A cigarette vending machine that can tell adults from minors by determining their approximate ages based on bone structure, wrinkles and the way their skin sags went on sale Monday. People wishing to buy cigarettes have to look at a facial recognition camera in the upper section of the machine and press a button. In about three seconds, the machine determines whether the person is 20 years old--the legal age to buy cigarettes--or above. The purchase will be allowed if the machine is satisfied.
When it is difficult to determine whether people around the age of 20 are adults, they must insert a driver's license into a reader to make a purchase. They will not be able to buy cigarettes based purely on facial recognition.
The machine, developed by vending machine manufacturer Fujitaka Co.,was about 90 percent accurate in distinguishing adults from minors in a trial involving 500 people aged 10 to 69.
The company says machines with facial recognition will make it easier for elderly smokers who may have difficulty scanning cards."This is the optimum system for both smokers and vendors," a Fujitaka spokesman said.
The Nagaokakyo, Kyoto Prefecture-based firm hopes to sell 10,000 units of the machines in their first year on the market.
Meanwhile, in another attempt to prevent minors from smoking, the Tobacco Institute of Japan plans to issue vending machine cards restricted to adults. People with the cards will be able to buy cigarettes from machines--to be introduced nationwide from spring 2008--that only allow purchases with such cards. (Nov. 13, 2007)