Software to Randomize Police Operations at LAX

owlgorithm writes "A USC research group has created software, named ARMOR (Assistant for Randomized Monitoring over Routes), that will be used at LAX Airport to make security and police operations there truly unpredictable. The software records the locations of routine, random vehicle checkpoints and canine searches at the airport, and police provide data on possible terrorist targets, based in part on recent security breaches or suspicious activity. The software then makes random decisions (which are thankfully based on calculated probabilities of terrorist attacks) and tells the police where to dispatch and when. The most notable detail is that terrorists who had access to ARMOR still wouldn't be able to predict the searches."

Comments

Why spend the money?

[Fnord666]

...that will be used at LAX Airport to make security and police operations there truly unpredictable

Have you ever been to LAX? Security and police operations are already truly unpredictable and seemingly random.

I leaked the algorithm:

[Ethanol-fueled]

do {
goAfterTheBeardedGuy();
}while(beardedguy == brown);

Finally.

[ChePibe]

It's about time airports started using their luggage routing software for security purposes.

Brilliant, Randomness!!

[protolith]

Are they going to have truly random responses?

Thursday, Red panties are prohibited from carry on Luggage.
Friday, the X-ray conveyor machine will distribute Salisbury steak.

Periodically travelers will be pulled from the security line,
some will be sent directly to their planes, some will be beaten with sticks.

Saturday, the first 100 customers get a hand grenade!
Sunday, 100 random travelers will be conscripted to run security for the rest of the day.