Fuji Camera First to Feature Pet Detection

Although some face recognition systems, like Apple's, have been mocked for their confusion of human and animal faces in the past, Fuji is the first to make Dog and Cat face detection an actual feature.

I can't wait to try it out on Poncho!

"As of right now there is no arrest and no anticipated arrest"

Here's a tragic story hitting headlines everywhere -- however, no stories I've found have seriously discussed the surveillance technology at play nor the length of time this investigation has taken.

Late last week, a Yale pharmacology grad student's body was found hidden in a wall in the basement of a Yale medical research building after she had been missing for almost a week.

However, due to the access control restrictions on the building, investigating officers believe this not to be a random act, but rather one committed by someone in the Yale community. Yale University President Richard Levin was quoted on Monday as saying, "We know everyone that was in the basement. There were limited number of people in the basement and we passed that on to police. There is an abundance of evidence."

And as CNN has reported, security cameras registered Le entering the building, but after searching hours of surveillance tapes, had been unable to find images of her leaving the building. The NY Daily News even reported that more than 100 FBI investigators and three police departments spent over six days pouring through building blueprints and surveillance footage -- and even used bloodhounds to search the building. Six days is a long time.

What does this tragic event teach us? While we await the murder details (expected to be revealed today), the value of using analytics and more sophisticated surveillance tools to search and comb through footage may have reduced the time needed to come to the conclusions we reached in seven days to maybe only a couple of hours. While even the tightest access control restrictions and clearest surveillance cameras cannot prevent a human from taking another's life, technology has the ability to hasten investigations and also equips security personnel with the eyes and ears needed when the human equivalent is not an option.

Using a variety of facial recognition, color tracking and other analytics, we may have been able to identify the student upon entering the building and followed her whenever she appeared on camera. We also could have also identified each person's face that entered and exited the building that evening, as well as tracked articles of clothing by color. We might not have an answer for the cause of such a brutal and senseless attack, but we do know that more stringent access control and surveillance technology may have helped in the investigation process.

Sitting Down with Rajiv Shah

It has been a busy past few months, but I recently had the opportunity to chat with Rajiv Shah, an adjunct assistant professor in the Department of Communication at the University of Illinois at Chicago, and the author of the Smart Cameras blog. Below are some of my answers to his questions around privacy, vendor comparisons, industry connections to academia and the future of the smart camera market.

Again, very excited to share them with the growing IHF readership. Feel free to make comments on any of the responses or questions, and I will be sure to address them.

Also, check out Rajiv's Smart Cameras blog -- it focuses on developments in Chicago's use of video surveillance, as well as other "smart cameras" that utilize additional sensors and/or computer processing techniques. Cool read and a staple on my blogroll.

1. Privacy: What should the industry approach be towards privacy? Should they incorporate features that protect privacy? Should they have default settings that protect privacy or delete information? Or should we not worry about this? Is there a need for an industry-wide approach to this issue?

Conventional wisdom presents ‘privacy vs. security’ as a zero-sum game, one in which gains in one arena necessitate sacrifices in the other. And while there is certainly much truth in this, it is also equally true that in a modern society neither principle can exist without the other. There can be no security without privacy, and no privacy without security.

Today, any meaningful national security failure could create a response that curtails our civil liberties quite broadly. And conversely, next-generation security technologies deployed without adequate privacy and civil liberties protections likely face the crippling backlash of a concerned public. As a result, the security industry needs to take issues of privacy VERY seriously.

For me, an approach to privacy in the context of surveillance starts with a few key principles designed (1) to narrowly tailor a system’s use and (2) to ensure that system access is adequately controlled and audited. Today, conventional “dumb” surveillance systems offer none of these benefits. A large video wall in a security room or command center does nothing to distinguish between security threats and the average person; these systems cast an unnecessarily wide net, relying on human expertise and interest to filter down to focus in on actual security threats.

The issue of what to delete or keep in terms of surveillance becomes much less important on systems where this kind of ‘all-or-nothing’ approach to data access doesn’t exist. For instance, on a 3VR, an investigator might search through many months worth of video information looking for matches or clues relating to the kidnapping of a little girl. However, because this query is done algorithmically using facial recognition, and because the search request is logged and audited, there is ultimately much less concern about the overall retention of video data. The public generally has very little problem with legitimate surveillance investigation that doesn’t subject them to what they feel is needless voyeurism.

Retention of video also becomes less of a concern in the context of new blurring and encryption algorithms designed to protect individual privacy. These new technologies prevent generally tracking and identification of the pubic using surveillance, while preserving the ability of law enforcement and security officials to detect and investigate crime. To better understand what I mean by this, you should take a look at the recent article in New Scientist on some of what we are working on in 3VR labs right now.

