From the Register via Bruce Schneier: The EU is testing an airplane-seat camera system that tries to detect terrorists before they leap up and carry out their attack.
Each camera tracks passengers’ facial expressions, with the footage then analysed by software to detect developing terrorist activity or potential air rage. Six wide-angle cameras are also positioned to monitor the plane’s aisles, presumably to catch anyone standing by the cockpit door with a suspiciously crusty bread roll. But since people never sit still on planes, the software’s also designed so that footage from multiple cameras can be analysed. So, if one person continually walks from his seat to the bathroom, then several cameras can be used to track his facial movements.
The software watches for all sorts of other terrorist-like activities too, including running in the cabin, someone nervously touching their face or excessive sweating. An innocent nose scratch won’t see the F16s scrambled, but a combination of several threat indicators could trigger a red alert.
As Bruce notes all this will do is create a false alarm. After all, do we have records of the sort of facial characteristics that are unique to terrorists as they prime themselves for action?
