The manager of stations and trains in the United Kingdom has deployed new intelligent cameras capable of analyzing dangerous behavior, but also the feelings of travelers.
A document leakconsulted by the American media Wired, reveals that thousands of British users were scanned as they passed through stations. In an article published on June 17, 2024, we learn that an image recognition system was tested for two years in eight stations in the United Kingdom. This software installed on the cameras was to predict the age, gender and emotions of travelers.
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The tests made it possible to detect intrusions on the tracks, monitor and predict overcrowding on platforms, identify anti-social behavior (running, shouting, skateboarding, smoking) and spot potential bicycle thieves. Sensors have been installed to report slippery floors and full trash cans.
Cameras to know if we are sad or happy
This testing phase could almost be seen as an improvement in security on the platforms, but some notes indicate that the artificial intelligence-enhanced cameras have gone beyond simple surveillance.
The Network Rail company in charge of the country's rail network used Amazon's Rekognition technology to control the population in stations. A statement adds that these tests must also make it possible to measure the “ satisfaction ” passengers, with potential reuse for “to maximize advertising and commercial revenue “.
For the organization defending freedoms Big Brother Watch, the most worrying in these documents remains a sheet which specifies that these technologies are used “ to analyze emotions such as joy, sadness and anger “.
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To what extent has emotion detection analytics been deployed? It's not clear, the docs only report that the use cases should be ” examined with more caution “. Gregory Butler, the CEO of data analytics and computer vision company Purple Transform, worked with Network Rail on the trials, and tells Wired that the capability was abandoned during testing.
Network Rail did not respond to questions about the trials posed by journalists, including about the current status of the use of AI as well as emotion detection.
Smart cameras, enhanced by AI, are also expected to be deployed for the Olympics in Paris. They should be able to analyze dangerous behavior, but there is no mention of analyzing our sadness or joy during the event.