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Show HN: Glasses to detect smart-glasses that have cameras

(github.com)
509 points nullpxl | 1 comments | 28 Nov 25 05:52 UTC | HN request time: 0s | source

Hi! Recently smart-glasses with cameras like the Meta Ray-bans seem to be getting more popular. As does some people's desire to remove/cover up the recording indicator LED. I wanted to see if there's a way to detect when people are recording with these types of glasses, so a little bit ago I started working this project. I've hit a little bit of a wall though so I'm very much open to ideas!

I've written a bunch more on the link (+photos are there), but essentially this uses 2 fingerprinting approaches: - retro-reflectivity of the camera sensor by looking at IR reflections. mixed results here. - wireless traffic (primarily BLE, also looking into BTC and wifi)

For the latter, I'm currently just using an ESP32, and I can consistently detect when the Meta Raybans are 1) pairing, 2) first powered on, 3) (less consistently) when they're taken out of the charging case. When they do detect something, it plays a little jingle next to your ear.

Ideally I want to be able to detect them when they're in use, and not just at boot. I've come across the nRF52840, which seems like it can follow directed BLE traffic beyond the initial broadcast, but from my understanding it would still need to catch the first CONNECT_REQ event regardless. On the bluetooth classic side of things, all the hardware looks really expensive! Any ideas are appreciated. Thanks!

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dotancohen ◴[28 Nov 25 07:32 UTC] No.46076398[source]▶
Interesting idea. It seems to me that most things which would need to be protected from hidden cameras would be stationary and not require the operator to mount the detectors on his body, but starting with mobile constraints is often helpful.

I would like to draw attention to this gem of wit, easily the best I've seen in a long time:

> I think the idea behind this approach is sound (actually it's light)

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arionmiles ◴[28 Nov 25 08:23 UTC] No.46076686[source]▶
Isn't the biggest mobile use case where you don't want to be secretly recorded in public? This was a big concern with the original Google Glass.
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tjpnz ◴[28 Nov 25 11:29 UTC] No.46077702[source]▶
Massive problem in Japan where the issue of sex pests and covert recordings comes up every other day in the media. I suspect it's one of the reasons why Japan isn't on the list of supported countries for the Meta glasses. I hope it stays that way.
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AlecSchueler ◴[28 Nov 25 14:34 UTC] No.46079000[source]▶
> sex pests and covert recordings comes up every other day in the media.

These are also issues where we live, they just don't get the same media attention.

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_aavaa_ ◴[29 Nov 25 04:18 UTC] No.46085132{3}[source]▶
Do companies sell phones/cameras that take photos without making a sound? Cause they all make sounds in Japan because of how bad the sex pest problem is.
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1. AlecSchueler ◴[29 Nov 25 07:28 UTC] No.46085746{4}[source]▶
The suggestion seems to be that lax governmental attitudes towards the voyeurism risk indicates that the risk itself is lower but I don't believe that's necessarily true or that it would contradict my statement above even if it were.