Clearview AI Is Working On Augmented Reality Goggles For Air Force Security (gizmodo.com) 20
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Gizmodo: Clearview AI, the shady face recognition firm which claims to have landed contracts with federal, state, and local cops across the country, has landed a roughly $50,000 deal with the U.S. military for augmented reality glasses. First flagged by Tech Inquiry's Jack Poulson, Air Force procurement documents show that it awarded a $49,847 contract to Clearview AI for the purposes of "protecting airfields with augmented reality facial recognition; glasses." The contract is designated as part of the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program, meaning that Clearview's contract is to determine for the Air Force whether such applications are feasible.
Bryan Ripple, a media lead at the Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs, told Gizmodo via email that Clearview will conduct a three-month study under which "no glasses or units are being delivered under contract," nor are any prototypes. Clearview, he wrote, stipulated "that security personnel are vulnerable while their hands are occupied with scanners and ID cards" and AR goggles would allow them to "remain hands-free and ready during this timeframe." "Clearview AI's Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses perform facial recognition scanning to vet backgrounds and restrict unauthorized individuals from entering bases and flightlines," Ripple wrote. "This 100% hands-free identity verification wearable device allows Defenders to keep their weapons at the ready, increase standoff and social distance, and confirm authorized base access using rapid and accurate facial biometrics while keeping threats distant. The results are improved safety at entry control points and for bases, faster identity verification without manual ID card checks, and cost savings by replacing the need for large permanent camera installations."
In a promotional document shared by the Air Force, Clearview argued that in the time it takes to scan an ID card at the entry point to a military facility, "A criminal or terrorist can pull a gun, knife, or weapon during this brief but critical moment, kill the Defender, and access the base." They argued the AR glasses would increase "standoff distance," save guards time while vetting high volumes of traffic and allow them to maintain distance from anyone contagious with diseases.
Bryan Ripple, a media lead at the Air Force Research Laboratory Public Affairs, told Gizmodo via email that Clearview will conduct a three-month study under which "no glasses or units are being delivered under contract," nor are any prototypes. Clearview, he wrote, stipulated "that security personnel are vulnerable while their hands are occupied with scanners and ID cards" and AR goggles would allow them to "remain hands-free and ready during this timeframe." "Clearview AI's Augmented Reality (AR) Glasses perform facial recognition scanning to vet backgrounds and restrict unauthorized individuals from entering bases and flightlines," Ripple wrote. "This 100% hands-free identity verification wearable device allows Defenders to keep their weapons at the ready, increase standoff and social distance, and confirm authorized base access using rapid and accurate facial biometrics while keeping threats distant. The results are improved safety at entry control points and for bases, faster identity verification without manual ID card checks, and cost savings by replacing the need for large permanent camera installations."
In a promotional document shared by the Air Force, Clearview argued that in the time it takes to scan an ID card at the entry point to a military facility, "A criminal or terrorist can pull a gun, knife, or weapon during this brief but critical moment, kill the Defender, and access the base." They argued the AR glasses would increase "standoff distance," save guards time while vetting high volumes of traffic and allow them to maintain distance from anyone contagious with diseases.
It's OK when we do it. (Score:3)
All the privacy of Google glasses, with the sanctioning of the US government.
Re: (Score:2)
No privacy at the gate (Score:2)
When you're on a military base or controlled area you've no expectation of private ingress or egress.
That's rather the point of all those guards, fences and whatnot.
Did I miss a zero? (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
Impractical unless... (Score:1)
...they mark anyone 'not defense personnel' as terrorists.
seems to be going that way anyway...
Re:Impractical unless... (Score:4, Insightful)
...they mark anyone 'not defense personnel' as terrorists.
seems to be going that way anyway...
If you're on a military base and not authorized to be there, chances are good you are a terrorist. Plus, if you're on a military base, you have no expectation of privacy, and your information, including picture, is already on file and accessible to security.
Re: (Score:2)
If you're on a military base and not authorized to be there, chances are good you are a terrorist.
Or a girl from town.
But that was in the bad old days, when all we had to fear was the massive Soviet empire.
Can it be done? Maybe! (Score:2)
Serious problems even if it works as promised (Score:4, Insightful)
""This 100% hands-free identity verification wearable device allows Defenders to keep their weapons at the ready, increase standoff and social distance, and confirm authorized base access using rapid and accurate facial biometrics"
What's funny is this will only work with people who are already in the database, ie the ones who are authorized access and are not a threat.
So someone comes up and the fancy vizor things bleeps "unidentified - cannot verify access." Then you're going to have to WALK UP to the person same as before and say, "Hey there is a problem, need to see your base ID" and such.
In short it keeps you back from the "threat" when there is no threat.
You're going to have to do the same as before when people might be a threat.
Or to put it another way, there is actually no value to the promised benefit.
And that is best case scenario, ie assuming everything is working perfectly, which of course it won't.
What it will do in practice is give all sorts of false positives and false negatives, both of which cause trouble in different ways.
goggles for the remote gun turret (Score:2)
goggles for the remote gun turret
Re:Serious problems even if it works as promised (Score:4, Insightful)
USAF air police will now say (Score:2)
We are BORG.
Resistance is futile.
The air police are kind of like that anyway
Corrected title (Score:2)
"Privacy Rapist Is Working On Augmented Reality Goggles For Air Force Security"
There, FTFY.
How often does this problem happen? (Score:4, Insightful)
> in the time it takes to scan an ID card at the entry point to a military facility, "A criminal or terrorist can pull a gun, knife, or weapon during this brief but critical moment, kill the Defender, and access the base."
How often does this actually happen? Why are we solving problems that only exist in theory? How far are you really going to get on a base after you kill the first guard? If truly prepared for an action that involves killing the first guard at the gate then those glasses are not stopping you.
Re: (Score:2)
If you cannot measure the extent of the problem you cannot measure the extent of the solution. I've been plenty of places that have multiple gates to go through and man-traps - some second layer of security is a much better approach to overall base security than fucking 'smart' glasses.
Re: How often does this problem happen? (Score:2)
How much will it really save? (Score:2)
Gate guard abuse (Score:4, Insightful)
Goggles will reduce other situational awareness and WILL suck in hot and cold weather. Any solution must work in MOPP 4 with all standard masks and not conflict with other equipment.
Everyone proposing such fuckery should be required to wear it in MOPP 4 with body armor, gear and wearing a training weapon with full ammo loadout for a 12-hour shift exercise in Saudi Arabia and at Fort Drum in winter.
Properly guarded gates are not one SecFo troop deep.
Drivers may be and I have been directed to hold our ID cards up for scanning but the scanners work better when the gate guard can manipulate the ID card.