RFID in Japan

NTT Communications and Seijo will test a system that allows a customer to visualize what different shades of make-up look like on their face by just putting RFID-chiped beauty products on a magical pad.

Computer Partner reports:

The system resembles a traditional make-up mirror with lights placed either side but instead of a mirror there is a computer monitor in the center. On the monitor's screen are various panels showing details of different make-up and an image from a video camera mounted just above the screen.

The customer sits in front of the system and places the desired make-up on a pad in front of the monitor. The make-up samples are tagged with RFID chips and the pad includes a reader so the system can grab the RFID tag number and look this up in a database for product details. These details are then sent back to the system which uses visual recognition technology to determine the different areas of the customer's face in the video and then manipulates the image to simulate the desired make-up.

According to MYCOM PCWEB, this system allows customers to try out more beauty proucts since it's quicker and easier tha actually trying them out, which could lead to increased sales. Also, the system tracks which products are scanned how many times etc. so the store can easily know which products are the most popular etc.

(NTT Communications' press release in Japanese)

via Computer Partner < RFID Gazette; Digital World Tokyo < Popgadget ; Cnet Japan; MyCOM PC Web

thanks also to regine!

Posted by konomi at February 14, 2006 01:50 AM | TrackBack