In any case, issues of data retention, encryption, access control and the like are often more policy issues than industry issues. Instead, our focus should be enabling decision and policy makers to make, monitor and enforce these choices themselves. Our solutions should present options to do all of this...and more. Today, most security solutions don’t include any privacy protections whatsoever. That needs to change; asking someone to chose between security and privacy isn’t much choice at all.

2. Comparing Vendor Solutions: What can be done to make it simpler for end users to compare and contrast different solutions? It's very confusing now for end users to sort through claims by tens of companies on effectiveness, costs, technology, etc.

Normally, I would say that the answer to this question solely involves the emergence of various standards groups, independent testing and analysis organizations -- that is because the best response to confusion is nearly always more good information. And, I do think there is some good news on the horizon in both of those areas with new security analysts, bloggers and agencies entering the marketplace of ideas every day.

However, because many new solutions’ claims today are so specific and require real-world deployment for actual evaluation, the only way for end-users to fully educate themselves may be through pilot and testing projects that they conduct themselves. New technologies being offered today represent a quantum leap over previous generations of security and surveillance solutions, and end users will ultimately need to make a very significant investment in time and money to educate themselves on their benefits.

3. Connections to Academia: Explain if anything needs to be done to expand the connection between industry and academia. After all, much of the engineering talent has come directly from universities. Are there any suggestions you have for universities and their research?

The disconnect between commercial markets and academia is a classic problem seen across many industries, but I have noticed is a particular problem in the security industry. And as a partial result, there has been comparatively little innovation at the core of this market in recent decades. The surveillance methods used to catch criminals hasn't changed drastically with investigators still found staring at video walls or fast-forwarding through video stores looking for needles in haystacks. Plus, the innovations responsible for rapid productivity gains in knowledge workers in other industry segments seems to have largely passed this industry by. Who are security’s Googles, Microsofts, and Oracles?

To begin to address this issue, I think that most importantly security needs to become the province of innovative and interesting companies again. Only by tackling big, tough and important problems can the security industry hope to lure academia’s best and brightest, or focus them on its problems.

As for universities and their research, there is one problem faced by the security industry today greater than all others…and that is a crisis of our own making. It’s “information overload.” There are quite simply too many cameras and sensors today generating way too much information today, and the resulting torrent of data threatens to overrun our entire industry. Identify ways to process and sort and make meaningful this flood, and you will have done us all a great service…and there is probably a job waiting for you at 3VR, as well.

4. Future Growth of Smart Cameras: Have cameras hit a period of steady growth or do you foresee a potential boom ahead? If so, what are the crucial factors that you see that are limiting growth of that will cause growth to increase? Do we need to improve technology, better end-user experience, etc.

Cameras have seen explosive growth already -- sales worldwide are booming. Not only that, but the general sense of a 'camera' is evolving dramatically; dumb cameras, smart cameras, cameras that record at 200 frames per second, cameras integrated with iPods – they're popping up all over the place and exploding in ways that people could not have anticipated. Not only are the types of cameras available growing exponentially, but the data being collected by cameras has increased by a geometric factor far beyond that. New cameras have higher resolution, higher frame rates. More of just about everything!

As a result, we're stuck drinking from the firehose for the time being. We're inundated with data and have no idea what to do with it due to the sheer volume we're faced with. It's coming in too quickly to comprehend, and as a result, we've discovered that it's not the volume of data you collect, but what you can do with that video (and how quickly) that matters.

The modality of staring at a wall of video screens broadcasting camera streams broke down a long time ago – and we're better off for it. However, as camera volume, quality and speed explodes, we need to figure out how to comprehend and process this volume of data. If we're going to manage the growth of cameras, they don't need to be smarter – we're already capturing more data than we need – but rather more searchable and enable efficient retrieval of vital information.

IHF Roundup: Airports Ponder Universal Access Control, Researchers Design 'Wearable' Robots & Other Top Headlines This Week

Here's a quick rundown of the headlines that caught my eye this week (click on the links to check out the articles in full):

Airport credentials: What's going to happen?
SecureIDNews
Zack Martin

• How airports identify employees has been a concern since 9/11 and other incidents have shown that there are potential security vulnerabilities. The Transportation Security Administration is working on a specification for airport access control systems that would use biometrics and smart cards. The specification calls for an interoperable credential that could be read at airports throughout the country.
• The incident pointed to most often when it comes to better securing credentials at airports is an incident at O’Hare International Airport in 2007. In that case, 23 employees from a staff-outsourcing firm were using ID cards from employees who had quit.
  
• There are already a number of different projects running -- The TSA has the Airport Credential Interoperability Specification (ACIS) and the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) created the Biometric Airport Security Identification Consortium (BASIC). The AAAE is working with the TSA on its efforts. Too many acronyms if you ask me.

