Augmented Reality Phone App Can Identify Strangers on the Street

Augmented reality, the blending of real-life environments with computer generated imagery, has provided a bunch of creative applications, including a virtual tattoo. Now, the same technology can be used to identify virtual strangers. A new app called Recognizr, developed by the Swedish mobile software firm The Astonishing Tribe, lets you find out more about a person--including what social networks they are on and in some cases their phone numbers--simply by pointing your camera-phone at them (see video below). The app works by mashing up the latest in facial recognition software, cloud computing, and augmented reality. But before privacy advocates storm the offices of The Astonishing Tribe, we should note that the app only works on people who have opted in to the system. People have to sign onto this service, submit a profile, and upload a picture to be picked up by Recognizr. So you needn't scramble to delete all ...