# Cig Machine IDs Face Recognition Japanese Innovation By Bianca | Published 2007-11-05 | Unique Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cig-machine-ids-face-recognition-japanese References: [blog.scifi](http://blog.scifi.com/tech/archives/2007/11/05/japanese_cigare.html) The Japanese government no longer has to worry about minors purchasing tobacco illegally via cigarette vending machines, thanks to a new innovation that allows the machine to scan the user's face to determine his/her age. "A new machine is in development that will have facial-recognition software built in to gauge the age of wannabe purchasers," SciFi blog said. "If they have a young-looking face, it'll require photo ID, which it will then compare with your actual face to determine if it's legit. It's a pretty clever and sophisticated system, one that's clearly way more expensive than just forcing people to go deal with a human being at a convenience store but much more convenient for the many smokers of Japan." Very smart; I grew up in Germany, and it's incredible how many kids, some as young as 9 or 10, can go to the street corner to get cigarettes. Just like a pop machine, all you have to do is insert your money, pick a brand, and the machine will spit out the carton of choice. There seems to be a lot of room for error though, and I'm filled with a lot of questions. This will be an interesting innovation to track as it evolves. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 1.5/10 - Popularity: 24% | Activity: 13% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America, Europe, Asia ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Unique](https://www.trendhunter.com/unique) > [Inventions](https://www.trendhunter.com/inventions) ## Key Themes ### Why This Trend Is Growing - **Facial Recognition in Age Verification:** There is a demand for innovations that utilize facial recognition technology in age verification to prevent minors from purchasing age-restricted products. - **Automated Age Verification Machines:** The emergence of automated age verification machines offers opportunities for businesses to streamline their age-restricted product sales processes. - **Smart Vending Machine Technology:** The development of smart vending machine technology has the potential to enhance customer experiences and provide more secure and efficient transactions. ### Industries Being Reshaped - **Retail:** Retailers can benefit from investing in automated age verification machines to prevent underage purchasing and streamline sales processes. - **Hospitality:** The hospitality industry can explore the use of smart vending machines with facial recognition technology to enhance customer experiences with secure and convenient transactions. - **Security and Surveillance:** The development of facial recognition technology for age verification purposes can open opportunities for innovation and growth in the security and surveillance industry. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [AI-Powered Age Verification Apps](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/privately-ageai.md) - [Digitized Age Verification Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/age-verification-service.md) - [Facial Recognition Checkouts](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/contactless-store.md) - [Smart Cashierless Shops](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cashierless-shop.md) - [AI-Powered Produce Recognition](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/smart-vision.md) - [AI-Enabled Vending Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vending-tracker.md) - [AI-Enabled Salad Vending Machines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/salad-stand-vending-machine.md) - [Computer-Vision Self-Service Kiosks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vision-kiosk.md) - [Age Verification Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/complycube.md)