‘Anti-Glass’ specs developed to block face recognition technology

By Trevor Mogg June 24, 2013

In an interview last month, the director of Google Glass’s product management team said that it wouldn’t be launching any face recognition services with its high-tech device “unless we have strong privacy protections in place”, meaning that at some point down the road, the Mountain View company could make it a significant part of Glass.

Privacy advocates worried about how such technology might be used with Google’s specs may be interested to learn that researchers at the National Institute of Informatics (NII) in Japan have found a way to prevent face recognition technology from working, and it doesn’t involve pulling a latex mask over your head.

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The Tokyo-based team has developed a device – also a pair of specs – that prevents Glass or similar technology from recognizing a face. The specs are fitted with 11 near-infrared LEDs which shine a bright light, confusing cameras looking to locate a face.

“Light from these near infrared LEDs can’t be seen by the human eye, but when it passes through the camera’s imaging device, it appears bright,” explained NII associate professor Isao Echizen.

Understanding that the technology only works with cameras that are sensitive to infrared light, Echizen and his team are now experimenting with reflective materials in an attempt to produce the same result with other face-detecting cameras.

Whether the NII’s work one day results in the formation of two distinct spec-wearing camps – Glass and anti-Glass – remains to be seen, but anyone interested in Echizen’s tech should check out the video below.

As the commercial launch of Google Glass draws ever closer, discussions centering on privacy concerns have become more widespread, drawing the attention of many political bodies around the world.

Last month, a Congressional privacy group sent a letter to Google CEO Larry Page requesting information on privacy infringement issues regarding Glass. And just last week officials from six nations sent a joint letter to the Mountain View company setting down a series of questions they want answered about the head-based tech.

[via DigInfo]

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Contributing Editor

Not so many moons ago, Trevor moved from one tea-loving island nation that drives on the left (Britain) to another (Japan)…

Emerging Tech

Juiced Bikes sold at auction for $1.2 million, report says

The Juiced Bikes Scorpion X2 adds more power, upgraded tires, and an improved battery to the popular moped style e-bike.

Juiced Bikes, the San Diego-based maker of e-bikes, has been sold on an auction website for $1,225,000, according to a report from Electrek.Digital Trends recently reported how the company was showing signs of being on the brink of bankruptcy. The company and its executives had remained silent, while customer inquiries went unanswered and its website showed all products were out of stock. In addition, there were numerous reports of layoffs at the company.Yet, the most convincing sign was that the company’s assets appeared as listed for sale on an auction website used by companies that go out of business.Now, it appears that Juiced Bikes’ assets, including a dozen patents, multiple URLs, and the company’s inventory in both the U.S. and China, have been sold at auction, according to the report. It is likely that the buyer, who remains unknown, can capitalize on the brand and the overall value of the 15-year old company. Founded in 2009 by Tora Harris, a U.S. high-jump Olympian, Juiced Bikes was one of the early pioneers of the direct-to-consumer e-bike brands in the U.S. market.
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Cars

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Michael Knight sitting on the hood of his car KITT in a scene from Knight Rider.

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Cars

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