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This Robot Collects Fingerprints
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."
Mounted on an ordinary robot
Great, the T-1000 series try to extinguish humanity by smothering us with Super Glue fumes.
Squirt gun - age 7
Remote control vehicle - age 10
Camera - age 14
Dammit, I could have invented this thing 10 years ago!
right to privately leave unmarked packages in an airport?
(Oh, admit it. You thought the same thing.)
===== Murphy's Law is recursive. =====
I'm Canadian and I'm always really happy when I hear of advances in science from our great nation. I'm tired of hearing Canada being labled as a safe-haven for terrorists, and it makes me proud to know that our universities are continuing to contribute to the capture and conviction of terrorists all over the world. By securing the lives of law enforcement officials everywhere, Canada has contributed to making everyone safer, and in turn, improving the quality of life in America. I also can't wait to see an episode of CSI (or CSI Miami) with this little techno-wonder in action!
Last time I used Super Glue I glued by thumb and index finger together for an hour. I hope this robot is better at sticking that little pin in the container than I am.
the fumes adhere to the oils from the skin left by the finger print. it's also a much better method than "dusting"
Cue jokes about Johnny-5 super-gluing himself to random objects.
Wouldn't it be much cheaper to hire the homeless or students to take the prints?
The glue is heated up and the fumes adhere to the skin oils in the fingerprint. They don't dunk the object in a tank of glue.
Trolling is a art,
It isn't exactly the super glue, it is the cyanoacrylate fumes released from heating the glue. It turns the finger prints white, then they can be photographed.
The reason they don't have a human doing this work, is because it is a dangerous assignment, investigating a suspecious package. Normally the robot would just destroy the package, finger prints and all. Now they can make images of the prints before destroying the package.
I wonder how this is going to hold up in court? Are digital photographs of the fingerprints (I assume that's how the pics are taken) submittable as evidence in a court of law?
I think it's a terrific idea, but the first time it's used, there's going to be a huge fight about the guarantee of authenticity of the prints.
Craig Steffen
http://www.craigsteffen.net
In one of his cop films? And here I thought it was just Hollywood being typical (i.e. getting science and technology incorrect)
Who knew, all these years, that super glue *does* pick up fingerprints?!
So rise up, all ye lost ones, as one, we'll claw the clouds.
I have no problem with making a list of people who qualifies for the job!
This assumes it's a bomb (as opposed to a change of underwear and some toiletries) but you're right. My thinking was more along the forensic side (gathering fingerprints) being a fairly benign act, as opposed to actually retrieving a package and ascertaining whether or not it is actually dangerous, which seems like the better job for a bot.
--- JRJ
jrjBlog
This introductory sentence makes it sound like there was some *specific* event today at the airport or bus station involving suspicious packages and police officers.
Though gramatically correct, it is a matter of practice in written/spoken English to use the present tense when generalizing as in: "When police officers find suspicious packages today in an airport or a train station, they destroy them immediately, along with potential fingerprints on them."
I wouldn't even have bothered pointing this out, but that blurb made me scurry over to http://news.google.com for a look-see. Good story though.
An Indian-American Hindu committed to non-violent thought/speech/action alarmed by the global explosion of radical Islam
Why do people keep calling remote controlled devices robots?
A robot is an autonomous object responding to its environment.
A remote controlled device is under direct control.
We call them
Remote Controlled Cars
Remote Controlled Planes
these are clearly not "ROBOTS".
Why are the more esoteric remote controlled devices called robots?
"Sir..." "What?" "The robot appears to have glued its fingers together, sir..." "Darnit! Do we have any nail polish remover?"
With all the crap patents we hear about in this forum, it's great to read about a simple, obvious invention that someone actually invented - an idea that's actually worth some real credit.
But it still makes me wanna kick myself for not thinking of it first.
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
But if it isn't dangerous you don't need prints. If it is then they would be very helpful, but you can't have humans approaching a package for forensics if a bot has already designated it a probable bomb.
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
They already have! It's called a GLOVE ;)
Smart criminals don't assemble packages/leave home without them.
Sinepaw.org: Grape Winos
It isn't exactly the super glue, it is the cyanoacrylate fumes released from heating the glue. It turns the finger prints white, then they can be photographed.
The reason they don't have a human doing this work, is because it is a dangerous assignment, investigating a suspecious package. Normally the robot would just destroy the package, finger prints and all. Now they can make images of the prints before destroying the package.
I suspect that the other reason is that cyanoacrylate fumes aren't exactly healthy to breathe.
"They redundantly repeated themselves over and over again incessantly without end ad infinitum" -- ibid.
Also, loss of life doesn't seem to be an issue here... apparently being on the bomb squad gets you laid almost as much as being a post-9/11 fireman.
--
Power to the Peaceful
(Yeah, I RTFA. It's a joke :-)
Or better yet, involve someone to handle the package for him/her, throwing the trail off?
This is only going to catch the dummies, who most likely have already blown themselves up.
Where do I get an ordinary robot?
What is an "ordinary" robot? It's not like I can go to the local robot dealer and look at base model "ordinary" robots vs the sports package or "pleasure model" AWESOM-O 4000.
