Security is an ever-evolving field. New technological innovation is always bound to have a big impact on the way people keep property safe. In the digital age, security has found a new dimension: cyberspace. Traditional security tasks are also being taken over by automated systems that increase efficiency. Here is a rundown of some of the most important innovations in security in the last 10 years.
Mosquitos
If you walked onto private property as a child, you might have been greeted with an unpleasant whining noise: the hallmark of a mosquito anti loitering device. These devices have recently been installed in large numbers in a bid to deter children and teenagers from loitering and causing disturbances – especially in the United Kingdom. They work by emitting a very high-frequency tone that alternates around the 16 – 18.5 kilohertz range. Adults typically lose their ability to hear sound this high, while young people retain the ability to do so.
Mosquitos need to be used carefully. If they impact public areas, they risk making these areas inhospitable to children and teenagers. This is detrimental to the social health of a community and can be construed as an erosion of what David Harvey and Henri Lefebvre called ‘the right to the city’. When used responsibly on private property, these devices can be extremely useful and help create a peaceful environment to work and live in.
Anti Climb Paint
Anti-climb paint is a cheap and cheerful solution for protecting temporary structures from intrusion. Hoardings commonly used to protect building sites are often coated in this oily and thick substance. The paint takes around 3 years to become fully dry. This means that climbing the slippery surface is extremely hard and can leave paint marks on any person that attempts to do so. Paint marks can then be used to identify potential intruders.
Facial Recognition
Facial recognition technology is one of the most important and controversial innovations in security today. Using algorithms that mathematically analyze visual data and huge databanks to compare images against, programs can now identify individual people using their unique facial measurements. This can be used wisely to protect entry to private areas and computer systems. It can also be used maliciously for the identification of ‘undesirable’ people. Recent controversy has surrounded the People’s Republic of China’s widespread use of facial recognition to track people from persecuted minorities.
Ink Spoilage
A great deal of cash kept in bank machines is protected using ink spoilage systems. These systems can detect a potential break-in – discharging highly resistant paint onto the banknotes if they do. This ink can then be used to track the notes. One of the best ways of finding a bank robber is to find the notes that they have stolen when they return into circulation. Inked notes are easy to track. The ink also makes a great deal of the banknotes unusable as currency, which provides some degree of deterrent against theft.
