Should public places and train stations be monitored using radar systems in the future? The "KIRaPol.5G" research project is looking into this question. The project partners will soon be carrying out initial measurements at Platz der Republik and in the station concourse in Mönchengladbach. The radar technology is intended to support police surveillance in order to ensure safety in public places and train stations. The Hochschule Niederrhein's (HSNR) A.U.G.E Institute has launched a citizen survey to gauge the acceptance and opinions of Mönchengladbach's citizens regarding the security technology.
"The security of citizens is at the heart of our research project. We are convinced that the use of radar-based technologies offers an effective solution that also guarantees the protection of personal rights. With this survey, we want to better understand the opinions and concerns of the population in order to align our technologies with the needs of our community," says Professor Dr. Monika Eigenstetter, head of the A.U.G.E. Institute and professor at HSNR. The AI-supported radar technology measures the speed of people and objects and displays person-specific characteristics such as body height, the person's gait or objects such as a wheelchair. Facial recognition is neither possible nor planned as part of the research project.
The approximately 15-minute survey covers topics such as the general attitude towards the use of observation technologies in public spaces, the effects of the use of radar technology and the resulting perception of safety among citizens. The survey also includes questions on personal rights and data protection. The survey is completely anonymous. Some general information on age, gender and socio-economic background is only used to ensure that all relevant population groups are included.
In addition to the survey, the HSNR's affiliated institute A.U.G.E. is also responsible for the data collected and subsequent data processing. In addition to the HSNR, other partners include IMST GmbH, Telefonbau Arthur Schwabe GmbH & Co KG, the Mönchengladbach police and m3connect GmbH. The "KIRaPol.5G" project is sponsored by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Innovation, Digitalization and Energy of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The survey is now available at https://ww2.unipark.de/uc/KIRaPol5G/
For further information, please contact Thomas Max Patalas (02161 186-6629 or thomas.patalas(at)hs-niederrhein.de) and Professor Dr. Monika Eigenstetter (02161 186-6626 or monika.eigenstetter(at)hs-niederrhein.de).
