Britain makes camera that "sees" under clothes

[zhelas]

Sun Mar 9, 7:21 AM ET
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2091/2322484481_aa3db00cab.jpg
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080309/tc_nm/security_britain_technology_dc

LONDON (Reuters) - A British company has developed a camera that can detect weapons, drugs or explosives hidden under people's clothes from up to 25 meters away in what could be a breakthrough for the security industry.

The T5000 camera, created by a company called ThruVision, uses what it calls "passive imaging technology" to identify objects by the natural electromagnetic rays -- known as Terahertz or T-rays -- that they emit.

The high-powered camera can detect hidden objects from up to 80 feet away and is effective even when people are moving. It does not reveal physical body details and the screening is harmless, the company says.

The technology, which has military and civilian applications and could be used in crowded airports, shopping malls or sporting events, will be unveiled at a scientific development exhibition sponsored by Britain's Home Office on March 12-13.

"Acts of terrorism have shaken the world in recent years and security precautions have been tightened globally," said Clive Beattie, the chief executive of ThruVision.

"The ability to see both metallic and non-metallic items on people out to 25 meters is certainly a key capability that will enhance any comprehensive security system."

While the technology may enhance detection, it may also increase concerns that Britain is becoming a surveillance society, with hundreds of thousands of closed-circuit television cameras already monitoring people countrywide every day.

ThruVision came up with the technology for the T5000 in collaboration with the European Space Agency and from studying research by astronomers into dying stars.

The technology works on the basis that all people and objects emit low levels of electromagnetic radiation. Terahertz rays lie somewhere between infrared and microwaves on the electromagnetic spectrum and travel through clouds and walls.

Depending on the material, the signature of the wave is different, so that explosives can be distinguished from a block of clay and cocaine is different from a bag of flour.

[Gan]

Pretty cool technology.

[Asha]

Fucking Total Recall FTW

[Latrinsorm]

That 25 meter number is absolute bullshit. THz scatters off the air and clothing way too much to be reliable that far out. If anyone's near Aylesbury on March 13th give it a look though, it really is cool stuff.

I'd also like to see an actual picture of the imaging system and perhaps the stats on the enormous laser they'd have to use to generate that much THz radiation.

Now that I'm done being a huge nerd, who else finds the British libertarian response to this hilarious?

[Celephais]

Now that I'm done being a huge nerd
Yeah right... I'll believe that when I read it.

[Latrinsorm]

:C

I would have a much more robust rebuttal if I wasn't currently trying to come up with a coloring system to normalize the THz imaging scans we took (due to fluctuating laser power)...

...while I'm on vacation. :S

[TheEschaton]

T5000? Are they serious? Did they number it specifically based on the Terminator terminology? Come on, man!

Skynet is coming!

[Arkans]

T5000? Are they serious? Did they number it specifically based on the Terminator terminology? Come on, man!

Skynet is coming!

You kidding? Skynet is already here. Come with me, if you want to live!

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Last Updated: Friday, 9 November 2007, 17:45 GMT

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Skynet military launch is delayed
By Jonathan Amos
Science reporter, BBC News, Kourou



The Ariane rocket will be rolled back for testing
The launch of the UK's Skynet 5B military communications satellite from French Guiana has been delayed.

The spacecraft's Ariane rocket has developed an electronic problem in one of its solid fuel boosters and will be rolled back to an inspection shed.

The flight, originally timed for Friday night, is not now expected to take place until Monday at the earliest.

The £3.6bn Skynet project is designed to give British commanders access to more information, much faster.

"We tried to understand what's going on [in the electronic equipment] but unfortunately we did not succeed," explained Jean-Yves Le Gall from Arianespace, the company which runs the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.

"We are now taking the launch vehicle back to the Final Assembly Building where we will investigate the equipment and replace it."

The countdown was stopped six hours, two minutes and 34 seconds before the scheduled lift-off.

Video demand

The Skynet 5B platform is set to join in orbit the 5A satellite, which was lofted successfully in March and is already handling secure traffic for UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The spacecraft, which have been developed by EADS Astrium in Stevenage and Portsmouth, provide-two-and-a-half times the bandwidth capacity of their predecessors, the Skynet 4 satellites.


