In the future, the whole world will be like a video game....
August 12, 2005 12:17 PM Subscribe
Closed Circuit TV and Data Confluence
Qinetiq is bringing their CCTV confluence technology, codenamed Praetorian, to the UK. "The system automatically tracks and stitches 3D images with CCTV video, maps and other real-time information. It automatically alerts operators to intruders, unusual behaviour, left objects or anything it is told to spot." And it looks more like a video game than a video feed. This new tech is perhaps not as controversial as Qinetiq's Millimetre Wave Imaging System that allows passive scanning through clothing to detect guns, knives or bombs.
Yes, it is very Big Brother-esque but its also pretty amazing technology too. Qinetiq previously discussed on MeFi here, here, here and here.
Qinetiq is bringing their CCTV confluence technology, codenamed Praetorian, to the UK. "The system automatically tracks and stitches 3D images with CCTV video, maps and other real-time information. It automatically alerts operators to intruders, unusual behaviour, left objects or anything it is told to spot." And it looks more like a video game than a video feed. This new tech is perhaps not as controversial as Qinetiq's Millimetre Wave Imaging System that allows passive scanning through clothing to detect guns, knives or bombs.
Yes, it is very Big Brother-esque but its also pretty amazing technology too. Qinetiq previously discussed on MeFi here, here, here and here.
Rapid Eye is one of the best CCTV systems implementations I've ever evaluated. This software looks cool. This is so far from the "continously overwrite the VCR tape" cameras we see in the convenience stores. Definitely a rapidly advancing sector of technology.
posted by nofundy at 1:13 PM on August 12, 2005
posted by nofundy at 1:13 PM on August 12, 2005
Whenever I'm standing in the checkout lane, trying not to notice the young woman in front of me, or let her boyfriend know I just noticed her, or, trying not to dance to the 70s soul music, or trying not to hear the phishing attempts...
It's those times I think about the 30+ black globes on the ceiling, and the computers which are undoubtedly behind them, or will be soon enough, and I think about a very large spider, with its shiny black eyes, tracking all the slight movements from 30 different spider perspectives, simultaneously, incomprehensible to my visual cortex, but superlative in ability to track and predict,
Eventually the black orbs will disappear, replaced by smaller and more discreet cameras, at which point my visualization will be of a smarter spider, now invisible...
posted by nervousfritz at 2:04 PM on August 12, 2005
It's those times I think about the 30+ black globes on the ceiling, and the computers which are undoubtedly behind them, or will be soon enough, and I think about a very large spider, with its shiny black eyes, tracking all the slight movements from 30 different spider perspectives, simultaneously, incomprehensible to my visual cortex, but superlative in ability to track and predict,
Eventually the black orbs will disappear, replaced by smaller and more discreet cameras, at which point my visualization will be of a smarter spider, now invisible...
posted by nervousfritz at 2:04 PM on August 12, 2005
So use it to look through dry soil, to see land mines. THz waves (sub-mm) do that too.
Of course if this does work, then it can only help remove the last sixty years woth of mines, while the various militaries will make sure that any future mines are invisible.
Me, I'm waiting for the Nuts & Volts magazine article, where they give instructions on how to build your own scanner.
posted by billb at 2:32 PM on August 12, 2005
Of course if this does work, then it can only help remove the last sixty years woth of mines, while the various militaries will make sure that any future mines are invisible.
Me, I'm waiting for the Nuts & Volts magazine article, where they give instructions on how to build your own scanner.
posted by billb at 2:32 PM on August 12, 2005
Feh. Give me unstructured lumigraphs, damnit!
(PDF's here.) Try as I might, I was unable to track down the SIGGRAPH 2001 video that demonstrated just how cool this is... but check out the last page of the PDF. Basically, they walk down a hallway, run the lumigraph code, and poof...rotatable view of the hallway. Hot!
posted by effugas at 2:40 PM on August 12, 2005
(PDF's here.) Try as I might, I was unable to track down the SIGGRAPH 2001 video that demonstrated just how cool this is... but check out the last page of the PDF. Basically, they walk down a hallway, run the lumigraph code, and poof...rotatable view of the hallway. Hot!
posted by effugas at 2:40 PM on August 12, 2005
Hah! effugas always makes me look smart when I swipe killer links like that.
Good post, too!
posted by sonofsamiam at 2:48 PM on August 12, 2005
Good post, too!
posted by sonofsamiam at 2:48 PM on August 12, 2005
Smedleyman, first poster, makes the ultimate point - It's just information, and if all citizens in the society have open, fair, and equal access to that information, then it's not Big Brother, it's the DMV asking you some pretty pointed details (hair color? height?), a situation at which no one seems to balk.
Of course, I'm a socialist, so that might color my view on this.
posted by eclectist at 2:58 PM on August 12, 2005
Of course, I'm a socialist, so that might color my view on this.
posted by eclectist at 2:58 PM on August 12, 2005
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posted by Smedleyman at 12:39 PM on August 12, 2005