Facial recognition software is now tracking endangered primates to protect them

Facial recognition tech doesn’t have to be creepy or dystopian. We can actually use it for good. Case in point: Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) developed a facial recognition software program that could help save the lives of endangered primates. Tracking is an essential part of wildlife conservation efforts. Traditionally, conservationists capture and tag animals with tracking devices in order to keep tabs on them. This approach can be costly — devices range in price from $400 to $4,000, according to the MSU researchers. They say it can also harm the animals, causing stress, physical injuries, or even death. The MSU team’s software, which they call PrimNet, avoids these drawbacks of traditional tracking.