Search Without Words; Google Goggles Announced
Visual search technology isn’t entirely novel. Large scale visual search technologies have already been implemented and are currently used by foreign governments. In England, facial recognition surveillance has been used to alert convenience store clerks of underage patrons attempting to buy tobacco and alcohol. Recognition cameras have been tested at airports, to check travelers against their passport (and likely collect more data on people). Additionally, less sophisticated visual search technology is used in London in their congestion charge scheme. Here, all automobiles driving within certain zones in London are photographed. Vehicle plates are automatically checked against a database overnight to determine the vehicles registered status. However, unregistered vehicles must still be checked manually and incur a fine.
Google recently unveiled a new type of search technology, called Google Goggles, which allows users to search the web with a photo. Visual search, which encompasses facial recognition, has long been a subject of sci-fi movies and the like. In season one of Better Off Ted, Veridian Dynamics invented a facial recognition software that allowed users to search for all online media containing the searched for face. I thought this was cool when I watched the episode, but it is even cooler now that it is a reality.
Google Goggles in Action
This technology will first be available for owners of Google’s Android phone, and is expected to be released to other users later. Having visual search on your phone means you can photograph a piece of unnamed artwork and find out exactly what it is, photograph a monument as you drive by and read more about it, and much more. It is the ultimate piece of technology for consumer education.
Facial Recognition
Google also announced that this technology will also be able to recognize faces. For example, you could photograph a celebrity you spot at a restaurant and find out who they are, and what movies they played in. However, plans to roll out this technology are postponed until Google can figure out privacy concerns.
Below is the official Google video released to give you a basic introduction to the capabilities of this new software.
I wonder what happens to the search on Googles end? Stored in a database to build a customer profile, or worse?
Another cell phone application available today is Shazam, which allows you to search by sound. Shazam takes a short recording of a song you are currently listening to, sends it to a database, and returns the artist, song name, album, links to youtube videos, and more. This technology is surprisingly accurate and has an extensive database.
How do you feel about visual search technology? Privacy concerns? Government control? Other Abuses?
Careful, big brother is watching…
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