Face.com API Detects Age From Photos

Face.com is claiming that its new API can detect the age of a person in a scanned photo. Using that API, the website has built a pair of Facebook apps that are able scan photos taken automatically. The API is also available to other developers who want to integrate facial recognition into their apps. The app offers minimum age, maximum range, and the estimated age.

Apparently, the API isn't 100% accurate, but it's close enough to give an approximate age range. The algorithm uses multiple things from a photograph to help determine an age such as if your face is soft and round indicating, a younger age, or more elongated hinting the person is older. The API also looks at other facial features like smoothness and whether wrinkles are present to determine an age.

The API is also able to provide a confidence level on how well was able to determine age based on the quality of the image and the way the person's face is turned in the image. The idea behind the API is that it could allow the construction of facial recognition systems to catch underage people lying to buy alcohol or cigarettes. It could even bust kids trying to sneak into movies they're too young to see.

[via VentureBeat]