I Always Feel Like Some One is Watching Me

Have you ever had the uneasy felling you are being watched. The one where you just cant put your finger on how or where but you feel the unknown eyes boring into you. Well in the world in which we are about to inhabit this may become an all to often felt sensation. Advancements in visual recognition will allow our computers to be aware and for some of them actually see us and know who we are. With a combination of cameras and sensor technologies the future looks to hold a some what Orwellian sounding experience. Let me pose to you however that the fear of a 1984 scenario may be clouding our judgment and if we take a closer look these systems could make our world a safer and more “user” friendlily place. The recent events with the Bush administration wire tapping Americans is a great example of how in the 21st century with its pervasive citizens journalism and media coverage of how the watchers are being watched as well. A classic example of the constant all ways “on” world cuts both ways. Now throw intelligent systems into the mix and we have three groups of watchers that are all being watched, Big Brother watching you and the computers, you watching Big Brother and the computers and the computers watching all of us. Sounds a little like double speak to me but the logic works.

So with our fears alleviated some what lets talk a little more about these technologies. When the movie Minority Report came out I had a few people ask me if we were going to start seeing retina scanners all over like was portrayed in that film. My response was no. We will not need to spend the money on all these eye scanners instead we will use the already existent video surveillance systems and use visual recognition software to allow our computers to know who we are. All ready software is being used to scan crowds at large events like the super bowl as well as monitor large traffic areas like the subway in London. This surveillance technology was very controversial in its implementation at the 2001 Super Bowl where the crowd was scanned and compared against “undisclosed” data bases for security. Do to the backlash from the ACUL and others as well as the primitive nature of software it seems the current trend is to use computer intelligence to “detect unusual activity” instead of individual identification. However this software will mature and the ability to scan through terra scale data bases to match a face with and ID is a feasible possibility. This technology could be used for security for your home, car, computer any device that has “intelligence” so no more keys or passwords. It is also being leveraged to help with the “Graying of America” to help seniors live independently longer. So if grandma falls down the aware system in the home knows to call for help. Another interesting use of “machine” vision is from a company called Neven. They are leveraging the mobile camera phone revolution and are pushing the idea that ”Customers can shop on-the-go by taking pictures of your products.” So see a new pair of shoes you like take a picture and via you cell phone order them online. I sense a lot of very worried parents of teen age girls when I think about this. Lock away the credit cards and get the pre-paid cell phones or all you may be able to afford is the picture of the shoes not the shoes themselves.

surveillance technology  – http://www.ipsotek.com/products/index.htm

Object Video – http://www.objectvideo.com/

Affective Learning Companion – http://affect.media.mit.edu/projects.php