On a dark winter evening, a woman waits alone for a train on a deserted platform. A man sits uncomfortably close, making her feel unsafe. A new application of laser technology is being developed to spot such behaviour and determine when it signals a real threat.
Rosie Richardson, a product and strategy director at a technology company, says, “Throughout my life, the responsibility has always been on women to protect themselves.” She is developing a tool to quickly identify suspicious behaviours like loitering or following someone, and alert help when needed.
The tool, created by Createc, is based on a system already used to monitor crowds at airports and railway stations, including King’s Cross Station. It tracks individuals as dots on a screen. When unusual behaviour is detected, such as sudden crowd movement or someone following another person closely, security teams are alerted.
“This gives eyes on the situation, allowing trained staff to judge whether it’s a threat,” Richardson explains. She adds that predators often exhibit predictable patterns, like lingering in a location or closely tailing someone, which the system can detect.
The technology uses lasers and advanced algorithms to analyse movement patterns. It only flags behaviour for closer inspection if it matches known indicators of threatening behaviour. For example, on a mostly empty platform, a person choosing to sit unnecessarily close to another triggers an alert. CCTV can then focus on the situation, or staff can respond in person.
Richardson has personal experience with predator attacks. At age 12, she was sexually assaulted during a crowded public event. “It was a bystander effect – lots of people saw, but no one acted,” she recalls. She believes this technology could prevent similar incidents by spotting suspicious behaviour early.
By mapping real-life movement data, the system can differentiate between normal crowd patterns and potentially harmful actions. Richardson notes, “From a top-down view, you can see normal spectators, but you also notice someone moving strangely or entering a crowd and others stepping back.”
She adds that most women she knows have experienced situations in public spaces that made them feel unsafe. The technology aims to shift responsibility from individuals to security systems, helping to prevent incidents before they occur.
