Gizmodo: face recognition

iPhoto's Facial Recognition Feature Works on Cats

Andi Wang — Tue, 27 Jan 2009 21:30:13 EST

Apple recently showed off their new iPhoto's facial recognition feature, but said it only can recognize human faces, not animals. MacLife tested it out and proved Apple wrong: iPhoto can tell kitties apart. [MacLife]

Enhanced Photos Can Bypass Any Face-Recognition Software

Erica Ho — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 21:00:00 EST

BKIS, a Vietnamese security center, recently demonstrated that face-recognition security programs found in Toshiba, Asus and Lenovo laptops can be bypassed with a special photo.

To enroll in the face recognition software, the built-in webcam on the laptop scans the face for prime areas, such as the eyes or more conspicuous facial features. The special photo, which does not have to be of high quality, is processed so that the key areas are enhanced and the contrast levels are adjusted to the expectations of the software.

Dong Ngo of CNET recently underwent a Skype demonstration with a BKIS technician. The technican captured a photo of Ngo's face, and produced a special "unflattering" photo five minutes later using a special algorithm. Ngo was able to use the photo to log in to his Lenovo Y430. The technician later then demonstrated this procedure on similar Asus and Toshiba notebooks.

In lieu of fingerprint scanners and the traditonal username/password combination, face recognition software may not be the most secure way to protect data. Until then, I'll just use my own "specially" produced photos (courtesy of Photoshop) to tweak that, uh, zit, maybe even change my eye color—ooh instant nose surgery—to log me in. But only after I post that photo of "myself" on my Facebook profile. Hah! [CNET Crave]

Lumix DMC-TZ50 Coming to US, with T-Mobile Hotspot Access

AddyDugdale — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 08:10:00 EDT

Remember that saucy little Lumix with the Wi-Fi and free photosharing that was Japan only? Well, Panasonic is releasing the nine-megapixel point-and-shoot over here, and it's going to come with a year's free access to T-Mobile Hotspots. The TZ-50 is available in silver, and will cost $450 when it comes out next month. [Wired]

Nine-Megapixel Lumix DMC-TZ50 Has Wi-Fi, Photo-Sharing

AddyDugdale — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 06:54:25 EDT

May sees the Japanese release of Panasonic's Lumix DMC-TZ50, a nine-megapixel point-and-shoot with built-in wifi, meaning you can upload your photos directly to the web. At the moment only the Lumix Club that gets to host your pics, but restrictions will probably be lifted when the TZ50 gets a global release. There's also a 10x zoom and Leica lens, a three-inch LCD screen, and night- and face-recognition abilities. [Panasonic Japan via Ascii through Google Translate]

Biometric Testing for Workers on London Olympics Building Site

AddyDugdale — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 06:53:41 EST

Over 100,000 construction workers on the 2012 Olympics venue in London will be subjected to biometric tests while they build the site. The two-tier system will scan hands and faces, and should be up and running by June this year, when work starts on the 50-acre site. And these measures, part of the $700 million security budget, will not just be for the building contractors, either.

Plans are also afoot to include biometric testing on the spectators when the games start, in the Summer of 2012—an estimated nine million people. The Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority, John Armitt, claims that the system will be as easy as travelling on public transport (London-based readers will know, to quote esteemed philosophers Duran Duran, it's about as easy as a nuclear war.) "The gates will be like the Jubilee Line," he has been quoted as saying. "Put your hand down and it will open."

The biometric system is not the only hi-tech addition to the games' security. The policeman in charge of the games has gone on record as saying that London will need an additional half a million CCTV cameras to be put in place before the site opens for business. Yet again, the small matter of civil liberties is being brought into question.

While the head of Britain's main construction union, Ucatt, claims that he is fan-goo with the security system, "providing the ODA guarantee that the biometric data will not be passed on to any third parties and will be wiped once the project is complete," the ODA has not guaranteed that it will not pass on any information to government agencies.

How much of a logistical and planning nightmare this will be remains to be seen but, given the UK's success when it comes to building big things—the Millennium Dome, and Wembley for example—there is a strong possibility that we will be seeing the Olympic flame being lit at an opening ceremony some time in 2019. [Times Online]

ASUS U2E Is A Light, Leather Bound Notebook That Is Heavy On Features

Benny Goldman — Mon, 07 Jan 2008 06:00:00 EST

The U2E notebook from ASUS brings a 32GB SSD, an LED backlit panel and a small-lens webcam to an 11-inch, 2-pound, leather notebook. The coolest feature announced so far is definitely the Smart Logon Face Recognition. This software keeps the computer secure by using the webcam to scan the face in front of it and only grant access after a positive facial scan. The U2E will be available in brown or black, but pricing and availability have not yet been announced. See the gallery for more hot pics. [ASUS]

Cigarette Machine to Teens: "Get Outta Here Ya Damn Kids!"

