A research project to test next-generation building sensors at Carnegie Mellon University provoked intense debate over the privacy implications of widespread deployment of the devices in a new 90,000-sf building.
The light-switch-size devices, called Mites, are capable of measuring 12 types of data, including motion and sound. The sensors were mounted in more than 300 locations throughout the building—on walls and ceilings of hallways, in conference rooms, and in private offices—as part of a research project on smart buildings.
Students and faculty who research the social impacts of technology felt that the device’s microphone, infrared sensor, thermometer, and other sensors, would subject them to experimental surveillance. They objected to the fact that the devices were installed without their explicit consent.
Researchers behind the project had taken steps to anonymize data collected by the building sensors, but that didn’t staunch concerns by building occupants. The project highlights latent mistrust over technologies that can be used as surveillance devices.
“Current IoT systems offer little transparency about exactly what data is being collected, how it is being transmitted, and what security protocols are in place—while erring on the side of over-collection,” according to a report in Technology Review.
Widely reported incidents of smart-home devices such as baby monitors, Google Home and Amazon Alexa speakers, and robot vacuums being hacked or having their data shared without users’ knowledge or consent, complicate the climate for public acceptance of building sensors.
As work continues on the project, how Carnegie Mellon researchers build in privacy safeguards, and how well they communicate those measures to the university community, may be instructive about whether this technology is accepted by the public.
Related Stories
Smart Buildings | Nov 30, 2015
New neighborhoods in Hamburg, Germany resilient to flooding, carbon neutral
Mixed-use areas built on brownfields and derelict districts.
Smart Buildings | Nov 13, 2015
Miami Beach making plans to cope with rising sea levels, flooding
The city has turned to sea walls, raised streets, and pumping stations.
Smart Buildings | Nov 11, 2015
No eyes on the road: The impact of driverless vehicles
The idea that space can be repurposed by breaking dependence on the purchase, maintenance, and storage of a big machine is a great boon for the sustainable future of cities, writes SmithGroupJJR's David Varner.
Smart Buildings | Nov 9, 2015
White paper promotes incentives for improved disaster resilience
The white paper makes the case that the most cost-effective manner to achieve resilience is through a holistic and integrated set of public, private, and hybrid programs.
Smart Buildings | Nov 5, 2015
JLL names 10 emerging world cities
Mexico City, Shanghai, Istanbul, and seven other world-class cities have experienced rapid economic growth and real estate development.
Cultural Facilities | Oct 28, 2015
New York City’s underground 'Lowline' green space enters the testing phase
If realized, The Lowline would provide 1.5 acres of green space for the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
Seismic Design | Oct 22, 2015
Taipei 101 tower named 'world's toughest' building by Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics named the 10 structures that best withstand floods, winds, storms, and earthquakes.
BIM and Information Technology | Oct 19, 2015
New web tool from MIT organizes human movement in interactive graphs
Users can explore the mobile phone activities in London, New York, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong.
Smart Buildings | Oct 8, 2015
Brookings announces the Bass Initiative on Innovation and Placemaking
The think tank's goal is to stress public spaces, urban economies, and inclusive growth in city building.
Smart Buildings | Sep 28, 2015
Architects Foundation issues first annual report on National Resilience Initiative
The report, which includes the work of three schools, examines how architects work with communities through the National Resilience Design Network.
