revolutionary behavior recognition system available for airports

8/9/2019 Revolutionary Behavior Recognition System Available for Airports

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Revolutionary Behavior

Recognition System Available

for Airports

David Shamah

At the airport, how can you tell the good guys from thebad guys? The sad truth, as recent terror incidents haveshown, is that there seems to be no foolproof way. Now anew detection system designed by an Israeli start up

could improve the chances - eliminating some of theproblems inherent in the most popular detection systems,and increasing the odds of nabbing a potential terrorist.

According to CEO Ehud Givon, WeCu raises detection to awhole new level. The company's device - which was six


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years in the making - flashes stimuli, such as photos, asymbol, or a code word, relating to the informationauthorities are most interested in (whether it's terrorism,drug smuggling or other crimes), to passengers as they

pass through terminal checkpoints.Hidden biometric sensors then detect the subjects'physical reactions and subtle behavioral changesremotely or during random contact.

Based on their reactions, the authorities determinewhether further investigation or questioning is warranted.

The rationale is that when a person is exposed to stimulirelating to behaviors that he or she is engaged in orfamiliar with, the reactions to the images will beheightened.

"For example, a subject could be sitting in a room withother people, when a photo of one of his relatives flasheson the screen. We would expect the subject to reactdifferently to that image than the others do. The reactioncould include a more rapid heartbeat, eye fluctuation,

increased blood pressure, etc." Givon explains. It's a verydifferent approach to current security methods, whichinclude intelligence, advance knowledge, criminal andpsychological profiling, and of course baggage checks,body searches, and shoe removal.

WeCu's system trumps profiling and intelligence

As the failed Christmas attack demonstrated only tooclearly, intelligence isn't foolproof. A warning by the

father of the Nigerian terrorist who planned to blow up aplane over Detroit in December that authorities should"watch out" for his son apparently went unheeded. USofficials say that such warnings are not unusual, andthere was nothing in Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab's


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background or application that indicated that he was toodangerous to be allowed into the US.

And as for profiling - pulling people out of line for carrying

extra large bags, wearing raincoats on a hot day, or just'looking suspicious' - critics claim that it producesnumerous false positives, while wasting time andresources. And of course, once terrorists learn whatprofilers are looking for, they know which behaviors toavoid. Not to mention that racial profiling is aquestionable approach and has been known to be costlywhen innocent victims sue the authorities.

"Profiling doesn't always work and it makes many peopleangry," acknowledges Givon. "Our method focuses not onan external profile, but instead checks each individual'sreactions to specific stimuli, measuring their physiologicalresponse. Based on the criteria and the response, we canaccurately determine whether a candidate is likely tobehave in an illegal or dangerous manner."

The trick, says Givon, one of Israel's top engineers, is that

WeCu focuses on very close corroboration betweenstimuli and reaction, to the extent that the system canalmost always pick out individuals who pose a threat.

Tests in both lab and real-life situations with hundreds ofsubjects have shown that 95 percent of the peopleflagged by the WeCu system are indeed "persons ofinterest" with whom authorities would want to have achat, claims Givon.

While conscious behavior that would fit a profile can becontrolled, it's almost impossible to hide automaticphysical reactions and subtle, almost involuntarybehavior changes, says Givon.

Passengers remain unaware of monitoring


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"One of the many advantages of the WeCu system is thatthe subject is not even aware he or she is beingmonitored," says Givon. "The system can be easilyintegrated with 'normal' activities, such as check-in at an

airport, or a parcel check at a government office building.The point is that the subject doesn't even realize a checkis being performed," he says, adding that "for theaverage person, the stimuli - of which there are anunlimited number for each type of investigation - is so runof the mill that it's barely noticeable.WeCu's detection device has been extensively tested,and Givon says that feedback from top profilers suggests

that WeCu is much more effective than current methods.The system also preserves people's privacy. "We keep norecords and do not take into account anything other thanthe reaction of the subject to the stimuli presented by theWeCu device. We have no prior information about theperson, and we don't care who he is, where he comesfrom, or what he believes. We don't even keep adatabase of reactions, unless of course the subject reacts

in a manner that raises alarm bells," says Givon.

WeCu was first developed as an attempt to track downpotential suicide bombers. It went on the market severalmonths ago and interest among customers is high.Deployment in a number of venues will begin in thecoming months, says Givon.

Until recently, the company was operating under the

radar - it still lacks a website - but its work is known andrespected in the security community, to the extent that itwon an award as one of the 60 top companies that willimpact Israel's tomorrow, during the country's 60thanniversary celebrations.

The greatest hope - no news


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WeCu was developed by Givon, along with other leadinglights in the Israeli scientific community, includingprofessor of psychology (and former Knesset member)Shlomo Breznitz, who specializes in stress situations; Dr.

Boaz Ganor, founder and executive director of theInternational Institute for Counter-Terrorism at theInterdisciplinary Center in Herzliya; and Tsipora Alster, anexpert in behavioral sciences; and other experts inbehavior and terrorism.

Located in northern Israel and employing about a dozenpeople, the company has received several grants fromthe Israel Chief Scientist's Office and the US

Transportation Safety Administration and Department ofHomeland Security, but is 90 percent self-funded.

While there is always media interest in systems that mayprevent terrorist attacks, Givon says his greatest hope isthat there won't be any news to prompt interest in WeCu."And hopefully, when the system is widely deployed," headds, "there will be far less media interest in what we do

- because there will be far fewer terror incidents toreport."

The use of biometric security systems is on the rise inIsrael. Early this month Israel's Airport Authority unveilednew biometric security technology with machines thatrecognize passengers using a biometric tripleidentification system called Unipass which should makethe job of human security personnel quicker and more

efficient. At present it is only available to El Al IsraelAirlines business class passengers.

David Shamah is a correspondent forIsrael21c fromwhere this article was adapted.
http://www.israel21c.org/http://www.israel21c.org/


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revolutionary behavior recognition system available for airports

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