Autonomous Surveillance Tower
Description
CBP's limited manpower constrains its ability to manually monitor all areas of the border at all times. To account for this limitation, surveillance and sensor systems assist in monitoring the border.
Detailed example
The AI provides alerts when it detects the presence of an IoI (i.e., persons, vehicles, animals) in the image frame. With regard to persons, this computer vision application is trained to determine if the object in the image frame is a person with a certain of level of confidence and not another object that may be shaped similarly to a person. After the alert of a detection, a trained agent or user, reviews the image to identify and classify the activity taking place. The AI merely alerts to the presence of an item it was trained to detect. This is not a biometric system and does not identify or track specific individuals.
AI / analytics pattern
Classical/Predictive Machine Learning: Models trained on data to make predictions or classifications based on identified patterns or relationships.
Automation level / stage
c) Deployed – The use case is being actively authorized or utilized to support the functions or mission of an agency.
Expected benefit
AST machine learning assisted system is augmenting the U.S. Border Patrol by enhancing the capabiltiies of individual users when carrying out the domain awareness mission. The expected benefit is to have ability of single person to monitor magnitude greater area than could be done with conventional CCTV or human surveillance. The ultimate outcome for the agency and the public is greater availability of the agents to solve and address more complex tasks and allow for better strategic/tactical deployment of existing resources and personnel.
Audit / financial statement impact
The AI outputs do not serve as a principal basis for a decision or action concerning a specific individual or entity that has a legal, material, binding, or similarly significant effect on that individual’s or entity’s civil rights, civil liberties or privacy, equal opportunities, or access to or the ability to apply for critical government resources or services. The AI provides alerts when it detects the presence of an IoI (i.e., persons, vehicles, animals) in the image frame. With regard to persons, this computer vision application is trained to determine if the object in the image frame is a person with a certain of level of confidence and not another object that may be shaped similarly to a person. After the alert of a detection, a trained agent or user, reviews the image to identify and classify the activity taking place. The AI merely alerts to the presence of an item it was trained to detect. This is not a biometric system and does not identify or track specific individuals.
Controls / human review
ATO: Yes; PIA: https://cbpgov.sharepoint.com/:b:/r/sites/AutonomousSurveillanceTowerASTProgram/Shared%20Documents/General/Tech,%20Cyber,%20Eng%20docs,%20Anduril%20docs,%20Data%20sheets/AST%20CyberSec%20-%20ATOs,%20PTAs,%20ATTs/PTAs/Disposition%20PTA,%20CBP%20-%20Autonomous%20Surveillance%20Towers%20(AST),%2020230906,%20PRIV%20Final.pdf?csf=1&web=1&e=Q9OWDC
Data needed
Meta-data and data created by CBP. Generally comprised of agent adjudications of autonomous sensory inputs of items of interests by the system.