Digital out-of-home media has been growing fast in the U.S., but the rate of growth in China is positively "blistering," according to the latest research from PQ Media, which sees Asia's largest country (and the world's second largest economy) driving global DOOH growth in coming years.

Facial recognition technology, which made a big splash a couple years ago but has been slow gaining traction in the U.S., is advancing in Europe. This week Amscreen, which claims to operate Europe's largest digital media network, announced that it is will incorporate facial recognition technology from Quividi into its audience measurement. In addition to tracking engagement, Quividi tech will allow Amscreen to break down audience data by gender, age, date, time and volume.

Clear Channel Airports has installed four "video towers" in the Denver International Airport, the company announced this week. The spectacular displays consist of LED screens measuring 26 feet on the diagonal, mounted in four towers surrounding the airport's "Great Hall" elevator column, and will reach around 50 million passengers per year with advertising as well as useful information about the airport, Denver, and Colorado, according to DIA chief commercial officer John Ackerman.

SoloHealth is bringing its SoloHealth Stations -- interactive kiosks that provide users with free health screenings, personalized assessments, and health information, along with advertising, promotions and offers -- to 700 Safeway stores around the country, the company announced this week. The Safeway rollout is scheduled to begin in April.

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority, which operates one of the largest public transportation systems in the world, is bringing digital touch-screen displays to public phone kiosks in the New York City Transit network. The interactive kiosks, most of which are located in NYCT subway stations, will provide users with a variety of information via 47-inch touch-screen displays.

Digital out-of-home and social media go together naturally, especially in settings like sports events, where large audiences frequently consult digital displays to see the score and other game-related information, or watch entertaining content during downtime. Social media content from spectators, shown on digital displays in real time, can increase the audience's sense of community engagement, which is a central part of the enjoyment. With that in mind, Phizzle has unveiled a new product, Broadcaster iX Social, that enables digital signage in sports arenas and other big venues to integrate social media components into digital marketing campaigns.

With their combination of retail, out-of-home signage, and face-to-face socializing, malls are natural venues for near-field communication, and AdSpace is helping 140 malls in its network ride the NFC wave through a partnership with Blue Bite, which builds and operates NFC platforms. The NFC installations, which should be active by April 15, are intended to help boost interaction with AdSpace's network of digital Smart Screens.

While the cost of digital out-of-home hardware has been dropping, it's still too pricey for many smaller businesses -- but that fact may change soon, thanks to RMG Networks, which unveiled a new digital signage product that can turn any ordinary TV into a DOOH display.

National CineMedia, one of two dominant cinema advertising networks in the U.S., saw total revenues increase 3.1% from $435.4 million in 2011 to $448.8 million in 2012, the company reported this week.

Well, this brings a whole new meaning to "statuesque": to promote Sports Illustrated's 2013 Swimsuit Edition, the magazine teamed up with Lexus and Pearl Media to project massive 3D images of all 17 of this year's swimsuit models on the side of the Caesar's Palace Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas on Wednesday of this week.