Intelligent CCTV system

Threatening behaviour on buses could soon be tracked and confronted by remote security analysts to protect the public from assaults and other criminal activity.

This is the hope of researchers at Queen’s University Belfast who are developing intelligent software to recognise anti-social behaviour from real-time CCTV feeds.

Working in collaboration with the Applied Criminology Centre at Huddersfield University, the team plans to use the software to stream live footage to security operators who will then be able to communicate directly with the offender via on-board screens.

The researchers claim the software will make a significant impact on preventing crime on public transport. Dr Paul Miller, head of the research programme, said that currently the UK’s four million CCTV systems fell short of doing this.

‘My personal view is that this type of smart technology has to be a differentiator in future security systems,’ he added. ‘There are concerns at the moment with the quality of cameras on buses… I wouldn’t invest in a CCTV system right now because I know it wouldn’t work.’