Bullybuster

Overview:

The project "BullyBuster" involves researchers from four universities in the South of Italy and its islands, which form four research groups, not only specialized in technology and artificial intelligence, but also in law and psychology. The scientific leaders of the four units are the following professors: Carlo Sansone (Federico II, leader), Donatella Curtotti (Foggia), Donato Impedovo (Bari), and Gian Luca Marcialis (Cagliari).

Description

Project's proposal starts from the state-of-the-art on behavioural biometrics and crowd analysis in computer vision systems and the recent efforts of criminal behavioural modelling in psychology and juridical fields. The tools will be operating on different kinds of data sources: (1) video-based analysis, by segmentation and characterization of the scene by means of temporal and spatial textural descriptors, in order to detect specific bullying actions on the basis of the crowd movements around the victim and, where possible, his/her facial expression; (2) text-based analysis, by the detection of words and sentences typical of cyberbullying harrassements, oppression and stalking; (3) behavioural analysis by the detection of the keystroke dynamics and touch analytics. The statistical and generative models behind this tool will be inspired by psychological models of criminal behaviour. To make them usable and testable in realistic scenarios, juridical and privacy implications will be studied and a proposal to overcame them will be also among the project results.

Partner

  • University of Naples "Federico II" (lead partner);
  • University of Bari "Aldo Moro"
  • University of Cagliari
  • University of Foggia

Funding

Total project amount: 1.056.819,14

Timeline

Start Date: 29 August 2019 End Date: 28 February 2023

References

Prof. Carlo Sansone

LINK