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Camera Vans To Photograph 50 Million Buildings

Posted by timothy on from the cat-detector-van dept.

dritan writes "A new van unveiled at CeBIT America is equipped with 50 digital cameras and takes pictures every 15 feet -- with the goal of photographing 50 million buildings in the country. These photos could be cross-referenced with aerial photographs so that law enforcement or insurance agencies can get overhead and street level views of the same location -- just by entering an address." Time to hang out the "Hi, Mom!" signs.

2 of 470 comments (clear)

  1. Re:(sigh) better go make sure the lawn is mowed. by Auckerman · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "Still, this would be a great way to find out who has lawn gnomes, plastic flamingos, and those fat-lady-bending-over things in their gardens.

    Funny, but you make a very good point. Should this database leak into the "wrong hands" that has access to a competent programmer, targeted robberies could increase. Cross correlations are you friend. Get enough RAM and find the neighborhoods with new sports cars and a little more research and in one night a crew can have at it. Who knew theft could be so efficient?

    --

    Burn Hollywood Burn
  2. Re:logical question by gnu-generation-one · · Score: 5, Interesting

    "is it legal?"

    Ask the guy who was arrested for taking photographs of the White House.

    (answer: it's legal for some people, and not for others)