Iris Scanners Create The Most Secure City In The World

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I'm usually in favor of technological process, but this sounds creepy:

Iris Scanners Create the Most Secure City in the World. Welcome, Big Brother | Fast Company

From the article:

Biometrics R&D firm Global Rainmakers Inc. (GRI) announced today that it is rolling out its iris scanning technology to create what it calls "the most secure city in the world." In a partnership with Leon -- one of the largest cities in Mexico, with a population of more than a million -- GRI will fill the city with eye-scanners. That will help law enforcement revolutionize the way we live -- not to mention marketers.

"In the future, whether it's entering your home, opening your car, entering your workspace, getting a pharmacy prescription refilled, or having your medical records pulled up, everything will come off that unique key that is your iris," says Jeff Carter, CDO of Global Rainmakers. Before coming to GRI, Carter headed a think tank partnership between Bank of America, Harvard, and MIT. "Every person, place, and thing on this planet will be connected [to the iris system] within the next 10 years," he says.

Leon is the first step. To implement the system, the city is creating a database of irises. Criminals will automatically be enrolled, their irises scanned once convicted. Law-abiding citizens will have the option to opt-in.


...

For such a Big Brother-esque system, why would any law-abiding resident ever volunteer to scan their irises into a public database, and sacrifice their privacy? GRI hopes that the immediate value the system creates will alleviate any concern. "There's a lot of convenience to this--you'll have nothing to carry except your eyes," says Carter, claiming that consumers will no longer be carded at bars and liquor stores. And he has a warning for those thinking of opting out: "When you get masses of people opting-in, opting out does not help. Opting out actually puts more of a flag on you than just being part of the system. We believe everyone will opt-in."
  • Profile picture of the author seasoned
    Originally Posted by Hesaidblissfully View Post

    I'm usually in favor of technological process, but this sounds creepy:

    Iris Scanners Create the Most Secure City in the World. Welcome, Big Brother | Fast Company

    From the article:

    Biometrics R&D firm Global Rainmakers Inc. (GRI) announced today that it is rolling out its iris scanning technology to create what it calls "the most secure city in the world." In a partnership with Leon -- one of the largest cities in Mexico, with a population of more than a million -- GRI will fill the city with eye-scanners. That will help law enforcement revolutionize the way we live -- not to mention marketers.

    "In the future, whether it's entering your home, opening your car, entering your workspace, getting a pharmacy prescription refilled, or having your medical records pulled up, everything will come off that unique key that is your iris," says Jeff Carter, CDO of Global Rainmakers. Before coming to GRI, Carter headed a think tank partnership between Bank of America, Harvard, and MIT. "Every person, place, and thing on this planet will be connected [to the iris system] within the next 10 years," he says.

    Leon is the first step. To implement the system, the city is creating a database of irises. Criminals will automatically be enrolled, their irises scanned once convicted. Law-abiding citizens will have the option to opt-in.


    ...

    For such a Big Brother-esque system, why would any law-abiding resident ever volunteer to scan their irises into a public database, and sacrifice their privacy? GRI hopes that the immediate value the system creates will alleviate any concern. "There's a lot of convenience to this--you'll have nothing to carry except your eyes," says Carter, claiming that consumers will no longer be carded at bars and liquor stores. And he has a warning for those thinking of opting out: "When you get masses of people opting-in, opting out does not help. Opting out actually puts more of a flag on you than just being part of the system. We believe everyone will opt-in."
    I don't trust it. There are a LOT of things, INCLUDING laser diodes, where people IGNORE proper precautions. They COULD conceivably hurt vision, so NO THANKS! And DON'T tell me it is properly tested, EVEN if they had enough people to have a valid test, they haven't consistantly done so for several decades. ALSO, much degredation well be shrugged off as normal aging, etc... HECK, MY vision is odd in that I am far sighted. Based on polls I have done, most people that need glasses are NEAR sighted.

