November 28, 2006
More Cameras at Chicago's Port
From ABC7Chicago.com:
The Port of Chicago will receive $11.5 million from the Department of Homeland Security. Most of the money will be spent on a network of surveillance cameras. The footage will be routed to the 911 Joint Operations Center as part of Operation Virtual Shield. Next year, the city is expected to ask for $4 million, but its not clear if this will be for additional cameras. (I would suspect probably not, because as the story shows, the biggest security problems are around inspecting cargo containers.)
I am a bit confused and hopefully followup articles will clarify these issues. I don't understand why the Port of Chicago is routing its footage to the 911 center. From my perspective, port security and addressing crime in city neighborhoods are two very different tasks. For example, the Port of Baltimore relies on Vistascape to provide perimeter security, according to GCN. The Port also has "real-time intrusion detection technology and thermal and low-light cameras will allow security personnel to monitor fences, terminals, gates, and piers in order to respond to suspicious activities". Monitoring these systems would best be done by people intimately familiar with the port and the routine activities. I don't know why Chicago would have regular camera personnel in the 911 center watching and responding to alerts at the port. Its a mismatch. I assume there is a good reason for routing everything to the 911 center, such as its ability to archive and access footage. But I am curious how the cameras will be monitored.
Posted by rshah at 08:04 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 27, 2006
Sensors for Detecting Aggression
From CNET News.com
A Dutch company, Sound Intelligence, has an audio sensor system that can detect people speaking in aggressive tones. The system can then alert officials that violence may be imminent. According to the technology overview, there are certain sounds that are "indicative of aggression and fear have specific characteristics to which any person can not help but respond." The company claims several installations with happy clients. This is a good example of how sensors can be a useful addition to smart camera systems.
Slashdot's YRO also linked to this story, but there I didn't see anything insightful in the posted comments.
Update: The Times has a better article on the technology. Some highlights:
The sensors are used at 300 sites in Holland.
The equipment can pick up aggressive tones on the basis of 12 factors, including decibel level, pitch and the speed at which words are spoken. Background noise is filtered out, enabling the camera to focus on specific conversations in public places. . . . “The cameras work on the principle that in an aggressive situation the pitch goes up and the words are spoken faster,” said van der Vorst. “The voice is not the normal flat tone, but vibrates. It is these subtle changes that our audio cameras can pick up on.”
Police and local council officials are still assessing their impact on crime, although in an initial six-week trial in Groningen last year the cameras raised 70 genuine alarms, resulting in four arrests.
“In the UK this is a new step. Clearly there is somebody or something monitoring people speaking in the street, and before we were to engage in that technology there would be a number of legal obstacles.
Posted by rshah at 09:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Photo Enforcement Vans for Speeding
From Suburban Journals - News:
A very good article on the technology and process of using photo enforcement vans to catch drivers speeding. I believe right now, Illinois is limiting the use of these vans to construction zones. Here are some interesting details:
In two hours one van recorded more than 66 vehicles exceeding the speed limit, at $375 a ticket, that works out to $25k an hour!
A typical photo enforcement van uses two cameras and a radar speed detector to monitor passing vehicles. For those vehicles exceeding the set speed limit, the van snaps four photos as the vehicle travels through the photo zone. Drivers usually receive a speeding ticket in the mail a few weeks later.
Each photo is marked showing the speed of the vehicle, the time of day, location, posted speed limit and other essential details.
The vans currently use 2.1-megapixel cameras, enough to print out a high-quality 5-by-7 photo. The next generation of photo van cameras will take a 7-megapixel image, providing even more detailed pictures of speeding drivers.
Posted by rshah at 01:56 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 21, 2006
Smart Cameras in Kansas City
From Kansas City Star:
Kansas City is conducting a pilot program using nine cameras. The article also discusses Chicago's use of cameras. The interesting thing for me is the use of "computer software to “black out” windows and doors from images of the neighborhoods." I know this technology is available from some vendors, but I have no idea if it is actually used in practice.
Posted by rshah at 08:59 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 20, 2006
CBS2 on Chicago Cameras
From cbs2chicago.com:
A story covering the Chicago's use of cameras. No new information for readers of this blog, but it includes a pithy quote from me.
Posted by rshah at 11:08 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Alcohol Sensors in Cars
From Seattle PI:
This story seems a bit removed from smart cameras, but I think there are some interesting parallels between alcohol sensors and video surveillance.
First, there is a move towards using technology to detect a crime/hazardous situation rather than relying on the threat of arrest and punishment. MADD is pushing for legislation requiring first-time offenders to have these alcohol sensors / ignition-interlock devices installed in their vehicles. In part, because the technology appears to be effective at reducing alcohol related deaths.
Second, concerns how invasive the sensors should be. The current technology requires drivers to blow into a device. However, there is active work on developing passive sensors. One sensor works by detecting too much alcohol in the car. A second sensor actually shines a light on the driver and can detect alcohol content of the driver. (You can see the continuum here on the degree of invasiveness).
Third, these surveillance technologies (thats what they are, right?) are likely to be encouraged/forced onto consumers. The article notes that the passive sensors will first be used in corporate fleets and eventually insurance companies will give discounts. If this really happens, I believe at some point these devices will become either de jure or de facto standards for all cars. (This is probably a good thing).
Posted by rshah at 09:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 18, 2006
Face-Recognition for Fighting Fraud
From Slashdot citing the Des Moines Register:
Digimark Corp. of Beaverton Oregon will be processing 2.1 million Iowan drivers license photos to prevent fraud. The idea is that the system will alert a DOT employee if a person renewing their picture is different than the previous photo. This is a nice example of how smart cameras can automate processing to allow for new ways of monitoring. The article notes that similar biometric checking systems are used in Alabama, Colorado, Kansas, Massachusetts, Oregon and Texas.
