Displays that Know Your Face
NEC has announced a new plasma display that can identify the age and gender. It utilizes a miniature camera to detect a person’s age and sex so it can play specific commercials targeted at whomever it scans.
Called “Push Advertising”, the displays can also beam a code to your cell phone that contains product information or other communications.
Not too much is being said about the ability for the marketers to observer shopping behavior as well, but it is sure to stir some controversy. (Mainly outside Japan, as they have had age-detecting vending machines for a while, but not without a few issues there, either.)
Creepy or cool? The answer will likely lie in how accurate the technology is, and how sensitive marketers are to the shopper’s experience.
(Photo credit: Homotron)
Sources: http://www.homotron.net/2008/07/seriously_nec_display_knows_yo.html http://dvice.com/archives/2008/07/digital_stalker.php http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/07/creepy-advertis.html
