Face Detection, Privacy and the Internet of Things

This week I was given the opportunity to speak with a New York Times reporter about our work in digital signage, adaptive intelligence and face detection. Having 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. Having had this conversation numerous times, I’ve become accustomed to giving our standard response.

“Our solution 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 amoral, it really depends on the intended use. For the most part, we think people don’t want to see advertisements. What people really want is relevant content that enhances their lives in some way.

In 2002, when the Minority Report film was released many of us still suffered from pop-ups in our browsers and there were concerns over the safety of online credit card transactions. The rules of marketing have changed since 2002. It’s no longer about bombarding consumers with advertisements. The future of marketing is about empowering consumers with better experiences and choices.

If you would have told someone in 1990, 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 think you’re crazy.

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 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 an 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 coffee cups) 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 probably 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. As new capabilities emerge, new challenges will also be introduced. Immersive Labs will continue to be an outspoken advocate for facial recognition technology that respects personal privacy and brings about a vision of enhancing choices and experiences.