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Chinese Police Test Gait-Recognition Technology That Identifies People Based on How They Walk (scmp.com)

Posted by msmash on from the big-brother-will-see-you-now dept.

You can tell a lot of things from the way someone walks. Chinese artificial intelligence start-up Watrix says its softwares can identify a person from 50 meters away -- even if they have covered their face or have their back to a camera -- making it more than a match for Sherlock Holmes. From a report: Known as gait recognition, the technology works by analyzing thousands of metrics about a person's walk, from body contour to the angle of arm movement to whether a person has a toe-in or toe-out gait, to then build a database. "With facial recognition people need to look into a camera -- cooperation is not needed for them to be recognized [by our technology]," said Huang Yongzhen, co-founder and chief executive of Watrix, in an interview in Beijing. Features like this have given Watrix an edge in catching runaway criminals, who tend to avoid surveillance, said Huang. Police on the streets of Beijing, Shanghai and Chongqing, have already run trials of gait recognition technology, said Huang, and the company officially launched its 2.0 version last week, which supports analysis of real-time camera feeds at a mega-city level.

53 of 93 comments (clear)

  1. One small problem... by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

    What if your subject wears a long (floor-length) dress with large sleeves? I suspect this will become a fashion thing before long if this takes off...

    --
    Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    1. Re:One small problem... by olsmeister · · Score: 1

      Just put on a pair of clown shoes, problem solved.

    2. Re:One small problem... by PopeRatso · · Score: 3, Funny

      I put on my robe and wizard hat.

    3. Re:One small problem... by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      You sexy bastard.

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    4. Re:One small problem... by Penguinisto · · Score: 1

      (...times like this I wish I had mod points, if only to give a fellow graybeard some recognition for dragging that one out of the mists of time. Cheers!)

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    5. Re: One small problem... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The jokes in them because I always put on a fake limp when I commit crimes!!! It's the perfect disguise...

      Is that you, Keyser Soze?

    6. Re: One small problem... by derrickn · · Score: 1

      Came for the Keyser Soze, was NOT disappointed

    7. Re:One small problem... by XxtraLarGe · · Score: 1

      It seems like you could throw this off by simply putting a lift on one shoe, walking with your hands in your pockets, etc.

      --
      Taking guns away from the 99% gives the 1% 100% of the power.
    8. Re:One small problem... by twosat · · Score: 1

      This wizard would not be hard to identify by his gait: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  2. Ministry of Silly Walks by jfdavis668 · · Score: 4, Funny

    Is the organization in charge called the Miistry of Silly Walks?

    1. Re:Ministry of Silly Walks by stealth_finger · · Score: 1

      Is the organization in charge called the Miistry of Silly Walks?

      Close

      --
      Wanna buy a shirt?
      https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    2. Re:Ministry of Silly Walks by LifesABeach · · Score: 1

      I think, "City Wok" will cause more than a few to spit their coffee out. - no apologies to South Park

    3. Re:Ministry of Silly Walks by mrbester · · Score: 2

      How about "Wok Like An Egyptian"?

      --
      "Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"
    4. Re:Ministry of Silly Walks by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Is the organization in charge called the Miistry of Silly Walks?

      It's right next to the Ministry of Silly Typos. (Yes, I know, I go their often.)

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    5. Re:Ministry of Silly Walks by jfdavis668 · · Score: 1

      On second thought , let’s not go to Camelot. ‘Tis a silly place.

    6. Re:Ministry of Silly Walks by technosaurus · · Score: 1

      Yes, but they will only get the usual suspects... not criminal masterminds like Caesar Sosei

  3. Yúchn xíngzu bù by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    This new ministry shall be known as

    Or the Ministry of Silly Walks.

    1. Re:Yúchn xíngzu bù by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      Over there it's "Ministry of Silly Woks".

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
    2. Re:Yúchn xíngzu bù by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      You mean foodist. (I've been to a foodist temple.)

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  4. This is how I used to do it by clawsoon · · Score: 1

    When I was a kid who no-one had yet realized needed glasses, this is how I identified people from a distance. Of course, I was living in a town with 100 people in it, so the challenge wasn't on the same scale.

    1. Re:This is how I used to do it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      My wife can do the same thing with people she knows. She can find me in a crowd even when she's too short to see over it, and doesn't know what I'm wearing, by crouching down and looking for my gait across the room, just on glimpses of me between the forest of legs.

