LINK, the UK cash machine network announces its sponsorship of a new exhibition at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design which showcases innovative ways to reduce the number of victims of ATM crime.
The Design Against ATM Crime exhibition at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design (CSM) in London (16–21st June) showcases the work of design students, as well as artists and design research staff. Design Against Crime Research Centre (DACRC) and LINK, along with NCR, the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Crime Unit (DCPCU) and Royal Bank of Scotland worked on a design brief for BA (Hons) Product Design students. The challenge set was to come up with new and cost-effective solutions to tackle ATM crime.
The most effective way to prevent ATM crime is to remember to cover your PIN and be vigilant about distraction techniques, such as dropping money on the floor, dipping (pick-pocketing) and shoulder surfing. Miniature video cameras can be discreetly fixed near the PIN pad to record valuable information, which is why simply covering our PINs can go a long way to help protect against ATM fraud.
New designs can create “defensible” space around the machine and positively influence the behaviour of users. The exhibition includes the concept of proximity-activated sound sensors to alert users if they aren’t covering their PIN or if someone is standing too close and laser-illuminated privacy zones, as well as low tech omni-directional mirrors and secrecy shutters.
Baroness Browning, Minister for Crime Prevention and Antisocial Behaviour Reduction said: “In these days of rapid technological innovation, designing out crime is an area that I believe has huge potential to help prevent crime and reduce the devastating effects it can cause.
The creative ideas generated in response to the ATM design brief are an excellent example of how innovative thinking can be catalysed when partners from the private sector, policing and academia work together. This is the kind of collaborative working that I am keen to see much more of.”
Professor Lorraine Gamman, Director of the Design Against Crime Research Centre: “Designers can make a difference to issues as complex as ATM crime because strong research combined with 'wonky' design thinking catalyses new ideas, services and solutions. This tends to be the type of design that has the potential to generate behaviour change in unexpected and innovative ways.”
Graham Mott, senior LINK spokesman added: “We are delighted to support Central Saint Martins College in launching this exciting exhibition. The ATM industry is always looking for new and innovative ways to help tackle cash machine crime. Art and cash machines are not an obvious marriage but it is really exciting to see these young people take a completely original and approach to ATM security.”
The Design Against Crime Research Centre is a socially responsive, practice-led research centre located at Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, University of the Arts London.
