Fans will need to wait longer as the facial recognition technology will not be included yet in Google Glass due to privacy concerns.
A facial recognition system is an app that will automatically identify a person from a photo or video source by looking for a match of the facial features from a database. It is commonly used on different security agencies and can be compared to biometrics. Current platforms using this app are Google's Picasa, Sony's Picture Motion Browser, OpenBR, and WindowsLive.
There is an ongoing issue with this technology as many are concerned about their privacy as it may be used not only to recognize an individual's face but also to disclose personal data including other photos, social networking profiles, internet behavior, travel pattern, and more.
Google posted on their official blog site last Friday that they will need to hold the integration of the technology to Google Glass until proper protections are in place. There is a lot of paperwork involved and guidelines to be approved by various security groups before the app makes it to the device. To date, the company is still faced with criticisms about using the device in public since it captures data of people without their permission.
Here is an excerpt from the blog post.
"When we started the Explorer Program nearly a year ago our goal was simple: we wanted to make people active participants in shaping the future of this technology ahead of a broader consumer launch. We've been listening closely to you, and many have expressed both interest and concern around the possibilities of facial recognition in Glass. As Google has said for several years, we won't add facial recognition features to our products without having strong privacy protections in place. With that in mind, we won't be approving any facial recognition Glassware at this time."
