We’re not exactly lacking in opportunities for Minority Report references these days, but sometimes they’re just unavoidable. According to a new report from CNET based on documents obtained by the Electronic Privacy Information Center, the US Department of Homeland security is now working on a system dubbed FAST (or Future Attribute Screening Technology) that’s designed to identify individuals who are most likely to commit a crime. That’s not done with something as simple as facial recognition and background checks, however, but rather algorithms and an array of sensors and cameras that can detect both physiological and behavioral cues that are said to be “indicative of mal-intent.” What’s more, while the DHS says that it has no plans to actually deploy the system in public just yet, it has apparently already conducted a limited trial using DHS employees — though no word on the results of how well it actually works, of course. Hit the source link below for the complete (albeit somewhat redacted) documents.
US Department of Homeland Security developing system to predict criminal intent originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 08 Oct 2011 02:31:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Worried that a nuclear attack might wipe out all of American civilization? You needn’t be, because the scientific community’s crystal ball says crystal balls may save humanity. Last week, the Department of Energy awarded a $900,000 grant to Fisk University and Wake Forest, where researchers have been busy exploring the
counter-terrorist capabilities of strontium iodide crystals. Once laced with europium, these crystals can do a remarkably good job of picking up on and analyzing radiation, as the team from Fisk and other national laboratories recently discovered. Cost remains the most imposing barrier to deploying the materials at
airports or national borders, though soothsaying scientists claim it’s only a matter of time before they develop a way to produce greater crystalline quantities at an affordable price. The only thing Miss Cleo sees is a glistening press release, in your very near, post-break future.
Continue reading Bomb-sniffing crystals may save us from nuclear Armageddon, tea leaves agree
Bomb-sniffing crystals may save us from nuclear Armageddon, tea leaves agree originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 18 Jul 2011 08:35:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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It looks like we finally know what the US Department of Homeland Security plans to use instead of the now infamous color-coded terrorism alert system. According to a draft document obtained by the Associated Press, the department’s new system will simply have two levels of alerts — “elevated” and “imminent” — and it seems those warnings will even be published online using Facebook and Twitter “when appropriate.” There’s no word as to exactly how those alerts will be published, however, or any indication that the two companies have actually committed to aiding the department in any way, for that matter. We should know more soon enough, though — the new system is expected to be in place by April 27th.
US Homeland Security Department planning to use Facebook, Twitter for terrorism alerts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 12:34:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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