Wearable bot said to make you stronger
CNET (Crave Blog)
Leslie Katz

• Through a sensor attached to the skin, "HAL" (Hybrid Assistive Limb) captures faint biosignals on the skin's surface that result from messages sent from the brain to muscles when a person attempts to move. A computer analyzes how much power the wearer intends to generate, then calculates the amount of torque needed to put limbs into action.
• Especially noteworthy here is that the suit responds to intended motion, rather than actual motion.
• "HAL" is currently being used by people in Japan with weakened muscles and disabilities related to strokes and/or spinal cord injuries. It's also expected to report for heavy-labor duty support at factories, as well as rescue support at disaster sites.
• Do they come in different colors and/or patterns?

Noise from our ears a basis for biometrics
ZDNet
Chris Jablonski

• The concept is based on otoacoustic emissions (OAE), which are sounds emitted by the mammalian inner ear in response to an audio stimulation.
• According to the researchers, OAEs offer some unique opportunities when applied as a biometric system. For one, it can be embodied as a telephone handset or headphones, which is something everyone is familiar with. And secondly, it can be employed in a challenge-response dialogue.
• However, watch out for waxy build-up and BAC level after a night out on the town -- with both, emissions are deadened. Also, different drugs alter the amplitude of OAEs.
  

How Kiva Robots Help Zappos and Walgreens
BusinessWeek
Jessie Scanlon

• Robots have been around a long time, but what's interesting about Kiva, which has four patents, with another 14 pending, is the way in which Kiva Founder and CEO Mick Mountz's team has integrated three technologies: WiFi, digital cameras, and low-cost servers capable of parallel processing.
  
• The servers work in real-time, receiving orders, immediately dispatching robots to bring the required pods to the worker fulfilling the order, and then returning the pods to their storage locations. The robots receive their orders wirelessly, while using cameras to read navigational barcode stickers on the warehouse floor.
• Roughly 20% of the 8,000 commercial U.S. warehouses are automated, including Walgreens and Zappos, meaning that after workers pull goods off of the shelves, they are put on conveyer belts, carousels, and/or other automatic sorting systems that move the products through the warehouse more efficiently.

Alaska introduces bill protecting citizens’ biometric data
ThirdFactor

• Alaskan state senator, Bill Wielechowski, has introduced a bill to the state congress that intends to protect Alaskan citizens from having their biometric information collected or used without their knowing and consent.
• The congressman’s hope is that the bill will assuage fears over the misuse of biometric information such as potential employers using DNA samples to determine one’s tendency towards certain ailments or the tracking of citizens via facial recognition and video surveillance.

Cameras, sensors spark government surveillance debate
Democrat & Chronicle
Brian Sharp

• The Rochester (NY) Police Department's reliance on data-crunching computers and license-plate reading scanners triggered a backlash this week from a citizens group called Activists Against Racism Movement.
• In a statement to the media, the group labeled the targeted enforcement a "dragnet" and "absolutely racist in nature," predicting that it will predominately snare minorities for minor offenses.
• Doubt remains about whether the technology actually prevents crime, or just relocates it. People do tend to feel safer, experts say. Witnesses are more likely to cooperate with police if they think a camera also caught the action, and so property crime declines, but research has yet to document a corresponding drop in violent crime.

Plus, don't forget to scroll down and check out 3VR's anouncement around our technology's performance in recent South Korea NPA/SK Networks facial recognition technology testing. More details coming soon.

Daily Headline Update: April 13, 2009

Starting today, I'll be posting the latest news updates a few times per week in order to make sure everything I report here is as timely as possible. Nothing too detailed, just a few highlights on anything I find fascinating -- anything from surveillance and physical security to robotics and UAV news. Let me know what you think!

DMV Announces New Secure Driver License and Identification Card System
Hoy En Delaware
April 13, 2009

• The Delaware DMV is in the process of implementing a new secure driver license and identification card system. Similar to initiatives in California and Indiana, the DMV hopes to implement a new system that will increase the security process by which the DMV issues driver's licenses.
• According to the article, the new system will employ enhanced facial recognition technology in order to protect Delaware residents from identity theft. In doing so, the system will compare the applicant’s current photograph with the division’s entire photograph database to ensure the applicant does not have a driver license/ID card in another name and to ensure the individual is not trying to commit identity theft.
  

The hidden features in Apple's latest iPhoto update
ComputerWorld
April 10, 2009
Ryan Faas

• Last week, Apple announced more "overall stability" and fixes for "minor issues in a number of areas, including Faces, Places, photo sharing, and slideshows."
• Specific areas include the ability to tell iPhoto to rescan pictures and detect missing faces, recognize manually added faces by drawing a box around a person's face and tagging them when Faces doesn't recognize them. Tagging misidentified people allows users to simply click once or twice on each photo to indicate whether Faces' guesses are correctly identified and also trains iPhoto to recognize the person going forward.
  

