Sonar Software Detects Laptop User Presence

Steve Tarzia writes "A research group at Northwestern University and University of Michigan has released open-source display power-management software that uses a new user presence detection technique. The goal is to shut off the display immediately when the user leaves the computer rather than using slow and error-prone mouse/keyboard activity timeouts. Surprisingly, the mic and speakers of many laptop computers are sensitive to ultrasonic frequencies. Those frequencies can be used to silently probe the laptop's physical environment. This software is based on research published at the UbiComp2009 conference. A Windows binary and source code for Windows and Linux are available for download."

Comments

Re:Safe?

[El Torico]

"We can't use that laptop here, this is bat country!"

Re:Takes Care of one of my pet peeves

[spun]

I, too, often find myself looking at a screen for extended periods of time without touching the mouse or keyboard, while I, ah... read the articles. Nothing ruins a good article more than having the screen saver start up right as you are about to finish.

Re:Headphones

[sakdoctor]

The solution to this, and ALL life's problems is to uninstall pulse audio.

Re:Activity

[Red Flayer]

Your privacy concerns are valid... however think of the applications for this tech.

/+5 Hat of Greed equipped.

Oooh, I'm drooling! Let's see:

$APP detects two people within viewing distance of your monitor. [click here] to upgrade to the appropriate license.

/+5 Hat of Greed unequipped.
/+5 Hat of Stealth equipped.

Oooh, I'm drooling for different reasons. Let's see:

$APP detects additional person approaching monitor. Autominimize firefox://ridiculous.pornsite.com; automaximize firefox://romanticweekendgetawayswiththewife.toshowherhowmuchyouloveher.com.

Whew, that was a close one.