A lot of the technology becoming available these days is something that older generations used to think would only come out of a sci-fi book or movie. It seems like nearly every day a new technology is released, taking us further and further into the futuristic world that we used to only dream of. One of the latest and greatest technologies that is becoming more prevalent is facial recognition. Instead of being a futuristic concept, it has been and is being integrated into devices and on websites in ways that it can be used every single day.
While some of its uses may be more trivial than others, it might surprise you at how applicable facial recognition can be across multiple different fields. Companies of all sorts are taking advantage of the technology and integrating it into their products and services in some amazing and creative ways. Here are ten examples of uses for facial recognition technology that are available today:
- Date Matching
You’ve probably heard that people tend to be attracted to others who look like them. A recent study shows that this may be true, especially if they make similar facial expressions and emotional signals. Based on that concept, certain dating apps, (like this one and this other), have been integrated with facial recognition technology to help create better matches for those who are looking for love.
- Suggested/Automatic Tagging on Social Media
Although their suggestions may not always be accurate, social media sites like Facebook use facial recognition technology to suggest tagging someone or automatically tag someone in the photos that you upload. Despite getting it wrong now and then, Facebook’s tagging suggestions are usually spot on, (unless it’s trying to discern between identical twins, perhaps).
- School Attendance Tracking
Education is important, and although it can be difficult to get up every morning to attend what seems like never-ending classes, being there and learning is far better than stunting your educational growth. To help make sure that students are attending their classes and to track who is there and who is not, facial recognition technology is being implemented and tested in some schools to help track attendance and create better reports.
- Shopping
Although not used fully across the board, there are many businesses and credit card companies that are already looking into or using facial recognition technology to allow their customers to shop and make purchases more easily. MasterCard, Apple Pay, Smile to Pay, and others have already begun releasing programs that allow customers to pay with selfies, preventing fraud issues and making purchases that much easier.
- Unlocking Personal Devices
Most everyone is already familiar with how facial recognition technology can be used to unlock personal devices such as cell phones and laptops. It’s not limited to those, though. Other things like your car will potentially be able to be unlocked using facial recognition, helping reduce theft and increase your car’s security.
- Better Targeted Advertising
When it comes to advertising, targeting is key. Businesses need to know who their target market is so that they can more effectively reach them and optimize the use of their time and money. Facial recognition technology is something that can help better target ads and make them more effective by making them more relevant to the person viewing them based on gender or age.
- Disease Diagnosis
Not all diseases are easily detected, especially early on, but there are signs and changes in appearance that can indicate a disease that may not be easily recognized by the naked eye. With the help of facial recognition technology, though, it may be easier to detect certain diseases, even those that are rare. The National Human Genome Research Institute is already using facial recognition software to help them diagnose disease, and things look more promising in the future.
- Missing Persons Location
Whether it be an adult or a child, a missing person, (especially one in danger), needs to be found as quickly as possible. While the public is of great help in locating many missing persons, facial recognition software may be able to help find them even more quickly, saving more lives and returning people to their homes sooner than they might otherwise be able to get there.
- Criminal Location
Similarly to locating missing persons, facial recognition technology can be used to locate criminals as well. Whether it be someone who broke parole, escaped custody, is on the run, or otherwise in trouble with the law, law enforcement can use the technology to more quickly and easily find those in violation of the law and help bring them to justice while making the community safer.
- Security
Whether at your home or your business, there are security risks you take on, even if you have security measures in place. From uninvited guests to hacks and data breaches, security is a big issue that people are always concerned about. Thanks to facial recognition technology, though, security both at home and at your business can become even stronger, helping you better protect your family, your employees, your company, and your data by keeping uninvited people out and alerting you to potential issues before they occur.
Why Your Company Needs Facial Recognition Technology
Of its many existing and ever-growing number of uses, perhaps the most valuable use for your company at this time is the ability of facial recognition technology to act as an added measure of security and improve the security protocols you have in place. Companies like AnyVision have recognized how useful facial recognition can be in the safety and protection of the workplace, and have developed systems that can be used with your existing system to watch for people of interest, survey, better protect data, and more. In addition, it can be used in combination with employee time tracking app to prevent buddy punching and time theft when tracking attendance.
Although facial recognition technology is still developing and some of its uses may not be practical, taking advantage of its ability to improve your security now will make a big difference in your operations, better protect you, and help you continue to develop and adapt with the technology as it changes, keeping you ahead of the threats as they arise.
Final Thoughts
Facial recognition is an incredible tool that has so many different uses, and while not all may apply to you and your company, using it in all of the applicable ways will be extremely beneficial. No longer should you consider facial recognition as science fiction or the future; it is something that is here and available now, just waiting for you to take advantage of.
What other uses for facial recognition technology are you aware of?
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