Cameras, sensors spark government surveillance debate
Democrat & Chronicle
April 10, 2009
Brian Sharp

• Locally, the Rochester Police Department's reliance on data-crunching computers and license-plate reading scanners triggered a backlash this week from a citizens group called Activists Against Racism Movement.
• In a statement to the media, the group labeled the targeted enforcement a "dragnet" and "absolutely racist in nature," predicting that it will predominately snare minorities for minor offenses.
• Doubt remains about whether the technology actually prevents crime, or just relocates it. People do tend to feel safer, experts say. Witnesses are more likely to cooperate with police if they think a camera also caught the action, and so property crime declines, but research has yet to document a corresponding drop in violent crime.
  

IHF Roundup: Robots Hitting the Crop Fields, Airport Facial Scanners Slowing Security Lines & Other Top Headlines This Week

Phewf! Finally catching my breath after the whirlwind of ISC West and sitting down to read all the headlines that hit this week.

Lots in the research fields -- literally, fields -- in the news this week. I actually wrote about this robotic work a few weeks back, but the AP reported more on MIT's work with robots that can water, harvest and pollinate cherry tomato plants. According to the article, each plant is connected to both a robot and computer network to enable sensors that know when it is time to water the plant, pick the ripe fruit, or need fertilizer. This is the first big initiative I've heard about using robots for agricultural purposes, and while its currently exclusive to tomatoes, I'm curious if the technology will be adapted to other fruits and vegetables moving forward.

Biologists are hitting the books and looking at old laws of flying to further understand how birds, insects and other winged-animals keep themselves in flight in order to apply to future biomimeric-flying robots. Using high-speed video to see the asymmetrical flapping that hummingbirds and others are capable of to make turns mid-air, they hope to apply these locomotive maneuvers to future robotic developments.

And from wildlife and agriculture to babies -- Japanese scientists have created a child robot with Biomimetic Body (CB2 for short) capable of developing social skills from continuous human interaction. The robot can watch and record facial expressions using embedded eye-cameras and match them to corresponding physical movements to understand emotion, mirroring a developing mother-baby relationship. Wow.

In the surveillance realm, some feathers being ruffled this week, particularly in the UK.

According to a leaked memo, Manchester Airport allegedly re-calibrated its facial scanner machines from alerting security personnel if the passenger had less than a 80% likeness to their passport photograph to only calling out matches at less than 30% due to an overwhelmingly high number of "false positives" and particularly long queues at checkpoints. However, the UK Border Agency responded, saying that "neither the software nor the machines have been recalibrated or changed since the trial began in August 2008." Either way, lines are apparently out the door and there are rumors that 30% thresholds aren't high enough to tell Winona Ryder from Osama Bin Laden. If that's the case, I'll have no problem getting through as Colin Firth (if I had his passport, that is).

As noted by Leischen Stelter of Security Director News, biometric technologies, like facial scanners, address challenges airports face in providing the utmost security to its passengers, and more and more airports are adopting various technologies to do so. Whether its access control, iris and fingerprint readers or facial scanners, biometrics are enabling greater confidence in airport security efforts. In fact, the Biometric Airport Security Identification Consortium (BASIC) was initiated last year to test many different biometric technologies at airports nationwide and has grown from six initial participants to 32 airports. BASIC will move this one step further and present its findings to the TSA, which has promised to provide an approved vendor lists going forward. Exciting stuff.

Standardization in video surveillance has been an ongoing issue, but camera regulation is another rising matter, particularly down under. The Victorian Law Reform Commission in Australia proposed that an independent regulator oversee all public surveillance to ensure no footage is recorded without authorization. With tens of thousands of surveillance devices across the state, it is vital that no video falls through the cracks and into the wrong hands. Great to see.

So many headlines to summarize every week that it's almost getting overwhelming! I'm going to aim to summarize important headers a few times next week and moving forward -- hopefully this will keep everything timely and ensure I don't miss anything. Wouldn't want to let the readers down.

Keeping Tabs on @TheSteveRussell

Interesting Augmented Reality development from Squidder this week. The initiative started by embedding t-shirts with a FLAR barcode and making Twitter handles recognizable by Webcams. Once authenticated, a user's latest Tweet was displayed as a video overlay -- but this was only the first layer.

Going further, those Squidders tied facial recognition technology in with the same Webcam-enabled computers, so that the software recognizes the user (rather than the barcode) and then displays their latest Tweet on the screen. The technology is still definitely in the alpha stages, as the software only picks up on a human face rather than a unique individual, but I'd say they've got a beat on the future of video monitoring. I could definitely see this (or a similar) tool also being adapted for Facebook, LinkedIn and other social networking sites down the road. Cool stuff!

Speaking of Twitter, check out the latest of what @TheSteveRussell is thinking about here.

