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AI Could Power Next-gen CCTV Cameras

Posted by samzenpus on from the the-unseen-mechanized-eye dept.

Barence writes "UK researchers are working on fitting CCTV cameras with artificial intelligence, allowing them to more quickly respond to crimes. The technology, being developed by University of Portsmouth scientists, would allow cameras to "hear" violent sounds and react, swiveling quickly in the direction of a broken window or somebody shouting abusively for example, before alerting an operator. The artificial intelligence powering the camera would also be able to respond to visual cues such as fights, or violent behaviour."

7 of 173 comments (clear)

  1. Yeah... that'll work. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Nice idea- 'till someone gets his buddy to play a loud accordian solo ten feet away while he picks pockets out of frame.

    (Sorry for the AC, I'm on a public terminal.)

  2. So, the idea... by msauve · · Score: 4, Insightful

    is to toss a firecracker in the other direction as a distraction for both the camera and the victim, before quietly garroting them?

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    1. Re:So, the idea... by TubeSteak · · Score: 4, Insightful

      is to toss a firecracker in the other direction as a distraction for both the camera and the victim, before quietly garroting them? And the solution will be to make it illegal for one to make loud noises in public, or some other such nonsense.
      --
      [Fuck Beta]
      o0t!
    2. Re:So, the idea... by Lars512 · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Exactly. The technology they're suggesting is not that useful. Let's think of a better idea.

      Suppose instead you use cameras with a full field of view, that don't need to swivel at all and always can record everything. Aside from recording a crime, can we do more?

      If you still have these microphones, you could can use them to pinpoint where on a hi-res camera feed the noise came from. If you can identify the type of sound, you could use them in some sort of alert system which escalates warnings to a real person.

      None of these fixes the quiet garotting scenario, since there's no sound. Instead, you have AI looking at physical cues and body language for suspicious behaviour. Even then, we're just talking about trying to get there in time to apprehend the culprit; nothing will save the victim.

    3. Re:So, the idea... by hvm2hvm · · Score: 5, Insightful

      That was exactly his point. That the government might do that even though it would never work. I have to agree that it seems most governments do this kind of shit every day. Instead of fixing the underlying problems they just patch up the effects those problems cause.

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      ics
  3. Easy to subvert. by CastrTroy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Couldn't you use this feature to make the camera turn away. Have somebody make a big ruckus, so the camera turns away, then go in and do the actual crime while the camera is focused somewhere else.

    --

    Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
  4. "DRIVE", not "POWER" by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Jeez. We're supposed to be techies here, not a clueless advertising department.

    There are proper terms for this:

      - If the AI provides energy to make the circuitry of the camera run, it's POWERing it.
      - If the AI provides processing to control the camera's operation and/or reducing the data it produces, it's DRIVing it.

    So unless this camera has a REALLY SMART power supply the headline is flat-out bogus.

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way