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New CIA Tech Museum: Spy Scat and Robo-Fish

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the marshall-will-provide-the-op-tech dept.

PSaltyDS writes "According to this AP story, the CIA's Directorate of Science and Technology is celebrating its 40th anniversary by revealing a few dozen of its secrets for a new museum inside its headquarters near Washington. When the CIA's secret gadget-makers invented a listening device for the Asian jungles, they disguised it so the enemy wouldn't be tempted to pick it up and examine it: The device looked like tiger droppings. Besides the jungle transmitter, the exhibits include a robotic catfish, a remote-controlled dragonfly and a camera strapped to the chests of pigeons and released over enemy targets in the 1970s. There is also an International Spy Museum in D.C. with more pics, including an early version of the Pigeon-Cam."

6 of 91 comments (clear)

  1. Tiger droppings? by Brahmastra · · Score: 5, Funny
    device looked like tiger droppings.

    Wouldn't it find its way into traditional Chinese medicine or something?
  2. If these cool gadgets are in a museum NOW... by pdaoust007 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Imagine what kind of gadgets the CIA have available to them today...

    What's also interesting is that the gadgets are not the type you would expect. I.e., not what we are used to see in movies and all.

    1. Re:If these cool gadgets are in a museum NOW... by AndroidCat · · Score: 5, Funny

      Now that the restrictions on domestic spying have been reduced, the CIA probably has devices planted around Washington disguised as politician droppings.

      --
      One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  3. Tiger crap? by Drakin · · Score: 5, Funny

    I bet the reception was shitty....

  4. Interesting, but ... by richg74 · · Score: 5, Informative
    This new museum sounds really interesting, but just to avoid disappointment for anyone who is planning a visit to the DC area:

    It is accessible only to CIA employees and guests admitted to those closed quarters.

    The International Spy Museum mentioned is open to the public, but admission is quite pricey: about $10 per head, if I recall correctly.

  5. Spy scat? by evilad · · Score: 5, Funny

    Lends a whole new meaning to the term "eavesdropping".