Controllers take no risks with a launch
The greater performance is necessary because military commanders are starting to use information-rich applications, such as video, in their operations.

Only today, the Ministry of Defence announced it had started flying its new Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Afghanistan. The planes will gather intelligence on Taliban activities and their pictures can be fed back to the UK via Skynet 5A for further analysis, if necessary.

The problem with the Ariane rocket also delays the launch of Skynet 5B's co-passenger - a Brazilian satellite called Star One C1 which will deliver broadband internet services to consumers in South America.

Delays to launches are not uncommon. Officials constantly monitor the rocket and its payload and if there is the slightest doubt, the flight is stood down. Skynet 5A was itself held on the ground for 24 hours when a fault developed in the launch table.

"This is the price for total quality; we do not want to take any risks, and this is why we replace equipment anytime we could have a problem," said Mr Le Gall.

The technical teams responsible for the satellites will continue to monitor their systems over the weekend. Umbilical connections to the Ariane allow engineers to talk to the spacecraft even though they are closed inside the top of the rocket.

"At this stage, the thing we worry about is the battery [in 5B]," explained Patrick Wood, the Skynet programme chief at Astrium.

"The team will be monitoring the charge on the lithium ion battery, and checking it is on external power. Once we've got a resumed launch time, we will go with our standard test sequence," he told BBC News.



The RAF is now using Reaper, which was formerly known as Predator B




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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7087910.stm

- Arkans

Hasta La Vista, Baby!

[Arkans]

T5000? Are they serious? Did they number it specifically based on the Terminator terminology? Come on, man!

Skynet is coming!

You kidding? Skynet is already here. Come with me, if you want to live!



Skynet military launch is delayed
By Jonathan Amos
Science reporter, BBC News, Kourou



The Ariane rocket will be rolled back for testing
The launch of the UK's Skynet 5B military communications satellite from French Guiana has been delayed.

The spacecraft's Ariane rocket has developed an electronic problem in one of its solid fuel boosters and will be rolled back to an inspection shed.

The flight, originally timed for Friday night, is not now expected to take place until Monday at the earliest.

The £3.6bn Skynet project is designed to give British commanders access to more information, much faster.

"We tried to understand what's going on [in the electronic equipment] but unfortunately we did not succeed," explained Jean-Yves Le Gall from Arianespace, the company which runs the Kourou spaceport in French Guiana.

"We are now taking the launch vehicle back to the Final Assembly Building where we will investigate the equipment and replace it."

The countdown was stopped six hours, two minutes and 34 seconds before the scheduled lift-off.

Video demand

The Skynet 5B platform is set to join in orbit the 5A satellite, which was lofted successfully in March and is already handling secure traffic for UK forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The spacecraft, which have been developed by EADS Astrium in Stevenage and Portsmouth, provide-two-and-a-half times the bandwidth capacity of their predecessors, the Skynet 4 satellites.


Controllers take no risks with a launch
The greater performance is necessary because military commanders are starting to use information-rich applications, such as video, in their operations.

Only today, the Ministry of Defence announced it had started flying its new Reaper Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in Afghanistan. The planes will gather intelligence on Taliban activities and their pictures can be fed back to the UK via Skynet 5A for further analysis, if necessary.

The problem with the Ariane rocket also delays the launch of Skynet 5B's co-passenger - a Brazilian satellite called Star One C1 which will deliver broadband internet services to consumers in South America.

Delays to launches are not uncommon. Officials constantly monitor the rocket and its payload and if there is the slightest doubt, the flight is stood down. Skynet 5A was itself held on the ground for 24 hours when a fault developed in the launch table.

"This is the price for total quality; we do not want to take any risks, and this is why we replace equipment anytime we could have a problem," said Mr Le Gall.

The technical teams responsible for the satellites will continue to monitor their systems over the weekend. Umbilical connections to the Ariane allow engineers to talk to the spacecraft even though they are closed inside the top of the rocket.

"At this stage, the thing we worry about is the battery [in 5B]," explained Patrick Wood, the Skynet programme chief at Astrium.

"The team will be monitoring the charge on the lithium ion battery, and checking it is on external power. Once we've got a resumed launch time, we will go with our standard test sequence," he told BBC News.



The RAF is now using Reaper, which was formerly known as Predator B





http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7087910.stm

- Arkans

Hasta La Vista, Baby!

