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Optical Mice Used To Detect Counterfeit Coins
JimXugle writes "El Mundo reports that Spanish researchers at The University of Lleida have used a modified optical mouse to detect counterfeit €2 coins (Original article, in Spanish) with a success rate comparable to that of an expert trained to do so. Details are to be published freely in the journal Sensors."
The laser from the mouse will heat up the chocolate inside of counterfeit coins, thus exposing the fakes and creating a mess.
Geesh, can you get me a mouse that detects North Korean bogus US$100 bills?
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My understanding was that the coin falls into a balanced cradle that measures the diameter and weight. If it's the wrong size it is rejected (and can fall through to another cradle that tests for a different value coin---and so on). If it is the right size but the wrong weight the cradle tips too far or not far enough and deposits it in the reject slot.
If it's the right size and weight then the coin drops between two magnets onto a little anvil. If the metallic composition is right the coin will slow just enough passing through the magnets to hit the anvil at the right place and speed to bounce into the accept slot. Anything else and it misses.
The end result is a very quick, accurate but cheap analysis of the coin's weight, size and metallic composition.
I know that's the way it used to work. Have they dumbed down the machines recently?
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