Japan mobile phone will monitor skin condition

A model demonstrates how to take pictures of her face with a smart phone to check her skin condition through a cloud computer system produced by Japan’s computer maker Fujitsu during a press conference in Tokyo on November 29, 2021. Fujitsu started the new service using cloud computer technology for cosmetic makers, beauty treatment and healthcare service companies on November 29. AFP/Toru YAMANAKA

TOKYO – A mobile phone that monitors the user’s skin condition, checking for blemishes and color, was unveiled in beauty-conscious Japan on Thursday.

The “Hada Memori” (skin memory) programme allows women to keep tabs on their complexion and track changes over time by storing records in the cloud.

Users can also share their data through social networking sites, said IT giant Fujitsu, which plans to use the information to target advertising of beauty products.

A spokeswoman said the skin system comes with a small card that has a 15 millimetre (0.6 inch) hole, which must be pressed to the cheek. The smartphone’s camera then takes a picture of the skin and analyses the result.

The Hada Memori is the first of a series of devices that will measure users’ stress levels, exercise habits and quality of sleep, helping the company gather a significant pool of health data which it can then sell on.

“We will be able to offer the data to service providers eventually,” said Hayuru Ito, senior manager of Fujitsu’s strategic planning division.

Fujitsu is aiming to have one million users of the system in the next two years.