App developer Alitheon created an AI-powered application that can spot counterfeits, fakes, and knock-offs by taking a single photo from your smartphone. The app works with a wide variety of products, from car brake pads to baseball card collections.
(Photo: PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images) A man takes a picture with an Apple iPhone device of the new Xiaomi 13 Pro during the Xiaomi presentation at the Mobile World Congress (MWC), the telecom industry's biggest annual gathering, in Barcelona on February 26, 2023.
Developing FeaturePrint
As fake products become a major issue in several industries, Alitheon introduced a newly-developed application called FeaturePrint, claiming to recognize a certain product if it is fake or a counterfeit. According to a report from Phone Arena, the app will review the product through a photo taken by an iPhone camera.
"Using a photo, our FeaturePrint Optical AI software 'sees' and converts the minute surface details of physical items into a unique mathematical identity. No two objects are exactly the same, even though they may have just come out of the same production line," Alitheon wrote. This is about machine vision and optical AI algorithms rather than QR codes and bar codes.
The company will not be needing those as FeaturePrint uses a photo to analyze a product. Alitheon stated on its website that it would not use an image to identify a certain object as the app is a set of numbers characterizing the unique features of an object. This can easily identify genuine products through the digital fingerprint inherent in each item.
FeaturePrint app will not be available from a smartphone app storefront as it is for businesses and people who represent a company that needs what the app provides. Users will be needing to get in touch with Alitheon by filling out their contact form. It remains unclear to the public regarding the app's pricing and subscription tiers.
Also read: Apple: Over Million Fake Apple Products Sold on Instagram and Other Online Shops Finally Removed!
The app is already in use by several businesses, including FAST Sneaks and the London Bullion Market Association, to identify and authenticate the gold bars it receives to make sure it is legitimate and not sourced illegally. Companies and their consumers usually use fingerprints to authenticate, which makes FeaturePrint a pioneer in recognizing counterfeits safely.
Chief Executive Officer Roeie Ganzarski stated that the company applauds its members as they work together to secure the world's gold, metals reserves, and supply chains. She added, "Now they can be sure the gold bar or gold product they are buying is authentic, ethically sourced, and legal, from a simple photo taken on their phone."
Expanding to Industries
FeaturePrint was developed to address the issue of faked products expanding to several industries, including the art world and auction houses. Despite businesses having experts who specialize in counterfeit recognition, Peta Pixel reported that they can still be fooled if the authentication is processed manually.
The company's public relations stated, "Auction houses are under pressure to ensure that the art they sell is authentic. A single incident of selling a fake could damage their reputation irreparably."
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