Singapore will start installing smart lampposts in the near future which boast an array of sensors and cameras that will allow authorities to recognise individual faces in a crowd.
But the plan is raising privacy fears among security experts and rights groups. The government said the system would allow it to “perform crowd analytics” and support anti-terror operations.
The ‘Lamppost-as-a-Platform’ (LaaP) pilot project is scheduled to begin next year and will see upgrades to lighting fixtures across the city state. The government is planning to add a range of sensors to the lampposts and will kit them all out with LED bulbs, which promise a much greater lifespan and cheaper running costs. The sensors will be able to detect the temperature, humidity, rainfall, pollutants and even noise in the area around them. They will also brighten or dim depending on the ambient light in the local area or weather conditions.
Artificial intelligence will then be used to allow for closer monitoring of the urban environment and should allow faster responses to incidents and safer footpaths and roads for drivers and pedestrians.