DIY IR headgear repels security cameras, attracts "security"

It's not the first method we've seen for blinding security cameras, but this new DIY / art project from the folks at Oberwelt e.V. looks to be one of the simplest, and one of the few that could conceivably be used on an everyday basis. Dubbed the I-R.A.S.C. (for "infra-redlight against surveillance camera"), the device apparently consists simply of a series of infrared lights connected to a battery, which combine to blot out your face with a slightly unnerving glow. Needless to say, while it appears to hide your identity quite effectively, it doesn't exactly scream subtlety, so you'd best think of some excuses to explain yourself if you actually plan on trying this thing out in public.

[Via Coolest Gadgets]

[r3loaded @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:03AM]

The perfect device for Modern Britain :)

[Maurik @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:15AM]

Indeed!

[fanman @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:35AM]

I imagine that the stig does this naturally.

[I LOVE THE CAPS LOCK KEY @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:18PM]

Or another way to block speed cameras. Just put a hundred bright IR leds around your license plate.

[Fuzzball @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:06PM]

That's a really good idea. I might actually do this for my license plate to counter all the red light cameras around here.

[Wellard @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:39PM]

Putting IR LED's around your license plate doesn't work. Since most speed cameras are technically SLR cameras, the IR would not have any affect. The digital ones which use a CMOS sensor are more likely going to fall foul to this trick, but then again, some CMOS sensors are immune to this.

[Mo @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:25PM]

i built a similar unit for some thieves that i knew i highschool, i used high intensity IR LEDs and had them strobe at a pattern which messes up the ccd's exposer and the whole screen whites out.

[atrain @ Feb 24th 2008 1:53AM]

Concerning whether cameras will see it or not:
SLR does not make a difference, it is just a type of camera. The thing that matters is whether the camera is equipped with an IR filter or not.

Cameras designed for use in night-vision systems will almost always not (because they illuminate with IR) but most digital cameras actually have the filters to eliminate the extra light. Simple way to check: aim your camera at your tv remote while holding down the button, or at your wii bar. If it lights up, then you know this hack will work.

Also, many cd drives use IR/NIR lasers rather than red lasers. aim those at a CCD camera, and then you can block it out in general, without attracting attention directly to you. (If your looking into taking down specific cameras rather than in general)

[kevin_ho @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:16AM]

or you could use a guy fawkes mask instead of this device

[The_Steven @ Feb 23rd 2008 11:03AM]

Oh, and that won't attract unwanted attention?

[sn1per @ Feb 23rd 2008 11:31AM]

never seen V For Vendetta, have you?

[low tech @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:29PM]

Needs moar lens flare.

[jeremy @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:38PM]

why halo thar good sir

[Will @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:28AM]

I hope tube stations will mount guns to their cameras to shoot any idiot wearing one of these.

I wish I weren't half joking.

[Craig @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:36AM]

^^^^^^ Apparently, the government's "privacy supports terrorism" campaign has been effective on some.

[Izzy @ Feb 23rd 2008 10:37AM]

Someone needs to read "1984"

[facebookfake @ Feb 23rd 2008 12:41PM]

Forget "1984". People can too easily dismiss it as a work of fiction. How about we jump back to the 1930s when Hitler got the Reichstag to pass (by a large margin) the Enabling Act, giving the Nazi Party pure authoritative power.

"The government will make use of these powers only insofar as they are essential for carrying out vitally necessary measures..."

[Craig @ Feb 23rd 2008 12:55PM]

Thanks for confirming Godwin's Law once again. *sigh*

[facebookfake @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:19PM]

@ Craig

I apologize if the rise of the Nazi Party actually is a proper analogy here. Yea its way overdone and misused (especially when comparing Presidents to Dictators), but you find me an example of lawful authoritarian power and ill gladly concede my analogy for yours.

[Odd TSi @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:41PM]

I'm not agreeing with the OP, and I definately think that there's nothing wrong/illegal about wearing one of these, but I COMPLETELY disagree with your Nazi analogy. Authoritative power and cameras are two completely different things. Furthermore, you have no right to privacy in public, hence the reason it's called "public" so there's nothing illegal about security cameras. Additionally, you're free to wear one of these since it's not visible to the naked eye and thus isn't going to be distracting/damaging to anyone out on the street.

[Will @ Feb 24th 2008 10:45AM]

I'm appalled to see that I've been grouped in with the terrorism hysteria afflicted and those who haven't read 1984. Wrong and naive on both counts.

I'm very concious of the slippery slope towards a 1984-esque society, and understand that there must be strict limits to privacy incursions. Western governments are ostensibly a representation of their constituents, and are composed of fellow citizens. Demanding accountability and transparency from your government is the best way forward. It is unwise to lower your defences against deranged individuals however.

I can easily forsee many malevolent uses of a device like this that certainly far outweigh what few legitimate ones exist.

By the way, I thought "The Lives of Others" was both great and terrifying.

[Spamslurpee @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:31AM]

"so you'd best think of some excuses to explain yourself if you actually plan on trying this thing out in public"

You might draw attention, but why would you have to justify wearing it?

[Hotrod @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:46AM]

I was kinda thinking the same thing. Maybe whoever sees it will think your some type of spy, and then you'll have to deal with the CIA...ugh.

[Mike10010100 @ Feb 23rd 2008 10:51AM]

The best part is that you wouldn't be causing any problems around you, but instead would be frustrating the people behind the scenes, trying to watch the security footage. To anyone else around you, it would just look like you were wearing a headband.

