Posted on 02/11/2007 4:58:21 AM PST by Stoat
Tiny cameras the size of a fingernail linked to specialist computers are to be used to monitor the behaviour of airline passengers as part of the war on terrorism.
Cameras fitted to seat-backs will record every twitch, blink, facial expression or suspicious movement before sending the data to onboard software which will check it against individual passenger profiles.
Scientists from Britain and Germany are spending £25million developing a system which they hope will make it virtually impossible to hijack an airliner by providing pilots and cabin crew with an early warning of a possible terrorist attack such as 9/11.
They say that rapid eye movements, blinking excessively, licking lips or ways of stroking hair or ears are classic symptoms of somebody trying to conceal something.
A separate microphone will hear and record even whispered remarks. Islamic suicide bombers are known to whisper texts from the Koran in the moments before they explode bombs.
The software being developed by the scientists will be so sophisticated that it will be able to take account of nervous flyers or people with a natural twitch, helping to ensure there are no false alarms.
"We're trying to develop technologies that indicate the differences between normal passengers and those who may be a threat to others, or themselves," said Catherine Neary of BAE Systems.
Mrs Neary, team leader of the Onboard Threat Detection System for the Paris-based Security Of Aircraft In The Future European Environment (SAFEE) project, added: "Blink rates come from lie-detection research and suggest the stress level is higher than normal."
The project is also developing automated flight controls that will prevent a hijacker taking over an airliner and sensors at the aircraft's doors to detect if someone is carrying explosives or chemicals.
Mrs Neary said that under the Data Protection Act, all video, audio and other recordings would be destroyed at the end of every flight so that passengers' civil liberties were not infringed.
Shami Chakrabarti, director of the human rights group Liberty, said: "Watching people constantly on aircraft and trying to work out patterns of behaviour is a difficult road to travel.
"I suspect that it will put people off flying because they will feel uncomfortable if their every blink and twitch is being monitored."
Airlines gave the scheme a cautious welcome, indicating it would be too expensive to fit on existing commercial aircraft and that it would probably be ten years before such systems were fitted to new planes.
A British Airways spokeswoman said: "While we welcome new research and development which advances aviation security, we believe the emphasis and funding for any new initiatives would be better placed on preventing terrorists boarding aircraft in the first place.
"For example, research and development of better screening and detection equipment on the ground would be of more value at this time."
Well gee, now that you've detailed your selection criteria and printed it in the media, no terrorists will ever read it and mask these behaviors, will they now?
The project is also developing automated flight controls that will prevent a hijacker taking over an airliner and sensors at the aircraft's doors to detect if someone is carrying explosives or chemicals.
I don't suppose they considered the implementation of aggressive profiling, which would most likely be far more effective? No? I didn't think so. I'm still waiting to hear about a Norwegian grandma trying to hijack a plane.
Political correctness will be the death of us all.
It seems a little late once their on the plane.
One word: "gum"
What if hijackers bought up most/all of the seats on any flight? What then?
The possibilities are horrific. Passenger 3A is on a medication that dries out the membranes, resulting in dry lips and eyes. He's also nervous about flying. Take-off scares him, ascent scares him, and turbulence scares him, plus he has an itchy ear from the mosquitos that he left behind in Houston. They gonna pick him up?
How about putting up a newspaper to block the camera while the evil passenger is delivering signals or being nervous?
Ad this technology to a seat belt with a controled lock.....and the pilot could control every seat.
Yes, I would prefer it if they were profiled out of the picture before they even arrived at the airport.
10 cents worth of candy in the hands of a four year old can derail a fifty million dollar project and cause the diversion of a 150 million dollar aircraft and the disruption of the lives of many hundreds of people.
The airline would probably switch off the system because they wouldn't want to risk a massive lawsuit.
No,No, that's the beauty of the whole thing. You see, each seat also has a trap door underneath it. And the captian has this special red button...........
It seems to me that a "Muslim only" airline would either be a huge success because Muzzies would flock to it so that they don't have to sit near infidels and they can eat their halal food, or it would be a huge flop because no insurance company would underwrite it because it would represent an unacceptable risk of loss of the aircraft.
Wait! What does the ACLU have to say about this?!
This is so idiotic! Technology for the sake of technology.
Lets add this up...your computer on board identifies 8 middle-eastern guys on the plane...who meet the eye-blinker alert. This shows up in the drive up to the runway area. You as the pilot cite engine issues and pull back to the gate. They unload the crowd and bring the 8 middle-eastern guys over to a FBI rep who asks alot of questions and asks for their travel plans. In five minutes...their stories fall apart.
Although I am embarrassed to say that I didn't phone them up before I posted this, I'm guessing that they would approve of it because
And even if this would work, the reason we are advertising it's presence is...?
Yes, fifty million dollars (so far) on a project that can be defeated by a stick of gum and is ineffective and unreliable at it's foundation, and is not wanted by the airlines anyway..
The Socialist Miracle at work.
GREAT cartoon, thank you for posting :-)
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