AI security cameras are everywhere. Can these garments scramble them all?
The rise of public surveillance has also led to the rise of an adversarial counterpart : fashion designed to confuse AI security cameras. It’s designed to baffle the senses of Axon body cams, Flock cameras, and other tools of mass surveillance through tricks like patterns that AI sensors confuse for animals, objects, or reflective fabric. A new limited-edition, crowdfunded clothing brand promises…
An innovative clothing brand, noRecognition, is harnessing the power of artificial intelligence to create garments that can effectively confuse artificial intelligence (AI) security cameras. The brand's founders, Bill Swearingen and his team, have meticulously designed patterns that have demonstrated their effectiveness against 11 different computer vision models, potentially rendering them ineffective.
Swearingen, a former chief intelligence officer, developed the concept of noRecognition after conducting 31.7 million digital tests. The aim was to create a universal adversarial camouflage capable of baffling multiple AI models simultaneously. He employed AI throughout the process, from building and training the model to generating and testing adversarial pattern geometry, ultimately identifying the most effective patterns.
At the Def Con cybersecurity conference in Las Vegas, noRecognition was unveiled to the public, followed by a Kickstarter campaign that raised over $40,000. The funds will be allocated towards fabric, cameras, and computational resources. The limited-edition line features a buff that can be worn as a neck gaiter, a T-shirt, and a sweatshirt, along with stickers and patches.
Each item in the collection is customized for a single person, with patterns generated exclusively for them. The designs primarily consist of repeating tiles, as this format is more likely to withstand the fabric-cutting process and remain visible to the cameras. However, noRecognition maintains secrecy regarding the most effective patterns, preventing surveillance camera operators from training their models on the generated designs.
The primary goal of noRecognition is not aesthetic appeal but functionality. The patterns are specifically engineered to disrupt the sensors of AI security cameras, rendering them ineffective. In a world increasingly dominated by public surveillance, noRecognition provides a unique solution for those seeking to protect their privacy.
Written by urgent.news from Fast Company's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
