Pzzt. Your camera's dead

Damian Koh | Jun 19, 2006

Movie pirates may have to start looking for alternatives because the guys at Georgia Institute of Technology have come up with a prototype that could disable digital cameras in a given area.

All that's required are a few easily available equipment: Camera-mounted sensors, lighting, a projector and computer. What the system does is to look for the reflectivity and shape of image sensors used in digicams. Digital SLRs are spared for the moment due to their flip-up mirror which protects the CCDs/CMOS sensors. But, hey, who brings a dSLR to record a movie?

According to Gregory Abowd, an associate professor leading the project, the product could prevent espionage photography in government buildings, industrial settings or tradeshows. A more likely application would be to prevent movie piracy when people sneak digicams/videocams into cinemas to record movies for illegal distribution.

Once the system detects a video camera in the vicinity, it would flash a thin beam of visible white light to overwhelm the sensors, thus disabling the offending unit. Nice one, but we're just a little concerned about light flying around everywhere though they'll probably use laser in the commercial versions. Ouch.

Filed under: Digital Cameras
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