Thursday, August 29, 2019

The Scarlet Letter: 2019 - Old Spy Tool. New Use.

Ultraviolet ink has been used by spies (secret writing) and TSCM technicians (as tamper detection) for over a century. And now, to brand sexual assailants for groping.

Anti-groping stamp lets victims mark assailants.

The Japanese device is paired with a special lamp that lets its otherwise invisible ink be seen...

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police said 2,620 sexual crimes were reported in 2017, including 1,750 cases of groping, mostly on trains or at stations.

A limited run of 500 devices, which retailed at 2,500 yen (£19.30), sold out within 30 minutes on Tuesday... more

FutureWatch: Additional tech will continue to enhance citizen crime fighting. New technologies will be appropriated. Old technologies, like ultraviolet, will find new uses. 

Just think of what internet search engines, smartphone videos, video doorbells, and covert spy cameras have already accomplished in recent decades. 

I wonder why Gentian Violet in mini spray bottles wasn't thought of first. Instant ID. No UV light necessary.