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AVG Announces Invisibility Glasses

Posted by samzenpus on from the now-you-see-it-now-you-don't dept.

BrianFagioli writes So what do these glasses from AVG Innovation Labs actually do? The security firm claims it can protect your identity in this new era of cameras everywhere. From the article: "'Through a mixture of technology and specialist materials, privacy wearables such as invisibility glasses can make it difficult for cameras or other facial recognition technologies to get a clear view of your identity', AVG claims. This is still in the prototype phase of testing, though it has been officially announced at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona. There's a lot of science behind this -- a series of infrared lights surrounding the eyes and nose is not visible to other people, but cameras will pick it up making recognition difficult at best. There's also reflective materials involved, which aids in the blocking, or so it's claimed."

5 of 150 comments (clear)

  1. *sighs* by Barny · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well, expect there to be signs all over banks and other secure locations, from now on, telling people to remove helmets, glasses and all articles of clothing.

    Seriously, fucking with security cameras is really a needed thing?

    --
    ...
    /me sighs
    1. Re:*sighs* by fuzzyfuzzyfungus · · Score: 4, Insightful

      They are 'surveillance' cameras. Sometimes, surveillance is, indeed, an ingredient in the production of 'security'. Other times, not so much. In either case though, the camera only ever handles the surveillance, possibly with some other component producing security from it.

    2. Re:*sighs* by fustakrakich · · Score: 3, Insightful

      How the TSA will feel about it remains to be seen.

      If they work, they'll be banned, if not, they will sell them at the TSA's airport duty free souvenir shop.

      --
      “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
    3. Re:*sighs* by Opportunist · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Gait recognition?

      Dammit, THAT's what the ministry of silly walks was about! Those sneaky Brits!

      --
      We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  2. Streisand effect. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Actually, this looks like just the way to get attention and get people manually making the effort to identify you.

    Privacy is fundamentally not a technical problem but a social one, and needs to be protected with promotion of a privacy-conscious social contract and ultimately with laws (both to sanction private entities which abuse privacy and to limit the powers of the state to use any information gathered inappropriately).