Topic - EAS Surveillance (Electronic Article Surveillance)

What is it?

A security device. Two shaped pedestals outside a store door to detect theft. They are intended to detect security tags on items and set off an alarm if someone leaves with an item that still has a security tag on it

Observation

Research

The two pillars create an electromagnetic field to detect a security tag. The tag is embedded with a Radio Frequency (RF) circuit. The pillars beep when a potential theft is detected. However, the pillars often go off and "beep" even when fraud is not occurring. This happens because the pillars don't "detect" the item itself; rather, the tag picks up energy from the pillar and responds by broadcasting its own signal, which the pillar then detects to trigger the alarm.

The problem is that these systems cannot always tell the difference between a security tag and electronic noise. Because they are looking for a simple, generic frequency rather than a specific digital signature, environmental interference—such as loose wires, neon signs, or even another store's tag—can create "false positives." In these cases, the system isn't detecting a tag, but simply reacting to background electronic noise.

In China, they use RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) for items being purchased. Conversely, each tag has a microchip giving each item a unique "ID." When the cashier scans each item, the system's database marks that specific ID as "paid." The gate will then only "beep" if an item is recognized as "unpaid."

This is a smarter application of radio signals because the "errors" move from the technical to the procedural. Instead of beeping due to unreliable environmental interference, the system only beeps due to human error, such as a cashier forgetting to scan an item. This makes the system more reliable.

Redesign

The system, as it works in China already offers a significant improvement to this system technically. To make a practical redesign that is even better, we’d have to consider different sensors. So instead, we decided to go the funny route. Imagine, these pillars had eyes and voices, and instead of beeping when the alarm went off, they opened their eyes and, in a funny voice, asked, “Are you trying to steal?”

Readings

Air

• “feeling is the slow realization that something is missing”
  • I really like this idea - quite spiritual. Reminds me of the ideas around negative space
  • Really ties into meditation, spirituality; when you don’t feel anything is missing then you’re in touch with the inner joy that you are. Feeling almost creates this discomfort and pain.
    • Make a statement that you’re not missing anything, the sense's ability to enjoy is unlimited, so extract from the feeling to realize you’re not missing anything ⇒ how to capture that in a project?
      • IDEA for box: Maybe have something that engages all the senses, and then when you go to interact, it gets redacted. Hopefully, this would induce some frustration, then, in giving you a chance to take a deep breath out and surrender, and then the box reveals itself. Maybe the box asks continually, “What’s missing?”
      • Wonder, is there a way to extract this feeling of “body” or just create a feeling of merging that with the outside?
      • Maybe tie E4I into the final with this as the energy conversation blends really well
  • So then what’s the goal in my practice…
    • Highlight this space for reflection?
    • Is it to criticize the blending of technology in materializing this space?
• We’ve used technology to be an extension of our senses and thus of “life support”