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IPFS News Link • Inventions

What happens when your friend's smartphone can tell that you're lying

• By Gary Shapiro

In just a few weeks, the next installment of "The Hunger Games" will arrive in movie theaters. The latest in a long line of films to depict a future all-knowing or controlling government — think "1984" or "Minority Report" — the dystopian tale will likely be a runaway hit. But the power to seem all-knowing – or at least know more than do now – may soon lie in technology that's already in the palm of your hand.

We are nearing a point where our smartphones will be able to recognize a face or voice, in real life or on-screen. And identification is only the most basic of the possibilities. Many app-makers are experimenting with software that can also analyze – able to determine someone's emotions or honesty just by a few facial cues.

This interpersonal assessment technology promises to make our lives easier. For instance, facial recognition technology can allow people to get immediate and amazing customer service. If a restaurant or retailer can identify me before I walk in the door, it would be able to identify me as a returning customer, accessing my favorite dishes or products. I would be greeted like an old friend (whether I were, or not).


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