Activity 1

The following describes a research project that aims to develop camera surveillance inside a
bank ‘vestibule’ (cubicle accessible via a door from the street and separate from the bank
customer area) that has an ATM (cash machine) for customers. The technical developers
describe the project: what it is for, how it will work, and why it is necessary.

Your group task is to consider the ethical and social issues of this scenario. First identify the
stakeholders (those affected by the proposed scheme), then list the benefits and disadvantages
to each. List any concerns you have about this development.

Scenario
ATMs usually are located in bank vestibules, which are closed small places inside the bank
branch. The ATM space is aimed at being used by customer’s (bank clients), in particular out of
working hours, to perform bank operations (most of the time the operation is money withdrawal).
Since the operation often takes place during night and it involves cash handling, it is a
potentially dangerous operation as it would always be the case when someone is handling cash
in an isolated area that can be accessed by other people unknown to him/her.

What: What will be recorded and analysed?

Answer: Record the ATM vestibule to detect when a person is sitting on the floor, sleeping, or
stays in there for a longer time than expected for a typical transaction.
How will it work: Fixed cameras are used that cover the vestibule.
The system will raise an alarm when someone is supposed to be lying, sitting or inside the
vestibule for a long while.
Why does this scenario record and analyse these types of “image-data”?
ATM vestibules as well as almost every area in the bank branch are being recorded due to
security reasons.
This video will be analysed in order to prevent vagrants inside the vestibule.
What are the main expected results?
Detecting the presence of one or more persons inside the area (including time of entry)
Detecting very fast motion of humans indicating a potential fight
Detect when someone is in the vestibule, lying, sitting or for a long while.
Who are the main actors potentially concerned by this scenario? :
Subject: recorded people (individual – multiple) - Tracking of individuals.
End-users: “clients” of the results
Security department in banks
Intermediaries: suppliers of the different components of the system, CCTV installers
What type of data will be analysed – real time or stored?
In this case we need real-time analysis as far as we are looking for detecting people
“accommodated” in the ATM and give an alarm.
How long will the data be kept?
Country dependant, for example, for 15 days (Spain), 1 month (France), 1 year (England)
What are the technical aspects?
The main technologies that may be involved in this
scenario are the following:
- Body-tracking,
- Background subtraction (taking away the background
to focus on persons)