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Gear / Technical Help => Photo / Video Recording => Topic started by: Anthony1 on June 21, 2006, 05:35:52 AM
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Sorry if it has been posted already.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/5097774.stm
White light 'blinds' film pirates
A device that could foil movie pirates who covertly record films in cinemas has been developed in the US.
The prototype is able to locate the position of a digital camera, before overwhelming it with white light to render any recorded images useless.
The Georgia Institute of Technology team says the invention could also prevent clandestine photography.
However, the device is unable to block conventional film or the SLR cameras, preferred by the paparazzi.
"We're at a point right now where the prototype we have developed could lead to products for markets that have a small, critical area to protect," said Professor Gregory Abowd of the Georgia Tech College of Computing.
In particular, his team is looking at ways to prevent photography in government buildings or at trade shows, where industrial espionage could be a problem.
The team is also working with the motion picture industry to prevent illegal copying of films, which has become a particular problem in parts of Asia.
A study released by the Motion Picture Association (MPA) said that movie piracy in China cost the film industry $2.7bn (£1.5bn) in 2005.
White light
The technology works by looking for the digital camera's image sensor known as a charge-coupled device (CCD).
These silicon sensors are retroreflective, which means that they reflect light directly back to its origin, rather than scattering it.
Some road-signs and vehicle licence plates are also retroreflective.
The prototype uses two cameras, linked to a computer, to look for this reflected light from a target camera's CCD.
As the reflected light is travelling in a straight line from the CCD, it allows the computer system to accurately pinpoint the location of the camera.
Once found, the system floods the CCD with white light from a projector to "blind" the camera.
"The biggest problem is making sure we don't get false positives from, say, a large shiny earring," said Jay Summet, a research assistant at Georgia Tech who helped build the device.
"We need to make our system work well enough so that it can find a dot, then test to see if it's reflective, then see if it's retroreflective, and then test to see if it's the right shape."
Big losses
In the future, the researchers believe the system could use infra-red lasers and photo-detecting transistors, rather than cameras to search for CCDs.
They also believe that a real-world version would probably use a laser to "blind" the image sensor.
At the moment, the team is close to developing a commercial system that neutralises still cameras.
Still cameras are easier to spot than camcorders because their CCD is closer to the lens and there is less interference with the reflected light.
However, the ultimate goal is to develop a system to combat film piracy.
The movie industry is particularly keen to clamp down on this because of the billions of dollars in lost revenue blamed on illegal copying.
At present, the industry mostly relies on the alertness of staff at cinemas to spot people filming.
However, Disney took this one stage further in 2003 when it issued security staff with night vision goggles and metal detectors, ahead of screenings of the animated movie Finding Nemo.
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I guess it spells the beginning of the end for movie pirates, but I don't know if you're going to see venues employing this in the near future.
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People probably know this already, but what if you shine an infrared light at the camera?
I've noticed this when I tried to use the remote control to film myself. It produced a bright white spot on the video. Why not make the IR source brighter, or make it move around? That would be enough to damage anyone's video...
Richard
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Once found, the system floods the CCD with white light from a projector to "blind" the camera.
"The biggest problem is making sure we don't get false positives from, say, a large shiny earring," said Jay Summet, a research assistant at Georgia Tech who helped build the device.
In the future, the researchers believe the system could use infra-red lasers and photo-detecting transistors, rather than cameras to search for CCDs.
In good ol' hyper-litigious America - I can foresee at least a dozen lawsuits for every show at which this is used. People will claim the white light or infra-red lasers harmed their vision and they hire personal injury lawyers. The fear of 6-7 digit lawsuit rewards will scare the shit out of anyone from using this.
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To answer the original posters question.
No, this is not the end.
First, reread the article. They haven't even got it to WORK yet. From the sounds of the quotes they have some big hurdles to overcome as well. Secondly, technology is constantly evolving and moving, they just won't be able to keep up with all the methods to circumvent the system.
Here is a list of topics I've heard that are coming to an end:
1. Sharing 'non-sharable' music electronically.
2. Copying commercial CDs.
3. Pirating software - I've read so many "The days of pirating software are over" it's ridiculous.
4. Copying commercial DVDs.
5. Detecting speed radar guns.
6. Detecting speed laser guns.
7. Covert audio recording.
8. Cover video recording.
9. Sharing of "taped" broadcasts on TV.
10. VCR tape copying.
The sky is not falling....
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Patently ridiculous invention. even though it comes from MIT, I am wiling to bet practical use of this device will be lessened by it's expense. Of course anyone stupid enough or commercailly motivated enough to bootleg these movies is a MORON in my book.
From another perspective, I have never bought a "pirated" movie video. Has anyone on this board? I mean the ones that are sold on the street corners in NYc etc.????
Even though I understand the commercial damage the studios claim they are suffering, I don't see the point in buying a poorly bootlegged movie on the street corner for 2 or 3 dollars as opposed to paying $10 to see it in the theatre. Maybe it's just me, but thats' my opinion.
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People probably know this already, but what if you shine an infrared light at the camera?
I've noticed this when I tried to use the remote control to film myself. It produced a bright white spot on the video. Why not make the IR source brighter, or make it move around? That would be enough to damage anyone's video...
No big deal. Even today, most digital cameras and videocams already have a hidden internal IR cut filter in front of the CCD, to lessen the ambient IR light, that is radiated from the sun in any outdoor shooting environment. Otherwise all sunny day photos would come out overexposed.
If the IR source is stronger (like plotted above), just clip on an extra IR filter in front of your lense, and presto - you've outsmarted the industry again!
Read more here:
http://dpfwiw.com/ir.htm#iirc