EU Eyes Anti-Terror Camera for Every Seat

A camera may be planted in every airline seat in Europe, if an EU plan under development is approved. Dubbed SAFEE (Security of Aircraft in the Future European Environment), the system would also aim cameras at the aisles. Software would then watch for suspicious movements, gestures, and even facial expressions.

It will watch for big things too—like people running or standing near the cockpit for too long—and may spot passengers who sweat heavily or make nervous gestures. In early testing, the cameras caught simulated terrorist strikes, but some are skeptical. “It's a very different thing using it day in and day out,” one expert said. (More Big Brother stories.)