Welcome to Hacking Your Classroom: Hangzhou’s New AI Eye‑Spy
It sounds like the set‑up of a sci‑fi movie, but it’s actually happening in Hangzhou No. 11 Middle School: every student’s face is being watched by an AI‑powered camera that turns “bursting into a nap” into a data point. The school’s new smart classroom behaviour management system is keeping dozing off a serious crime—at least, according to the system’s makers.
How the System Works (and Why It Feels Like Big Brother)
- High‑definition cameras constantly record the class.
- The AI digests each student’s facial expressions and physical cues.
- Using huge blocks of data, it decides if you’re reading, listening, or snoozing.
- Emotion detection is no slouch: happiness, disgust, fear, anger and even confusion get scored.
- An attentiveness rating pops up on a teacher’s monitor in real time—watching you in plain sight.
What the School Says
The school’s vice‑principal Zhang Guanqun claims the system “only collects facial expressions and behaviour information” and that it “improves interactions between teachers and students.” After a month of trial, students adapted to the watchful eyes and their conduct, reported him. “Finally, we got some discipline!” he joked, though some classmates found the whole affair unsettling.
Behind the Tech
Hikvision Digital Technology, a global security camera titan, is the brain behind the system. They’re pushing into AI territories themselves, but their company stayed tight‑lipped when reporters tried to reach out.
Beyond the Classroom
China already has a camera‑crazed landscape: facial‑recognition tech is used to process payments, crack down on lawbreakers, and even check whether diners at fast‑food joints are following the latest health guidelines. While many see these checks as “safety checks,” critics worry about entering a surveillance state—one that watches and can control citizens, current or future.
Reactions: From “We’re Cool” to “We’re Not Cool”
- Some students feel they’ve “grown used” to being monitored and claim it pays off in better behaviour.
- Other voices sweetly or sharply spiked a chorus of “Is this a concentration camp?” on Weibo, reminding folks that kids are not the usual subjects of stricter governance.
- Last year, Qihoo 360 shut down a live‑streaming platform that let folks stream CCTV footage from classrooms, restaurants and grocery stores—an early warning that the line between safety and overreach is thin.
It’s Not Just About Naps…
The big question remains: will greater attention to “nap‑rate” help learning, or will it simply be another way to control classrooms? For now, Hangzhou’s engine will buzz overhead, ensuring that tired minds are kept on task—one pixel at a time.
