Engadget http://www.engadget.com Engadget http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.engadget.com/media/feedlogo.gif Engadget http://www.engadget.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[RIM patent application shines a light on unseen filth, might make forensics mobile]]>http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/rim-patent-application-shines-a-light-on-unseen-filth-might-mak/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/rim-patent-application-shines-a-light-on-unseen-filth-might-mak/http://www.engadget.com/2012/05/17/rim-patent-application-shines-a-light-on-unseen-filth-might-mak/#comments Image

CSI: Waterloo? We're not sure how compelling that spin-off would be (inexplicable popularity of the David Caruso-headlined Miami version aside). So, you'll excuse us for scratching our collective tech head over this recently surfaced patent application filed by RIM in November of 2010. The claims of this bizarre USPTO doc describe an apparatus containing some form of a "display element" attached to a portable electronic device that would generate light on nearby objects, snap photographs and then display results indicating potential contamination. Sounds a lot like those UV wands forensics researchers use on crime scenes, non? Well, whatever it is Heins and co. may have brewing in their Canadian R&D labs, we just pray this isn't BB 10's killer feature. Hit up the source below to peruse the legalese for yourself.

RIM patent application shines a light on unseen filth, might make forensics mobile originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 17 May 2012 17:49:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>David CarusoDavidCarusoforensicsmobilepostcrosspatent applicationPatentApplicationResearch in MotionResearchInMotionRIMUSPTOUV lightUvLightThu, 17 May 2012 17:49:00 EST<![CDATA[Robot skin captures super detailed 3D surface images]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/robot-skin-captures-super-detailed-3d-surface-images/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/robot-skin-captures-super-detailed-3d-surface-images/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/10/robot-skin-captures-super-detailed-3d-surface-images/#comments Remember those awesome pin art toys where you could press your hand (or face) into the pins to leaving a lasting impression? Researchers at MIT have taken the idea one (or two) steps further with "GelSight," a hunk of synthetic rubber that creates a detailed computer visualized image of whatever surface you press it against. It works as such: push the reflective side of the gummy against an object (they chose a chicken feather and a $20 bill) and the camera on the other end will capture a 3-D image of the microscopic surface structure. Originally designed as robot "skin," researchers realized the tool could be used in applications from criminal forensics (think bullets and fingerprints) to dermatology. The Coke can-sized machine is so sensitive, it can capture surface subtleties as small as one by two micrometer in surface -- finally solving the mystery of who stole the cookies from the cookie jar. (Hint: we know it was you Velvet Sledgehammer).

Continue reading Robot skin captures super detailed 3D surface images

Robot skin captures super detailed 3D surface images originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Aug 2011 08:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>3D3D models3dModelsarticial intelligenceartificial intelligenceArtificial Intelligence LaboratoryArtificialIntelligenceArtificialIntelligenceLaboratoryforensicsmassachussetts institute of technologyMassachussettsInstituteOfTechnologymedicalmicroscopemicroscopesmicroscropicmitrobotrobotsrubbersiggraphsiggraph 2011Siggraph2011syntheticWed, 10 Aug 2011 08:10:00 EST<![CDATA[Portable device can sniff out anthrax in an hour, won't bring the noise]]>http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/portable-device-can-sniff-out-anthrax-in-an-hour-wont-bring-th/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/portable-device-can-sniff-out-anthrax-in-an-hour-wont-bring-th/http://www.engadget.com/2011/08/02/portable-device-can-sniff-out-anthrax-in-an-hour-wont-bring-th/#commentsGot some mysterious white powder sitting on your coffee table? A new, suitcase-sized device can tell you whether you've got dandruff, or anthrax. Developed by researchers at Cornell and the University of Albany, the detector uses a microfluidic chip (pictured on the left) to collect and purify the DNA on a given sample, before conducting a series of polymerase chain reactions -- processes that can quickly identify biological materials. The machine, which has been in the works for seven years, is powerful enough to deliver test results in just one hour (requiring a sample of only 40 microscopic spores), but is slim enough to fit in an airline's overhead luggage bin. Scientists say their creation could also be catered to pick up on other pathogens, including salmonella, and may even pay dividends for crime scene investigators handling forensic evidence. No word yet on when the device could hit the market, but we won't touch an ounce of sugar until it does.

