Ontario campus had facial recognition in vending machines

[Chock Full o Nuts]

Vending machines to be removed from UWaterloo campus over facial tech concerns

A southwestern Ontario university says it will be getting rid of more than two dozen vending machines after students raised concerns about facial recognition technology.

www.cp24.com

The issue was flagged by students on a Reddit forum earlier this month, when someone posted a photo of one of the machines displaying an error message apparently related to a facial recognition program.

The machines' operator, Adaria Vending Services, told the publication MathNews the technology acts as a motion sensor to know when to activate the screen for purchases.

Well, a proximity sensor could do that. No need for FR to flush a toilet. Or is there!

Invenda, meanwhile, told the publication the machines don't engage in “storage, communication, or transmission of any imagery or personally identifiable information.”
The article notes, however, that a FAQ from Invenda says “only the final data, namely presence of person, estimated age and estimated gender, is collected without any association with an individual.”

But why?.. It's a vending machine. You know what's selling and what is not based on your restocking and can adjust accordingly.
That's really all you need to know.

 

[MamboDervish]

But why?.. It's a vending machine. You know what's selling and what is not based on your restocking and can adjust accordingly.
That's really all you need to know.

Well, you might want to know who is vandalizing the machine.

 

[HIP56948]

Reminds me of overdoing a product...which really doesn't do much. Example. >>
80 years ago kitchen blenders had usually 4 speeds. Low, fold, medium, fast/whip.
Now some of them have 12 speed. WTF! "OMG honey, you ruined my drink ...I usually set it on #8...you put it on #9...sob..sob..

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

Well, you might want to know who is vandalizing the machine.

They could have went with that excuse.
But I'd say there are probably security cameras around that would cover that base if need be.

 

[Grand Mal]

Vending machines to be removed from UWaterloo campus over facial tech concerns

A southwestern Ontario university says it will be getting rid of more than two dozen vending machines after students raised concerns about facial recognition technology.

www.cp24.com

Well, a proximity sensor could do that. No need for FR to flush a toilet. Or is there!

But why?.. It's a vending machine. You know what's selling and what is not based on your restocking and can adjust accordingly.
That's really all you need to know.

"The machines' operator, Adaria Vending Services, told the publication MathNews..."
MathNews? There's math news?

 

[MamboDervish]

They could have went with that excuse.
But I'd say there are probably security cameras around that would cover that base if need be.

If not, there should be.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

They could have went with that excuse.
But I'd say there are probably security cameras around that would cover that base if need be.

The school was in Canada. There aren't anywhere near as many "security cameras" in Canadian schools as there are in American schools. Admittedly the ratio is higher than the relative proportion of armed guards stalking the corridors and grounds is, but it's still hardly a patch on the ratio per student in American schools.

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

If not, there should be.

Why? The last mass school shooting in Canada was in 1992.

 

[MamboDervish]

Why? The last mass school shooting in Canada was in 1992.

Non sequitur. If you think the only reason for monitoring school hallways and common areas is mass shootings, then I can't help you.

 

[Chock Full o Nuts]

The school was in Canada. There aren't anywhere near as many "security cameras" in Canadian schools as there are in American schools. Admittedly the ratio is higher than the relative proportion of armed guards stalking the corridors and grounds is, but it's still hardly a patch on the ratio per student in American schools.

Regardless, there is no reason to need FR on a vending machine.
And no one had a clue if it weren't for that damn error message giving it up!

I wonder how many started getting ads for Lay's chips on their FB or whatever after buying a bag?

 

[TU Curmudgeon]

Regardless, there is no reason to need FR on a vending machine.
And no one had a clue if it weren't for that damn error message giving it up!
View attachment 67495511
I wonder how many started getting ads for Lay's chips on their FB or whatever after buying a bag?

<SARC>Hey, the vending machine company obviously thought that there was a "reason". That "reason" most likely had something to do with increasing profits. Increasing profits is what capitalism is all about. Capitalism is what made America great. Are you one of those commies who wants to destroy America by telling companies what they can (or can not) do in order to increase their profits?</SARC>