July 30, 2007
Airport Video Surveillance
From Inside Bay Area:
A nice anecdote about airport video surveillance by Duane McGray, who recently retired as head of security for the Nashville International Airport. The airport has video surveillance throughout its two terminals in case someone bypasses security. One thing they could do was:
"They would capture the individual's image, then send that digitized photograph to an e-mail address (on personal digital assistants carried by airport police officers) instantly, so that each of the officers can pull it up and have it in their hand as they look for the individual," McGray said. He added, "Very rarely has someone gotten through; probably less than one every year or 18 months."
There was one time when the digital images came in handy, however, said McGray, who is now executive director of the Airport Law Enforcement Agencies Network. "What they did do once is they caught a shoplifter."
Posted by rshah at 09:52 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 26, 2007
Looking for Chicagoans for a Photo Essay About Security Cameras
See Subjects for Photo Essay About Security Cameras:
A friend has recently posted this to craigslist. I thought I would post it here in case any readers could volunteer or had suggestions:
We are doing a photo essay about surveillance cameras. We are seeking people with stories to tell and who are willing to have their photo taken.
These images may later be incorporated into an art photo gallery show to create awareness of security cameras and their presence in everyday life.
-- Have you been detained (rightfully or wrongfully) from an act captured on a security camera?
-- Is your job in a workplace under video surveillance?
-- Do you have a video camera and record/observe police at crime scenes?
-- Are you employed installing security cameras and systems?
-- Were you the victim of a crime that was caught on a security camera? (you do NOT need to have footage of the incident)
-- Does your job include watching security camera monitors?
In exchange for your time, story and willingness to be photographed, you will receive an art-quality print from the resulting photo shoot.
Posted by rshah at 03:35 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
Pittsburgh Surveillance Network
From Post-Gazette:
Pittsburgh is following Chicago in developing a surveillance network.
The city sent 21 security companies an outline of a plan to cast a video surveillance web from Downtown to high-crime neighborhoods, and maybe beyond. The administration wants firms to compete this year to craft a plan and win a camera contract.
The first phase described in the city's request for information involves linking "several hundred" cameras owned by the city, county, state and private companies into a single system that can be centrally monitored. It involves installing 28 new cameras on 14 bridges, four atop the U.S. Steel Tower, and others in Point State Park. Also part of the initial phase could be 48 plate recognition devices, which can read vehicle license plates and run them through databases. Two unspecified neighborhoods, and Point State Park, would get gunshot detection systems, which instantly pinpoint the location of a shooting and take pictures.
A second phase would involve deployment of more cameras Downtown.
A third phase would identify six-square-block areas of high-crime neighborhoods, and deploy cameras there.
Posted by rshah at 03:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 23, 2007
Chicago Updates
A couple of overdue items for Chicago
CTA Bus Cameras - A Tribune story with much more detail, they use the DriveCam system that was previously discussed here (use the search feature)
Alderman wants to ban cameras sensing devices from SunTimes- basically trying to outlaw devices that will provide warnings of red light cameras or speed cameras - as the article notes, its not going to happen, for more information on the technology, see this article in the SunTimes on the technology developed by Cobra
Finally, the city is using ANPR for parking tickets. Lots of cities have done this, but now Chicago is testing it out, see the Tribune article:
The van drivers make only one trip on a street because the paired cameras simultaneously read license plates of vehicles parked along both curbs. A beeping noise is emitted when license recognition software identifies a vehicle plate that is boot-eligible.
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July 20, 2007
Chicago Focuses on Homeland Security
From NPR:
Cortez Trotter, Chicago's former chief of emergency management was interviewed on NPR. One little tidbit was that privacy was built into some cameras through blinders to ensure they couldn't peep inside buildings.
Posted by rshah at 09:39 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 18, 2007
Surveillance State Function Creep - London Congestion Charge
From Spy Blog:
Spy Blog has a post on the growing uses of the surveillance data in London. This data concerns the cameras (about 1,500) and the ANPR data that comes from the congestion charge system:
Police are to be given live access to London's congestion charge cameras - allowing them to track all vehicles entering and leaving the zone. Anti-terror officers will be exempted from parts of the Data Protection Act to allow them to see the date, time and location of vehicles in real time. They previously had to apply for access on a case-by-case basis.
"The Met requires bulk ANPR data from TfL's camera network in London specifically for terrorism intelligence purposes and to prevent and investigate such offences. "The infrastructure will allow the real-time flow of data between TfL and the Met." Mr McNulty said the home secretary had signed a certificate exempting the two organisations from some provisions of the 1998 Data Protection Act.
The Met will produce an annual report for the Information Commissioner, the government's data protection watchdog who oversees how material from CCTV cameras is used.
Spy Blog goes on the criticize this function creep.
