Face recognition in good use

[DMKAlex]

I haven't gone on any cruise since the pandemic. I had been on a number of cruises prior that.

There were photographers around the shore and the ship taking pictures of the tourists. There were also formal photo sessions in various venues on the ship. They would blow up the pictures in 5x7 or 8x10 and display them in a designated area of the ship (usually on the way to the dining facilities). Tourists would walk by and browse ALL the pictures and find ones with themselves in it to determine if they want to purchase them. If they do, they would take the pictures off the wall and go over to the cashier to pay up.

I had just gone to a river cruise (three gorges of Yangtze River) in China. There were 10 times more photographer snapping pictures everywhere. I was thinking, that must be very costly to hire that many photographers, and that many pictures to be printed and displayed. But there was no display gallery on the ship. Again, right at the entrance of the dining area, there's a booth with 3 computer screens. Tourists just sat in front of the monitor and the camera feed the tourist's face and facial recognition matched all the pictures taken and started a slide show of all the pictures with that people on the monitor. There is a button to purchase the selected one and the charge would be automatically billed to the room (they took picture of us when we boarded the ship). The pictures were waiting when the purchasers finished their meal.

I was thinking, what an amazing application using technology. I wonder if other cruise ships are using that technology now, or they are still wasting money the old fashion way?

 

[KCK14]

That is interesting. We also had been cruisers prior to Covid. The large number of processed prints being unclaimed daily seem so wasteful. We would buy some from formal night and maybe 1 or 2 of the snap shots.

 

[J A C S]

I guess they could sell more pictures when the prints are displayed and ready for pick up. A lot of waste, indeed.

 

[DMKAlex]

I guess they could sell more pictures when the prints are displayed and ready for pick up. A lot of waste, indeed.

I think the sale ratio was no more than 25% on all the previous cruise (number sold vs number printed). The sale ratio on the facial recognition is 100% (nothing got printed until it's sold).

Also, trying to look thru all the pictures to find one belonging to you, while there was many other people bumping into you didn't make it an inviting sales opportunity.

 

[J A C S]

I guess they could sell more pictures when the prints are displayed and ready for pick up. A lot of waste, indeed.

I think the sale ratio was no more than 25% on all the previous cruise (number sold vs number printed). The sale ratio on the facial recognition is 100% (nothing got printed until it's sold).

That is 100% of the people who bothered to sit down, play with the computer display, and order prints. Versus 25% of the people walking by and looking at the prints.

I understand and agree that there was a waste before, but they may have still sold more prints (and destroyed many more).

 

[A74Me]

I guess they could sell more pictures when the prints are displayed and ready for pick up. A lot of waste, indeed.

I think the sale ratio was no more than 25% on all the previous cruise (number sold vs number printed). The sale ratio on the facial recognition is 100% (nothing got printed until it's sold).

That is 100% of the people who bothered to sit down, play with the computer display, and order prints. Versus 25% of the people walking by and looking at the prints.

I understand and agree that there was a waste before, but they may have still sold more prints (and destroyed many more).

a print cost 20 cents and sells for $15 waste is minimal.

 

[AnthonyL]

Cynical me says what a profitable way to build up a scam list :-D

Just put it down to a sign of the times.

 

[Lensmate]

Cynical me says what a profitable way to build up a scam list :-D

Just put it down to a sign of the times.

Or other means:

How China uses facial recognition to control human behavior

When facial recognition is everywhere, any behavior is fair game for punishment.

www.cnet.com

-M

 

[Gato Amarillo]

Interesting use, for sure.

Aside from the issues raised, I wonder about privacy concerns. Do any of the passengers object to being photographed or subject to face recognition? Is there an option to opt out of being photographed, either at the start or during the cruise?

On a business level, I wonder how many viewing stations you would need, say per hundred people attending, to maximize sales? And what it costs to set up. If the pricing was right this might be a thing for event and wedding photographers. Maybe instead of shooting ID photos at the beginning you could rig it so a person sits down at the viewing booth, a camera scans the face, and a quick search serves up photos.

EDIT to add: Another thought, with a cell phone in every hand or pocket how many people will be wanting any photos beyond what they and their companions make?

Gato

--
Personal pictures, road trips, rural nostalgia, and kitty cats:
https://www.instagram.com/j.r.sprawls/