One major area of concern over new technologies is the tempting use of it to create a surveillance state. As I listed in a previous blog about what people think will come about in 10 years, they listed the ability of people to record their entire life - video and sound. Well, the same is true for government - they will be able to record all public areas (and I imagine private ones, legally or not, but I'm not big on conspiracies). Check out his new step in the Netherlands.
REVELLERS planning a night out in the Netherlands this weekend should keep their voices down.
To prevent fights breaking out, surveillance cameras in the city of Groningen have been adapted to listen out for voices raised in anger. Microphones attached to the cameras feed the sound signals to software that can detect voices that are aggressive in tone. "Aggressive people tend to tense their larynx, and the sound made by their vocal cords is distorted," says Peter van Hengel of developer Sound Intelligence, a spin-off of the University of Groningen. This means that high frequency vowel sounds span a broader frequency range. "A truly aggressive voice is very hard to imitate," he says.
In a trial earlier this year, police made three arrests after being alerted by the system. Tests are also under way in Rotterdam, on Dutch trains and in stations.
From issue 2578 of New Scientist magazine, 18 November 2006, page 27
http://www.newscientisttech.com/channel/tech/mg19225780.159-big-brother-is-listening-to-you.html
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