'Minority Report' digital billboard 'watches consumers shop'

 Engineers have developed the billboard, similar to one used in the Tom Cruise blockbuster, that uses in built cameras to instantly identifies a shopper’s age and gender as they walk past.

The facial-recognition system, called the Next Generation Digital Signage Solution, then offers consumers a product it thinks is suited to their demographic.

Experts said the technology, being developed by NEC, the Japanese electronics company, would allow advertisers to develop more accurate campaigns that were suited to consumers.

But critics warned it was an invasion of privacy, a claim denied by the company.

Officials claimed a person would remain anonymous and that images of their face would be immediately erased.

The technology, currently being tested in major shopping centres throughout Japan, is similar to that featured in Steven Spielberg’s Hollywood film.