Image recognition is getting some serious traction lately with few augmented reality apps adding the capability to better serve its clients (whether these are advertisers or end-users). Japan’s NEC thinks there’s money to be made here, hence it launched such service in its own backyard, providing information on a wide range of subjects, from food to automobiles, that appear in photos taken with mobile devices.
The solution relies on the proprietary image recognition engine, comparing subjects from photos to image data registered on the cloud or on a mobile device. Once a subject is recognized, detailed information about it can be displayed on a mobile device.
For example, a health care provider could offer services for individuals with special dietary needs, with users taking photos of a meal in order to have detailed information on calories, ingredients and recipes. On the other hand, car enthusiasts or buyers taking photos of cars on the street can learn about an automobile’s manufacturer, model and price.
NEC said that the idea is not only to use technology on its phones, but also to offer it to third parties like mobile operators, handset makers, retailers and so on…
[Via: CellularNews]