Beverly Hills 48025

It seems that my old high school in Beverly Hills, Michigan has found itself embroiled in a debate over the use of surveillance in its hallways after cash, MP3 players and cell phones were stolen from several lockers. While this may signal a loss in trust in the community, it could also be reflective of the expensive nature of many items commonly found in lockers nowadays.

"It's one more sign that times are different today," Jim Ballard, executive director of the Michigan Association of Principals, said. "Years ago, we trusted each other more than we do now.”

I can also tell you firsthand that years ago, we students didn’t keep a lot of cash, MP3 players and cell phones in our lockers. Heck, if you broke into mine, you would have been lucky to find some old textbooks, gym socks and a Daisy Duke poster. Not quite a treasure trove of goods compared to what's readily available today.

But whether or not what students put into their lockers is valuable, the students themselves are pretty valuable, and it seems to me they deserve at least the same level of protection afforded to the malls they hang out in.

However, not all the students think new security measures are such a good idea.

Seaholm student Jake Drutchas wrote the following comment on the wall of a Facebook group called, "Seaholm and Groves Students Against Security Cameras," which has more than 870 members, "For now, let's start with a little student responsibility. Lock your stuff up. Don't leave it out in the open."

He has a point, but it’s also true that school security deployments have nearly always proven a smart development. I think Jake's argument is more founded on the fear that the same surveillance technology used to fight locker thefts will be turned on him for reasons other than safety.

Will the cameras be monitored all the time or just used to investigate incidents? Who will have access to the cameras and for what purposes? Lots and lots of very good questions.

If Beverly Hills Groves follows the national trend, they too will get security cameras installed -- if not this year, then sometime in the not-too-distant future. However, Jake Drutchas and his Facebook posse can continue to put their passion and energy on the issue to good use by helping the district draft a clear and responsible policy with respect to the use of surveillance inside their hallways.

There certainly are ways to balance security and privacy inside of educational institutions, and I think you will find the hippie baby-boomers who run school districts these days are more than open to them.

Two Steps Forward, One Step Back: Chicago's Quest For Perfect Municipal Surveillance

As previously discussed, since its launch in 2001, Chicago's Operation Virtual Shield and its network of public surveillance cameras has consistently been billed the most advanced deployment of intelligent video in the nation. This week, the city announced that as a result of recent increased funding the project is now linked to the city's 911 system, an integration that makes the grid unlike any other in the country.

With a $6 million grant from the DHS, Chicago's computer-aided dispatch emergency system can now see real-time video if there is a surveillance camera within 150 feet of a 911 call. It was officially deployed after a trial run in December, during which live video caught a petty thief sticking his hand into a Salvation Army kettle outside of a Macy's when a bystander called 911 to report the crime.

Nonetheless, the network still has its share of flaws and areas demanding improvement.

The Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications maintains that only about 95 percent of the network's cameras are working at any given time. This statistic was at the forefront of headlines just last week when a camera in the southeast Chicago was unable to capture footage of three teens were slain directly in front of it. While the camera's blue light was functioning, technicians thus far have been unsuccessful in downloading footage -- that is, if it even exists.

As this instance demonstrates, the importance of maintaining existing infrastructure while installing more advanced, integrated capabilities simultaneously is vital to the success of any surveillance grid. How effective are cameras at fighting crime when they aren't operating? Department spokesmen note that this neighborhood is not yet on the most updated wireless network, where a connection can be established to send an alert when the camera is down.

From my point of view, however, it’s tough to find fault with a city focusing its surveillance and emergency resources on actual crimes reported by citizens. I’ll take that over red-light cameras and anti-dog-pooping surveillance any day. And in a city that’s often been criticized for its slow response to 911 calls in many of its Chicago neighborhoods, the ability to instantly assess a potential emergency will almost certainly save lives -- if the systems are functioning properly.

Integrating all cameras to operate wirelessly, as well as updating all "record on sight" cameras to enable live monitoring at the city's operations center are crucial steps Chicago must take in order to continue its leadership in municipal surveillance. If that's not enough incentive, it seems likely that Mayor Daley's team will make the necessary improvements as an argument in favor of the city's preparedness to host the 2016 Olympics.

Weekly News Summary from Around the Globe

Thought I'd highlight a few of the headlines that caught my eye this week -- including a little of our own news!

On Tuesday, we announced that Al Shipp, former VP of the Enterprise Divison at Apple, would be taking over my position as CEO, and I'll be continuing on as chairman. It's a pivotal stage in the company's development, and we're thrilled to have Al onboard! Check out an informal interview between Al and myself here.

