Sensors in your home?

I read about this in the paper today. BT have developed a technology that can monitor you in your home, discerning your daily routine and alerting someone if something out of the ordinary happens.

It is a wonder that Margaret Langhorn hasn't become paranoid. When she opens her fridge, a computer is watching. So, too, when she sits in her chair, gets into bed, has a bath, leaves the house, or even goes to the toilet. And what's more, if the computer thinks something is amiss, then it will call a central control room and report her.

Ever feel like you're being watched?

They can build up a behavioural model, monitor your comings and goings and when people enter or leave your home.

They are currently piloting this technology as a scheme to keep an eye on elderly and vulnerable people which I think we can all agree is a laudable aim. I have to say, though, this would freak me out if my house was rigged up like this.

I guess they just can't glean enough information from the countless cameras and microphones on the streets and other public places. Perhaps if this system were put in place to monitor politicians there would be some value to it. They want to monitor somebody, put this system in the capital building and rig some senators and representatives up to it, then I'd call it progress.

Great idea. Anytime they try and leave get someone to bundle em back in there until they've come up with some decent policies.

The one thing about cameras and microphones on the street is that they can't see you in your home. Imagine them putting a system like this in every new house built (unlikely but worth thinking about). Total government surveillance of your entire life. You do something out of the ordinary, it gets flagged and they check it out.

Just to take the other side What if your daughter was kidnapped in the middle of the night. If you have sensors in your home you could find out exactly when the intruder entered from where most likely have pictures of he or she. But most likely it would produce a really loud alarm that would be really annoying. Or you could find out if your spouse was cheating on you...or if your son or daughter was having a weekend party. But this idea would only hold water if you were able to have access to this information. If it were left up to the government, and the government only......All I can say is God Bless America.

[edit on 12-7-2005 by The_Final]

Originally posted by The_Final
Just to take the other side

What if your daughter was kidnapped in the middle of the night. If you have sensors in your home you could find out exactly when the intruder entered from where most likely have pictures of he or she. But most likely it would produce a really loud alarm that would be really annoying.

You could do that with a normal alarm system. The only reason these things have so many sensors is to build up profile of your behaviour. Would be handy if the kidnapper broke in, made himself a cup of tea, watched a bit of telly, went to the toilet, took a shower and then kidnapped your daughter.

As I say, at the moment it seems like quite a benevolent use of technology but we all know how easily these things can be misused. If these things are going to be put into the houses of elderly people, what happens when they die? Do the sensors get taken out before the house is sold?

I'm very mixed on the issue. Obviously invasion of privacy is to be avoided, but then again, I would like a system that keeps track of your information for you. The classic system of an ID card or something, but anything works. I'd like to be able to use the equivalent of EZPass for most everything in life. (For those who don't know, you have a thing, it swipes you through the toll booth, deducting from credit card)