Medusa

[Carl N. Brown]

We have new traffic cameras going up in town,
and I had vaguely remembered CCTV in England,
now this:

http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/294267/Faster+on+the+draw+.htm

Faster on the draw

24 April 2006 02:00 PM

from The Engineer online

In an attempt to tackle gun crime in the UK,
researchers from Loughborough University are
developing an innovative identification system
that will use CCTV cameras to spot individuals
carrying concealed firearms.

Starting in June, the three-year multi-environment
deployable universal software application (Medusa)
project aims to develop intelligent software that
can detect a person carrying a concealed weapon
in real time.

While it is difficult to predict if someone is
carrying a gun before crime occurs, Professor
Alastair Gale, head of Loughborough University's
Applied Vision Research Centre and leader of
Medusa, said there are a number of cues the CCTV
operator can pick up. These tend to be overt and
covert cues (conscious and subconscious) and they
will form the base of the intelligent software
at the heart of the system.

The team will examine CCTV footage of people
carrying concealed firearms to identify characteristics
associated with the behaviour of criminals before
they commit a gun-related crime. These will include
body stance, gait, movement and eye contact with
cameras. Once acquired, this information will be used
to develop a novel machine-learning system for
behavioural interpretation. Armed with this data,
the CCTV cameras will scan footage automatically and
match behavioural characteristics that indicate if an
individual might be carrying a gun.

Researchers will use existing CCTV images and
collaborate with the Royal Armoury at Leeds to
unarmed people and a variety of guns. 'We are
primarily looking into gun-carrying behaviour but
the challenge is that it is difficult to obtain
that much real-life footage of people carrying guns
in the street,' said Gale. He said the system will
be developed to study knives as well, though at this
early stage other weapons have not been considered.

In parallel with the project, researchers will meet
experienced CCTV operators to establish the key cues
they use to identify people carrying concealed weapons. '
The idea is to marry human operator cues with the new
software system which ultimately will produce an
auditory and auto-visual cue to the operator,' said Gale.

As a result of this work, the database of CCTV footage
of individuals carrying or not carrying concealed
firearms will be used by local authorities and the
police for training CCTV operators to learn what to
look for.

Gale added that it will be relatively straightforward
to implement Medusa since the CCTV infrastructure
is already in place.

It should also lead to more efficient use of police
time and offer a more socially acceptable police
practice for identification of potential criminals.

Gun crime is a growing problem in the UK - almost
11,000 firearm offences were recorded in England and
Wales in 2004/2005, an increase of six per cent
on the previous year.

The project, funded by a £620,000 grant from the
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council,
involves collaboration with Kingston, Brighton,
Liverpool and Sunderland Universities.

M.E.D.U.S.A. -- Multi-Environment Deployable Universal Software Application
WILL BE WATCHING YOU SOON

Medusa, Clash of the Titans, 1981.

 

[GTSteve03]

Gun crime is a growing problem in the UK - almost
11,000 firearm offences were recorded in England and
Wales in 2004/2005, an increase of six per cent
on the previous year.

But... I thought handguns were illegal in the UK? Why do they even need this camera system? Shouldn't the law stop the crime?

 

[HankB]

I wonder if the software is smart enough to recognize that this guy is reaching into his shirt for a concealed weapon . . .

 

[El Tejon]

A French concealed weapon? What's that? Maybe a backup white flag instead?

Anyone else reminded of Minority Report?

 

[Azrael256]

Napoleon wasn't French.

 

[El Tejon]

Yes, if Nappy were French he would have given up only once!

Quivering in surrender is the way of the Med!

 

[griz]

In parallel with the project, researchers will meet
experienced CCTV operators to establish the key cues
they use to identify people carrying concealed weapons. '
The idea is to marry human operator cues with the new
software system which ultimately will produce an
auditory and auto-visual cue to the operator,'

Maybe it's the skeptic in me, but this sounds like a way to give the police a legal reason (the computer said you look armed) to search people that look out of place. When it comes to this country, expect legal challanges.

 

[Leanwolf]

"The team will examine CCTV footage of people
carrying concealed firearms to identify characteristics
associated with the behaviour of criminals before
they commit a gun-related crime. These will include
body stance, gait, movement and eye contact with
cameras. Once acquired, this information will be used
to develop a novel machine-learning system for
behavioural interpretation. Armed with this data,
the CCTV cameras will scan footage automatically and
match behavioural characteristics that indicate if an
individual might be carrying a gun."


Hmmmmm. Apparently the English do-right-Daddies who'll waste the Taxpayers money will hire some outta work ACTORS to ACT like they are carrying guns.

So, get this picture. The film/tape director tells the actor, "Now, old boy, as you walk down the street, I want you to look around furtively, and then pat your side a few times. Then, reach under your coat and make sure the false gun we gave you is still there. Okay?"

The Actor - "Right, mate. Let's do it."

SOUND! SPEED! ACTION!!!!

No doubt the English idiots ae just as wasteful of their subjects' taxmoney, as the Americans are wasteful of theirs".

L.W.

 

[CypherNinja]

Well, if this ever goes up in the US, at least people will something other than road signs to shoot at.

I've always wondered how much it would cost to implement those extensive camera systems in the US. Most of em would be fine, but there'll always be that .01% that they'll be pulling a .308 slug out of every week.

 

[antarti]

M.E.D.U.S.A. -- Multi-Environment Deployable Universal Software Application

Gale added that it will be relatively straightforward
to implement Medusa since the CCTV infrastructure
is already in place.

It should also lead to more efficient use of police
time and offer a more socially acceptable police
practice for identification of potential criminals.

Kill the head, and the body will die.

 

[Standing Wolf]

The team will examine CCTV footage of people
carrying concealed firearms to identify characteristics
associated with the behaviour of criminals before
they commit a gun-related crime.

Oh, gosh! I wonder what they'd think of my behavior.

 

[Tokugawa]

George Orwell- modern prophet. I wonder how soon the cameras will be in homes? There are probably suggestions to put them in "criminals" homes, along with the electronic monitoring.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

CCTV and MEDUSA

It is one thing to retrieve surveillance video reactively
to a specific investigation to a past crime; it is another
to actively watch video to spoty a current crime; it is
something else to do as M.E.D.U.S.A. does: use closed
circuit TV to proactively predict future crime. What
a brave new world! ;shudder;

I do not know which is more creepifying,
this poster about CCTV lately from London:

the traditional story of Airstrip One of Oceania:

or my old Picture of Matchstick Man and Bic Brother:

M.E.D.U.S.A. -- Multi-Environment Deployable Universal Software Application

If that aint the definition of creepifying what is?