‘Athena Security’ Deploying Thermal Surveillance Cameras in the U.S.

• A surveillance company in the United States is rapidly deploying fever detection systems.
• These systems are most likely here to stay, even after the Covid-19 outbreak is contained.
• Privacy protection activists fear that the situation is working against us right now, and call for regulation.

In the ongoing crisis of the novel coronavirus outbreak, some respond with composure, others with panic, and a few are looking to grasp the opportunity to promote their agendas. As it happens, pushing for mass surveillance systems is high on the list of priorities for many governments around the globe, and the current pandemic situation is the ideal excuse to impose strict monitoring measures that are supposedly going to help contain the spread of Covid-19. The latest example of that comes from the United States, where a company named ‘Athena Security’ is deploying AI-supported thermal cameras.

The firm is promoting its product as a fever detection system, calling stores, hospitals, and offices to deploy it for the safety of their personnel. Already, they have signed agreements with large Fortune 500 companies, including government agencies, airports, and various law and finance institutions. Athena Security states that their AI will now detect both fever and guns, generating immediate alerts about risky individuals. The cost of the screening system is set at $4,900 for the first year and another $1,200 per year after that. The following video is a demonstration of how the system works.

The screening system relies on a thermal and a visual camera. It uses artificial intelligence to detect the face, locate the eyes, and then measure the temperature through blackbody radiation. The resulting precision is within 0.4 degrees Celsius, which is impressive, and the system is constantly re-calibrating to adjust to the ever-changing ambient temperature. Even when it’s deployed in a place with high people traffic, the screening remains possible, and the measurements reliable.

ok, to clarify: 1) sunset clauses. any new #coronavirus surveillance needs an end/scrutiny-and-renewal date. 2) not just anyone gets to track and predict, legitimate public authorities and epidemiologists do. 3) none of this is entrepreneurial. profit ≠ public interest.

— linnet taylor @[email protected] (@linnetelwin) March 14, 2020

The problem with the particular system, and every other system of this kind, is the violation of people’s privacy rights. The problem with the particular system, and every other system of this kind, is the violation of people’s privacy rights. Athena Security has the technology to connect these monitoring systems to a central face-recognition database. This means it can help the US government monitor and track the movement of specific individuals, and feed intelligence agencies with troves of private data without having to acquire people’s consent. If these entities pay close to five grand to install the system, what are the chances that they will remove it in the future, and even though they will receive more features and will pay less? Covid-19 is opening the door to mass surveillance, and we’re unfortunately too focused on containment measures to stand against their rapid deployment.