Beauty Tech Firm Adds Voice Commands and Face Mask Detection to Virtual Makeup Kiosks for Stores
Digital beauty technology developer Perfect Corp. has added voice commands and other new features to its virtual makeup tests available in stores. The retailers can offer customers a way to safely test out different looks during the ongoing COVID-19 health crisis when stores can no longer have employees physically apply makeup to customers.
Makeup AI
The customer walks up to the screen as seen in the video above, and can pull up various kinds of makeup and see how they look on them, appearing a bit like a more sophisticated version of Snapchat filters. Instead of the previously standard touchscreen, however, customers can use voice commands to pull up the style and design they want, as well as take a photo and pull up a QR code that they can scan with their phone to get more information about the product. The updates software also understands eight gestures as control signals to do the same thing. In both cases, the point is to prevent the need to touch any surfaces. The update also addresses face mask requirements in many stores by scanning the customer’s face for a mask, detecting where the mask ends so as to apply the virtual makeup only where the customer is actually showing skin. To compensate, the AI can scan a user’s arm and add a virtual swatch of different lipstick colors so the user can see how they look against their skin in comparison to each other without removing their mask.
“As beauty brands continue to adapt to the ‘new normal’ of beauty retail, including in-store face mask requirements, it’s essential to embrace beauty tech innovation to provide a safe, touchless shopping experience that beauty consumers are expecting,” Perfect Corp. CEO Alice Chang said in a statement. “Our new non-touch virtual makeup try-on solutions will help beauty brands to build their in-store shopping experience around digital interaction with consumers by delivering on virtual, touchless makeovers, while also complying with strict safety and hygiene standards.”
Augmented Voice
The idea of digital selfie filters is, as mentioned, familiar to most people through Snapchat. The voice controls bring Perfect even more in alignment with the social media company, which added a Voice Scan feature to let people look for specific filters by voice earlier this year. Voice Scan uses SoundHound’s Houndify voice AI platform, and various puppy ears are not the same as professional makeup looks, but it will probably feel similar to users. The in-person digital makeup tryout adapted to retail stores is somewhat unique, however. There are smart mirrors for home and retail use, but the HiMirror is built more for diagnosing skin to find ideal skincare products. The Venus Smart Makeup Mirror for homes does the same and comes with Alexa built-in.
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