Please define "ordinary robot". Most of the robots I see in cartoons or movies are quite extraordinary. Thanks in advance, bitches.
I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
That's just vague enough to work.
An ordinary "bomb disposal" robot would be better. I might also take exception to the term "robot", if I wanted to be a jerk about it.
Good idea, though. I'm sure if they thought about it, they could add a whole swiss-army knife's worth of gadgets to the arms on those things.
My sig sucks.
"... I can't imagine making it a film camera really has much more in the way of security for the integrity of the image.."
You have no idea what Photoshop can do have you? And no, i don't mean piecing together little pictures and having fun. Photoshop in the right hands can create a "photo" that will blow your mind and remove any doubt that film is *much* more secure....ever tried to change a negative? Pretty fucking hard since it's already dev'd...prints are another issue though.
glued itself to the bomb!
Interested in a Flash-based MAME front end? Visit mame.danzbb.com
Fingerprinting an exploded bomb is commonly done though, and I wouldn't doubt DNA testing also being done. Whatever it is - the casing, schrapnel, components... discrete parts usually remain allowing fingerprinting, even on 1000lb bombs.
Of course figerprinting a live bomb it is great (easier to find parts that may have prints, and reduces the uncertainty 'just in case'), but fingerprinting exploded bombs is done and is very successful.
I'm not sure if you are joking, but if you are not you may want to look at the U.S. Supreme Court decision in California v. Greenwood, 486 U.S. 35 (1988). The Court stated:
I understand that this is not directly on point in that it concerns garbage. However, in this age of terrorism I very much doubt that the Supreme Court is going to hold that the authorities cannot take fingerprints off of a package apparently abandoned at an airport, train station, etc.
Only Women Bleed (Sex, Sharia remix)
Now we might see some slimy bomb makers rigging detonators with chemical detectors. As soon as the robot fumagates the package it detonates....no more robot.
I always wondered why bombers leave these things behind in rather conspicious places for long periods of time. Its almost as if they want the bombs to be found before they detonate...seems like a short fuse and a decent hiding place would serve them better.
Apple free since 1990!
Smart criminals
that is an oxymoron.. or actually in reality is' exceedingly rare to find a smart criminal.
and this, my friends, is a GOOD THING. imagine if the braindead-turds in a gang discovered what a 30-6 hunting rifle and a good scope can do. or the same rifle and some well welded together washers that you lightly machine just right can do to the sound of that rifle.
Criminals are stupid to the extreme... that is why they are criminals.
Do not look at laser with remaining good eye.
Damn you sir...
every day http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:Random
I don't know why, but when I first glanced at this post, I mentally inserted a period after the seventh word:
I'm Canadian and I'm always really happy.
:)
To reign is to serve.
normally, when you want fingerprints, you have to not only treat them with cyanoacrylate, but you have to dye the print as well in order to get a good photo.
besides, there's more than one way to get fingerprints, each different way being appropriate to various possible situations, surfaces, etc.
you also have to consider how you are going to present the fingerprint evidence in court, should you catch the culprit.
so I'm betting that yes, this robot will be useful, but not in 100% of all situations.
IIRC isnt that how the Madrid train bombers were caught, ie from fingerprints on one unexploded bomb?
Fortunately, it wasn't me that had to explain what had happened to the shiny new company car.
As copyright owner of this comment, I authorize everyone to defeat any technological measure which limits access to it.
Funny, I always say that, and people ask me if I believe in Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny...
..they build a bomb that is set off by super-glue fumes? ruh-roh.
in bed.
I'm thinking that it's hard enough catching terrorists. it's plausible that when they are planning this they don't actually *think* their bombs won't go off, but if news that fingerprints can be lifted off it with machines like this etc. etc. they'll get less careless, and one less piece of evidence will be afvailable in the future.
Captain, we get signal. What! Main screen turn on. Somebody set us up the bomb.
===== Murphy's Law is recursive. =====
So what happens when it comes across a suspicious white package? Are we going to see white packing paper and boxes outlawed?
Captain, we get signal. What! Main screen turn on. Someone set up us the bomb.
Wh47 d1d j00 541, 31337 15n't t3h r0xor5 ne m0r3???
This is a bomb disposal robot enhanced with the ability to attempt to pick up fingerprints from the packaging prior to the destruction thereof. Yes, prints can still be gotten from the contents - even if a bomb explodes - but the package may have been left by someone else. Also, prints from shrapnel are less likely to be whole and distinct. A logical addition to the features of this robot. Unfortunately, the counter-measure taken by terrorists is easy - wear gloves or have the box handled by so many people prior that a clear print is impossible.
I was taking one day at a time, but then several days got together and ambushed me. (from a Rhymes with Orange comic)
Perhaps I missed something epochal sitting deep in my computerized kitchen. Where can I get that ORDINARY robot, please? PLEASE!??
There you are, staring at me again.
Never before have I seen a Grammar Nazi with worse grammar.
It not gramatically correct, and that is why it is confusing as hell.
Is is a small word, but it is necessary after "It" in this case.
The reason it is not gramatically correct, is because of the the OR clause.
