I've seen way too much of this in the past little while. As companies and institutions adopt a more technological approach to solving problems the human interface to things is quickly disappearing. Here are two situations I've encountered in the past few days, and I've been giving them some thought.

The Mosquito - Huh? What?

As we get older, the less high-frequency sounds we can hear. Therefore a lot of businesses are employing a technology know as the Mosquito. It emits a high-frequency sound that is only audible to someone under the age of ~25. This is used as a ditherant for kids who are loitering, trespassing and vandalizing property. It quickly get annoying, forcing the person to leave.

I was listening to a show on CBC Radio a few days ago, that interviewed a few people who had deployed this device. Crime and trouble is down they say...

One business/institution went as far as employing a video camera, The Mosquito, as well as a motion trigger water sprinkler system - can you say over kill.

How about a simple solution like a security patrol or a watchman?

Lights on but no one's studying

There is a new school being built in my neighborhood. Right now, there is a giant steel structure standing, and they've hooked up the electricity...

To protect the premises and equipment they've left every single light bulb on in the building...umm skeleton of the building. My guess would be to say they have about 80 to a 100 incandescent light bulbs burning all night, every night for the past 10 days.

Again, how about a fence and a security patrol to solve the problem?

I can understand the reasoning behind some of the new technologies that are being employed, but people are forgetting the human aspect of security all together. Nothing says authority like a cop with a badge and a 'weapon'.