What is being proposed is real time data on everyone simply being slurped into who knows what sort of Metropolitan Police and passed on to who knows which other agencies anti-terrorism databases, both in the UK and overseas.
What safeguards are there for the millions of innocent people's vehicle movements which will be stored and analysed ?
Posted by rshah at 07:17 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 15, 2007
Do Cameras Reduce Crime?
From ABC News:
A basic story on whether surveillance cameras reduce crime. Nothing new, but the article is balanced (which is unusual).
Posted by rshah at 08:06 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 13, 2007
Face Recognition Flop
From IP Mailing List:
Christian Kuhtz sent in a German story from Spiegel on how a facial recognition system operating under every day conditions had a matching rate of 30%. Its another example of the severe limitations for facial recognition. Here is the message:
Apparently the BKA (German equivalent of the FBI) tested face recognition, spent 200K euros to test the system in a rail terminal in the city of Mainz and basically declared it worthless in terms of being an investigative tool. Apparently (per the article) this is the first public trial under normal, every day conditions (rather than having the conditions manipulated for a good showing) and only matched 30%. Even when the lighting was modified to be ideal, it only reached 60%. The BKA considers the system only useful if the success rate is very near 100%.
The sample size was approximately 23,000 travelers per day over a period of roughly 3 months. The targets were 200 commuters who had volunteered for the trial and travel through this rail terminal at least once per day.
BKA recommended that this is not a suitable system for surveillance and facial recognition to try to match suspects in a manhunt etc.
Update: Another blog, CyTrap Labs claims the reporter got it wrong the the actual false positive rate was 0.1% and BKA’s own president Jörg Ziercke said these tests were a success. Since I can't read German, I can't figure this out.
Posted by rshah at 01:40 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 12, 2007
NY Surveillance Plan
From New York Times:
The Lower Manhattan Security Initiative is taking after London's Ring of Steel and should be running by 2010. It will include ANPR or license plate readers, 3,000 cameras, a variety of sensors (biohazard), and even movable roadblocks. So far the department has raised $25 million of the needed $90 million. The money to date will be spent on license plate readers, both fixed and mobile (including helicopters).
Most of the cameras would be owned by private firms (not sure if they will be tracking public or private areas). Also "pivoting gates would be installed at critical intersections; they would swing out to block traffic or a suspect car at the push of a button."
Posted by rshah at 08:58 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 09, 2007
Do We Really Want Big Brother Watching Us?
From The Rutherford Institute - Commentary:
A commentary that ran in papers last week. It argues against government video surveillance. It doesn't have any new arguments or data, but its a nice short piece on the issues around government video surveillance.
Posted by rshah at 09:31 PM | Comments (0) | TrackBack
July 08, 2007
ANPR for Glasgow Suspects
From New York Times:
A short article on CCTV, video surveillance, and smart cameras in London contained a few interesting points.
The next wave in CCTV, experts say, is to marry traditional surveillance with computer software to make cameras better at detecting suspicious behavior that can be the precursor to a crime.
The police are believed to have used a rudimentary form of such technology to make the first arrest in this plot — Mohammed Asha, a Palestinian of Jordanian descent, who was captured on a motorway after his license plate was recognized by roadside cameras.
I don't know if anyone has confirmed that it was ANPR that caught the suspect. Other news articles mention it may be cell phone traces that led the police to the suspect. The article also mentions future uses for smart cameras:
More advanced applications include cameras that can be programmed to search for specific objects — say, an unattended bag in a subway station — or for people with suspicious mannerisms. Cameras that recognize facial characteristics are also being developed, though their effectiveness has been hampered by the unpredictable lighting in outdoor spaces. “Some people are looking very hard at suicide bombers,” said Peter Fry, director of the CCTV User Group, a trade association. “You can possibly pick up mannerisms, facial tics and so on. If that works, it would be a tremendous help in cases like these.”
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July 03, 2007
Dust Networks
From Government Technology:
I have noted before how cell phones can be used for traffic monitoring. Dust Networks is taking that capability to add smarts to traffic monitoring.
"The Dust Network compares current speeds with historical speeds, and when it sees a large variation in what's expected, it trips an alarm," said Szymkowski, adding that AirSage monitors calls to 911 and creates an alarm when it detects a spike. "We're probably going to be working with the Wisconsin State Patrol to understand when an incident occurred and see if we can match up the alarms with the real incidents."
Dust Networks web site also mentions another interesting technology that makes parking meters smart.
Streetline Meter Monitors provide two-way networking to standard single space parking meters, with no wiring and no modification to the meter housings. The patented technology is compatible with over 90% of installed meters, and in most cases will simply plug into existing meter data ports. The Monitors help cities track usage and vandalism, and provide a detailed audit of all meter operations in real-time. Streetline Vehicle Sensors deliver accurate real-time information about arrivals, departures and occupancy in on-street parking spaces.
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