      Impressively, she once identified a first cousin, once removed, of mine that I didn't know anything about (on the less close side of my family) based entirely on gait and how he used his hands while walking/talking (he was her professor); it was so clearly similar to my own gait and mannerisms that she asked me if he might be related after only two classes. Keep in mind, I had only met this cousin once in my entire life, when I was a young child. He's 40 years older, we didn't share an obvious name (doubly-maternal side relationship for me, so he didn't even share my mom's maiden name), and the last time I would have met him, he was living 1000 miles away from where she ran into him. I don't know how she does it, but she has never seen anyone else that triggered that "must be related" reaction (where she didn't already know we were related), so her success rate is 100%.

    2. Re:This is how I used to do it by Tablizer · · Score: 1

      When I was a kid who no-one had yet realized needed glasses, this is how I identified people

      I had a similar problem, and used the number of times they punched me to know.

      --
      Table-ized A.I.
  5. Drug sniffing dogs by rsilvergun · · Score: 1

    This is just an excuse for the police to stop you. More of that "broken windows" policing that doesn't stop crime but does let the govt crack down on dissidents.

    --
    Hi! I make Firefox Plug-ins. Check 'em out @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/youtube-mp3-podcaster/
  6. If you walk without rhythim by H3lldr0p · · Score: 1

    you won't attract the police?

  7. Putting the west to shame by stealth_finger · · Score: 2

    They are really running with this whole dystopia theme. Making the west look like slackers in comparison.

    --
    Wanna buy a shirt?
    https://www.redbubble.com/people/stealthfinger/shop?asc=u
    1. Re:Putting the west to shame by sycodon · · Score: 4, Insightful

      That is one of the disturbing things about these stories. People get wrapped up in the technology and forget that it will be used by a Fascist Communist Dictatorship to further oppress its citizens.

      It is providing a ready made "1984" template for when the majority finally acquiesce to the idea of safety over personal liberties.

      --
      When Fascism comes to America, it will call itself Anti-Fascism, and tell you to give up your guns.
    2. Re:Putting the west to shame by CastrTroy · · Score: 1

      Funnily enough, gait recognition is directly mentioned in Cory Doctorow's Book, Little Brother, which is based around the theme of living in a police state. The main character avoids the gait detection in his school by sticking rocks in his shoes.

      --

      Anthropic principle: We see the universe the way it is because if it were different we would not be here to see it.
    3. Re:Putting the west to shame by kaatochacha · · Score: 1

      I just read that book ( meh), and thought the same thing when reading this story.

  8. Put a stone in your shoe ... by Alain+Williams · · Score: 1

    and you will walk differently.

    1. Re:Put a stone in your shoe ... by angel'o'sphere · · Score: 1

      That is more difficult than you think.

      Or why do you think people who have an unhealthy walking style don't change it?

      --
      Cost free eBook I read (by iBook/Kobo/Amazon/ObookO/Gutenberg etc.): "The Green Odyssey" by Philip Jose Farmer.
    2. Re:Put a stone in your shoe ... by religionofpeas · · Score: 1

      Yes, or put a brace around ankle or knee.

    3. Re:Put a stone in your shoe ... by DickBreath · · Score: 1

      After I hang out with some guys, they already walk differently for up to an hour later.

      --

      I'll see your senator, and I'll raise you two judges.
  9. Unbreakable dictatorship by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    The next dictatorship will be unbreakable.

    But don't worry, it is a BENEVOLENT dictatorship forcing upon us a world without hate and bigotry. Not wanting to become subjects is hate. Not wanting to participate in all the nice do-goodery is bigotry. Also, only literal Nazis oppose our benevolent stewardship of the free world.

    To beautify our wonderful diverse city of peace, I kindly ask you to PICK UP THAT CAN, CITIZEN

  10. CIA former head of disguise has the answer by bart_smit · · Score: 1

    Jonna Mendez talks about this in her masterclass on disguise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    1. Re: CIA former head of disguise has the answer by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      As various remote sensing technologies improve, reduce in cost and become more pervasive coupled with improvements in pattern recognition techniques, I supect public disguise will become nearly pretty much impossible. Regulating this stuff and enforcing regulations with hefty penalties will be the only real solution for public privacy.

      As many popular dystopian works people have been exposed to, I'm surprised more people aren't up in arms to prevent private entities from doing the same in the US.

