Japanese professors design visor to trick facial recognition technology

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Tuesday, 29th January 2013
In Business In Japan,

Japanese professors design visor to trick facial recognition technology

People who are concerned about embarrassing photos being posted on social networking sites such as Facebook may be able to make use of a device which has been developed in Japan.

The so-called privacy visor makes use of infra-red light which stops facial recognition technology from working properly.

Although the device emits bright light it does not affect the wearer's vision.

Isao Echizen is the co-inventor of the device and associate professor at Tokyo's National Institute of Informatics. He worked alongside Seiichi Gohshi, a professor at Kogakuin University in Tokyo to create the goggles.

Mr Echizen suggested that the increasing number of surveillance cameras rendered the device necessary.

He said: "Measures for preventing the invasion of privacy caused by photographs taken in secret are now required."

While the visor promises its wearer anonymity in some form, there is no doubt that the mask itself would draw glances from members of the public.

Written by Graham McPherson