Wiltshire scientists develop anti-terror spy cameras

The technology can identify anomalies in behaviour and environment

Scientists have been testing ground-breaking technologies which it is hoped will help disrupt terrorist activities.

The military research laboratories at Porton Down in Wiltshire tried out new sensor and data-processing systems in an airborne surveillance experiment.

The aim is to track the movement of terrorists, particularly those using home-made bombs.

It is hoped the technology will help to save lives in war zones such as Afghanistan as well as in the UK.

Home-made bombs - also called IEDs (improvised explosive devices) - are said to be the preferred weapon of choice for insurgents as they are harder to detect by UK forces.

Ultimate CCTV

Countering the IED threat is one of the Ministry of Defence's top priorities.

During the last fortnight, planes and helicopters have been flying across the restricted airspace over Porton Down picking up a range of images and data.

Electro-optical cameras that can identify people in unusual poses, such as holding a weapon, were used.

Andrew Seedhouse, from the Defence, Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL), said: "Think of it as the ultimate CCTV system.

"An incident occurs, perhaps an IED goes off, and we can use this host of data to back track over time.

"Who was near the scene and where were they before the incident? What buildings or vehicles can we now associate with the incident?"

He said the research could help scientists to look for anomalies in behaviour and environment and alert appropriate forces before an incident occurred.

During the two-week trial, teams gathered up to 40 terabytes of data - said to be the equivalent of 40,000 copies of the Encyclopaedia Britannica.