Also, lots of chatter with regards to driver's licenses recently -- last week, California's proposal to use biometric technology to create a database containing facial and fingerprint information had privacy advocacy groups up in arms. In Oklahoma, a Senate bill to eliminate fingerprints as a requirement to receive a license at all was passed. On the other hand, across the border in British Columbia, as part of the government's latest efforts to prevent identity theft, both identification and driver's licenses will now incorporate facial recognition technology. With the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles cracking down on smiles and acceptable apparel, it looks like each state (and province) will continue to have its own technological and political battles to fight.

While national airports have deployed advanced security systems for years for border protection, California's southern coastal borders are now looking to implement similar security technologies.The Port of Long Beach this week opened a $21 million command center with 115 cameras to monitor the port's 3,200 square feet -- and are claiming to be able to read badge numbers from over two miles away! Impressive stuff.

In the same vein, surveillance cameras may soon have a new use in the hospitality industry, particularly hotels. This week, a UK security firm revealed that one of their hotel clients installed their system not for security purposes, but rather the improvement of guest services -- in order to recognize and properly greet returning customers.

Let's hope those cameras have higher accuracy readings than those I received on MyHeritage earlier this month.

Every Step You Take, Someone (Or Something) Will Be Watching You

Just came across this feature on wireless surveillance cameras taking on some unusual forms around the industry.

A teddy bear that captures video through its left eye? Cameras in such innocuous household items as a boombox, a set of computer speakers, or a wall clock? An air purifier capable of 420 lines of resolution? They all exist. Even jacket buttons and Clorox Bleach wipe containers are now capable of carrying cameras!

Next time you're snooping around a friend's house or checking out their medicine cabinet, you might want to think twice before whether the mantle clock or Pringles can might be catching you in the act.

Big Surveillance Initiatives in the Heartland

Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications recently installed 500 surveillance cameras and integrated them with the existing 4,000 public sector cameras already installed across the Windy City as part of Operation Virtual Shield.

Currently in its third phase, Operation Virtual Shield's network of public surveillance cameras has been billed as the most advanced deployment of intelligent video in the nation since its launch in 2001. Cameras at Boeing, John Hancock, Sears Tower and over 100 other private companies have been integrated into the citywide surveillance grid and feed into the system.

Next steps for the project include extending the network along the city's lakefront and non-central business district locations, as well as adding more video analytic functionality to control how footage is captured and indexed. Without advancing analytics to help intelligently sort and organize footage, increasing the surveillance grid is insignificant.

As ABC News asks, "The technology will grow and so too will the number of cameras. But ultimately, how many cameras do we need, at what cost and how effective are they in fighting crime?"

Chicago police claim the increased number of street cameras have both discouraged crime and also led to arrests in other violent crimes, however there is still room for improvement in order to decrease the growing "Security Gap" between how much data systems can collect and how much humans can analyze.

Chicago is on the right track, but there are still some holes to be filled in this 'virtual shield'.

Advertising Gets Face Lift

Times Square. Piccadilly Circus. Even the turnstiles of the MTA subways in Manhattan.

These places are all highly trafficked areas with little advertising space to spare, and in such congested areas, marketers have tremendous difficulty determining the types of billboards that draw the most attention from audiences.

New technology out of Tokyo offers a solution to better measure the billboard's effectiveness – by utilizing surveillance technology. Slated to debut in a Tokyo railway station in January, NTT Communications is creating a billboard that stares back.

According to IDG News Service, the technology is able to measure how many people look at the billboard in order to determine the ad's ability to catch a consumer's attention.

Mounted just above the billboard, a digital camera coupled with basic facial recognition software will scan crowds and track if a person is looking directly at the advertisement. A second camera will be mounted underneath the billboard to track general crowd size in proximity to the ad. For privacy pundits, NTT is fast to stress that the cameras do not retain personal information about those tracked.

Capital or lowercase letters? Bold or neon color? Video or static image? This innovative approach will better measure how style, location and size aspects affect consumer attention and is the next step in adapting surveillance technology for other purposes.

Dunkin' Donuts actually performed trials a few months back to use facial scanning technology to target advertising to your age, gender and demographic group. Noted by the author, this was the "the first time it has been used by a mainstream advertiser in the US and works in the same way as systems used by law enforcement and emigration agencies to spot criminals in crowds."

Like the Tokyo billboard set-up, Dunkin' Donuts used cameras mounted above a screen to capture a customer's face and analyze facial features such as eye distance, jawline and cheekbone structure with complex algorithms. This information was then used to select ads more attune to the person's characteristics – a process about 85% accurate in tests.

Both Dunkin Donuts and NTT Communications show how surveillance technology can be modified to work for sectors other than security. Whether it is the donut shop around the corne or the train stop nearby, organizations are taking a page from Minority Report to operate more efficiently.

