Shoppers of all nationalities (including Chinese) in Hong Kong stores are having their faces scanned and recognized by an advanced Japanese technology hailed as a key breakthrough in facial recognition.

Japanese information technology leader NEC Corporation recently made operational a facial recognition device that recognizes the face of every customer in a store or business firm. NEC said its "Mobile Facial Recognition Appliance" is being tested in a number of stores in Hong Kong.

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The small appliance measures 14 cm (width) x 14 cm (depth) x 8 cm (height) and can be integrated into a closed circuit television network. The device is easy to install and is housed in a compact unit with integrated Wi-Fi/ 3G.

By instantly recognizing the faces of a store's customers, the device aims to give a store the capability to offer valued customers an ultra-personalized customer experience. NEC noted that with this kind of technology at its fingertips, a company can offer the full VIP treatment to everyone. It can take customer relationships to an entirely new level of excellence and dramatically enhance an organization's competitive edge.

NEC described its appliance as a comprehensive solution that utilizes "NeoFace," NEC's ground breaking facial recognition algorithm "to deliver a powerful video surveillance platform as a new approach to physical security and traditional CCTV systems." 

By seamless integrating IP cameras and networks, the appliance instantly transforms passive/ reactive CCTV surveillance systems into a smart pro-active surveillance solution capable of also recognizing unwanted visitors and generating intrusion alerts before security breaches occur.

A CCTV camera connected to the appliance module enables the appliance's onboard face recognition engine to transmit face images captured from the CCTV camera to the NEC face matching server through 3G wireless connectivity.

NEC said the appliance can be used in VIP customer detection, customer relationship management, shopping arcade security, electronic passports, border control management, access to sensitive zones, airport security management and prison management, among others.