This 'Digital Camouflage' Shirt Confuses AI-Powered Surveillance Cameras

An artist has designed a patterned shirt that prevents artificial intelligence surveillance cameras from identifying the wearer as a person. Simon Weckert created the "digital camouflage" clothing using colourful patterns tested against YOLO, a common open-source image recognition algorithm. He developed the garment after police deployed their first object recognition surveillance cameras in Berlin, outside the Kottbusser Tor subway station. Such AI-powered systems can flag unattended items or loitering to trigger a police response. Mr Weckert warned that using automated systems to track people's movements and behaviours could lead to police targeting vulnerable groups, including homeless people lying on the ground.

Background: Surveillance and Smart Cities

← Back to the news feed