Seashore or the mountains? Climbing adventure or lazing in the sun? Late-night clubbing, or early morning birdwalks? You may have trouble making a decision, but a software developer and Britain's largest tour operator are betting your subconscious mind is already made up.
Tui, the tour company, has launched a prototype of a digital travel agent dubbed Destination U, which it says uses "emotionally intelligent" technology to "unlock your holiday desires." The idea is that 90% of our decision-making is done subconsciously, and that appropriate technology can see it happening.
Using software developed by RealEyes, a company that specializes in using webcams to measure people's emotional response to videos, the system uses an array of cameras to record 149 different points, mostly around the eyes, mouth and forehead, to record happiness, surprise, fear and confusion.
The customer (or subject, as it were) views pictures and videos of different holiday scenarios and activities, and the system comes up with suggestions that match your hopes or fears.
So far, though, the prototype has only 100 videos and 60 possible results. Definitely a work in progress...if unleashing your subconscious is progress!
Photo: Mark Harkin/Wikimedia
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