No comma is needed in this sentence and "the" is repeated.
Lets analize in detail..
I think you must mean analyse...I don't even want to think about detailed analizing. It's also a sentence fragment (no subject) and is followed by "..". If this was supposed to be a sentence it should end ". " or it could be linked to the following sentence with an "..." or a ":" could also be used.
First part is "When police officeres found sucpicious pakes today",
This is the worst, since it is a quote. Why not just copy and paste? Officers, suspicious, and packages are all misspelled. And the sentence should be started with "The", and end with a period since the comma make it a run-on sentence.
this means the author is talking about a perticular incident , that took place sometime today.
In this sentence "This" should be capitalized, "that" is needed after "means", particular should be spelled with an "a", and there should be no space before the comma that shouldn't be there in the first place.
But then he goes on to say "in an Airport OR a train station", This does not make gramatical sence.
Beginning a sentence with "But", while technically legal, is redundant in this case since "then" implies the continuation of the previous thought. This is also two sentences, not one, thus the comma should be a period, and sense does not have a "c".
If the author is speaking of a perticular incident, then there should be no ambiguity about where it took place. So the correct use should indeed be as the parent pointed out, in present tense.
This is pretty good, aside from the aforementioned misspelling of particular, and the need for a "the" in front of "present tense".
Please stop tarnishing the noble profession of Grammar Nazi with your drivel.
(It's funny...so laugh already...and feel free to pick apart my grammar because I'm sure I messed something up in all that.)
If God had had a computer it would have taken him 7 months to create the earth...if he even bothered to do it at all.
I suspect it is challenging to direct the glue vapour on to the object when it is windy...
Thank you, Canada, I feel so much safer now we have a finger-print robot. I'm sure it will save the 10's of thousands of lives lost every year to suspicious packages. No wait, that's automobiles. Never mind.
"But it still makes me wanna kick myself for not thinking of it first."
That's how you know it's a really good idea. I think there's a hierarchy, from good to bad:
Initial reactions to new inventions:
1) How the hell did someone come up with that? It's brilliant!
2) Why didn't I think of that?
3) I don't get it.
4) Who thought that was a good idea?
-Mark
Remlik wrote I always wondered why bombers leave these things behind in rather conspicious places for long periods of time. Its almost as if they want the bombs to be found before they detonate...seems like a short fuse and a decent hiding place would serve them better.
From what I understand, bombers are a criminal class unto themselves - Theodore Kaczynski (the Unabomber) actually fit the "profile" quite closely. They are generally very timid and afraid of confrontation (which is why they leave bombs) and if anything happens that makes them nervous, they tend to drop the bombs where they are and run. One of the things that make them nervous is the unstable nature of their bombs - many of them are built from match heads or other pyrotechnics that can be found in hardware stores and can't be traced back to them.
The meticulous planner with access to military grade hardware in fiction is just that; most bombers are paranoid loners that put bombs together out of a variety of random pieces.
myke
Mimetics Inc. Twitter
Don't be a photard, dude, and think for a second about what you're saying before looking stupid. What if we had one of these robots sniff a bomb from the mid-90s, and this fingerprint evidence cracked open a terrorist cell in the USA? And just what if it was the terrorist cell that spearheaded 9/11? Thousands of families would be safe and the two towers would be standing today, and all because of a few geeks from Toronto and Calgary.
Even the smallest things like finger prints can prevent thousands of deaths.
Isn't its name also an... umm... human anatomical word?
People should think about these things beforehand.
my laptop screen collects fingerprints, and i bet it's cheaper than this fancy robot.
> But if it isn't dangerous you don't need prints.
Point taken.
--- JRJ
jrjBlog
So now if you lose your luggage you can look forward to being held in jail indefinitely as a suspected terrorist. Sweet.
-- dR.fuZZo
Um, no. If the search warrant was issued based on invalid evidence, the product of the search can be thrown out.
Please help metamoderate.
I believe that should be "...releasing Super Glue FUMES on the object. ..." - eh?
...until I see it on CSI.
:)
Mounted on an ordinary robot, it will reveal fingerprints by releasing Super Glue on the object. Then it will take pictures of these fingerprints.
Tee hee! My uncle does this to me too!...of taking pictures of things before you blow the shit out of them.
Is it made out of wood and will it play hockey?
... because at first I thought it said they were using Raffi to defuse suspicious packages.
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
"that is an oxymoron.. or actually in reality is' exceedingly rare to find a smart criminal."
That's not an oxymoron.
If they were easy to find, they wouldn't be smart criminals. You don't hear / find / see many smart criminals because they don't brag about it, have careful planning, and often don't get cought.
Reinard
I think you're OK using white paper on your boxes, just don't leave them unattended in an airport terminal.
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They Are Vermin Feeding On Each Other's Feces.
I Hate \.
As the fumes adhere to the drop of oil on the small light sensor in the dot of the exlamation point, covering it in an opaque white coating, there's a faint click deep inside the bomb.
"Damnit, that robot was expensive!" the squad captain says to his lieutenant, as they huddle behind their van, debris raining down around them.
That thing is sweet! It's like a Mars Rover, only badass.
My sig sucks.