Spy Device Can Read Book Text from Nearly a Mile Away

Scientists say they've developed a ludicrously keen-eyed laser device that can read the text in a book from a whopping 0.85 miles away.

As detailed in a new paper published in the journal Physical Review Letters, the team used interferometry, a commonly used technique in the world of astronomy that uses superimposed waves of light to create interference patterns, to develop the spy system.... Put simply, researchers applied a technology that space observatories use to a ground-based laser system to zoom across vast distances — with promising and somewhat creepy results. more

Any Wall Can be Turned Into a Camera...

...to see around corners!

An ordinary camera could soon take photos of things that are out of sight, thanks to algorithms that interpret how light bounces off a wall.

“Normally, when light bounces off rough surfaces, like walls, it scrambles the scene into a messy blur,” says Wenwen Li at the University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei. “Our goal was to ‘unscramble’ that blur and recover the hidden scene. Think of it like turning a rough wall into a mirror.”

The method involves mapping the geometry and reflectance of the wall surface by taking many images under different lighting conditions, so the researchers could predict how each bump and groove would distort reflected light. Once they had created a digital model of the surface, the team devised equations to reconstruct a hidden image from the scrambled light pattern

Li and her colleagues have successfully demonstrated real-time imaging at 25 frames per second using an ordinary camera, like one found in a smartphone. more

FutureWatch / Spytech: Contact Lenses Allow Seeing in the Dark, Even With Eyes Closed

Neuroscientists and materials scientists have created contact lenses that enable infrared vision in both humans and mice by converting infrared light into visible light. 

Unlike infrared night vision goggles, the contact lenses, described in the journal Cell, do not require a power source—and they enable the wearer to perceive multiple infrared wavelengths. Because they're transparent, users can see both infrared and visible light simultaneously, though infrared vision was enhanced when participants had their eyes closed.

"Our research opens up the potential for noninvasive wearable devices to give people super-vision," says senior author Tian Xue, a neuroscientist at the University of Science and Technology of China. "There are many potential applications right away for this material. For example, flickering infrared light could be used to transmit information in security, rescue, encryption or anti-counterfeiting settings." more

FutureWatch: Apple is Developing AirPods with Cameras

Apple is ‘actively developing’ a version of AirPods with integrated cameras. This tech is unlikely to make an appearance in AirPods Pro 3, which are expected to debut this year – but nonetheless, it’s in the pipeline. Apple wants your AirPods to better understand your environment, but why?
Visual Intelligence integration

With the iPhone 16 lineup, Apple introduced Camera Control. This new button is great for taking photos and adjusting camera settings, but it also unlocked a new feature: Visual Intelligence.

Visual Intelligence is a powerful tool that helps users learn about the world around them, and allows users to take action based on the physical context around them. You can add an event flyer to your calendar, for example, or tap into the power of ChatGPT or Google to help learn about something you don’t understand. more

Google: Human Surveillance Isn't Enough - Target Dolphins

Imagine trying to crack a language where every "word" is a complex pattern of clicks, whistles, and burst pulses. That's what Google's DolphinGemma AI model is tackling, running on waterproofed Pixel phones in the waters of the Bahamas.

The system, announced on Google's blog, makes use of 38 years of underwater recordings from the Wild Dolphin Project (WDP), the longest-running study of its kind. These recordings capture everything from mother dolphins calling their calves with unique signature whistles to aggressive "squawks" during confrontations. The AI processes these vocalizations in real-time, searching for patterns that could unlock the dolphins' communication code. more

FutureWatch: Sophisticated & Smart Surveillance Electronics To Become Smaller and Cheaper

Texas Instruments says it has shrunk the size of the smallest microcontroller unit in its industry with a new MCU the size of a black pepper flake.

The MCU packaging is only 1.38 square millimeters in size... TI says the product is aimed at small products including medical wearables, earbuds, stylus pens and electric toothbrushes. The product includes a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter and has 16KB of flash memory and 1KB of SRAM and runs at 24MHz...

TI says the microcontroller costs 20 cents per unit in quantities of 1,000, which means a company could get an army of robot spiders project started for as little as $200.

Vinay Agarwal, vice president and general manager of MSP Microcontrollers at TI: "With the addition of the world's smallest MCU, our MSPM0 MCU portfolio provides unlimited possibilities to enable smarter, more connected experiences in our day-to-day lives."

William Luk, a consultant and technology expert at Quandary Peak Research, said the MCU shrinkage opens up opportunities in areas where miniature devices weren't previously possible.

"One of the important verticals for micro-devices is in healthcare and surgical: smart pills, embedded sensors, or even surgical devices that can reach places like never before," Luk said. more