Japanese cigarette machines now become savvy face recognition vendors

• BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Japanese smokers to face age test
  A Japanese company is developing a vending machine that counts wrinkles and skin sags to check a smoker’s age. The machines are equipped with a digital camera that can compare users’ facial characteristics with a database of more than 100,000 people.From July Japan’s existing 570,000 cigarette vending machines will require users to insert a smart card proving they are old enough to smoke. “With face recognition, as long as you are an adult and have some change, you’ll be able to buy cigarettes as before,” Hajime Yamamoto, a Fujitaka spokesman, said.