Benny Goldman — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 18:00:00 EST

Listen up, Japanese teens: vending machine maker Fujitaka Co. is on to your sneaky cigarette-buying ways, and has created a machine that uses a camera and face recognition software to try and stop you. The machine takes your picture when you press the "Adult Recognition" button, and analyzes your face for wrinkles and sagging. If it thinks you aren't saggy enough, you must insert your license for age verification. In a test of 500 people, the machine spotted adults with 90% accuracy. Looks like the big kid with the crustache sitting at the back of your math class is about to be your new best friend; at least until you smoke enough to get wrinkled and buy cigarettes on your own. [Textually via The Raw Feed]

Fujitsu Releases New Spaceage-style Desktops, Black Monoliths to Come Later

www.gizmodo.com — Tue, 17 Apr 2007 09:02:50 EDT

Fujitsu has brought out a Spring range of desktop PCs that look all white and fresh and lovely (if you ignore the repulsive screen graphics that the pics have been issued with). The one above is the Deskpower LX, which can work as an all-in-one video tool. The LX will cost you around $2,250 and is available from the end of this month.

Kubrick's 2001 Space Odyssey looks aside, it also includes a face recognition software developed by Fujitsu that analyzes and tags every photo loaded into the computer, so you can later find pictures using people as your search criteria. There are four more machines to check in the gallery below, and specs of each of them are after the jump.

Deskpower LX
- Digital/analog TV tuner
- Wi-Fi A/B/G (but no N, baaaad Fujitsu)
- CPU either Core 2 Duo E4300, Pentium 4 531 or Celeron D347 CPU
- 250 to 400GB of disk space.

FMV-TOE aka Fujitsu's Media Center
- Wi-Fi A/B/G,
- Core 2 duo T5500 CPU,
- 400GB of disk space,
- Digital/analog TV tuner + DVI and HDMI.
- In case you find the Core 2 Duo too expensive you can still go for a Celeron M430.

Deskpower CE
- Comes with Windows Vista
- 17 inches (SXGA) screen
- Digital/analog TV tuner
- Core 2 Duo E4300
- 320 GB HDD
- 1GB of RAM
- DVD burner

Deskpower EK
- 17 inches monitor
- Celeron M430 CPU

– Ad Dugdale

Fujitsu Desktop PC [PC Watch]

Bioscrypt's 3D Camera Lets You Use Your Mug as a Password

Louis Ramirez — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 10:52:44 EDT

Bioscrypt's new 3D cam sounds like something from the future. Capable of detecting and reading your face, it's the first 3D face recognition camera, relying on 40,000 different ID points (like your forehead, eye sockets and nose) to ID you and log you onto your computer.

Bioscrypt claims it won't matter if you have a beard one day and are clean shaven the next. The cam will recognize you regardless. Sounds too good to be true. Unfortunately, we'll have to wait till the second half of '07 to check it out. – Louis Ramirez

Press Release [via Daily Tech]

Samsung L73 Digicam Can Spot Faces

www.gizmodo.com — Sun, 07 Jan 2007 19:00:48 EST

Unlike most of those coy camera vendors who are saving their new goods for February's PMA show, Samsung is putting out right here in Vegas with five new models. Coolest is the 7-megapixel L73 ($300). With it, Samsung joins the anti-aphasia campaigns of Canon, Fujifilm, and Nikon by adding face detection. Its Intelligent Face Recognition Technology adjusts the focus and exposure so that up to nine mugs in the shot come out sharp and bright. Another cool feature: It shots video at up to 800x592 pixels (at 30 fps). Other specs are pretty standard: 3X optical zoom, ISO 1600, and 2.5-inch LCD screen. – Sean Captain

Vodafone 904SH Cellphone with Face Recognition

Charlie White — Wed, 01 Mar 2006 11:25:34 EST

Vodafone has rolled out an unusual 3G and GSM cellphone that gets to know you as well as your dog does. It performs this magic trick with an OKI face recognition sensor that does away with the need for entering a pin number. With a swiveling 2.4 inch screen and an 3.2-megapixel autofocus camera, the 904SH also has a motion sensor that lets you play games such as virtual golf with the thing. Using Bluetooth, it's even suggested that you could play fighting games against an opponent within that 30-foot Bluetooth limit. It's available in pleasant-looking colors such as black, powder blue and purple. No announcement of price or availability was forthcoming.

Vodafone 904SH, the VGA phone that recognises you
[Akihabara News]