Surprising Science — August 2, 2010

Minority Report Billboards in Development

Advertising billboards like ones seen in the film Minority Report, which can recognise passers-by and target them with customised adverts, are being developed by engineers at IBM.

bigthinkeditor

Advertising billboards like ones seen in the film Minority Report, which can recognise passers-by and target them with customised adverts, are being developed by engineers at IBM. “The new advertising hoardings will behave like those in the film Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise, in which Cruise’s character is confronted with digital signs that call out his name as he walks through a futuristic shopping mall. ‘John Anderton. You could use a Guinness right about now,’ one billboard announces as he walks past. IBM claims that its technology will help prevent consumers from being subjected to a barrage of irritating advertising because they will only be shown adverts for products that are relevant to them.”

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