    Steve
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    • Profile picture of the author Hesaidblissfully
      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      I don't trust it. There are a LOT of things, INCLUDING laser diodes, where people IGNORE proper precautions. They COULD conceivably hurt vision, so NO THANKS! And DON'T tell me it is properly tested, EVEN if they had enough people to have a valid test, they haven't consistantly done so for several decades. ALSO, much degredation well be shrugged off as normal aging, etc... HECK, MY vision is odd in that I am far sighted. Based on polls I have done, most people that need glasses are NEAR sighted.

      Steve
      I hadn't even thought about the physical side effects of the scanners themselves, I was more interested in the privacy implications.
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    • Profile picture of the author ThomM
      Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

      I don't trust it. There are a LOT of things, INCLUDING laser diodes, where people IGNORE proper precautions. They COULD conceivably hurt vision, so NO THANKS! And DON'T tell me it is properly tested, EVEN if they had enough people to have a valid test, they haven't consistantly done so for several decades. ALSO, much degredation well be shrugged off as normal aging, etc... HECK, MY vision is odd in that I am far sighted. Based on polls I have done, most people that need glasses are NEAR sighted.

      Steve
      That line reminded me about something from my college days.
      I was taking a weed course and during a discussion on one of the chemicals used for weed control the instructor said that after 10 years of exposure, no ill effects where noted.
      So being the smartass I am, I asked about after 11 years:rolleyes:
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  • Profile picture of the author madison_avenue
    They are also working on brain scanners within 5 years they will be capable of reading your mind, essentially they will know what you are thinking.
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    • Profile picture of the author JamesJeffery
      Originally Posted by madison_avenue View Post

      They are also working on brain scanners within 5 years they will be capable of reading your mind, essentially they will know what you are thinking.
      If that becomes a part of life, that everyone must do it, I would rather hang myself then be a slave to the system. I think the iris scanners are stupid. They are covering up a devious "Big Brother" scheme by showing you the positives and covering the negatives with more positives.
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      • Profile picture of the author madison_avenue
        l
        Originally Posted by JamesJeffery View Post

        If that becomes a part of life, that everyone must do it, I would rather hang myself then be a slave to the system. I think the iris scanners are stupid. They are covering up a devious "Big Brother" scheme by showing you the positives and covering the negatives with more positives.
        You're right, these new technologies can be used for good too, but if the governments start using them they can use them to control people.



        Computers that read minds are being developed by Intel - Telegraph
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by madison_avenue View Post

      They are also working on brain scanners within 5 years they will be capable of reading your mind, essentially they will know what you are thinking.
      I DOUBT IT! I think in several ways so even if they COULD see what I see in my mind, they couldn't interpret it. It would be like trying to see a little byte code without knowing the language. Besides, they have failed so far!

      Steve
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      • Profile picture of the author Hesaidblissfully
        Originally Posted by seasoned View Post

        I DOUBT IT! I think in several ways so even if they COULD see what I see in my mind, they couldn't interpret it. It would be like trying to see a little byte code without knowing the language. Besides, they have failed so far!

        Steve
        To be fair, though, just because a technology has failed in the past doesn't mean that it wil continue to fail in the future. Lots of technologies we take for granted today were failures...until they got it right.
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  • Profile picture of the author yukon
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    • Profile picture of the author seasoned
      Originally Posted by yukon View Post

      What would stop anyone from creating/selling fake contact lenses, to bypass the scanners?

      New online niche?
      They COULD register microtremors or blood flow, so a dead eye, or opaque lens, would not register!

      ALSO, HOW do you put them on? You can't put them on before the building, or you couldn't see it. You can't put the on after, or THEY will see you doing so. And they would HAVE to be opaque or there would be alignment problems, etc...

      Steve
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  • Profile picture of the author Dave Patterson
    Yeah...remember that "crowd control" device the military was working on? The one that focused a microwave?

    They're about to install smaller version in the LA County jail. An operator will sit in a booth with cameras and a joystick so he can zap an inmate he see's as out of line...
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    • Profile picture of the author reapr
      Originally Posted by Dave Patterson View Post

      Yeah...remember that "crowd control" device the military was working on? The one that focused a microwave?

      They're about to install smaller version in the LA County jail. An operator will sit in a booth with cameras and a joystick so he can zap an inmate he see's as out of line...
      Please site your source.
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