NEC announced [JP] the development of an electronic advertisement delivery and face recognition system that makes it easier for companies to address customers with targeted ads.

The company uses a newly developed plasma display (50 inches) that has a camera on top of it. NEC’s technology makes it possible to detect the age range and sex of a person standing in front of the display. The screen will then show customer-specific commercials, optimizing overall ad spend for the company running it.

NEC said if their system identifies a young girl for example, the person will be shown a commercial featuring products specifically aimed at women. People can then tap their cell phone against an RFID reader that feeds them a URL, which contains coupons or further information about the product advertised. Using the NEC system, companies are able to effectively measure the success of commercials.

NEC is currently showcasing their system at an annual festival held by major Japanese TV network Fuji Television. Visitors have to agree to being a part of the field test.