      Assuming steady computational power growth and improvements in low cost sensor technologies, it's pretty much inevitable that tracking in public will be commom state of affairs. Our culture tends to work on a reactionary basis instead of laying groundwork of prevention so I find it worrying that this will occur in the US.

      In a metropolitan or suburban area, a private entity could relatively easily deploy sensors that cover most of a region. They could then collect all the data privately, creating their own tracking system. They could then easily sell/license this information which local police, government officials, etc. who could use this information without a search warrant needed. It's really no different than what Equifax does when you think about it.

      The more and more privatized our country becomes, the less protections we can be afforded for privacy and basic rights. Imagine a future where most property is owned by a few wealthy individuals (we're not far away already). There will be little constitutional restrictions to what private capital can do on their own property with respect to surveillance, just like what Equifax can do with accumulating privately collected data.

      It's invasively happening on the internet already with advertisers and marketing... it will eventually hit the streets. I suspect many retailers are or have already been experimenting with these techniques. Right now, the computational power and sensor cost requirement are probably too high for ROI but that will definitely change and costs lower, and that's just retail.

  11. Might catch some people by Headw1nd · · Score: 1

    You are definitely not catching Keyser Soze like that.

    1. Re:Might catch some people by mrbester · · Score: 1

      They'll know that I'm a woman's man, which is fine by me.

      --
      "Wait. Something's happening. It's opening up! My God, it's full of apricots!"
    2. Re:Might catch some people by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      They'll know that I'm a woman's man, which is fine by me.

      Might have a lot of false positives on Egyptians though.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  12. What I find interesting. by jellomizer · · Score: 1

    There are so many ways of spying and identifying people. But when you need to fill out Bureaucratic papers, it is like you never have existed before today, and you have mountains of papers to fill out just to prove that you do exist.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  13. Pushback by burtosis · · Score: 1

    I believe there is grant money available for dissidents to counter this movement. Crazy thing is it has even been available since the 70s.

  14. Expect Many False Positives by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    We're already seeing false positives with license plate reading technology and numbers seem to me to be more identifiable visually than slight differences in gait or posture.
    But the police will have a warm body to throw in prison so I guess it will "work" whether or not it actually works.

  15. Winnie -- Sandworm by Imazalil · · Score: 1

    I guess it's time to update all the memes. Out with Winnie the Pooh, in with the Sandworm of Arrakis.

    1. Re:Winnie -- Sandworm by martinX · · Score: 1

      If you walk without rhythm, you won't attract the worm.

      --
      When they came for the communists, I said "He's next door. Take him away. Goddam commies."
  16. How will they link the gait to the person? by mark_reh · · Score: 1

    I predict that fashion will adapt to mass surveillance and people will start to dress and make-up in a variety of ways intended to thwart automated ID and tracking systems. Fake beards, mustaches, eye patches, sunglasses, makeup, mixed shoes (platform on one foot, sandal on the other, etc.), leg braces, walking sticks, surgical masks, hats that cover different parts of the face, etc.

    1. Re:How will they link the gait to the person? by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      And such things, if affective, will lower your social credit score.

    2. Re:How will they link the gait to the person? by mark_reh · · Score: 1

      They have to identify you before they can lower your score.

    3. Re:How will they link the gait to the person? by DeVilla · · Score: 1

      They won't know you've bought camera obscuring closes. Your neighbors won't be able to figure out who you are and that you wear the "surveillance proof" make up? It won't become a reason for police to stop you can chat on the street?

  17. Microstrut by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    Bill Gaits is running the project.

    --
    Table-ized A.I.
  18. Weapon of choice by spongman · · Score: 1

    Remember: if you walk without rythm, you won’t attract the worm.

  19. Phil! by cascadingstylesheet · · Score: 1

    Only thing about me is the way I walk ...

  20. Wizards always win by WillAffleckUW · · Score: 1

    Robes and large hooded reversible cloaks with modifiable attachments (shoulders, masks) ftw!

    See, the thing is, you actually think the Ministry of Silly Walks didn't exist.

    --
    -- Tigger warning: This post may contain tiggers! --
  21. Wonder what they would do with the Curly Shuffle by pgmrdlm · · Score: 1

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

    --
    Anonymous comments are as pathetic as the anonymous "sources" that contaminate gutless journalism from the New York Time
  22. The Chinese police know... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

    ...you're a woman's man, no time to talk.