Face Recognition on Cigarette Vending Machines - Japan

Japs eh!

The vending machine uses Face Recognition to determine if the buyer is too young to be buying smokes or not. If the buyer looks young (as determined by the Face Recognition thing, which is reported to be 90% accurate), the machine apparently asks for a drivers license. Then the machine compares the picture on the drivers license to the face of the buyer. If it's a match, you get the ciggs. If not.. you don't.

Link

Now, there is something even more interesting. The machine apparently is not able to differentiate between printed pictures and faces. Implying, if one were to hold (over his/her face), a photograph of the face of someone who looks old - one could still manage to get the smokes.

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When the reporter went to check out the new age-verifying machines after they were introduced in the Osaka area in June, he soon discovered that the machines equipped with face-recognition cameras would let him buy cigarettes when he held up a 15-centimeter (6-in) wide magazine photo of a man who looked to be in his 50s.

The reporter also went to Kobe, where different face recognition hardware is being used. There, he bought cigarettes using an 8-centimeter (3-in) wide magazine photo of a female celebrity in her 30s. He also reportedly tried to use a 3-centimeter (1-in) wide photo, but the machines rejected it.

Link