iSee

by Institute for Applied Autonomy
http://www.appliedautonomy.com/isee/

iSee is an "inverse surveillance" application for wireless devices and web-browsers that enables users to monitor and avoid CCTV surveillance cameras in public space. iSee users are presented with an interactive map showing the locations of known CCTV cameras in New York City's public places. Users click on the map to specify a point of origin and destination, and iSee employs artificial intelligence algorithms to determine a "path of least surveillance" between the two points that avoids as many cameras as possible. iSee is also a data-collection tool used to document camera locations, use, and ownership. This data is available in a variety of formats to scholars and activists engaged in surveillance research, public advocacy, and direct-action campaigns.

iSee was initially debuted as a website in October 2001 for the Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (ZKM)'s Ctrl_Space exhibition in Karlsruhe, Germany. A wireless version was developed in 2002 with the support of a commission from Rhizome.org, and debuted in a four-day workshop at Eyebeam gallery in New York. At this event, the IAA collaborated with The Surveillance Camera Players to use iSee to document hundreds of CCTV cameras in several New York neighborhoods. These cameras were displayed on a large map in the gallery space, promoting dialog with the public about privacy, surveillance, and public space.

iSee is an open-source project written in Java, and making extensive use of BBN Technologies' OpenMap classes. The underlying software powering iSee may be adapted for virtually any community-based mapping / G.I.S. application. Groups and individuals interested in developing or deploying iSee are encouraged to contact the IAA at info@appliedautonomy.com.

Bio

The Institute for Applied Autonomy (IAA) is an anonymous collective of artists, engineers, and theorists dedicated to individual and collective self-determination. Since its founding in 1998, the IAA has exhibited and lectured widely in the United States and Europe, and has been the recipient of several awards, including an award of distinction in interactive art at Prix Ars Electronica 2000.

Past IAA projects include Little Brother, a propaganda robot intended to replace human activists; GraffitiWriter, a small graffiti-writing robot; and StreetWriter, a large graffiti-writing robot housed in an extended-body cargo van.

Additional information about the IAA and its activities is available at www.appliedautonomy.com.