Anti-paprazzi clutch bag gives pushy shutterbugs a taste of their own medicine

R.A. Hettinga rah at shipwright.com
Wed Jul 8 07:00:07 PDT 2009


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Gizmag


WEARABLE ELECTRONICS
Anti-paprazzi clutch bag gives pushy shutterbugs a taste of their own
medicine
By Darren Quick
04:43 July 8, 2009 PDT
Take that paparazzo!! (Photo: Adam Harvey/AHProjects.com)


Celebrities looking for a way to combat those pesky paparazzi that
doesnt involve fisticuffs and a less than flattering mug shot will
want to hope this new "anti-paparazzi device" makes the jump from
concept to commercial availability. The concept is basically an LED
flash built into a clutch purse that emits a photo ruining flash of
its own when it detects the flash from a camera.

The device uses a photo cell that reads light to detect jumps in
ambient light caused by camera flashes. Currently the photo cell can
detect a flash being fired from up to a 45 degree angle each way. This
is connected to a computer-programmable micro-controller, which
controls three small LED lights that flash for 1/15th of a second and
wash out the photograph.

New York University graduate student Adam Harvey originally developed
the device as a way to combine his interest in photography with a
physical computing class project. He wasnt able to perfect the device
for class, but has continued to refine the design so that currently
the wiring and batteries fit in a ladies clutch. It is activated by
powering it on and then tilting the clutch, meaning you can control
whether you want the flash to go off or not with a tilt of the wrist.

Since thats great for the ladies, but not so great for your average
male action movie star, Harvey aims to reduce the size of the device
further so that it could be worn on something as small as a pendant or
tiepin.

The device works up to ISO 800 at f/4 and its use is therefore limited
to low light situations such as night or inside. It will work at
shutter speeds up to 1/125, but is much more effective on low light
shots with long shutter speeds.

Harvey is continuing to refine the design of the anti-paparazzi device
and is currently working on a patent for it. He has announced a
limited release of the clutch bag will become available in early
Spring 2010.





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