Nike+iPod Serial-to-USB adapter tracks nearby runners

While not even the Nike+iPod was exempt from a bit of tinkering in its lifetime, this well-planned modification certainly takes the cake. In what's sure to drive privacy advocates unnecessarily mad, the crafty gurus over at Spark Fun Electronics have taken those widespread Nike+iPod tracking warnings and developed a product to exploit them, resulting in the Nike+iPod Serial-to-USB adapter. Deemed a "simple interface" to plug the Nike+iPod receiver into your USB port, the device then utilizes a VB program "to listen for all foot pods in range and display the raw data including foot pod IDs." Essentially, you can turn your PC into a spying machine for tracking nearby runners, but considering the range on this thing tops out around 60-feet, you're best option is to grab your laptop and camp out under the brush at a nearby running trail, but you didn't hear that from us. Of course, this creation could indeed be used for less devious matters, but regardless of your intentions, you'll be forced to buy at least ten units at $22.46 apiece, but we all know the truly voyeuristic will need a few dozen just to get started.

[Via Podophile]

[David @ Feb 27th 2007 7:10PM]

It could be used for a track team or school maybe.. If the range was a little more.

[matt @ Feb 27th 2007 7:11PM]

hrm. you could build a network of these and scatter them somewhere and you'd be able to triangulate positions of runners.

[KC @ Feb 27th 2007 7:18PM]

That's pretty cool. I can see how it can be used in cross country training, where you can space these out in intervals, and then can keep track of several competitors.

[Jon @ Feb 27th 2007 7:20PM]

Fail. Sparkfun, the site selling these things, sells single units for $24.95.

If anyone is interested, here is a link.
http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=8245#

[Scooter @ Feb 27th 2007 7:22PM]

At a range of only 60ft, what's the point. You might as well run right behind the person you're stalking...

Scooter
http://www.gadgetgrid.com/

[TNP @ Feb 27th 2007 8:18PM]

"I like feet. I do not know why."

/Mr. Deeds Butler

[Bill @ Feb 27th 2007 10:37PM]

Just having one of these is useless. It only becomes an issue if someone where to have numerous receivers in an automated "mesh" and track people as they moved from receiver to receiver.

--Bill

[Steele @ Feb 28th 2007 1:03AM]

Talk about a small niche market... I doubt anyone i know could even find a reasonable use for this

[Rudy Malmquist @ Feb 28th 2007 9:42AM]

I know stealing someone's identity is getting easier, but with 120ft of running data, its almost impossible to stop these people now.

This is such a stupid post, who cares if someone can get your running data for 60ft, by then you are gone and all they have is your pace information for running 120ft.

Get another hobby!

[kaosbunny @ Apr 29th 2007 7:56AM]

Everybody thinks of stalking in the terms of tracking someone. That's just one of the possible [mis]uses of this device, and I'm surprised to see that no one in the comments has reasoned further.
The far more relevant and realistic way to exploit this could be setting it up at a keypoint to monitor when someone for example leaves/enters his or her house. (Scheduling a burglary anyone?)

For close proximity relation ships like jealous ex's this also constitutes a more realistic hazard. In short I would say that this alone does not really pose a security threat, but used in conjunction with more sinister plans it should very much be viewed as atleast plausible.

Awareness is the key issue though. Being aware of the information leak remove the element of surprise from any exploitation of the device.