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HP Probes 'Racist' Webcam Claim
Information Week ^ | Dec 22, 2009 | Paul McDougal

Posted on 12/22/2009 12:25:36 PM PST by DCurts

Hewlett-Packard is investigating a claim that Webcams built into its PCs are incapable of tracking the facial movements of black individuals and only function properly when Caucasians or people of other lighter-skinned races are in the frame.

The probe was prompted by a YouTube video in which a black man named Desi demonstrates the problem. The camera, which is designed to follow individuals' head movements, fails to track Desi as he moves in and out of the picture.

But when Desi's white co-worker, Wanda, enters the scene the camera follows her. "As soon as my blackness enters the frame, it stopped," says Desi. "Black Desi gets in there, no face recognition anymore buddy," says Desi.

"I'm going on the record and I'm saying it, Hewlett-Packard computers are racist," adds Desi, who says he's using an HP Media Smart PC.

HP officials posted a blog Sunday indicating that the company is taking the claim seriously and investigating if technical issues are behind the problem.

"Everything we do is focused on ensuring that we provide a high-quality experience for all our customers, who are ethnically diverse and work around the world. That's why when issues surface, we take them seriously and work hard to understand the root causes," said HP social media strategist Tony "Frosty" Welch.

The official implied that HP's Web cams may, indeed, have difficult tracking black individuals' faces.

"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 the camera might have difficulty 'seeing' contrast in conditions where there is insufficient foreground lighting," said Welch.

"We are working with our partners to learn more," said Welch.

Beyond a possible political backlash by African Americans, the glitch could also hurt HP sales in some hot emerging markets, such as India, where PC users tend to have skin tones that are darker than those of individuals of European descent.

Still, investors largely shrugged off the news, as HP shares were up 1.1%, to $52.56, in afternoon trading Tuesday.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Miscellaneous
KEYWORDS: blametheman; computers; hp; internet; napl; racism; tortreform; whiteywillpay
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Now even the computers are racist.
1 posted on 12/22/2009 12:25:39 PM PST by DCurts
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To: DCurts

PCs that aren’t PC. Amusing.


2 posted on 12/22/2009 12:27:02 PM PST by Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus (Conservatives unite behind conservative Republicans in the primaries!)
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To: DCurts

Technology - dat be racis’!

“Tony “Frosty” Welch”

There’s your problem right there - “Frosty” as in “snowman”, as in “white guy”.


3 posted on 12/22/2009 12:27:35 PM PST by MrB (The difference between a humanist and a Satanist is that the latter knows who he's working for.)
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To: DCurts

Before they go any further, HP should first verify that Desi is not a vampire.


4 posted on 12/22/2009 12:29:03 PM PST by Bernard (One if by Land, Two if by Sea, Three if by Government)
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To: DCurts

Just make it an infra-red camera. Problem solved.


5 posted on 12/22/2009 12:29:37 PM PST by Pharmboy (The Stone Age did not end because they ran out of stones...)
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To: DCurts
Although not a serious issue of "racism", this is a legitimate functionality issue. Is there a brightness adjustment on the camera or in its software that can correct for this, I wonder?

I, personally, do not like the camera following my head movement; I might like to scratch my nose off camera.

6 posted on 12/22/2009 12:30:02 PM PST by PackerBoy (Just my opinion ....)
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To: DCurts

All the black guy would have to is dust his face with talc...


7 posted on 12/22/2009 12:30:34 PM PST by babygene (Figures don't lie, but liars can figure...)
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To: DCurts

It’s probably just an error in calibration (ie luminescence) or perhaps background (if it’s similar enough to his skin-tone the computer might not be able to differentiate).


8 posted on 12/22/2009 12:30:52 PM PST by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: DCurts

I’m surprised he’s smart enough to use the computer.


9 posted on 12/22/2009 12:30:55 PM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: ShadowAce

ping


10 posted on 12/22/2009 12:31:34 PM PST by LearnsFromMistakes (Yes, I am happy to see you. But that IS a gun in my pocket.)
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To: DCurts

It makes me wonder if people have difficulty reading the faces of others from dissimilar ethnic or racial backgrounds.


11 posted on 12/22/2009 12:32:59 PM PST by swain_forkbeard (Rationality may not be sufficient, but it is necessary.)
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To: driftdiver

I’m surprised he’s smart enough to use the computer.

Ouch - that’ll leave a mark.


12 posted on 12/22/2009 12:33:18 PM PST by equalitybeforethelaw
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To: DCurts

Am I hearing that photons discriminate?


13 posted on 12/22/2009 12:33:29 PM PST by AbeKrieger (Islam is a trojan horse designed to infiltrate and bring down Western civilization.)
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To: DCurts

Of course, if the camera followed black people around the room and left white people alone, Desi would say that camera is even more racist.


14 posted on 12/22/2009 12:33:32 PM PST by The KG9 Kid
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To: DCurts

Maybe if he weren’t the same color as the background he wouldn’t have that problem.?


15 posted on 12/22/2009 12:33:55 PM PST by GeronL
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To: equalitybeforethelaw

I’m sure he would interpret that as racism. Its not, its just commentary on how stupid he is.


16 posted on 12/22/2009 12:35:04 PM PST by driftdiver (I could eat it raw, but why do that when I have a fire.)
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To: DCurts

Maybe the computers are like Senator “Sheets” Byrd (D-KLAN), think they all look the same anyway, so why bother with trying to recognize them?


17 posted on 12/22/2009 12:35:17 PM PST by jessduntno ("The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield and government to gain ground.")
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To: DCurts; All

And Jesse/Al will descend on Palo Alto to demand reparations in.... 3..... 2..... 1.....


18 posted on 12/22/2009 12:36:27 PM PST by conservativeharleyguy (Democrats: Over 60 million fooled daily!)
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To: DCurts

Please stop this madness.


19 posted on 12/22/2009 12:36:52 PM PST by freekitty (Give me back my conservative vote; then find me a real conservative to vote for)
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To: DCurts

I blame political correctness at the HP testing labs. The folks writing the test scenarios for this hardware were probably too afraid to suggest that there might be skin color specific behavior associated with this device. Don’t want to have to spend another day in sensitivity training!


20 posted on 12/22/2009 12:36:59 PM PST by ConservativeAtLast
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