jon-david schlough

Tortise/RC-Car Mashup

Via Kottke -> Daily Wierd :

Tina the tortoise has been given a lift after being fitted with a suspension system and a pneumatic tyre to help her cope with muddy terrain.

Iris scanners enroll in elementary school

Ahhh. What a grand use of DHS [taxpayer] dollars:

A small elementary school in New Jersey is one of the first in the country to test new iris scanning technology in an educational setting. The Park Avenue Elementary School in Freehold Borough recently installed a US$370,000 system paid for with a grant from the Justice Department. What do they use it for? Opening the front door.........at that price, you could pay someone US$40,000 to sit in front of the door for nine years and do nothing but track those who enter the building.

WWDT notes this tech is hitting airports - I imagine we'll be seeing more and more iris scanning biometrics popping up. It's funny, but I don't thinnk anyone has really considered the level of sophistication required to fool these things. Right now, probably not very accessible. As the tech becomes more prevalent, so do the exploits.

That and note the school's biggest concern [emphasis is mine]:

The school's principal admits that the community is not particularly dangerous and a kidnapping has not been an issue. His concern seems to be that children could be taken by parents involved in custody disputes.

So explain to me again how this is a something the DHS should be handing out $$ for???

Link: Iris scanners enroll in elementary school.

Biometrics coming soon to a WalMart, Costco, Target???....Doh!

I remember working on a presentation for the VP of Enterprise Architecture at Target when I was there, and it had one whole slide of info on biometrics! I did a lot of research, actually, and I am really looking forward to more biometric products, especially the prices coming down....

It's simply wonderful for some applications. Like, logging in to your laptop, or your medicine chest, or your cabinet full of nasty cleaner, anything that is not too critical. Laptop is even a stretch, since one can lift your print and root your machine in no time. I mention it since IBM Lenovo has already deployed it.

However, clearly, the applications where it will not work well are the ones where your finger goes where thousands of dirty, snotty, urine-soaked, poo-stained, ketchup-covered, gunk-laden fingers have gone before. Ick!.

"I know what finger I would use for this" list of problems:::
Problem 1: GROSS. Ewwwwwww. It's so, so gross.
Problem 2: Big Brother - oh sure Wal-Mart, take my biometric info - I'm sure you won't be hacked like Visa, Mastercard, Chase, and the list goes on...

Pod Car - Does Not Fly Dammit!

In addition to the Senseo [original post below], we have yet another non-flying car that does something new and unique.

Via Engadget: Toyota's Pod Car uses biometrics to sense the driver's mood, and then communicate it to other drivers via the color of funky exterior lights.

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Rinspeed’s website kinda sucks, but read about the Senseo. A Swiss-made car developed by Universities of Zurich and Innsbruck, and some private companies, the Senseo is equipped with an array of biometric sensors that detect things like heart rate, how fast you’re shifting and at what RPMs, how quickly you’re approaching other cars.

Via bTang, Via Jalopnik, who else?

Flying Car Update II:: No Flying Car yet, but instead have biometric car- Pod Car

In addition to the Senseo [original post below], we have yet another non-flying car that does something new and unique.

Via Engadget: Toyota's Pod Car uses biometrics to sense the driver's mood, and then communicate it to other drivers via the color of funky exterior lights.

---------------------------------------------------------------

Rinspeed’s website kinda sucks, but read about the Senseo. A Swiss-made car developed by Universities of Zurich and Innsbruck, and some private companies, the Senseo is equipped with an array of biometric sensors that detect things like heart rate, how fast you’re shifting and at what RPMs, how quickly you’re approaching other cars.

Via bTang, Via Jalopnik, who else?