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Cigarette vending machines are cracking down on the age limit—sort of. Face recognition software determines whether you look too young to be puffing away (the smoking age in Japan is 20). If you're suspect, the machine will prompt you to scan your drivers license. In tests, the software proved to be 90% accurate. Pretty nifty.
If you ask me, the installation of the face recognition software is totally obsolete. Why not ask everyone to scan their ID to begin with?
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Asking everyone to scan ID might hurt business?
Posted by: kungfupiggy | November 08, 2007 at 05:48 AM
Actually, it makes sense. If you don't have the face rec software, people can just say "Hey, let me borrow your ID" and swipe theirs to get Cigarettes anyways. With the facial scan, it can match your face to your ID swipe to make sure you're the one on the ID...or something like that.
Posted by: Dak Roland | November 08, 2007 at 02:51 PM
Isn't there a law being pushed through the Diet to change the adult age to 18 in 2010?
If I had a nickel for every cigarette machine in Tokyo...
Posted by: vagrant | November 08, 2007 at 08:51 PM