New app allows users to ‘tap that’

A software company has developed an app that lets users check how many men and women are at a bar before they go there.

The start-up has installed facial recognition software at the entrances to bars and clubs, and keeps a real-time count on the number of men and women.

SceneTap claims the cameras will not identify individuals, only if they are a man or a woman. So far, 200 bars across the United States have signed up, with more than 50 in Chicago alone, which is where the start-up is based.

SceneTap joins a list of other applications aiming to help users find social hotspots and potential singles in their area.

For example, Belgian beer brewer Stella Artois has an iPhone application similar to SceneTap, allowing users to find bars in their area and what beers are being served, highlighting their brand. Users can filter out bars based on atmosphere and ratings, and rate their experiences.

Dating services have also taken to the iPhone platform, suggesting there is still plenty of demand for other start-ups to put their own spin on the social scene.