Security Experts to Develop Terrorist-Spotting Technology
US experts within the field of counter-terrorism have formulated plans to construct a range of high-tech technologies able to source potential terrorists within a crowd of people before they could carry out their acts of destruction. In this way, engineers and scientists have been requested to concoct methods by which distant analyses of human physiology and psychology could be observed and assessed. If attainable, this level of analysis, they hope, could demystify the state of minds of would-be terrorists.
In the programme, entitled 'Project Hostile Thought', the scientists will seek to construct devices capable of detecting give-away signs of mal-intent, based on heart rates, facial expressions and levels of perspiration.
The project's launch was instigated by the US Department of Homeland Security, which has extended an appeal for assistance in this venture to government laboratories and security firms. In the development timescale associated with the programme, trial of the new technology is anticipated to commence by 2012. The initial wave of tests will be limited in nature, and involve the devices being planted at a few ports of US entry, borders and airports.
Detailing the mission ahead, the plans for Project Hostile Thought focus on a mix of video cameras, infra-red, laserlight, eye-following technology and audio recordings, which, combined, will survey crowds in the search for unorthodox behaviour. If a potential suspect is detected, he/she will consequently face questioning from security staff.
The programme hopes to use an existing security platform as its basis. This, which is currently being used by the US transportation security administration, picks out "micro-expressions" - involuntary facial movements that indicate falsehood is at hand.
A University of California psychologist, Paul Ekman, has recently undertaken studies in the area of unintentional facial expressions. His research shows how true intentions are highlighted by the slightest movement. To take an example, disgust, in micro-expression terms, is shown if, when a smile is attempted, other movements such as the eyebrows descending and the nose wrinkling, enter the fray.
A large obstacle to overcome in Project Hostile Thought is building technology able to operate in real time. "Right now, screeners have typically less than one minute to examine a traveller's documents and assess whether they are a threat", stated the Department of Homeland Security's Larry Orluskie.
It is also anticipated that the project will involve research into the development of a remotely-controllable lie-detector test. This would be particularly advantageous, given the secrecy element that this would introduce to the scenario.
Comment on the venture from analysts within the security sector was, to some degree, cynical. A prime concern is that the technology of today lacks the accuracy to really be of use in predicting hostile intent. This sentiment was described by Dr Ekman, who raised the notion that a train of different micro-expressions could confuse the device.
Another, similar comment was provided by counter-terrorism analyst Anthony Richards. He concurred that significant hurdles did need to be overcome, stating: "There could be all kinds of reasons that might make people behave in certain ways that have nothing to do with terrorism".
He continued: "If you have heightened security and there are a lot of police around, it could be possible that you can feel and look guilty even when you haven't done anything wrong. We need to reduce the motivation for people doing these kinds of things. We shouldn't just accept that terrorism will remain as it is or worsen over the next 20 or 30 years and then just put all the technological solutions in place. Technology is certainly important in the fight against terrorism but that shouldn't detract from the crucially important challenge of finding out what is driving terrorism. We need to have a sensible and honest appraisal as to what is radicalising young people."
Mr Richards works at St Andrews University, and is involved with research into how prepared the UK would be for a potential and significant terrorist attack.
Finally, computer scientist Peter McOwan's opinion was, if anything, even more sceptical: "It's just like something from Minority Report. They have been watching too many Tom Cruise movies", he said.
Source - Security International's New Projects Reporter
