Computer Vision News - June 2016

CVN: What are the chances to see more applications which are less invasive and more beneficial? Harvey: That’s a good question. I think that some technologies like facial recognition or remote visual biometrics should be regulated, and not only because they affect the privacy of individuals and citizen. There was a small study by the BND (the German equivalent of the CIA) which looked to determine how they could outsmart facial recognition and be able to block large-scale networked surveillance systems from remotely identifying you anytime you step outside your door. Being under constant monitoring is not a good standard of life. CVN: What would you say to a young engineer starting a career to convince him to invest his talent in privacy technologies? Harvey: Good question! I studied engineering in my undergraduate studies and my motivation was to be challenged by work and to have a high- paying job in a respectable company. Let’s start with the last one: what is a respectable company? The reputation of companies like Google and Facebook, that have a model based on commercial and industrial surveillance, is not so high here in Germany where people care about that, as it is in the States. Unfortunately there is an overemphasis on coolness, power and money associated with these companies and there is not enough attention on the ethics or the social benefits that these companies bring . I would like to see more attention to the ethical mission: it would be great if one day a respectable privacy policy would be a good selling point alongside a good salary. To that engineer I say: if you can gain insight into the future and imagine what issues are going to be faced tomorrow, then what interests you now might be the big area of research in computer vision or AI tomorrow . CVN: What about your own interests? Harvey: Mainstream, robust computer vision algorithms are less interesting to me than the unexplored, dark areas of computer vision. Computer Vision News Guest 11 “ Mainstream, robust computer vision algorithms are less interesting to me than the unexplored, dark areas of computer vision ” OFF Pocket phone case is a privacy accessory for mobile phones that prevents all wireless signals from reaching the phone or exiting the case. It is also an easy way to disconnect. [ © Adam Harvey / ahprojects.com ]