Are Hewlett-Packard webcams racist?
Face Tracking software should detect a person that is using a bundled web camera to track a face on a screen as the person moves. This is also widely used as a security feature, i.e. computer logon by face detection.
Well, as you can see in the video - that is not the case here; HP's bundled software is simply not recognizing Desi's face. But when his white coworker shows up in the screen, the camera picks up her face without a glitch and simply tracks it - the software works like a charm.
This is what HP replied with.
It’s no secret that I feel privileged to work with one of the largest and most innovative teams in the technology industry. On any given day, I might collaborate with HP employees in regions ranging from Japan to India and Latin America to Europe.
Everything we do is focused on ensuring that we provide a high-quality experience for all our customers, who are ethnically diverse and live and work around the world. That’s why when issues surface, we take them seriously and work hard to understand the root causes.
Some of you may have seen or heard of a YouTube video in which the facial-tracking software didn’t work for a customer. We thank Desi, and the people who have seen and commented on his video, for bringing this subject to our attention.
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. While we work on this, take a look here for more information on the impact of lighting on facial tracking software, and how to optimize your webcam experience: http://bit.ly/7HsZHD
We will continue to listen to you and work to deliver great experiences. We invite you to connect with us on the discussion boards and forums here on The Next Bench or on Twitter at @HP_PC.
Editor's note:
The only problem with this story could be that Desi is mentioning that he bought a MediaSmart laptop, while there is no such thing as a MediaSmart laptop - MediaSmart is HP's line of home servers. But, HP is selling "MediaSmart Enabled" laptops, such as this one at Walmart. Given that Desi and his co-worker Vanessa might not be computer savvy [or simply able to read through marketing BS], it might be that they've misread the shiny sticker next to the trackpad that only advertises MediaSmart connectivity. Regardless of that, this is a nasty SNAFU for HP.
Watch The Video
Face Tracking software should detect a person that is using a bundled web camera to track a face on a screen as the person moves. This is also widely used as a security feature, i.e. computer logon by face detection.
Well, as you can see in the video - that is not the case here; HP's bundled software is simply not recognizing Desi's face. But when his white coworker shows up in the screen, the camera picks up her face without a glitch and simply tracks it - the software works like a charm.
This is what HP replied with.
It’s no secret that I feel privileged to work with one of the largest and most innovative teams in the technology industry. On any given day, I might collaborate with HP employees in regions ranging from Japan to India and Latin America to Europe.
Everything we do is focused on ensuring that we provide a high-quality experience for all our customers, who are ethnically diverse and live and work around the world. That’s why when issues surface, we take them seriously and work hard to understand the root causes.
Some of you may have seen or heard of a YouTube video in which the facial-tracking software didn’t work for a customer. We thank Desi, and the people who have seen and commented on his video, for bringing this subject to our attention.
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. While we work on this, take a look here for more information on the impact of lighting on facial tracking software, and how to optimize your webcam experience: http://bit.ly/7HsZHD
We will continue to listen to you and work to deliver great experiences. We invite you to connect with us on the discussion boards and forums here on The Next Bench or on Twitter at @HP_PC.
Editor's note:
The only problem with this story could be that Desi is mentioning that he bought a MediaSmart laptop, while there is no such thing as a MediaSmart laptop - MediaSmart is HP's line of home servers. But, HP is selling "MediaSmart Enabled" laptops, such as this one at Walmart. Given that Desi and his co-worker Vanessa might not be computer savvy [or simply able to read through marketing BS], it might be that they've misread the shiny sticker next to the trackpad that only advertises MediaSmart connectivity. Regardless of that, this is a nasty SNAFU for HP.
Watch The Video
In this two minute video, you're introduced to Desi Cryer [his name is visible on the name tag], "black" guy [he calls himself black, Ed.] who purchased an HP laptop for Christmas - intended for his wife. However, his plan of surprising his wife for Christmas with the newest HP laptop went astray due to a "Face tracking" software glitch. In theory
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