ITL looks to expand in-store facial age estimation use cases

Innovative Technology (ITL) is busy on the retail biometrics front, with new content looking at the Demographic Data Insights (DDI) and facial age estimation (FAE) capabilities of its MyCheckr hardware. It is also welcoming business development executive Lee Tavender to its age and identity verification technology division, to drum up business in new sectors, with an emphasis on biometric access control.

Customer insights without collecting personal data

No matter how dominant online shopping becomes, some people will always want to go to the shop. ITL explains its DDI technology is particularly important for retail biometrics, to “provide detailed analysis of shopper activity. It can give valuable information about the type of customers visiting stores, help devise strategies to attract different cohorts into shops, organize staffing levels and even determine the effectiveness of new marketing drives and help to target messaging and adverts to specific groups.”

Biometric customer profile segmentation allows retailers to analyze data, like who shops when, how to tailor advertising for them, and when busier times call for additional staff. Product performance analysis can help retailers see which products perform best in specific locations and with specific demographics.

“Using customer insights in the right way can help retain customer loyalty, attract different cohorts and provide a more personalized, targeted service overall,” says the post.

ITL’s DDI hardware devices use machine learning algorithms and biometrics to provide time-stamped quantitative demographic facial data. “When a face is presented, algorithms can identify different demographics such as gender and age. All this is performed without uniquely identifying the individual.” No private data is collected in the biometric analysis.

MyCheckr, MyCheckr Mini and ICU Lite are among the ITL devices that can be deployed for DDI. The service can also be easily integrated in machines like POS systems using an API communication.

Facial age estimation cuts tension, conflict at the register

MyCheckr’s age estimation capabilities can also help solve the problem of confrontation and conflict over age restricted products at point of sale. “In 2024 alone, the UK saw an estimated 590,000 incidents of violence in convenience stores, with one of the top triggers being staff asking for proof of age,” according to the company.

MyCheck aims to augment the Challenge 25 model, which sets a target age under which customers should be asked to verify their age (for example, 25). ITL says its assisted age assurance tool “empowers staff to perform age checks with speed, accuracy, and confidence,” and “removes the subjectivity, the awkwardness, and most importantly, the potential for confrontation.”

While limiting the potential for over-the-counter conflict, it also assuages regulators, meaning less risk of fines or reputational damage.

“Retail success today is about balancing safety, service and compliance” ITL says. “MyCheckr helps you do all three by making your store a safer place to work, a smoother place to shop, and a more responsible place to do business.”

Taverner to lead expansion into new sectors for ITL

In bringing on Lee Tavender to focus on biometric access control, ITL is looking to grow on its success providing age estimation for the gaming and retail markets by broadening scope to include more sectors in the growing market for age assurance.

Senior Business Development Manager for Biometrics John Vallis says Taverner is “responsible for making sure our solutions reach their potential to a wider range of customers.”

“Lee has a sales background in the retail, vaping, convenience, facilities management and security sectors and he is excellent at building relationships with a consultative approach to selling. He has quickly gained an in-depth understanding of the various markets which could benefit from our facial analysis technology.”

Taverner says he brings “a real passion to educate the market on the benefits of using AI-powered biometric technology for secure, seamless access control.”

“I love being responsible for maximizing prospects in untested environments. I am developing a real understanding of the products and I genuinely believe the scalability of this business holds little to no boundaries. It is incredibly exciting.”

Article Topics

access control  |  age verification  |  biometric age estimation  |  face biometrics  |  facial age estimation (FAE)  |  Innovative Technology  |  retail biometrics