A sophisticated security system that can predict crime is to be used for the first time in the UK.
'Minority Report' style surveillance technology is soon to be used to fight crime in the UK.
Intelligent cameras that predict when a crime is going to be committed are set to be installed across the costal city of Portsmouth.
The system, supplied by Smart CCTV Ltd, employs an advanced combination of behaviour recognition software and state of the art surveillance cameras to identify potential troublemakers and alert the authorities.
Perceptrak, as the cameras are know, use 18 different pre-programmed criteria such as ‘fast car’ and ‘converging people’ to assess real time images and pinpoint potential disturbances. If warning signs are identified, the camera sends an alert to a control room and the security staff on duty are then able to use their judgment to decide whether the activity detected warrants a response.
The system has already been successfully trialed in New York, Washington and Chicago, enabling security staff to identify and respond to a potential situation much faster than would otherwise be possible.
Speaking to the Metro, Managing Director of Smart CCTV said: "Although we are a long way off Minority Report, it is a step closer.
"It is able to alert the operator to something that might be interesting such as a guy hanging around or somebody running. But what it cannot do is say whether that guy is waiting for his girlfriend or about to commit a crime. That is for the operator to make a subjective human decision on and make an appropriate response.
"The software is able to filter out all the boring information and gives the security operator alerts on things that might be interesting."
Portsmouth currently has 142 CCTV cameras in operation across the city, only 24 of which can be monitored by an operator at any one time. The new technology will ensure that any suspicious activity is brought to the operator's attention immediately, helping to make the city a safer place for all of its residents.
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Comments (9)
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chief wana dubie
28th Nov 2008 05:14
Big brother is watching us, but we should be watching big brother!!!
Paul C.
28th Nov 2008 10:40
GOOD NEWS!
mitcheisenstein
28th Nov 2008 13:54
as i have said many times before, the governments social contract with the people must be as strong as its crimminal justice contract or we will create a prison state. in other words, if we were to put a camera on every square inch of this planet we could tell what was going to happen before it happened. so the hungry desperate person instead of robbing someone would commit suicide unless there are government programs designed to help the desperate. i guess its possible that if there were no way to commit a crime, that people would reach out for help, but those who cannot adapt well might not be able to reach out. we have to give them something to do to get better. you have to use the software to identify risk, and then try to help those in danger of committing bad things to not do that. if we as a nation feel that we have no need to help the desperate, that if the potential crimminal doesent deserve extra help, then we will be condemning people instead of saving them.
the man with a plan
28th Nov 2008 15:38
orwell had it right.
60 years ago....
george orwell
28th Nov 2008 15:43
i can't believe that anyone is ok with this....
the fact that the people allow these cameras to be put into place scares me more than the cameras themselves. do you know who's watching the monitors for these cameras? do you care? doesn't it scare you that the government is so invasive in your lives?
a world of sheep.
read my book.
observer
28th Nov 2008 16:53
And who watches the people watching the cameras?
Carmela
28th Nov 2008 18:49
I love the idea! I see plenty of people loitering around, especially in front of bodegas and other places of business, with no apparent business of being there. Owners of such businesses are afraid of saying anything, for obvious reasons. Some people might complain about invasion of privacy. To those people I say: unless you're guilty of something, you shouldn't have a problem with it.
"I have nothing to hide."
You'll still be moved on though. It's got nothing to do with whether you're hiding anything. If whatever criteria they use deems you to be suspicious you may very well be arrested.
"I see plenty of people loitering around... in front of bodegas and other places of business, with no apparent business of being there"
With no apparent business of being there other than it's a town or city street that they have every right to be on.
