Re:Spy camera detection using smartphone time-of-flight sensors
by frizensami on Thursday November 18, 2021 @03:03PM
(#29269751)
That's an interesting idea: trying to create so many false positives that the user gives up. We're already removing around 100+ false positives per frame at the moment in difficult cases, so perhaps it's possible to overwhelm the filters with very maliciously designed environments.
I think the easier way would be to hide the cameras in much harder-to-reach places so that it's inconvenient for the user to get their smartphone near. This might reduce the kind of videos that can be taken, but maybe an attacker will find that a reasonable tradeoff.
Re:Spy camera detection using smartphone time-of-flight sensors
by djmips on Thursday November 18, 2021 @05:09PM
(#29271265)
Probably the very smart spy camera can detect off axis TOF artificial light and close a shutter over the lens. Assuming your app integrates over the scanning motion, the camera won't be detected while it's shutter is closed. After the illumination is completed the spy camera can re-open it's shutter.
The spy camera could also something like your system to detect the phone camera and take defensive measures.
Re:Spy camera detection using smartphone time-of-flight sensors
by frizensami on Thursday November 18, 2021 @05:16PM
(#29271341)
Yes, perhaps. At the very least, adding a variable shutter and extra logic will drive up the price of the camera, which will be some consolation.
I assume minimizing the aperture would be a fairly reliable way to avoid detection. A pinhole camera would be hard to find by any optical technique, though the video quality would suffer. Perhaps one could project through a pinhole onto a screen and record the projection, so the sensor is angled away from the room?