LPR Systems Abound Both in the US and Abroad

Whether to capture bank robbers and kidnappers on the run in the Cincinnati region or just to enforce local parking lot limitations in Aspen, License Plate Recognition (LPR) systems are spreading quickly throughout the country -- and as evidenced from recent headlines, they are finding their way overseas as well.

Yesterday, the Anti-Aggression Brigade from the Brussels Police Department in Belgium announced its deployment of AutoVu, Genetec’s IP LPR solution, to help detect stolen vehicles throughout the city. The day before, Hi-Tech Solutions Ltd. announced that its LPR solution, SeeCar, was selected to automate access control in 1,300 parking spots for AFCON’s Fast Park in the B.S.R. Towers in Israel.

While each initiative is meant to achieve a distinct objective — in Belgium, to track and find stolen vehicles, and in Israel to ensure that only permitted guests enter parking lots and to block unwelcome vehicles — these projects demonstrate the growing trend of LPR across major cities and ultimately the rise of urban surveillance worldwide.

Reported success has been limited for the numerous projects deployed thus far; however, recent innovation in camera technology, increased sensitivity to privacy infringements, and the hope of thwarting criminal attempts and increased protection of urban populations should indicate a promising future for LPR technologies.

Why Fuzzy Footage Is Useless

The fact that even with several minutes of video footage the police are stilling calling a suspect in a recent Palm Springs robbery Hispanic or African American is a prime example of why poor quality surveillance systems are a huge waste of money. Even if they catch this guy, the video evidence will not be enough to prosecute him.

Here's hoping he cracks and confesses during the interogation.

Cameras Don't Cut Crime, People Do

Here's a news flash: more cameras doesn't necessarily mean less crime. It's true - the presence of surveillance cameras alone will not deter crime. The consistent use of footage caught by those cameras to successfully prosecute criminals, on the other hand, may, eventually. Everyone knows that the presence of cameras or even extra policemen is not a deterrent in and of itself; criminals need to fear that they will be caught and that, once caught, they will be punished.

In other words, surveillance cameras may not be the solution, but they are a key part of it. In downtown Seattle, for example, where the aim is to make it more difficult for the open-air drug market to exist, installing cameras on dark and hidden alleys once left to drug dealers immediately creates a less safe atmosphere for drug deals. In London, where a senior police official recently denounced the "deterrence" factor of surveillance cameras, investigators did use CCTV footage to catch suspects in the 2005 terrorist bombing. And Scotland Yard has said that rather than throw surveillance cameras out altogether, they need more sophisticated equipment that turns surveillance footage into actionable data.

Meanwhile, this guy had an interesting take on the whole thing that brings into play the ongoing privacy vs. security debate. I'm not sure if I agree or disagree, but it's a thoughtful, well-written take.

A Camera Trained on Nothing Catches Nothing

A federal courthouse in San Diego was shut down today after a suspected pipe bomb blast exploded through its front entrance early Sunday. No one was hurt in the blast, but debris wound up on the 8th floor of the building facing the courthouse, so it was clearly not a minor explosion. Authorities are collecting evidence, but much of it is in the form of debris because, while the courthouse does have surveillance cameras, according to authorities none of those cameras are trained on the entrance door. I find that pretty amazing.

"It's too early to tell if it's terrorism-related," FBI spokesman Darrell Foxworth said about the blast. "It does not appear to be right now."

How can the FBI tell if a bomb blast is terror-related when they have no evidence at all pointing to who may have planted the bomb?

This case really underscores the importance of not just having a surveillance system but having the right system, set up correctly. Why spend money and time on surveillance cameras if they are not catching what you need? Security personnel set up surveillance systems to catch suspects in exactly these sorts of situations, when the retrieval of accurate, relevant evidence is crucial.

Axis study claims that IP cameras save costs

Axis Communications has released a study that claims an IP-based system of 40 cameras offers a lower total cost of ownership than an analogue-based surveillance system. It also claims that if IP infrastructure is in place, the IP surveillance system will always cost less.

Axis UK managing director Steve Gorski said: "This study shows that on a like-for-like basis where cost is the only consideration, IP-based systems make sense at a relatively low number of installed cameras. In our experience, most end-users will have some IP infrastructure to integrate into already, which network cameras can take immediate advantage of. When you add in the wider benefits of IP-based systems, such as scalability, remote monitoring and image quality, solely basing a comparison on cost becomes less and less relevant."

The study's findings suggested that the cost to acquire, install and operate an IP-based system was 3.4 per cent lower than a traditional system consisting of analogue cameras and DVR-based recording. Overall, it says, an installation with 32 cameras is the break-even point for IP-based systems versus analogue systems.

Justice Chief Wants Cops Monitoring Cameras

San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom's new anti-crime adviser said Wednesday that he will recommend a major change to the city's beleaguered video surveillance program, allowing police to watch footage in real time as officers do in other cities. San Francisco, in deference to privacy concerns, only allows detectives to request footage if they have information that a crime occurred on camera.

