Spy Cams in Planes Would Track Facial Expressions for Terrorism and 'Air Rage'

[The Straight Story]

Spy Cams in Planes Would Track Facial Expressions for Terrorism and 'Air Rage'
By Kim Zetter EmailMay 29, 2008 | 3:03:25 PMCategories: Surveillance


A prototype surveillance system being tested by the European Union would place cameras inside the back of every passenger seat to track the facial expressions of travelers and catch would-be terrorists and unruly flyers on the brink of "air rage."

The Security of Aircraft in the Future European Environment, or SAFEE, project tested a prototype in January using cameras installed in a fake Airbus A380 fuselage. In addition to the seat cameras, the fuselage was outfitted with six wide-angle cameras to monitor activity in the aisles, such as someone running or lingering near the cockpit door.

According to a report in New Scientist, the cameras would look for passengers sweating profusely or behaving in a nervous manner, but it would alert the crew only after detecting a combination of signs, rather than a single one.

But an expert in camera surveillance told the publication he was skeptical that such a system would be able to successfully track a person's behavior as he moves around the cabin or as lighting conditions in the cabin change.

http://blog.wired.com/27bstroke6/2008/05/spy-cams-in-pla.html

[marmar]

1. Given the state of flying these days.....Just about everybody would qualify by that measure.

n/t

[flvegan]

2. That's going to limit new membership to the Mile High Club.

:grr: :grr:

[The Straight Story]

3. Well, my expression would be smiling

:rofl:

[flvegan]

4. Yes, but that's *after*

The *before* might be quite suspicious. Quite "of course that's not a boxcutter in my pants" suspicious.

[angstlessk]

5. omfg!!! why not just surgically attach cameras to everyone in Britan's head

and be done with it..comming to the USofA shortly I am sure!! :grr:

[Ian David]

6. We would never get a plane off the ground, ever again, if they track for "air rage." n/t

[LeftyMom]

7. How would such a system sort out well-intentioned nervous flyers?

And wouldn't any criminal worth his salt be able to keep their face calm? I mean, if they were purple-faced with rage and fingering a weapon, the trained security monkeys/boarding crew/stews would catch that now.

[BuelahWitch]

8. What if you'd been on the plane for 5 hours

and just had to pee real bad? :shrug: I might be sweating profusely or behaving in a nervous manner if my bladder were full and I couldn't get to the bathroom.