March 28, 2007
Biometrics and Intelligent Video - A Study in Walking
For years, security experts have been salivating over the prospect of integration, that holy grail of security technologies. Integration means many different things to many people, but generally, the idea of incorporating distinct security technologies into one powerful, multi-tasking application has puzzled the security world for years.
Researchers in the UK are working on closing the integration gap with a video surveillance application that uses video analytics and biometrics to analyze human gait. The way we walk, claims project lead John Carter, reveals a lot about the loads we carry - both emotional and physical. It's obvious that a nervous person and a relaxed person will walk differently - their posture, speed and facial expressions will probably vary quite a bit. Security guards have used this kind of detailed analysis for years to search for suspicious persons at airports or banks. This project, at Southampton University, is taking it one step further. Scientists are working with cutting-edge video analytics technology and biometrics to create a surveillance system that can help security officers analyze gait and walking patterns in closed, high-traffic, high security areas like airports. The analytics cameras, programmed with algorithms to recognize biometric traits specific to irregular walking, would help security guards and airport administrators create the most effective security system possible. While the human eye will always be considered the most valuable part of this type of analysis, the sheer volume of people this type of camera could analyze would be beneficial for helping guards focus on the most suspicious looking characters. In heavily trafficked areas, like security checkpoints, it's important for guards to be able to determine whether a person is suspect or not. With the high volume of people flowing through checkpoints at all time, it's almost impossible for even the most seasoned security professional to catch intricacies in walk, carriage and expression that can reveal any suspicion.
Airports are probably the most valuable application for this new integrated technology - studies have shown that a person carrying a concealed object (like a weapon or a vest with an attached bomb, for example) may not initially appear to be concealing something, but upon closer inspection, will have different posture and a different walking pattern than a normal air traveler. The intelligent video in this application could be particularly useful for distinguishing the nuances between people in a busy airport.
While this technology is still under development, its possibilities are most certainly exciting, and the applications far-reaching. Read more about it at SecurityInfoWatch.com or at the Automatic Gait Recognition Project homepage.
Posted by Jennifer on March 28, 2007 4:30 PM | Comments (0)
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