CAPE TOWN - Object recognition is a process for identifying a specific object in a digital image or video.
Used in applications such as video stabilization, Snapchat is now using object recognition to identify what’s in users’ photos and offer them a list of relevant filters to help make snaps more creative.
For example, if you take a picture of some food, Snapchat will suggest filters with words like “get in my belly” and “what diet?”
(Image supplied by: Macrumors)
However, this won't be the first time Snap has integrated object recognition into its app. The company already uses this feature to let people search for certain objects and events in stories. For example, if you search for “basketball” and you’ll find basketball games on other snaps.
Last year, patents were filed by Snap that described how brands could bid to have their filters associated with common objects.
In one patent application, the company described how a user might take a picture of a cup of coffee, with brands like Nescafe and Keurig then battling it out to sponsor a coffee-themed filter. This suggests that these features could possibly be used for ads and revenue generation.