Dear all,
This was an item on local BBC news program, South Today, concerning
research at Southampton Uni where they have succeeded in mathematically
modelling walking gaits. Apparently the thighs have some kind of
pendulum movement which is unique. This appears to have been partly
developed for medical reasons: diagnosing the onset of muscular and bone
diseases. However, the news report made much of the CCTV implications in
that it will allow identification of subjects even when the face is
obscured. Hence part of the news item came from Southampton cctv control
centre. One of the developers said he had been motivated by the Bulger
cctv footage. The report said it would be at least ten years before the
technology was sufficiently developed for widespread use.
I haven't been able to find any references to this, not even in
Southampton news releases. But maybe someone knows more? Not exactly a
cheery thought though. The anchor of South Today made a joke (the
obligatory light hearted ending of news bulletins) about John Cleese and
the ministry for silly walks. But perhaps that is not so wide of the
mark, soon we're all going to be self-consciously limping and prancing
about our business. As soon as access to cctv networks is available on
digital to 'our' homes, 'our' lives and deaths will have achieved
perfect circularity as performances of the 'real'. The postmodern dream?
Nick Hubble,
GRC HUMS, ARTS B, UNI of SUSSEX.
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