Japan has long been a leader in technology and that technology has its quirks—especially when it comes to the stuff that everyday Japanese see on the street. It’s not really all that surprising coming from a country that has vending machines that sell hot meals, alcoholic beverages, and more “adult” novelties that advertisement and sales would soon become automated. Last Christmas, shoppers a Universal City Walk were greeted by Robovie—a robot that scanned shoppers, asked questions, and pointed them to exactly what the stores wanted them to buy (I mean, exactly what the customers want to buy.) Now that technology is hitting the streets in a more cost-efficient manner.
That’s right, public billboard in Japan have gotten smart! The digital billboards (currently only in testing phases at the moment, scan passersby with imbedded cameras and profile them based on gender, age, and a number of other criteria and then display customized ads that fit the consumer needs of that person’s demographic.
There’s nothing quite like a computer that will tell you exactly what you should buy! This takes the digital future displayed in Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner to a whole new level. No doubt those billboards will be actively scanning for John and Sarah Connor in the near feature.
