Augmented reality startup Blippar integrates facial recognition into app

Augmented reality (AR) startup Blippar has integrated real-time facial recognition technology into its mobile app, which allows users to generate “AR Face Profiles,” according to a report by Business Insider.

The facial recognition technology enables users to scan faces — either in-person, a printed photo, or television — via their smartphone cameras to unlock a “unique augmented reality experience for people who have a recognized face profile,” according to Blippar.

The feature will only successfully unlock a profile if the scanned face belongs to an individual with an existing AR profile.

Blippar has also created profiles for over 70,000 public figures prior to the launch. The company will soon offer a feature that allows users to establish their own profile via the app’s selfie mode.

“A recent update to the Blippar app allows people to recognize/’blipp’ many public figures from today onwards,” Blippar said in a statement. “A very exciting feature for users to create their own face profile in augmented reality will also be launching very soon.”

Each user’s face profile shows an “augmented reality” halo surrounding their head, whose five points represent links to detailed information about the user’s profile, including their “AR mood and aura,” photos, favorite music, and a “celebrity look-alike” feature. The face profiles can be configured to public or private viewing.

Earlier this year, Blippar released “Blipparsphere” — a visual browser that uses machine learning to recognize real-world objects.

“Augmented Reality Face Profiles will change the way we communicate and express ourselves,” Ambarish Mitra, co-founder and CEO at Blippar said. “Our face is our most expressive form of communication and with this release we are allowing this to become digital for the first time. Our facial recognition technology combined with our knowledge graph enables people to express themselves through the things they love, including their hobbies, opinions, key fun facts, and so much more. This is a new, unique and fun way of showing who you are and of learning more about others.”

Article Topics

augmented reality  |  biometrics  |  facial recognition  |  mobile app  |  startup