Anti-Photography Glasses Prevent Facial Recognition from Doing Its Thing

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Professor Isao Echizen from Tokyo’s National Institute of Informatics seems to think that photography and facial tagging are infringing a bit too eagerly on your privacy. So, in a bid to avoid being surveyed (perhaps by the all-seeing eye of the ARGUS-IS) he’s designed a pair of anti-photography glasses.

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The glasses use near infrared LEDs around the frame to emit light that is invisible to the human eye, but can be picked up by CMOS and CCD image sensors. These lights effectively blind images sensors and keep them from picking up the details required by facial recognition software.

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You can read the entire PDF release here, but the gist is that these glasses will protect you from having your picture taken, stored, and used for recognition. There are cameras all around us (think: ATM, gas station, etc.), not to mention all those pesky street photographers. Now, assuming the stylish glasses don’t sufficiently discourage them from snapping your mug, at least their pictures won’t turn out.


P.S. Wouldn’t it be interesting if a few celebrities got their hands on these? Might make for some angry paparazzi… and some strange-looking celebrity photos.

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