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.
rshah Chicago
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.
rshah Vendors
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.
rshah Uncategorized
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.
rshah Other Cities
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.
rshah Chicago
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).
rshah Policy
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.
rshah Applications
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.
rshah ALPR
From Chicago Defender:
The 2007 budget includes $1 million line item for an additional 100 crime fighting cameras.
rshah Chicago
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.
rshah ALPR, Vendors
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