China uses facial recognition technology instead of visiting tickets

Visitors to the town of Wuzhen, China will not have to buy tickets thanks to the face detection technology at the gate.

Baidu technology company began testing face-recognition technology in Wuzhen, China, CNN said Nov. 17. Wuzhen is a historic town with canals and classical architecture, attracting millions of visitors each year.

Wuzhen town, China tested face recognition technology to replace the entrance fee. Photo: Baidu.

When tourists arrive in town, their portraits are taken and uploaded to the database. The tablet attached to the gateway of each area will turn a human into a portal, then send the image to the data warehouse. Here, artificial intelligence identifies the visitor and determines whether or not he or she is allowed to enter.

The whole process took place in 0.6 seconds with the correct rate of 99.77%. It helps to shorten the waiting time and increase the convenience for visitors. According to Baidu and Wuzhen Travel, the technology is receiving positive feedback.

"You use your face everywhere, face detection technology has many advantages that other authentication methods do not have," said Andrew Ng, Baidu's chief scientist, to CNNMoney.

He said that the technology would also prevent ticketing. When the viewer buys tickets to the event, the organizers may request a photo of their face and confirm when the viewer arrives at the venue.

In addition, Baidu also allows their partners to use facial recognition technology. A partner has applied it to replace the key and password on the door. The door automatically opens when a person is allowed to enter the house. Ng hopes this technology will be useful for short-term tenants in the future.