If you've ever been to Washington, DC you might be surprised, as I was, to see how closely aircraft fly to the White House and other national monuments on approach to Reagan National Airport. As a tourist prior to 9/11, I always assumed there was some system in place to protect the White House from an attack in this way. I figured there would be some type of system in place on the roof to shoot down airplanes that posed a threat. I was wrong.
Prior to 9/11 there was no such security system in place. This makes me wonder. If the government can't even figure out the necessity of a no-brainer like that, then I wonder what else they aren't doing to address various problem situations. I specifically wonder how technology is being applied to handle the problems in Iraq, if at all.
I make no claims here to having any special knowledge of satellites or surveillance technology, but I wonder if any of these things are actively being applied to problems. In other words, is there anyone thinking outside of the proverbial box?
For example, I wonder if it would be possible to have a satellite or a weather balloon mounted camera over a vast urban area that would be able to detect heat signatures given off by people inside of structures. If so, then maybe it would be possible for a computer to chart the positions of each heat signature and flag the ones who move only a short distance in a given period of time, like a hostage being kept bound in a room. It's true that there would be millions of these heat signatures, but it seems that a powerful computer would be able to analyze and track them over a period of days or weeks. Of course there would be plenty of leads that wouldn't pan out but it would be a start. Remember also that in Iraq, the temperature drops quite a bit at night so a person's heat signature might be particularly visible.
As another example, I recall in various accounts about insurgent attacks on convoys that Iraqi traffic was stopped and became strangely absent just before the attacks started. I wonder why there isn't some type of traffic monitoring system on all of the main routes that would send out an alert if the traffic frequency dropped below a certain threshhold for that time of day. The advanced warning could trigger a quick reaction force in advance of an attack.
Supposedly, companies like the RAND Corporation, which literally stands for R and D, and organizations like DARPA, should be coming up with these types of applications. I realize that efforts of this sort wouldn't be public knowledge, but from the news it doesn't appear that anyone is trying these types of things. At the least, a situation like the one that exists in Iraq, would be a good testing ground for all sorts of theories and technologies. At best, lives could be saved. Perhaps none of the ideas I've given are even feasible. Imagine, though, how many other potential ideas exist for someone who is knowledgeable about such things.
You've given us readers a lot to think about in just a few short paragraphs. The "heat signature" idea sounds rather overwhelming, at least, to me.
A twist on that idea might be to implant some type of chip in U.S. military personnel, government officials, and (voluntarily) in Americans working abroad in high-risk areas such as Iraq and Saudi Arabia. The chip would follow the same principle as the "ankle bracelets" worn by many Americans serving out-of-jail criminal sentences. The idea would be to "tune into the chip signal" if and when an implantee shows up missing. It could lead rescuers to the hostage.
I also have a question, JD. Why the use of the German language here, as in "Vorsprung durtch Technik" (translates to "advantage through technology")? Are the Germans more skilled at developing technology of this type?
Sarah,
Hey that's a good idea! Now if two amateurs like us can come up with these ideas, then why isn't our vaunted military-industrial complex?
The german title is translated as Progress Through Technology and it's also a line from a popular U2 song.
-JDM
I had the same reaction walking through the Mall back in April, even got a shot at one point of a large jet on what appeared to be a final approach that brough it straight behind Lincoln's head.
On heat signatures: I'm no expert, but this is no miracle technology. Infrared line-of-sight is only slightly less occluded than visible light, and equipment would be much more expensive than justifiable. We do use such tech after earthquakes, etc., when it's expected that if we see a warm spot somewhere that we're automatically interested in it. Watching everyone all the time for "security analysis" by computers seems a bit _1984_ to me.
Posted by: Richard Tallent at June 9, 2004 12:47 PMRichard,
You're right in that there are some privacy concerns regarding this type of technology. However, if I was a hostage I would hope that everything is being done to find me. It just seems like a computer could handle tracking data points over the course of a few days and be able to flag any that don't move more than X degrees.
-jdm.
The 'see through walls' technology is still in it's infancy, as far as I know it's still very range limited.
The idea of an implant is nice, trouble is, five minutes after the first implant, some news media outfit would be blaring out the existence of such implants and where on the body they are. The bad guys would just dig them out with those nasty triangular bayonets that fold under the barrel of an AK.
It would only work if kept secret and somebody would tell Dan Rather.
Hmmmm what if we remove Dan Rather from the equation and put him out of our misury?
I don't think the technology is there yet for the chips an such but cannot be too far off. The other uses for it are far more dangerous....in that we all are required to have one so all our movements are tracked.
Better they get ground to air missle defense in place.
Posted by: Guy S. at June 10, 2004 10:39 PMThe point of the whole post isn't so much to come up with workable ideas, although that is interesting too. The concern is that there might not be anyone doing this type of thing. For all the gee-whiz gagdetry that we hear about, it doesn't seem to have as much impact as it should.
-jdm.