Recognition Technology

In the last few months I’ve found myself thinking about recognition technology which, like everything else can be both used and abused. It started upon arrival at Chicago’s O’Hare international Airport where, thanks to my being part of the Global Entry program, I zipped through the normally exhausting wait in the International Arrivals area. It was fantastic! I simply looked into a machine that reminded me of an ATM, and “presto” I was cleared through. No questions, no paperwork, …nothing. It made returning to America as easy as leaving America.

The next time was simply a new update on my iPhone which uses facial recognition technology to ensure that I am really me. The final event was when I was speaking with a friend whose mother was car-jacked; fortunately she was uninjured (she’s in her 90s). He told me that the police felt that the car would be located in a few days. Well, he thought that they were out of their minds, but not so! In 30 hours they had it back, although with repairable damage. They had entered the make, model, color and

license plate number of her car into a computer, and cameras linked to recognition technology posted around the city spotted it and alerted the police. It even searched for the same car without plates as thieves will often remove the plates.

So, what did I come up with after a few beers?

This may already be under development, but, why can’t we use this amazing technology to help our fellow Americans to do what Americans like to do most? Namely BUY STUFF! In particular, I’m imagining this as being most useful to those online garage sales such as eBay. You know that company which helps people move stuff out of their storage locker and into somebody else’s storage locker. After a few years the same item will often be off to yet another storage locker.

Anyhow, here's how I envision it:

Imagine that you’re looking for a saucer to match the set that your wife got as a wedding gift. The reason that you are searching for it is because you broke one and really value your marriage.

If you do a search using the word “saucer” well, good luck with that. Or say that you want another shirt just like the one that is slowly wearing out. “Shirt” in the search box will get you enough possible matches to last a lifetime. So, why not enable potential buyers to put a picture of the item being sought into the data base and let recognition technology find the item or items that closely match? Obviously, the better the picture, the better the chances for a successful match. A little photo enhancement or, better yet, having a picture of the item on a white or single color background would help even more.

I really wonder why we don’t have this possibility already.

So, until this application of recognition technology becomes a reality…it’s something to think about.