The cameras have ears

Apparently we now have the technology for “intelligent video”:

Combining motion detection technology with the learning capabilities of video game software, these new systems can detect people loitering, walking in circles or leaving a package.

But their intelligence is limited by that of the people programming them.

New microphone technology can isolate the sound of a gunshot and
direct the attached camera to swivel and zoom in on the source.
Sensitivity may reach the point where microphones could pick out
the word “explosives” spoken in a crowd.

I doubt very much that any terrorist with half a brain would be dropping “explosives” in their public conversations. People innocently discussing the news, on the other hand, might well.

“There’s just not enough personnel to watch every single
camera,” said Chicago emergency operations chief Andrew Velasquez.
“We are piloting analytic software right now … where you can set
that particular camera to watch for erratic behaviour, or someone
leaving a suitcase on the sidewalk.”

I guess the danger comes down to what you consider “erratic”. If you’re waiting for someone and they’re late (or stand you up), I imagine there would be behaviour that might be picked up by a computer as “loitering” or something even worse.

While we might choose to put up with these intrusions in the hope of preventing violent crimes, another worry is that the data might be used for cracking down on less serious crimes like preventing graffiti.

In older news:

Senator Patrick Leahy, the Vermont Democrat newly in charge of the powerful Senate Judiciary committee, held the committee’s first hearing of the year Wednesday morning, focusing on data-mining, a clear message that data privacy and checks on the Bush Administration’s antiterrorism efforts are the new black.

Article quoted:
Alert software raises alarm on camera - Sydney Morning Herald (6 Feb 07)

Wired: Privacy To Be Tone for New Senate Judiciary Committee (10 Jan 07)

See also:
Senator to propose surveillance of illegal images | CNET News.com (7 Feb 07)

A forthcoming bill in the U.S. Senate lays the groundwork for a national database of illegal images that Internet service providers would use to automatically flag and report suspicious content to police. The proposal, which Sen. John McCain is planning to introduce on Wednesday, also would require ISPs and perhaps some Web sites to alert the government of any illegal images of real or “cartoon” minors. Failure to do would be punished by criminal penalties including fines of up to $300,000.