Mysterious start-up paying $125,000 to BUY your face for robots
What's the story
Often, companies shell out huge sums to acquire novel technologies relevant to their businesses. The practice is extremely common. But now, a start-up is willing to pay as much as $125,000 (nearly Rs. 90 lakh) to buy something totally different - a person's face that could be used on humanoid robots. Here's all you need to know about this weird proposition.
Deal
Start-up seeking the rights to your face
As reported by Popular Mechanics, a mysterious robotics start-up is offering to pay $125,000 in exchange for buying the rights to a person's face. The name of the company, which made the offer through London-based machining start-up Geomiq, has not been revealed. Geomiq claimed it has signed an NDA which restricts it from divulging the details of the company seeking the rights.
Goal
Then, they'll use that face on robots
Geomiq didn't provide specific details, but it did note that the facial rights will be used by the mysterious company for its humanoids. Essentially, the start-up will pick a face and then plaster it over thousands of humanoids that it has developed. We don't know much about these machines, but some reports indicate they are likely to serve companions to the elderly.
Completion
More details likely to be revealed soon
Though details about this project remain scant at this stage, Geomiq notes that the humanoids are almost ready to hit the market. It says that all the information will be revealed once a 'kind and friendly' face is selected and used on the machines. Popular Mechanics, on its part, predicts that the robots are likely being designed to serve in the healthcare sector.
Steps
How to sell face rights to the company?
Now, if you're interested in selling the commercial rights to your face to a robotic company, email your headshots to faces@geomiq.com. If selected, Geomiq will brief you on everything, informing what exactly you'll be giving away. "We know that this is an extremely unique request, and signing over the licenses to your face is potentially an extremely big decision," Geomiq wrote.