[Stanley Burrell]

What about jewelry? Admittedly, I don't know the exact allotype of gun steel, but I'd imagine there's articles of attire that could give shit-tons of false alarms. Especially if somebody set us up the bomb each time it's triggered.

<<I'd also like to see an actual picture of the imaging system and perhaps the stats on the enormous laser they'd have to use to generate that much THz radiation.>>

Probably more than one beam being operated by a camera person. If it's not manual, that's really crazy (Edited: If it's not doing mosaic image piecing.)

[diethx]

Fucking Total Recall FTW

Haha, I thought the exact same thing. I love that movie :heart:

[Sean]

Update.. it's kind of interesting to see the video of how it works.

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/europe/04/16/camera.england/index.html

LONDON, England (CNN) -- New technology that can "see" through clothing and detect what's underneath can now be used to scan crowds, making it a potentially effective tool to prevent terrorist attacks in public places.

The camera can see through people's clothes from up to 25 meters away, detecting objects.

The ThruVision T5000 camera picks up Terahertz rays, or T-rays, which are naturally emitted by all objects and can pass through fabric or even walls.

The camera can then image metallic and non-metallic objects hidden under clothing on still or moving subjects without revealing any body detail, according to its British manufacturer, ThruVision Limited.

While similar technology is being unveiled at airports around the world, the T5000 is designed to be used in large, open areas. With a range of 25 meters, the T5000 can screen people in public places, thus avoiding bottlenecks at border crossings or security checkpoints.

It also means people can be screened without knowing it.

Amid privacy concerns, ThruVision Chief Executive Clive Beattie said the image produced by the camera did not reveal detailed anatomy.

"It's almost a glowing light bulb," Beattie told CNN. "You don't see the detail that people might be concerned about."

Explosives, liquids, narcotics, weapons, plastics, and ceramics can all be detected by the camera's imaging technology, which the company says is completely safe. Unlike X-rays, the T5000 does not emit radiation -- it only picks up on it.

The technology stems from British astronomers' work in studying dying stars. Astronomers use T-ray cameras to see through dust and clouds in space.

The company sees uses for its camera at high-profile sites like political or business venues, and outdoor areas like tourist attractions and sports arenas.

The camera is already in use in London's Canary Wharf financial area.

In London's busy Piccadilly Circus -- which is already filled with closed-circuit surveillance cameras -- reaction to the new technology was mixed. What do you think of this technology?

Some said the camera was going too far and invading privacy, but others said they are willing to put safety before privacy concerns.

"There's surveillance everywhere anyway," said one commuter. "I don't think it's much of difference. I don't care that they can see through me, because they can see me anyway."

Some experts said the intrusion of the camera was not worth the benefit.

"What we should consider is how much we want to lose aspects of our privacy in order to attain a sort of notional security," said David Murakami Wood, director of the Surveillance Studies Network, which deals with surveillance and privacy issues. "In most cases this isn't real security -- it's a sense of safety that has very little real effect."

[TheEschaton]

It seems like we're only one step away from thought crimes now....

[Celephais]

It seems like we're only one step away from thought crimes now....

... one step away? Are you insane? You think that the equivalent of a x-ray machine that doesn't emit harmful rays, so can be used in broad scope is one step away from thought crimes?

I don't see anything wrong with this at all, I'm of the opinion that you've emitted the T-Rays, hence they're not yours anymore and are in public domain, if someone gathers them up, good for them (I don't even care if it did reveal details of my wang). This is no different than using a radiation detector to detect illegal radioactive material... certain metal materials are illegal in airports, they emit T-Rays... this device detects them.

[CrystalTears]

I don't see anything wrong with this at all, I'm of the opinion that you've emitted the T-Rays, hence they're not yours anymore and are in public domain, if someone gathers them up, good for them (I don't even care if it did reveal details of my wang).
It's an x-ray, not a microscope.

