Ammo Vending Machine Uses Facial Recognition for Automated ID Checks

A grocery store in Alabama has an ammo vending machine that uses facial recognition technology to verify customers.

The American Rounds ammo dispenser has been in operation at the Fresh Value store since 2023, but it was recently showcased to local media by American Rounds COO Lawrence Songer. The system requires a customer to scan their ID, and uses facial recognition to match the ID to their face.

Songer told the local station WVTM13 that the system can be more effective than traditional, human-operated security procedures. “One thing that you don’t get in traditional retailers when it comes to ID verification is, depending on the store employee, a lot of times a person’s not carded to begin with or asked for their ID,” he said.

American Rounds specializes in these automated ammo vending machines. Located at strategic points and accessible 24/7, the dispensers are meant to provide a convenient and efficient way to purchase ammunition, resembling the functionality of ATMs.

That having been said, the Fresh Value vending machine failed to validate Songer when he tried to perform a demonstration for WVTM13.

There used to be a second ammo vending machine in Central Alabama, in a Tuscaloosa location, but it was recently decommissioned. Undaunted, Songer says that his firm plans to deploy more ammo dispensers in the state going forward.

Source: WVTM13

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July 5, 2024 – by Alex Perala