Portable device can sniff out anthrax in an hour, won't bring the noise originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 02 Aug 2011 14:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anthraxanthrax attacksanthrax detectorAnthraxAttacksAnthraxDetectorcornellcornell universityCornellUniversitycrimedetectordnaforensicsmicrofluidicmicrofluidic chipMicrofluidicChippathogenpolicepolymerase chain reactionsPolymeraseChainReactionsresearchsafetysalmonellasecuritysuitcaseterrorismuniversity of albanyUniversityOfAlbanyTue, 02 Aug 2011 14:05:00 EST<![CDATA[CCTV cameras help solve 'six crimes a day' in London, says Metropolitan Police]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/28/cctv-cameras-help-solve-six-crimes-a-day-in-london-says-metro/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/28/cctv-cameras-help-solve-six-crimes-a-day-in-london-says-metro/http://www.engadget.com/2010/12/28/cctv-cameras-help-solve-six-crimes-a-day-in-london-says-metro/#commentsBeen questioning the value of having omnipresent surveillance cameras tracking your every move? Well, if you're an outlaw, you still won't like them, but for the rest of us law-abiding types, London's Metropolitan Police has a comforting stat to share: almost six crimes a day are being resolved with the help of CCTV footage. It's being used primarily to aid the identification of perps on the run, and the number of suspects identified as a result has gone up to 2,512 this year. There is a bright light for criminals, however, as the Met admits digital recordings aren't kept around as long as VHS ones used to be, meaning that if you slip the dragnet once, you'll probably be alright. So good news for everyone!

CCTV cameras help solve 'six crimes a day' in London, says Metropolitan Police originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 05:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>camerascctvcopscrimecrime fightingCrimeFightingcriminalforensicsididentificationlawlaw enforcementLawEnforcementlondonmetropolitan policeMetropolitanPolicepolicesurveillanceukunited kingdomUnitedKingdomTue, 28 Dec 2010 05:37:00 EST<![CDATA[Purdue's 'self-calibrating' MEMS could produce the most accurate sensors yet]]>http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/12/purdues-self-calibrating-mems-could-produce-the-most-accurate/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/12/purdues-self-calibrating-mems-could-produce-the-most-accurate/http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/12/purdues-self-calibrating-mems-could-produce-the-most-accurate/#commentsMicro electromechanical systems, or MEMS, aren't anything new. But Purdue University's Jason Vaughn Clark has ideas that are far grander than those we've seen already. Mr. Clark has purportedly developed a new take on an old spin, with electro micro metrology (EMM) enabling engineers to "account for process variations by determining the precise movement and force that's being applied to, or sensed by, a MEMS device." These self-calibrating machines are the first to do so without any external references, which would allow nanotechnologists, crime forensics researchers and a whole host of others to determine what actually happens at a microscopic level. In theory, the gurus working on this stuff long to improve the accuracy of atomic force microscopes and to eventually create a diminutive AFM-on-a-chip, which -- according to Clark -- could "open the door to the nanoworld to a much larger number of groups or individuals." We're waiting.

Purdue's 'self-calibrating' MEMS could produce the most accurate sensors yet originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 12 Aug 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>crimeEMMforensicsmemsmicro metrologyMicroMetrologynanotechnanotechnologyPurduePurdue universityPurdueUniversitysciencesensorsensorsuniversityThu, 12 Aug 2010 11:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Microsoft gives cops COFEE: free computer forensic tools]]>http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/29/microsoft-gives-cops-cofee-free-computer-forensic-tools/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/29/microsoft-gives-cops-cofee-free-computer-forensic-tools/http://www.engadget.com/2008/04/29/microsoft-gives-cops-cofee-free-computer-forensic-tools/#commentsCops doing computer forensic work already have a ton of tools to choose from, but Microsoft is doing its part to help out as well -- the company just revealed that it's been distributing a special thumb drive to cops in 15 countries to help them identify and extract information from suspects' computers. The drive, called COFEE for Computer Online Forensic Evidence Extractor, is in use by more than 2,000 officers, including some in the States, and Microsoft is giving it away for free, saying that its doing it not for profit but to "help make ensure the Internet stays safe." COFEE contains more than 150 commands that can be used to collect information, decrypt passwords, and poke through network activity, which helps alleviate the problem of having to remove and transport a suspect's computer for evidence purposes -- officers can just plug in the drive. There's no word on when Microsoft will start widely distributing the drives, but we'd assume it'll be soon.

