British spy chiefs are developing ‘Minority Report-style’ technology to predict when and where terror attacks will take place
The project called 'Unblinking Eye' aims to identify and keep watch on people who pose a security threat
SPY chiefs are to develop futuristic technology that will predict when and where terrorist attacks will take place.
They are pumping millions into a project called “Unblinking Eye” to identify and keep watch on people who pose a security threat.
A new cutting-edge system will monitor and analyse human behaviour and help security services act before an outrage is committed.
It mirrors the sci-fi movie Minority Report, starring Tom Cruise, where cops use psychic technology to arrest murderers before they strike.
But British spooks want to go much further and create a system that can also predict flashpoints, hijackings and invasions around the world.
It could also be used to help generals make instant decisions on the battlefield.
Computer geeks will be invited to bid for a share of £5 million funding to help develop a new “behavioural analytics” system.
Ministry of Defence bosses are hosting a competition to find experts who can help “unlock the potential” to predict human behaviour from the vast amounts of data they put online.
It will be open to everyone from “a man in a shed” to large technology firms and will run for over two years.
A spokesman for the Defence and Security Accelerator, who are overseeing the cross-government project, said: “There are huge amounts of data out there which give clues as to how we behave, as individuals, in groups and as a wider population.
“There are 2.5 quintillion bytes of data uploaded every day and we are searching for a way to use it to predict people’s behaviour, not just here in the UK, but among our adversaries as well.”
A special series of workshops will begin next month to help identify the boffins with the know-how to deliver.
Officials admit that handling such large quantities of data will be “finding predictors in a haystack” – but believe that with modern computer wizardry it can be done.
The Unblinking Eye will use micro-chips to filter and analyse data rapidly, and to evaluate, predict and measure risks and probability within seconds.
The overall aim will be “avoiding dystopia” – the complete breakdown of society leaving hell on Earth.
The DASA spokesman said: “It will enable us to predict events and make interventions to prevent problems arising in the first place.
“At the most basic level, it should improve people’s judgements and help them with their decision making process.
“It could, for example, help a commanding officer to make an informed decision to deploy or intervene in some way while out on the battlefield.
“This technology takes years to develop and we are looking to accelerate as rapidly as we can.”
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The legal, ethical and moral issues will all be discussed during the workshop to avoid concerns of Big Brother-style snooping.
The spokesman added: “We are looking at different ways we can help defend our country but also make sure our soldiers, police and emergency responders are safe while doing so.
“Everything will be done above board, in a legal and ethical way, with the intention of improving our national security.”
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