From BigGo Finance, May 7:
China's digital economy is evolving from a QR code-based society into a "Face Economy." Facial recognition technology, capable of identifying one person among 1.4 billion in about three seconds, is spreading across sectors including healthcare, transportation, tourism, and agriculture. The National Healthcare Security Administration is promoting a facial-recognition-based medical insurance payment system. A smart elderly care center in Beijing uses facial recognition to measure health indicators and assist in early Alzheimer's diagnosis. Major train stations in Guangzhou and Wuhan have introduced facial recognition boarding systems, and the technology is also expanding into automotive and agricultural industries. However, concerns over biometric data leaks and excessive tracking of personal information have emerged. China's government last year issued the "Facial Recognition Technology Application Security Management Measures" to regulate the space.China's digital economy is rapidly evolving beyond the era of QR code payments into a "Face Economy." Facial recognition infrastructure, which allows individuals to verify their identity, make payments, enter buildings, and settle medical bills simply by looking at a camera without pulling out a smartphone, is spreading across healthcare, transportation, tourism, and agriculture.
According to industry sources on Thursday, facial recognition technology in China can identify a single person among the country's 1.4 billion population in about three seconds. The recognition accuracy exceeds 99%, reaching a level that can distinguish between twins. Deep learning algorithms can compensate in real-time for factors like masks, glasses, and even subtle changes from cosmetic surgery or aging.
The fastest-growing area is healthcare. Starting this year, China's National Healthcare Security Administration is promoting a medical insurance payment system that combines facial recognition, QR codes, mobile payments, and credit payments. The facial payment method allows users to authenticate themselves and settle medical expenses simultaneously simply by scanning their face at a terminal, eliminating the need for a physical medical insurance card or smartphone. The administration views this system as particularly useful for elderly people who are not familiar with smartphone operations.
A smart elderly care center in Beijing uses high-resolution cameras to identify seniors' faces. The system then detects subtle changes in blood flow on the facial surface to measure health indicators such as anemia risk, blood oxygen levels, and sleep quality. This system is used as a preliminary screening tool to identify early signs of Alzheimer's disease and to compare past and present health data.
Facial recognition has also become routine in transportation. Passengers pre-register with their real names and can pay their fares by scanning their faces at the ticket gates. The facial-recognition-based boarding system is spreading, particularly at major train stations in cities like Guangzhou and Wuhan....
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