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Operation Acoustic Kitty

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the frankensteins-monster dept.

rockville writes: "Remember the Cold War, when intelligence agencies had no oversight and a blank check? Now that those days are back, here's a good object lesson: the Chicago Sun-Times has details about Operation Acoustic Kitty, a CIA program to wire a cat to spy on the Soviet Union. Feel free to be either shocked at the depravity or shocked at the stupidity. The first prototype is also a nominee for Worst Presentation Ever." Hmmm. Last time I posted a story about cats, I got angry email from cat-lovers. Let's see what happens this time.

6 of 253 comments (clear)

  1. That was only the beginning by AnimeFreak · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Today we're seeing robots the size of pennies, that may be the next form of espionage in the next few decades. Heck, we may even make smaller "nano-bots" that can attach itself to the person who is under survailence.

    This also reminds me of the bionic insects I have seen in various magazines such as Popular Science. Cats were only the beginning I will state again.

    1. Re:That was only the beginning by Man+of+E · · Score: 1, Interesting

      The great thing is, the cockroaches (more info at ZZZ) can be radio controlled, which solves many of the problems with cats, such as unpredictability and uncontrollability. Plus, they're slightly less conspicuous.
      Of course, if seen, it might be harder to avoid getting killed than with a cat.
      On a slightly offtopic note, does anyone remember the game Bad Mojo, where you had to steer a cockroach around a bunch of obstacles? That might be good training for future spy-insect operators :-)

      --
      Ceci n'est pas une sig
    2. Re:That was only the beginning by AnimeFreak · · Score: 2, Interesting

      A fly could do a better job actually. With a fly, it can attach itself to the ceiling, wall, floor, or whatever and you wouldn't notice it. With a cockroach, you can easily see it and want to stomp it.

      As long as the radio control works though, if not the then the fly is at risk for being swatted because it will either be in control of it's self, go out of control, or it will drop and be noticed.

  2. Ridiculous idea by ergo98 · · Score: 1, Interesting

    There's an old saying about trying to herd cats...

    Seriously though, what were they thinking? Apart from the moral and ethical depravity of it, logically it seems like a pretty stupid plan to begin with: Was the cat fed wet food from a picture of the person whom it was supposed to befriend? For anyone who has a cat, you know from the beginning that these morons obviously didn't.

  3. The scary thing by Lurkingrue · · Score: 3, Interesting

    The frightening part of this whole debacle -- at least for USians -- is that this took place when the CIA was supposedly competent and well-staffed/well-funded... What does that say for their current capabilities?

  4. Conspiracy theorists of the world, unite. by Murmer · · Score: 5, Interesting
    Reading just a bit between the lines...

    "They slit the cat open, put batteries in him, wired him up. The tail was used as an antenna. They made a monstrosity. They tested him and tested him. They found he would walk off the job when he got hungry, so they put another wire in to override that,'' he said.

    So reading a hair past the ha-ha bad product description, we've learned that the CIA can stick a wire into your head and change the way you feel.
    And they knew how to do this in 1960. Damn, but they must have some cool toys by now.
    --
    Mike Hoye