[Latrinsorm]

I don't see anything wrong with this at all, I'm of the opinion that you've emitted the T-Rays, hence they're not yours anymore and are in public domain, if someone gathers them up, good for them (I don't even care if it did reveal details of my wang). This is no different than using a radiation detector to detect illegal radioactive material... certain metal materials are illegal in airports, they emit T-Rays... this device detects them.Sort of. The way this works is that there's already THz radiation everywhere, and certain materials (metal especially) block it very well. Thus, if I look out at a person and see a gun-sized dark spot, I can be pretty sure that's a gun. It's also possible to do THz spectroscopy and look for absorption peaks (just like any other kind of spectroscopy), but it's pretty impossible to do this with ambient radiation (just like any other kind of spectroscopy). If I don't know how much incident radiation I have, I'm going to have a hell of a time figuring out how much of it my detected radiation is.

The first problem with using this in a crowded place is best illustrated with the lightbulb example: Humans are pretty good THz lightbulbs. If I put a partial shade in front of a lightbulb, it's very obvious something is there. If I then put another lightbulb in front of that shade, however, it becomes extremely difficult to detect that one of the lightbulbs is partially shaded. The other problem is that the resolution is so shitty you can't tell a knife or block of C4 from an umbrella or a baton (fucking gymnast terrorists).

It really is great technology (and absolutely safe), but it really is not the right tool for this job.

[Stanley Burrell]

"It's almost a glowing light bulb," Beattie told CNN. "You don't see the detail that people might be concerned about."

BUT I WANT THEM TO SEE THE DETAIL.

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAA! <---- My italicized, exposed-and-airated crotch laugh. ™.

[Celephais]

It's an x-ray, not a microscope.
Damnit...


Sort of. The way this works is that there's already THz radiation everywhere, and certain materials (metal especially) block it very well. Thus, if I look out at a person and see a gun-sized dark spot, I can be pretty sure that's a gun. It's also possible to do THz spectroscopy and look for absorption peaks (just like any other kind of spectroscopy), but it's pretty impossible to do this with ambient radiation (just like any other kind of spectroscopy). If I don't know how much incident radiation I have, I'm going to have a hell of a time figuring out how much of it my detected radiation is.

The first problem with using this in a crowded place is best illustrated with the lightbulb example: Humans are pretty good THz lightbulbs. If I put a partial shade in front of a lightbulb, it's very obvious something is there. If I then put another lightbulb in front of that shade, however, it becomes extremely difficult to detect that one of the lightbulbs is partially shaded. The other problem is that the resolution is so shitty you can't tell a knife or block of C4 from an umbrella or a baton (fucking gymnast terrorists).

It really is great technology (and absolutely safe), but it really is not the right tool for this job.
Point is, the moon is at the center.

It's another layer of security that analyzes something in the air, it doesn't project anything at you, and it doesn't take anything from you. If I was wearing a gun under a seethrough shirt, the cops could use that as an excuse for a further search, it's just a difference between what the human eye can detect and what these scopes can detect, and both are non-intrusive.

Drug-sniffing dogs are okay... what if we came across some animal that could "see" THz light and used them as a basis for our searches?

[Latrinsorm]

I'm not Eschatoning them, I'm saying scientifically that the claims they make are just plain not justifiable.

[LMingrone]

That pic in the first post reminds me of Johnny 5.

I don't know if I'm looking forward to the new Short Circuit movie, or dreading another of my favorite childhood memories being taken down into the gutter. JOHNNY 5 ALIVE!!!

[Celephais]

Christ, if they come out with another short circuit movie that my girlfriend swoons over and I have to watch 17 times I may just blow my brains out.

[diethx]

Christ, if they come out with another fucking short circuit movie...

You mean like this?

http://www.digitaldreammachine.com/blogimages/luxo/WallE_FirstImage.jpg

Ok, so his name is Wall-E or whatever and not number 5, but he sure as shit reminds me of number 5. Too damn cute :D

[Celephais]

That movie looks adorable by the way, I don't think I'll blow my brains out for that one... That little guy just makes cubes out of things.

[diethx]

That movie looks adorable by the way, I don't think I'll blow my brains out for that one... That little guy just makes cubes out of things.

Yeah, I can't wait to see it. Of course i'll wait til it's on DVD, but it looks so cute.

[Parkbandit]

It seems like we're only one step away from thought crimes now....

Jesus... overhype drama much? I'm seriously thinking you've lost it lately.

[Peanut Butter Jelly Time]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=4TBcQ8h_kXU

[Peanut Butter Jelly Time]

http://youtube.com/watch?v=z6VVELKyhOg&feature=related