"Spy Box" records journey through the postal system

We've always wondered what happens to a package when we drop it off at the post office -- and having received our share of oddly damaged parcels has only heightened the mystery. British artist Tim Knowles was similarly curious, and his latest piece, "Spy Box," is a clever attempt to document the journey the box took from his studio to a nearby gallery. Knowles rigged a camera inside the box to take a photo out of a small hole every ten seconds, and stitched the resulting 6,994 photos together to make a short movie of the box's 19-hour journey. The end result isn't too thrilling -- the box is in a room! The box is in the dark! The box is in another room! -- but it's still pretty interesting. Peep a short clip at the read link.

[Via Switched]

[fubar @ Jun 26th 2007 7:18AM]

Suddenly, all I can think of is the video for "If I only had a brain" by MC 900 Foot Jesus....

[Jack @ Jun 26th 2007 7:18AM]

Wonder if he taped them nicking stuff :p

[John @ Jun 26th 2007 7:23AM]

At least his parcel got to its destination. 21 days later and I'm still waiting for my HD-DVD drive sent recorded delivery. I should've got them to stick a camera in with it :)

[Pedro @ Jun 26th 2007 7:53AM]

Just don't try this in Boston!

[Mike @ Jun 26th 2007 8:19AM]

OMG It has exposed wires and circuit boards. Everyone get down!!!

[NHAnimator @ Jun 26th 2007 8:35AM]

I'd rather have security personnel OVERreact than UNDERreact any day. These people put their lives on the line for my safety.

[Jon @ Jun 26th 2007 9:28AM]

There is a difference between doing your job thoroughly and overreacting. I'd rather have someone do their job thoroughly than overreact any day.

[Gil @ Jun 26th 2007 10:14AM]

"If we restrict liberty to attain security we will lose them both." - Ben Franklin

[david @ Jun 26th 2007 1:37PM]

"I'd rather have security personnel OVERreact than UNDERreact any day. These people put their lives on the line for my safety."

LMAO, and do you think that Bush's new internal security forces, the TSA (AKA Nazis), are protecting you at the airport? Come on man, Postal Inspectors work hard, but they certainly don't put their lives on the line.

[XSportSeeker @ Jun 27th 2007 2:00AM]

I foresee an upcoming movie hit: "Bombs on a Parcel"
A low budget documentary showing the sad sad destination of LED+WIRES related products delivered on Boston.

[Joseph @ Jun 26th 2007 9:05AM]

I am surprised no one thought this thing was a bomb. I guess it never went through an x-ray machine.

[KJS @ Jun 26th 2007 9:45AM]

My thoughts exactly! Very cool idea, but you have to remember - non-tech people aren't going to necessarily know/understand that the box full of wires and electronics is an art exhibit.

[Roger McMannis @ Jun 26th 2007 11:16AM]

Looks like it went through the British Postal system. Now somebody should try it in the USA, shipping a box across America. Lots of dark time for sure...

[Alexander @ Jun 26th 2007 11:22AM]

Yea, that's a GREAT idea...

/me waits for the news to report another bomb scare at the post office.

[Roger McMannis @ Jun 26th 2007 12:01PM]

They seem to send electronics through the U.S. mail system all the time and don´t have a problem.
Have you ever bought a replacement part for your computer or a laptop or any type of electronics via Amazon, Radio shack or where ever?
Some people are bit Unabomber paranoid out there...

[krizoitz @ Jun 26th 2007 10:55PM]

"Looks like it went through the British Postal system. Now somebody should try it in the USA, shipping a box across America. Lots of dark time for sure..."

Yeah, so long as whoever does it doesn't mind going to federal prison for illegal surveillance of a federal facility....

[GeekBrit @ Jun 26th 2007 11:52AM]

Oh come on, get a grip. Thousands of circuit boards are shipped worldwide every day. The battery should have raised the assessed 'risk factor', but it looks like the overall density of the package was quite low so I'm sure it didn't get a second look from anyone handling it.

[JMac @ Jun 26th 2007 1:39PM]

This should get sent through DHL so you can watch it get kicked around repeatedly then get lost for two weeks.

[kaztm @ Jun 26th 2007 1:45PM]

I've always wanted to have something like this "installed" in my checked luggage when I fly. I've had many items mysteriously vanish from my luggage, and have been thinking that a camera inside would deter theft by TSA and baggage handlers.

The trick would be to keep the camera in stand-by and start recording (and preferably also transmitting) when it senses light.

[Ken @ Jun 26th 2007 2:26PM]

Yeah, or they'll just go ahead and take the camera too. :)

[kaztm @ Jun 26th 2007 4:30PM]

Ken, that's why I mentioned transmission capability. If you are receiving (and recording, if you are wise enough), you will know the face of the person who took your camera. Since the area is relatively restricted, airlines and authorities should have a fairly good clue of the perpetrator.

[Kevin @ Oct 3rd 2007 4:47AM]

You would still need recording capability. Just walking in and saying "That guy stole my stuff" without the recording is not going to get you anywhere.

[TNP @ Jun 26th 2007 10:50PM]

If he had used UPS, he would have gotten about ten minutes worth of images, the last one being a close-up still of an uncaring, clumsy brown boot. I swear to God, the last package that I received from them had a caved-in side so large, it made me think they just drop-kicked the box from the truck to my porch.

[TNP @ Jun 26th 2007 10:50PM]

If he had used UPS, he would have gotten about ten minutes worth of images, the last one being a close-up still of an uncaring, clumsy brown boot. I swear to God, the last package that I received from them had a caved-in side so large, it made me think they just drop-kicked the box from the truck to my porch.