Georgia Institute of Technology researchers developed a system that scans an area for the CCDs in digital still and video cameras. Once it locates one, the system would shine a laser into the CCD to “neutralize” its imaging capabilities. And what a delightful list of applications they’ve identified too, such as stopping amateur photographers from snapping free photos, and foiling movie pirates! From Georgia Tech Research News:
Gregory Abowd, an associate professor leading the project, says the new camera-neutralizing technology shows commercial promise in two principal fields – protecting limited areas against clandestine photography or stopping video copying in larger areas such as theaters.
“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,” Abowd said. “Then we’re also looking to do additional research that could increase the protected area for one of our more interesting clients, the motion picture industry…”
Abowd said the small-area product could prevent espionage photography in government buildings, industrial settings or trade shows. It could also be used in business settings — for instance, to stop amateur photography where shopping-mall-Santa pictures are being taken.
James Clawson, a research technician on Abowd’s prototype team, said preventing movie copying could be a major application for camera-blocking technology…
Moreover, movie theaters are likely to be a good setting for camera-blocking technology, said Jay Summet, a research assistant who is also working on the prototype. A camera’s image sensor — called a CCD — is “retroreflective,” which means it sends light back directly to its origin rather than scattering it. Retroreflections would probably make it relatively easy to detect and identify video cameras in a darkened theater.