when I read "chubby commuters crying into their skinny lattes." It's pretty crazy to think about how technology can read our facial features or other biological information. I learned about a computer keyboard that can read your pulse and can tell when you're stressed and all other kinds of things that you really don't want a keyboard knowing. What is the world coming to? I don't usually need a keyboard to tell me I'm stressed.
ReplyDeleteThe article is unclear whether it's trying to make sales or make people healthy though. If it's trying to make sales then I would think it would offer fat people fattening tasty drinks, but if Lance Armstrong comes along just a bottle of water. If it's trying for healthy then it wouldn't even carry the unhealthy ones, so I don't know. Either way it's some pretty impressive technology...
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