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HP Whites Only Face-Tracking Webcam

By Carmen D. on Monday, December 21st, 2009, 2:08 pm Comments

So it turns out that HP’s face tracking webcams only work with white folks. Bwahahahaha. “Technology is colorblind” in your face. Check it out via Current.com:


Make sure you watch until near the end. Turns out “Black Desi” has a surprise for his wife to boot.

HP responds:

“We are working with our partners to learn more. The technology we use is built on standard algorithms that measure the difference in intensity of contrast between the eyes and the upper cheek and nose. We believe that the camera might have difficulty “seeing” contrast in conditions where there is insufficient foreground lighting.”

“Foreground lighting”??!!?? LMAO!!!

Now it’s not like I think HP’s oversight was committed on purpose. I think they just didn’t care.

Also, I do wonder if maybe such a glaring oversight is the result of having no person of color testing the technology? Did HP just think no one would notice? I know black folks are only 12% of the US population but HP does have global clients of color, right?

And so it goes…

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  • What else is new(s)?
  • passie
    Well, it's pretty typical and a bit taken for granted in the manufacturing of a product, produced by white people, not to take in consideration, that the resoloution of darker skin tones may play a role in the effectiveness of a quality product for all. It may not have been done on purpose. Still today white america hasn't attain the closeness to nature yet, when it comes to black people. We are still looked at as a consumer only, verses maintaining an awareness level, lets test this product to insure it works for all types of people. Well it's good to continue to learn. Right on.
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