Smile to Pay: KFC China store lets customers pay for food using just their smile

[midian182]

KFC China – an unlikely leader when it comes to embracing new technology in recent times – has introduced a way for patrons at its KPRO outlet in Hangzhou to pay for their meals: smiling. Ant financial, operator of the Alipay payment platform used by Alibaba, says it’s the world’s first commercial application of a facial-recognition payment system.

Unlike other KFCs, the KPRO store has a focus on healthy eating and tech, offering the likes of salads, paninis, gourmet coffees, freshly squeezed juice, and even craft beer. It also features the ‘Smile to Pay' system, which allows customers to pay for their orders by smiling into the camera at one of the kiosks.

It takes just two seconds for a machine to identify a person, analyzing more than 600 facial features to match them with the photo ID stored on the Alipay system. It includes a “live-ness detection algorithm” to prevent people from spoofing the system using photos, and it can even identify users when they’re wearing wigs or heavy makeup.

1/3 In China, KFC tests out ‘smile to pay’ - KFC is testing booths at a store in China where people pay with their face. #facialrecognition pic.twitter.com/LkYIIGBozF

— Orbbec (@Orbbec) September 2, 2017

“Combined with a 3D camera and liveness detection algorithm, Smile to Pay can effectively block spoofing attempts using other people’s photos or video recordings and ensure account safety,” said Jidong Chen, Ant’s director of biometric identification technology.

2/3 First you browse KFC’s selection on the screen, tap your choices…#facialrecognition #Orbbec #3Dcamera pic.twitter.com/qYhi8Yxonu

— Orbbec (@Orbbec) September 2, 2017

While no cash, cards, or smartphones are required, customers are asked to type in their phone numbers as an extra layer of security once the system identifies them.

3/3 Finally you look up at the Orrbec 3D Camera to confirm its you. No need for a credit card or phone #facialrecognition #Orbbec #3Dcamera pic.twitter.com/y4u1pJJrrj

— Orbbec (@Orbbec) September 2, 2017

Earlier this year, KFC teamed up with ‘Apple of China’ Baidu to trial kiosks that guess customers’ orders just by analyzing their facial features. And in July, a limited edition KFC version of Huawei’s Enjoy 7 Plus handset was released in China, celebrating the outlet’s 30 years in the country.

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https://www.techspot.com/news/70836-kfc-china-store-customers-pay-food-using-their.html

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

This would never work for me. Whenever I think of KFC's food I feel like puking nevermind smiling. I'd rather go hungry than eat KFC.

 

[Skjorn]

This would never work for me. Whenever I think of KFC's food I feel like puking nevermind smiling. I'd rather go hungry than eat KFC.

For some reason unknown to myself, I believe the KFC is better in China. Even though its really far from Kentucky now.

 

[NicktheWVAHick]

I cant help but think that all that data will be used for something sinister.
On a side-note, why bother with facial-recognition algorithms? Isn't there enough data in someone's tooth layout to generate an ID? Especially in China.....

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

For some reason unknown to myself, I believe the KFC is better in China. Even though its really far from Kentucky now.

Yeah, I wouldn't know about it tasting better anywhere simply because I don't eat chicken in any way, shape or form thanks to my military service days.

 

[hqxt1964]

It's a gimmick that makes no sense to consumers.

 

[bmw95]

For some reason unknown to myself, I believe the KFC is better in China. Even though its really far from Kentucky now.

Yeah, I wouldn't know about it tasting better anywhere simply because I don't eat chicken in any way, shape or form thanks to my military service days.

salmonella central?

 

[stewi0001]

This would never work for me. Whenever I think of KFC's food I feel like puking nevermind smiling. I'd rather go hungry than eat KFC.

So would it be torture to put you through the KFC VR trainer?

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

salmonella central?

Hardly. It was boiled for about 3 days thereby killing any bacteria, mashed into a watery, tasteless, bland, bony soup concoction without any flavouring of any kind and slopped on our plates. Just thinking about all these years later still makes me feel nauseous. It's was the kind of thing you'd feed prisoners in some rat and roach infested prison in some remote location back in the 1700's, not a front line, battle ready specialist corps.

 

[Skidmarksdeluxe]

So would it be torture to put you through the KFC VR trainer?

Read above post. Yeah I saw that article and unlike me, I posted a comment

 

[bmw95]

Hardly. It was boiled for about 3 days thereby killing any bacteria, mashed into a watery, tasteless, bland, bony soup concoction without any flavouring of any kind and slopped on our plates. Just thinking about all these years later still makes me feel nauseous. It's was the kind of thing you'd feed prisoners in some rat and roach infested prison in some remote location back in the 1700's, not a front line, battle ready specialist corps.

oh man . . . That's sounds awful.