[William Murray @ Feb 23rd 2008 11:47AM]

I was thinking the same thing, Mike ... no one around you would be able to see the IR light, so they might wonder why you're wearing a headband if you're wearing a business suit or something, but there are obviously other ways to disguise the IR lights. Only the people watching the security cameras would notice the camouflage, but that may be enough for them to send someone to question you (especially if you're wearing this device in a high-risk target area, like a bank or gov't building). In fact, your face may be obscured on camera, but I won't if this wouldn't attract *more* attention than simply going about your business.

[Seventhexile @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:41PM]

Careful .. if ur in the US ..
You might not have to justify why your wearing it,
but apparently they don't have to justify sending you to Guantanamo bay under the blessed patriot act..

the things we let them do.. all in the name of 'freedom'

[cjc @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:40AM]

I can't wait for this to be on CSI:Miami.

[N30 G30 @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:41AM]

Wow! This is exactly what Punisher did in the comicbook Punisher 2099, but instead of a flash, his face shows up as a digitalized skull!

When I was reading that comic I said to myself, "That's not possible..." I was wrong and this technology comes out 91 years earlier than expected!

[Surtur @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:13PM]

You beat me! The thing about that comic that rocked was that he didn't wear a mask, but the authorities couldn't ID him because of two things: 1. the face scrambler--thing and 2. he KILLED EVERYONE who saw his face while he was in costume (at least for the first 12 issues or so)--that rocks! It's a good way to keep your secret ID FYI.

[Bad Beaver @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:48AM]

WTF think of excuses? Where I live it's still allowed to tie to your head whatever you want. You can cover your face in public as much as you wish. In civilized countries, there are exceptions to this right only in case you are participating in demonstrations in order to demotivate anonymous acts against the public order, and that's bad enough already.

[Rocketboy @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:51AM]

Laughing Man? Izzat you?

[Chris W @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:58AM]

F**k Big Brother.. reason enough?

[Juvois @ Feb 23rd 2008 8:56AM]

To bad for them most modern cameras have IR cutoff filters (at least when the room is properly lit).

[FThorn @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:11AM]

LOVE IT.

Now, let's put a scrolling message on the top of a ballcap only in infrared to tell off those guys watching the cameras.

[Boss @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:16AM]

So how do these cams that film everyone film all the muslims i see on the train everyday??? do they have a x-ray type system so that their faces can be seen?

[caleb @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:54PM]

What? I've read your post several times and I still don't understand. It seems as though you believe Muslims have infrared skin, which I'm fairly certain is not the case.

[RikF @ Feb 23rd 2008 6:15PM]

I think he's trying (badly) to refer to Muslim women who wear a face covering

[eugene @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:19AM]

Now, who's going to make one that works on those annoying traffic cameras?

[Iphtashu Fitz @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:41AM]

A license plate frame surrounded by IR LED's would probably do nicely.

[Paul @ Feb 23rd 2008 11:37AM]

thats a pretty badass idea, they are getting traffic lights in my city and that sounds like a nice hack.

[Ross @ Feb 23rd 2008 11:51AM]

There is a device that works pretty much like a slaved camera flash. It waits for a camera flash from a speed or red light camera which triggers another flash that is directly on your license plate. This causes the image to be overexposed and cannot be found by inverting the image and messing with the colors (which is how photoblocker sprays are defeated).

I'm not sure how you'd get past video enforcement, though, since those cameras almost always have IR cutoffs and auxiliary lights for night use.

[Special_K @ Feb 23rd 2008 3:22PM]

Or you could, you know, not run red lights. You know, not risk killing innocent people just to shave five minutes off your commute? 1984-esque security cameras, fine, I can understand foiling those. Red light cams, no way. Wait like everyone else: add a few minutes, save a few lives.

[Ross @ Feb 23rd 2008 4:02PM]

Did I mention anywhere in my post that I actually run red lights? Just because I theorize ways to defeat them doesn't mean I actually do it, just as everyone wearing IR headgear isn't a criminal. I deride red light runners and have seen many accidents caused by people that do (and narrowly avoided some myself) so get off your high horse and stop jumping to conclusions.

UK'ers: They should work for speed cameras too ;)

[Mike10010100 @ Feb 24th 2008 1:14PM]

@Ross

Yes, but think about it: any time someone says that they plead the fifth, 9 times out of 10, the people that say it are guilty, otherwise they wouldn't have anything to hide.

Just some food for thought, and i know the proof of concept guys always get kicked around.

[darkstar @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:20AM]

you could always wear a hood. duh.
unless you're afraid it'll mess your hair up

[Raheem @ Feb 23rd 2008 9:24AM]

Brilliant, now London's gangs can roam the streets intimidating the general public without fear of reprise.

[FThorn @ Feb 23rd 2008 11:32AM]

Wrong. It's that the London (UK/Europe) people's inability to defend themselves vis a vis by not being allowed to carry a weapon for DEFENSIVE purposes, that allow the criminals to live and thrive.

[chaymation @ Feb 23rd 2008 12:07PM]

yeah "FThorn", cos the UK/Europe has so much more street crime than the US.

[Andrew @ Feb 23rd 2008 12:57PM]

The UK is a bit different from the majority of European countries. Violent gun crime is not common Europe. I don't know how bad it is in Britain, but I imagine it's not as bad as in the US.

Guns don't solve anything. In my Scandinavian country the police don't carry guns at all - and the police are still not getting shot on the job. And people feel safe. So what's this nonsense about needing guns?

[Andir3.0 @ Feb 23rd 2008 1:54PM]

Except that you all miss the fact that a majority of the street crime in the US are due to racism and other non-gun factors.