[Thanks, Yoshi]

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Microsoft gives cops COFEE: free computer forensic tools originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cofeecopscyber crimeCyberCrimeforensicslaw enforcementLawEnforcementmicrosoftpoliceTue, 29 Apr 2008 22:02:00 EST<![CDATA[WiebeTech HotPlug lets cops move desktops without shutting them down]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/06/wiebetech-hotplug-lets-cops-move-desktops-without-shutting-them/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/06/wiebetech-hotplug-lets-cops-move-desktops-without-shutting-them/http://www.engadget.com/2007/11/06/wiebetech-hotplug-lets-cops-move-desktops-without-shutting-them/#comments
We've seen some interesting computer forensics gear from WiebeTech before, like the Mouse Jiggler USB key that prevents a system from locking the screen or going to sleep by subtly shaking the mouse cursor, and the company's latest addition to the investigator's toolkit, the HotPlug LT, solves an equally basic problem: how to move a desktop without powering it down. The HotPlug allows cops to seize machines without powering them down by switching power to a UPS, using some interesting power-management voodoo. The investigator simply plugs the HotPlug into the computer's powerstrip, and then unplugs the strip and plugs it into the UPS -- and takes the whole system away. If the machine is plugged directly into the wall, WiebeTech also has options for directly piercing the power cable or hijacking the outlet itself. Bottom line: the Man's getting your machine, like it or not. Peep a vid of the HotPlug in action after the break.

Continue reading WiebeTech HotPlug lets cops move desktops without shutting them down

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WiebeTech HotPlug lets cops move desktops without shutting them down originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 06 Nov 2007 13:19:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>forensicshot plughot plug ltHotPlugHotPlugLtwiebetechTue, 06 Nov 2007 13:19:00 EST<![CDATA[SubRosaSoft's MacLockPick extracts personal info from OS X]]>http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/30/subrosasofts-maclockpick-extracts-personal-info-from-os-x/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/30/subrosasofts-maclockpick-extracts-personal-info-from-os-x/http://www.engadget.com/2007/04/30/subrosasofts-maclockpick-extracts-personal-info-from-os-x/#comments
While actually picking locks is no large task these days, cracking into one's highly encrypted information in OS X could prove problematic if the culprit had something to hide. SubRosaSoft's USB key purportedly allows "law enforcement professionals to perform live forensics on Mac OS X systems," and once the software on the included drive is ran, it automatically extracts data from the Apple Keychain and system settings to "provide the examiner fast access to the suspect's critical information with as little interaction or trace as possible." The program then compiles the details into a database and stores it back on the drive's internal memory, which can supposedly be read back on Windows, Linux, or OS X machines at base. Before the devious ones in the crowd get too excited, though, we should probably warn you that interested consumers will be forced to "provide proof that they are a licensed law enforcement professional," and even then, it will run you anywhere between $399.95 to $499.95 depending on your exact profession. But hey, we're sure you know a private investigator or police officer who can hook you up, right?

[Via DragonSteelMods]

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SubRosaSoft's MacLockPick extracts personal info from OS X originally appeared on Engadget on Mon, 30 Apr 2007 02:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>appleapple keychainAppleKeychaincopscrimecriminalencryptionextractingforensicslaw enforcementLawEnforcementmacmaclockpickos xOsXpasswordpolicesecuritysubrosasoftusbusb driveusb keyUsbDriveUsbKeyMon, 30 Apr 2007 02:04:00 EST<![CDATA[WiebeTech CD/DVD Imager a godsend to pirates, forensic analysts]]>http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/24/wiebetech-cd-dvd-imager-a-godsend-to-pirates-forensic-analysts/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/24/wiebetech-cd-dvd-imager-a-godsend-to-pirates-forensic-analysts/http://www.engadget.com/2006/08/24/wiebetech-cd-dvd-imager-a-godsend-to-pirates-forensic-analysts/#comments Because we can't seem to get enough of robots, so how about we show you one that actually does something useful? Too boring, you say? What if we handed you a stack of 50 DVDs and CDs and told you to rip the image, archive 'em and, while you're at it, take a picture of each label. Now you want a robot to lord over, don't you? Lucky for you, our favorite Kansas hard drive maker and friend of forensics analysts everywhere, James Wiebe has come to your rescue with the WiebeTech CD/DVD Imager. So remember kids, this new bot may not be as fun to say as the robotic "welly wanger", but it's probably a bit more practical if you're about to fire off a few hundred copies of your latest tape (on CD) and can front the $2399 one of these will set you back.

[Via MacMinute]

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WiebeTech CD/DVD Imager a godsend to pirates, forensic analysts originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 24 Aug 2006 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>cddvdforensicsrobotrobotswiebewiebetechThu, 24 Aug 2006 18:31:00 EST