Mannequins Watching You

If you feel as though you’re being watched while you shop…you are…but not necessarily by those overhead security cameras we’ve all come to recognize. The latest twist on shopper surveillance is mannequins with built-in cameras in their eye sockets. And these spy dummies do more than record video.

In addition to documenting numbers of people at specific times of the day, EyeSee mannequins are capable of analyzing facial features to record a shopper’s gender, race and approximate age, providing sophisticated statistical demographic data for more targeted marketing strategies. The next generation will likely include microphones in their ears to eavesdrop on what customers are saying. The company also has plans to provide screens that will prompt passing shoppers about products that match their personal preferences, based on the data collected. 

The new spy mannequins are currently being used in the United States and Europe.