Invasion of Privacy issues, anyone?

[pax]

http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology/t-ray_camera_020613.html

First Image from Revolutionary T-ray Camera; Sees through Fog, Clothing and into Deep Space
By Robert Roy Britt
Senior Science Writer
posted: 01:30 pm ET
11 February 2003

A project to develop a promising new astronomy imaging technique that can also denude a fully clothed human or see through thick fog has generated its first picture.

A so-called T-ray image of a human hand, taken through a 1/2-inch (15 millimeter) pad of paper, is the first product of the new terahertz camera. The technology is poised to revolutionize imaging in astronomy, medicine and airport security, proponents say.

The European Space Agency's project to develop the camera was first reported by SPACE.com last June. While largely unheralded, T-ray imaging does not appear to be pie-in-the sky. In fact, a camera built by a company called QinetiQ and working in similar millimetric waves already last year had demonstrated the ability to peer through clothes and reveal a concealed weapon, along with much of a person's body.

Read the rest of the article here


pax

"Pink."
"What?"
"They're pink." -- Superman and Lois Lane, in the 1980's movie

 

[Blackhawk]

Interesting. I wonder what the permeability criteria are?

 

[Quartus]

Welcome to living in a fishbowl. And most of America won't care.

 

[Greg L]

promising new astronomy imaging technique that can also denude a fully clothed human

What's denude? Wouldn't that be the same as putting your clothes on?

Greg

 

[alan]

Privacy, silly boys and girls, aren't you aware of what the sachems of the Information Age have been telling you on that subject, "Forget it, you don't have any", as your having any might well trouble the sales of their tracking programs. Obviously, we cannot have anything of that sort, can we?

 

[Chris Rhines]

I suddenly find myself very interested in how this device can be defeated, assuming it's not a GPR-type techno-fraud...

A useful short-term solution would be to ban, under the penalty of life imprisonment, the use of this device by any governmental agency.

- Chris

 

[MitchSchaft]

can also denude a fully clothed human

There's a specific video camera made by Sony that can do this already with the right type of filter. It cannot see through natural fibers such as cotton. It wasn't made for that intent, but it was a side effect. http://www.kaya-optics.com/products/experiments.shtml

 

[pax]

Chris,

Lead aprons as a fashion statement?

pax

A cynic is someone who sees things as they really are, rather than as we would wish them to be. -- Ambrose Bierce

 

[alan]

Chris Rhines wrote:

"I suddenly find myself very interested in how this device can be defeated, assuming it's not a GPR-type techno-fraud...

A useful short-term solution would be to ban, under the penalty of life imprisonment, the use of this device by any governmental agency."

- Chris


As Tom Lerher of MIT, or was it Harvard, who "professored there", and also did bits at New York Supper Clubs was wont to refer to "my lead lined BVD's", perhaps such as that might do the trick.

As to other aspects, who are you going to get to pass the requisite legislation, and when some "government employee" violates the hell out of the law, who are you going to get to actually prosecute the sob?

Perhaps something to think about.

 

[El Tejon]

alan, include civil liability with triple damages, a minimum recovery and attorney fees and court costs and there will be a section of the phonebook of people willing to discuss the prosecution of these matters. Just an idea.

 

[sm]

pax may have the right idea--lead aprons. I can see this being abused, another tool for invasion of privacy.

Note the comment about seeing a CCW. Yeah TSA might not fondle as much...they'll "pick per view"...then fondle. Sure, some sound applications for this technology...just a gut feeling 'unsound' applications will win out.

First tin foil hats, now lead aprons...next?

 

[DeltaElite]

Interesting, very interesting.

Certainly seems unreasonable to me, but they don't ask me.

 

[Justin]

What about a small device one could wear that would emit these T-Rays, in essence creating noise similar to the snow you see on a tv, thereby disrupting the imaging system?

 

[Ron L]

And people laugh at others who are wearing tin foil beanies.

 

[Blackhawk]

Jockey will be adding a line of tin foil briefs.

 

[DeltaElite]

It seems we will soon have a legitimate reason to wear tinfoil.

 

[Monkeyleg]

Consider this a call to arms for all those "seasoned citizens" who cannot any longer look svelte on the beach: swarm the detectors. We may not be able to hump a rucksack through a jungle for days on end, or crawl sniper-style through the brush. We can't climb obstacle courses, or probably even do three pull-ups.

But we can disgust the screeners. Turn and aim that sagging belly toward the screener! Drop your trousers and put the cellulite on your butt right into the Fed's face. Had heart surgery? Open your shirt and show them the scar.

Take off your shoes and show them the corns and bunions. Better yet, ask permission to administer foot powder.

Collect warts and be prepared to display in five minutes.

Wearing one of those colostomy bags? Offer to open it up so the screener can sniff the insides.

All's fair in love and war, and nausea has been proven to be a powerful weapon.

 

[Quartus]

I can see this being abused

Hmmm. That may be, uh, a bit of an understatement.


Not the same device, but the same issue. Another that does the same thing.

(It's long and technical in places, but the item of interest is about 3/4 of the way through.

“You slip it on your arm, and it has a screen on the back side. You hold it against or near a wall. It will image for about 30 feet, and update the image every third of a second,†Ross explains.

The screen gives a 120-degree view around the holder.

“It weighs a little more than 10 pounds. It has an antenna array and packaging. We're doing a lot of signal processing, and it's designed to be dropped and survive. Most of the weight is in the packaging,†Ross says.