In part because of a lack of costly data storage space, San Francisco achieves 80 percent of the resolution that its cameras are capable of producing and gets choppy footage comprised of, at best, two to four frames per second, telecommunications officials say. The problem is not with the manufacturer, but with the implementation of the cameras on a tight budget. The hearing made clear that city officials, and residents, have tough choices ahead on how much money to put into surveillance.

While informative, this article neglects to include an important option that could solve San Francisco’s dilemma—intelligent video surveillance.

Video Surveillance Trailer Provides Visual Backup

Law enforcement agencies across the country can now rapidly deploy a live remote mobile surveillance trailer in high risk locations. Russell Turner, Vice-President of Sales for NetVision Mobile, states that "Law enforcement professionals at the National Association of Police Chiefs Annual Conference remarked on how the NetVision Remote Surveillance System 'will help protect personnel and property during large public gatherings, covert operations and in high risk situations.'"

Officers can view the cameras from within their vehicles. Monitoring companies, such as Securitas, can automatically dispatch EMS resources to the exact location while providing vital real-time information for effective planning & preparation. Should priorities change; the entire system can be taken down in five minutes, rapidly deployed at another location, and set up in five minutes.

The NetVision Mobile Security Surveillance Trailer is just skimming the surface with Law Enforcement & the Construction Industry because this mobile security solution will be used by many other types of businesses that need an 'Eye in the Sky' for their piece of mind.

Philly Touts Cameras in 37% Crime Drop

Philadelphia is aggressively adding city surveillance cameras, 250 of them, after the success of its initial rollout of just eighteen cameras last year.

The city installed 18 video surveillance cameras last year, which resulted
in an 8.4 percent decline in reported crime at 8 of the locations and a 37
percent decrease in violent crimes. (via Philadelphia Business
Journal)

I think Philly's aggressive monitoring and prosecution efforts might have had a little something to do with the decrease too.

Wi-Fi Brings Cameras to Tough Neighborhoods

Wi-fi Mesh technology is bringing down video deployment costs and making surveillance possible in some fairly rough neighborhoods. Contrary to some other reports, this seems to be having some effect:

"The cameras have made a difference," contends Pastor Mike Cummings, a former
gang member who for nine years has been escorting students to and from Jordan
High in a program known as Safe Passage. As school lets out on a sunny Friday
afternoon, Cummings, a large man wearing a gang-neutral yellow shirt and holding
a walkie-talkie, watches over large groups of youngsters walking home on 103rd
Street. They're going either to the weathered apartment buildings at Jordan
Downs, barrack-like structures fitted with barred windows and satellite dishes,
or to modest detached homes in the neighborhood. Several blocks from Jordan
High, Maricela Vargas is pushing a stroller with three grade-schoolers in tow.
"About a year ago, there was a lot more violence," she says in Spanish, pointing
to what had been a dangerous area just down the street. "Now, it's calmer." (via
FastCompany)

An interview with a Chicago Police officer sheds some light on why some communities are having success with cameras and others, like San Francisco, are not:

"Someone has to watch (the footage)," said Garbauski, who runs missions once a
week. "If there were no arrests, people would say, 'There's no one watching
this. It's just for show.' "

The San Francisco cameras installed at Newsom's request are facing scrutiny
because they have helped police make just one arrest, for an attempted murder,
in more than two years. A city law, prompted by civil liberties concerns, allows
police to request footage only after a crime occurs.

Records show that,
as of Sept. 18, San Francisco inspectors had asked for footage 58 times since
the cameras were installed in mid-2005. Chicago police said that, as of the same
day, they had used camera footage in 1,407 arrests, including at least five
homicides, since the city began tracking data in February 2006. (via
SF Gate)

San Francisco doesn't seem to have any problem using cameras to hand out traffic infractions though.

Chicago to Add Cameras to Street Sweepers

For those of you who were worried about privacy implications of “Google’s Street View,” Chicago is about to do them one better:

“We already know we're under surveillance ... well, pretty much all the
time. But it looks like the City may be adding some more robot overlords in
the near future: City Hall is looking for companies to provide high-res
cameras to be attached to street sweepers to photograph illegally parked
cars. The cameras would capture a pic of your license plate, and you'd get a
ticket in the mail. Most street sweeping tickets are $50.”

I am not sure MORE parking tickets were what folks had in mind when they stood up for more city surveillance.

The Maginot Line Part Deux

Andre Maginot has nothing on the virtual defense being mounted by French police.
Alliot-Marie said the Paris public transport network would expand its surveillance network to 6,500 cameras, while systems operating in provincial cities would be progressively linked to police control rooms. France stepped up security measures after the 2005 attacks in London's transport system that killed 52 people.

Cameras, cameras, everywhere.