Have you ever wanted a mobile device designed solely to scan your eyeballs? No, that sounds a little creepy? Well, that’s too dang bad, because you’re getting it anyway.
Tools for Humanity, a start-up backed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, debuted the Orb Mini this week, a smartphone-sized device with two massive eye sensors on it. The hardware is part of the World project and app, a grand plan aimed at creating a global identification system.
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The idea is that these sensors, paired with a blockchain registry, could serve as a tool for verifying someone’s humanity. And yes, this is because artificial intelligence evangelists envision a world where it’s impossible to distinguish between a human being and an AI agent online.
The Orb orbital scanner is reminiscent of the retinal scanners in Minority Report, a dystopian science-fiction movie, which likely isn’t the first association that Tools for Humanity wants for its product.
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So, how does the optical scanner work?
The components for the Orb, a previous version of the startup’s retinal scanner.
Credit: Tools for Humanity
Working in tandem with an app, the Orb Mini would scan your iris, which would be associated with a unique ID and stored with blockchain technology. The effort is part of the so-called “World human verification project,” according to TechCrunch. Tools for Humanity also has a larger version of the device, simply called The Orb.
Besides proving your humanity, other uses for the technology include verifying your identity on dating apps or being a part of a payment tool. Wired reported World is working with Match to run a pilot program in Japan where Tinder users can use the company’s tech to verify their identity. The tech outlet also reported World is working on a Visa-backed debit card and will be launching identification services in six U.S. cities: Atlanta, Austin, Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville, and San Francisco.
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Tools for Humanity may also try to incentivize users to scan their eyes with Orb devices with — what else? — cryptocurrency. As The Verge noted, folks who scan their eyes into the system will receive 16 Worldcoin (WLD), a new cryptocurrency tied to the very same World human verification project.
So, if you’re eager to scan your retinas into Sam Altman’s eyeball machine, now is your time.
