Tag Archives: security

A TV That Doesn’t Spy on You?

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Most (all?) “smart”/spy TVs spy on you many different ways. Some even record what you say and save that information and send it over the internet. So often these days companies say we don’t do x or y only to later say that oh well we do… And even if they say you can opt out of being spied on if the device has the capability of spying on you relying on them to actually honor request not to be spied upon seems unwise.

It seems much safer to just have monitors that display the content you requested be displayed and don’t have spying capabilities built in.

What large screen TV monitors today are free from spying capabilities imagined by George Orwell in his book, 1984?

Night Vision Contact Lenses

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University of Michigan engineering researchers have developed infrared technology that doesn’t need bulky cooling equipment to work.

“We can make the entire design super-thin,” said Zhaohui Zhong, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. “It can be stacked on a contact lens or integrated with a cell phone.”

Infrared light starts at wavelengths just longer than those of visible red light and stretches to wavelengths up to a millimeter long. Infrared vision may be best known for spotting people and animals in the dark and heat leaks in houses, but it can also help doctors monitor blood flow, identify chemicals in the environment and allow art historians to see Paul Gauguin’s sketches under layers of paint.

Unlike the visible spectrum, which conventional cameras capture with a single chip, infrared imaging requires a combination of technologies to see near-, mid- and far-infrared radiation all at once. Still more challenging, the mid-infrared and far-infrared sensors typically need to be at very cold temperatures.

Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, could sense the whole infrared spectrum—plus visible and ultraviolet light. But until now, it hasn’t been viable for infrared detection because it can’t capture enough light to generate a detectable electrical signal. With one-atom thickness, it only absorbs about 2.3% of the light that hits it. If the light can’t produce an electrical signal, graphene can’t be used as a sensor.

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Noah Escape Pod

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With the recent tragedy that hit Japan, Japanese companies have dedicated their time to finding solutions on how they could cope with threats from tsunami and natural disasters in the future. A small company named Cosmo Power came up with one answer with the Noah capsule.

Made from fiberglass, this capsule can hold up to 4 adults inside. Th gigantic tennis ball looking shelter has been tested to withstand crashes and impacts, even simulated dangers one could expect during earthquakes and tsunami. There is a small window so one can see outside and breathing holes located at the top. Recalling the videos of the Tsunami it is possible to imagine how this could have helped many of the victims of that recent tragedy.

Since the completion of Cosmo Power’s ark version, over 600 orders have been placed, at about $4,000 each. Hopefully, it can help save lives in any future calamities.

The video is in Japanese.