Posted by rshah at 11:05 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 17, 2006
ALPR in Canada
From United Press International:
Canadian police have began testing and using ALPR (also known as ANPR). They also provide some results:
Solicitor General John Les said, "We are taking back B.C. roads with this phenomenal technology," labeling the ALPR system "the future of policing in B.C. It will look for anybody who shouldn't be on the road. People who don't have driver's licenses; people who don't have their car registered; people who don't have insurance."
In initial tests over the last several months the ALPR system allowed a single police car to scan 600 license plates per hour; the tests revealed that an average of 10 plates an hour were flagged by the in-car computer system as an alert.
Of the alerts, stolen vehicles accounted for 9 percent, 7 per cent were banned drivers, 25 per cent were unlicensed or uninsured vehicles and 59 per cent were associated with unlicensed drivers.
Posted by rshah at 12:30 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 16, 2006
100 More Cameras in Chicago
From Chicago Defender:
The 2007 budget includes $1 million line item for an additional 100 crime fighting cameras.
Posted by rshah at 09:18 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 08, 2006
Eyenet
From Daily Southtown:
Eyenet is an Illinois company that sells ALPR (automatic license plate recognition) technology. It can work with the existing camera and laptop in the squad car. This means its a lot easier and cheaper to deploy their technology. I don't know the cost, but we are likely to see its widespread use. ALPR (also known as ANPR) works well and is a very useful tool for the police. Its a great example of smart camera technology.
Check out their web site, it appears to have some nice demos.
Posted by rshah at 09:16 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 07, 2006
IBM & Siemens
From SecurityInfoWatch.com:
IBM is now officially entering the smart camera market. They call their system the S3 for Smart Surveillance System. I have been waiting for this announcement. IBM has been doing a significant amount of research on smart surveillance or what they use to call their PeopleVision project. You can get a lot more information on the S3 system including technical publications over at IBM Research. Its fairly impressive and you wonder how this will transfer over to their products. Its nice from my position to see a vendor flex their technical acumen.
Also, this is another sign of the importance of this industry. The big players are moving in and swallowing startups. Last week Siemens Building Technologies acquired Vistascape.
Update: Informationweek has a nice synopsis on the capabilities of S3:
The technology, which IBM is calling S3, features a host of software applications that work together to provide real-time analysis of images capture on video cameras. IBM says the S3 system can be programmed to spot suspicious behavior, such as prolonged lingering at an airport security fence. It could also nab an employee who's spending too much time in the lunchroom. S3 offers a range of additional surveillance capabilities, including license plate recognition, face recognition and badge reading. It's also designed to analyze data captured from physical sensors, such as electronic bomb and chemical sniffers. . . . IBM says it's S3 system contains features that allow the images of individuals not under suspicion to be stripped out
Update 2: An amusing anecdote about what S3 was first designed to do from Internetnews (plus more on S3):
Although IBM (Quote)is making news today with its Smart Surveillance System (S3) video, which it says can tell a terrorist from a traveling salesman or a scammer from a shopper, researchers began the project with a more modest goal. They wanted to tell a cumquat from a rutabaga.
"Veggie Vision," as it was called a few years back, employed quickly-evolving video interpreting techniques and software to help grocery store cashiers manage the most exotic vegetables and enter the correct price.
Posted by rshah at 09:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
IBM & Siemens
From SecurityInfoWatch.com:
IBM is now officially entering the smart camera market. They call their system the S3 for Smart Surveillance System. I have been waiting for this announcement. IBM has been doing a significant amount of research on smart surveillance or what they use to call their PeopleVision project. You can get a lot more information on the S3 system including technical publications over at IBM Research. Its fairly impressive and you wonder how this will transfer over to their products. Its nice from my position to see a vendor flex their technical acumen.
Also, this is another sign of the importance of this industry. The big players are moving in and swallowing startups. Last week Siemens Building Technologies acquired Vistascape.
Posted by rshah at 09:13 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 05, 2006
Cameras as an Investigative Tool
From cbs2chicago.com:
I often get asked about the usefulness of cameras. I first point out that the research shows they aren't a very useful deterrent to crime (from the viewpoint of the city as a whole). However, they are useful as an investigative tool (and often generate considerable publicity) in statistically rare criminal cases. The most riveting of these are kidnappings by children and terrorist activity.
The Jamie Bulger kidnapping in the UK with its footage of a child being taken away was crucial in building support for widespread video surveillance. We now have our own similar story in the US for blue light cameras. It does differ (thankfully) in that Shakina Scott was found quickly and safely. But it also shows (and will be over-hyped) another potential use of the blue light cameras.
UPDATE: According to Parenting magazine, there are 115 kids who are actually kidnapped by strangers every year. This is why I called this type of case statistically rare. However, a poll by the magazine found that 40% of moms (what no dads!) think that 5,000 kids are kidnapped by strangers each year. (This also shows I do read magazines other than Wired.) I found this in the October 2006 issue on page 37.
Posted by rshah at 08:20 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
November 04, 2006
ANPR in Idaho
Via thenewspaper, from Coeur d'Alene Press
ANPR will soon be deployed on I-90, which is a major road between Seattle and Chicago. A Homeland Security grant is paying for 8 cameras on the highway. Its not clear how the license plate data will be used. The local police figure it will help with stolen cars, Amber alerts, and terrorists. However, thenewspaper points out, this is a significant way to start tracking the movement of vehicles. Naturally, all of this depends on who is getting the data and how they utilize it.
Posted by rshah at 10:25 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack