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This Robot Collects Fingerprints

Posted by timothy on from the maybe-autographs-too dept.

Roland Piquepaille writes "When police officers found suspicious packages today in an airport or a train station, they destroyed them immediately, along with potential fingerprints on them. A new robotic device, dubbed RAFFE (short for "Robot Accessory for Fuming Fingerprint Evidence), developed by scientists from the University of Toronto (U of T) and the University of Calgary, offers a solution to this problem. Mounted on an ordinary robot, it will reveal fingerprints by releasing Super Glue on the object. Then it will take pictures of these fingerprints. The Calgary Police Service is already using RAFFE for field tests. This overview contains more details and extra references."

12 of 188 comments (clear)

  1. Yergblerghas by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny


    Mounted on an ordinary robot

    Great, the T-1000 series try to extinguish humanity by smothering us with Super Glue fumes.

  2. Christmas presents by r_glen · · Score: 5, Funny

    Squirt gun - age 7
    Remote control vehicle - age 10
    Camera - age 14

    Dammit, I could have invented this thing 10 years ago!

  3. Cartoon in the making? by Jaywalk · · Score: 4, Funny
    I can just see a Looney Tune scenario in the making when someone touches a bomb covered with Super Glue . . .

    (Oh, admit it. You thought the same thing.)

    --
    ===== Murphy's Law is recursive. =====
  4. Just what we need... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    ...a glue-sniffing robot. I can already see hordes of them loitering on street corners in dingy Slipknot t-shirts pestering me for change.

  5. But.. by BorkBorkBork6000 · · Score: 5, Funny

    Wouldn't it be much cheaper to hire the homeless or students to take the prints?

  6. I can just see it... by ArbiterOne · · Score: 4, Funny

    "Sir..." "What?" "The robot appears to have glued its fingers together, sir..." "Darnit! Do we have any nail polish remover?"

  7. Re:Remote Controlled Device not robot by grub · · Score: 5, Funny


    Why are the more esoteric remote controlled devices called robots?

    I call my RealDoll "Becky".

    --
    Trolling is a art,
  8. I smell sitcom! by ArmenTanzarian · · Score: 4, Funny

    Two members of the bomb squad, like a modern day odd couple and their lovable sarcastic robot friend who squirts super glue on them. Hijinx... ready.... GO!!!1

  9. It's not a glue sniffing robot. by Jin+Wicked · · Score: 4, Funny

    It's a glue dispensing robot, which means that it will be followed where-ever it goes by kids in Slipknot t-shirts pestering you for change.

    On the plus side, it will make it rather easy for these rampant glue-junkies to be brought to justice, making the streets safer for us all.

    --
    My Webcomic: Asylum on 5th Street
  10. Re:Counter-Robot by kill-hup · · Score: 4, Funny

    They already have! It's called a GLOVE ;)

    Smart criminals don't assemble packages/leave home without them.

    --
    Sinepaw.org: Grape Winos
  11. Re: finger prints by tomhudson · · Score: 4, Funny
    This Robot Collects Fingerprints
    So does my monitor, my TV screen, the fridge, windows, etc. Can I have my grant now?

    (Yeah, I RTFA. It's a joke :-)

  12. Oh no! My $250,000 finger print robot by blueZ3 · · Score: 5, Funny

    glued itself to the bomb!

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