I’ve been convinced for some time that pizza chains are inside of my head. They advertise to me at just the right times – during the football game, later in the week when I’m too burnt out to come up with something to cook, and they even send me coupons in the mail that I receive just as I begin to think about what to whip up for dinner that night. Genius? Maybe not. Maybe it’s just very visually appealing advertisements thrown in my face all the time so I’ve always got the notion in the back of my head that, if all else fails, I can order a pizza.
But now, it seems as though one major pizza chain really IS tapping into the subconscious of consumers. Pizza Hut recently began testing out what it’s calling the first “subconscious menu,” a high-tech application that tracks eye movements and predicts the toppings a user will want based on where his or her gaze lingers the longest.
Sound too good to be true? Apparently Pizza Hut has some scientific evidence to back up its claims, as recent tests conducted by the restaurant chain revealed that 98% of people who have tried the subconscious menu app have been satisfied with the predictive experience.
The technology behind this new “subconscious menu” application was developed in conjunction with Tobii, a developer based in Sweden that specializes in eye-tracking technology. Using algorithms and the Tobii's EyeX eye-tracking sensor, the technology was ready for use in restaurants within six months from the start of development.
Here’s the really crazy part: The whole experience, which is totally hands-free, supposedly takes only 2.5 seconds. Less than 3 seconds to sort through the more than 4,800 possible toppings combinations is all it takes for this eye-tracking tech to know exactly what you want on your pizza!
At this time, the “subconscious menus” are only being tested at Pizza Hut restaurants in the U.K., and it’s unclear if they will be tested and eventually marketed in the U.S., but if they are, you can bet this just changed the restaurant business forever. Think of all of the applications in other restaurants! Consider the time that will be shaved off the restaurant-going experience if your menu correctly predicts exactly what your subconscious wants versus fretting over a selection between the porterhouse and the salmon.
Via Mashable
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