Chicago Developing 'Suspicious Behavior' Monitoring System

narramissic writes "Over the past few years, Chicago's Office of Emergency Management and Communications (OEMC) has been blanketing the city with a network of thousands of video cameras in an effort to remotely keep track of emergencies in real time. Now, with the help of IBM, the network is getting some smarts. IBM software will analyze the video and ultimately 'recognize suspicious behavior,' says OEMC spokesman Kevin Smith. 'The challenge is going to be teaching computers to recognize the suspicious behavior,' said Smith. 'Once this is done this will be a very impressive city in terms of public safety.'"

I for one..

[Spritzer]

...welcome our Minority Reporting overlords.

IBM Hal 9000

[MonGuSE]

Robot Officer: Dave, you are under arrest.
Dave: What for?
Robot Officer: Hal says you are acting suspicious.
Dave: Picking my nose is acting suspicious?
Robot Officer: Yes you might be about to litter.

This is not a good idea now the cops can just say the computer said you were suspicious so we have reason to detain and search you and your car.

The berserkers are coming...

[pigiron]

Should get really interesting when they integrate this system with the latest US Army battlebots!

"Chicago?"

[Anonymous Coward]

Didn't Microsoft eventually rename that "Windows 95?"

Re:Good or bad?

[Anonymous Coward]

"Obviously, this software will do squat."

How dare you say such a thing?

Our nation faces its greatest challenge since the Commies invaded our preschools in the 1950s, and all you can do is criticize the bravest defenders of the flag?

I can scarcely bear the thought that, as we speak, people across the nation are acting in an unregimented fashion.

Could you imagine the ensuing chaos were citizens to suddenly, say, begin walking with non-uniform gaits? Or worse, if they were to stop walking altogether to perform music or to speak -- without even obtaining the proper license? Heaven preserve us!

I offer pedestrians this handout [safetystate.com] to warn them of the danger, but there is only so much one man can do. What are you doing to help?

Re:Good or bad?

[ivanmarsh]

Cars parked where they aren't supposed to be... cars that drive around the same building several times... obviously none of these people have ever been to Chicago.

In Chicago driving around a building several times is what you do before you decied to park somewhere you aren't supposed to be parked.

Sounds like putting cameras in the forest looking for trees.

Duh

[Jaqenn]

IBM software will analyze the video and ultimately recognize suspicious behavior. ... The challenge is going to be teaching computers to recognize the suspicious behavior,' said Smith. 'Once this is done this will be a very impressive city in terms of public safety.'"

I'm going to make a ship that goes to the moon. The challenge will be in making a ship that can go to the moon. Once this is done this will be a very impressive ship in terms of transportation.

Re:Good or bad?

[cayenne8]

Time for us to bring out the "Ministry of Silly Walks".

Just walk around goofy...try to set huge ranges of standards for normal/abnormal behavior...throw the stats right out of the window.

That or everyone come to town on "dress like a stick of dynamite day"....

Re:Good or bad?

[Amouth]

Sounds like putting cameras in the forest looking for trees.

if you where talking about an AD domain.. that might be a good thing.. cause nothing else watchs them...

Video overlords

[HangingChad]

It looks like this person is trying to sell crack. Cancel or allow?