Face Detection, Privacy and the Internet of Things

Recently I was given the opportunity to speak with a New York Times reporter about our work in adaptive intelligence and face detection. I’ve talked with a variety of people, from venture capitalists and reporters to every day people just curious about the technology. The question invariably brings up the subject of privacy. Strangely enough, the first two things I hear when describing what I do for a living is “COOL!” and “CREEPY!”. Having had this conversation numerous times, I’ve become accustomed to giving a pretty standard response.

“Immersive Labs uses anonymous facial detection and can measure age, gender and attention time. We gather purely numerical data, no personally identifiable information is collected and no images are ever saved or recorded. We believe in an opt-in system that respects individual privacy.”

Since graduating Techstars NY last April, there have probably been at least a dozen news stories that have compared Immersive Labs to the Steven Spielberg sci-fi movie, Minority Report. In the film, Tom Cruise walks by holographic displays that tailor personalized content, calling out to him by name. Any technology in and of itself is just a tool, it really depends on the intended use. For the most part, we think people don’t want to see “advertisements”. I think what people really want to see is relevant content that enhances their lives in some way, shortens their wait times and enables them to have a better experience.

In 2002, when the Minority Report film was released many of us still suffered from pop-ups in our browsers and there were public concerns over cookies and the safety of online credit card transactions. Over the last decade the rules of marketing have changed considerably. It’s no longer about a broadcast model of bombarding consumers with advertisements. The future of marketing is about empowering consumers with better experiences and choices. There has to be value throughout the chain of evens, from the brand and venue - all the way to consumer buying the merchandise.

Think back to how much has changed. If you would have told someone just 10 years ago, that in the year 2011 we’d all be carrying tracking devices (smart phones) with front facing cameras staring at us all day while we share our location and personal information for the world to see, they would probably think you’re crazy. If we could travel back in a time to perform a survey , no doubt a majority of americans wouldn’t have gone for it.

Tracking and monitoring technologies simply provide a feedback mechanism that enable new possibilities. Whether that be the form of a GPS device, that helps you know your location on the road, to a Wii controller or Xbox Kinect, that monitors body movements for interactive game play. Similarly, facial detection/recognition is simply another input into a system that can enable new possibilities. In the next few years, as NFC cell phones become more predominate, it will make sense that we’ll begin to see people using their cell phones for payments, loyalty card programs and even personal identification. We’re entering a hybrid age, when the capabilities and experiences of the virtual world are moving into our physical environments. Soon we will have amazon recommendations in brick and mortar stores, and everything that was once offline will be online.

We are witnessing the beginning of what some have called the “internet of things”. The Internet of things is an era when every device, from a sophisticated smart phone to the most mundane things (like toothbrushes) will be connected to the Internet. Low cost sensors and powerful micro processors will continue to see exponential growth in processing power (accompanied with a decline in price) that will allow for them to be embedded to everyday items. Maybe a new social network will emerge that gives you points for brushing your teeth. Perhaps your coffee cup will alert you that you really shouldn’t have that 4th cup of coffee.

An intelligent discussion around the future of new technologies is needed. One that balances the concerns of privacy advocates with the advances of new techolonies that can enhance our world. It’s important to keep one eye on the dark side and our minds on the tremendous potential that any new technology can provide. As new capabilities emerge, new challenges will also be introduced. We will continue to be an outspoken advocate for facial detection/recognition technology. While also, respecting personal privacy and bringing about a vision of enhancing the physical world around us.