Newcastle firm set to help spot terror attempts

Dec 3 2009 By Andrew Mernin, The Journal

INTELLIGENT technology developed by a North East firm has been chosen by the Government to help it fight terrorists.

Newcastle-based Generic AI has won a six-figure contract with the Home Office to develop its artificial intelligence to spot hostile situations in crowded places such as airports and railway stations.

The contract arose after Generic AI pitched for funding at an investment conference held by networking organisation CONNECT North East in Sedgefield, in April.

Representatives of the Government’s INSTINCT (Innovative Science and Technology In Counter-Terrorism) programme were at the event and were impressed by the firm’s cutting-edge artificial intelligence.

INSTINCT’S aim is to harness science and technology to strengthen the country’s ability to combat terrorism. After the CONNECT conference, Generic AI bid for funding from INSTINCT and will now develop a prototype anomaly detection system to show how it can highlight suspicious behaviour in public places.

The company was one of five chosen out of 50 which applied for funding to INSTINCT and the project will run until June 2010. The AI technology is based on the extension of the ‘principle of least action’ to information theory, a mathematical concept used by scientists such as Albert Einstein.

The system finds intelligent patterns and features without any pre-programmed bias and, as there are no rules, it cannot be circumvented by knowing how it works.

Rob Clennell, director of development at Generic AI, said: "The Generic AI system learns what looks normal over a period of time and then seeks to spot any abnormalities. If someone is hanging around a bin at an airport or behaving oddly it will give an alert to say the behaviour is suspicious.

"It’s not an exaggeration to say the applications for this technology are limitless. We’re also looking at using it in analysing baggage X-rays to locate suspicious objects."

The team at Generic AI is also exploring other market sectors such as industrial inspection, the games industry and the detection of irregularities in financial transactions.

Generic AI also won £10,000-worth of consultancy with Secure Futures at the event. Secure Futures is a London-based company which specialises in helping technology firms with security innovations attract funding.

Fiona Strens, co-founder of Secure Futures, said: "We’re pleased to see Generic AI active in the security sector and delighted that we have been able to play our part in helping them get off to a good start.

"They exemplify the creativity of the region and we remain committed to the view that there is an opportunity for the North East to become a successful hub for security innovation."