Project description
Security Vision: the security politics of computer vision
Smart CCTV, social media video content moderation, military drone footage: threats are not being detected by humans, but by computer algorithms trained to understand images. Yet how do these technologies of computer vision, which promise to replace humans in the understanding of images, work in practice in the field of security? What are their ethical and political implications? There is currently a gap in our knowledge of how these technologies impact the governmental and private sectors, their decision-making and the fundamental rights of those targeted. The EU-funded SECURITY VISION project aims to address these challenges through an innovative framework that investigates the theoretical, empirical and political implications of the development of computer vision in the field of security.
Objective
How do technologies of computer vision, which promise to replace humans in the understanding of images, work in practice in the field of security, and what are their ethical and political implications? Vision, understood as the capacity not only to see but also to make sense of what is seen, is increasingly being delegated to autonomous computer systems which influence how human operators determine suspicious behaviour. We currently lack an understanding of how these technologies impact governmental and private sector actors, their decision-making, and their accountability as well as the fundamental rights of those who are targeted. This project address these challenges through an innovative theoretical and methodological framework which investigates the theoretical, empirical and political implications of the development of computer vision in the field of security. In order to carry out this task, the project builds on and advances debates at the intersection of critical security studies, science and technology studies, and visual ethnographic practices. Theoretically, the project advances the debates in International Relations and critical security studies by offering a synthetic framework of analysis of socially embedded technical devices. Methodologically, the experimental use of visual ethnography not only as a method of data collection and dissemination, but also of data analysis within a multi-modal research design will advance, through visual practices, debates in International Relations about the status of non-propositional knowledge as well as alternatives modalities of presentation of research. Empirically it will bring a new understanding of the workings of computer vision technologies in the fields of social media content moderation of extremist content, “smart” Closed Circuit Television Vision (CCTV) cameras and “lie detectors” deployed at the border, participating thus to the ethical and political debates in the public sphere.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering sensors optical sensors
- natural sciences computer and information sciences computer security
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
ERC-COG - Consolidator Grant
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2019-COG
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