Master's thesis; Encrypted Camera Surveillance at the Edge

Background. With rising concerns around national security, total defence, and organized crime, there is a growing need for surveillance technologies that support law enforcement and public safety—without compromising individual privacy. This project explores the use of Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) to enable secure, on-device surveillance that protects both target identities and bystanders. The approach aligns with Sweden’s goals for building secure and ethically responsible digital infrastructure. The project is hosted by RISE Research Institutes of Sweden, a state-owned institute supporting sustainable innovation across academia, industry, and the public sector.

Description. This thesis investigates the development of a secure camera surveillance system that can identify individuals on a hot target list without revealing the list itself or the identities of non-target individuals. Using FHE, the system performs local feature matching directly on encrypted data at the edge device. Only encrypted match results are transmitted over the wireless connection, minimizing bandwidth usage and ensuring end-to-end privacy. The system will be evaluated using datasets such as CelebA and Asian Faces, focusing on performance and accuracy in realistic surveillance scenarios.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct a literature review on privacy-preserving surveillance

• Implement encrypted local feature matching and evaluate performance

• Document findings in a scientific report

Qualifications

• Strong background in mathematics, statistics, and machine learning

• Familiarity with cryptography and computer vision

• Proficiency in Python and frameworks such as PyTorch or OpenCV

• Experience with embedded systems or edge computing is a plus

Terms

• Scope: 30 hp, one semester full-time

• Location: Luleå (or remote with agreement)

• Start: Flexible

• Compensation: 10,000 SEK for travel, materials and the like after the project is completed and approved

Please note: You need to have a valid student visa that allows you to study in Sweden during the thesis period.

Welcome with your application

Last day of application: July 29
Contact: Rickard Brännvall (rickard.brannvall@ri.se), Henrik Forsgren
Check-in questions (yes/no): 1-5 are required, 6-9 are beneficial, 10-13 are specifically plus