Gizmodo: dhl

Homeland Security Wants To Use Your Foul Stench as a Lie Detector

Sean Fallon — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 13:00:00 EDT

The Department of Homeland Security is planning a study to find out if human body odor can be used as a biometric identifier and/or a means of detecting a lie.

DHS is currently collecting human odor samples and beginning preliminary work to uncover indicators that could be used against potential criminals. Essentially, they believe that an odor may not only be unique to a particular individual, but can also a "useful indicator of certain human behaviors." This research has a foundation in recent studies that have used gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to analyze organic compounds in human sweat. These studies have indicated that there may very well be marker compounds in human sweat that can be used to identify individuals, and that these "odor fingerprints" can change over time for as yet unknown reasons.

Naturally, civil liberties advocates (especially the smelly ones) are taking issue with this research, claiming that the department had "misplaced priorities."

"The history of DHS' deployment of these technologies has been one colossal failure after another," he said. "There is no lie detector. This research has been a long, meandering journey, which has taken us down one blind alley after another."

Personally, I would have to agree with the ACLU on this one. I'm no scientist, but I would imagine that there are too many variables like diet and scented perfumes/creams that could result in inconsistencies. It seems like less of an exact science than other biometric technologies. [UPI]

DHL Putting Serious GPS Tracking Systems On Packages

Wilson Rothman — Wed, 18 Feb 2009 20:20:00 EST

DHL is apparently outfitting cargo containers with sensors to monitor GPS location, temperature, humidity, impact, vibration and light exposure. Cool, but with frills like this, it's no wonder their US operation went busto. [BBG]

UPS Dumps Labels for Paper-Free Gauntlet-Cum-Printer

matt buchanan — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 20:00:00 EST

The gauntlet you see strapped to this guy's hand is HP's Handheld sp400 All-in-One, which is not only a hot fashion accessory, it scans barcodes and prints sorting info directly onto boxes (or someone's face, natch) with magic quick-drying ink, no paper label required. UPS has been testing it out at a ship center in Orlando, where they used it on 40,000 boxes with zero errors.

It replaces a whole bunch of larger, less green gear—a giant thermal printer, PC, monitor and scanner. UPS says it'll save 92,456 hours, 1,338 tons of paper and 3,807 tons of carbon emissions a year. Who ever said going green had to cost green? Next please: Package teleporters. [Treehugger]

DHL Dies

Mark Wilson — Mon, 10 Nov 2008 12:29:00 EST

DHL, a popular shipping alternative to FedEx, UPS and the US Postal Service, has gone belly up in the ever more fun economic crisis. Today the company announced that it will end all domestic shipping services starting January 30th (which means 9,500 layoffs) while only international shipping to/from the US will remain. Hopefully one less competitor in the ring won't increase all of our internet shipping costs too greatly. [DHL]

Microsoft Sues DHL Over Xbox-Busting Train Crash

Dan Nosowitz — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 13:30:00 EDT

Microsoft is suing delivery service DHL for their refusal to compensate the boys in Redmond for the destruction of over 21,000 Xboxes in a Texas train derailment. The consoles were due for Hong Kong when the train, carrying two large containers of Xboxes, went off the tracks, sustaining a substantial amount of water and impact damage and, interestingly, "pilfering." Microsoft is seeking $2 million in compensation for DHL's negligence. That the phrase "fiery train wreck" is missing from the report makes me think it wasn't as exciting as it could've been. Imagine the headlines! [PC World]

GPS-Tracked Biggest Drawing in the World is Complete Fake

Kit Eaton — Wed, 28 May 2008 07:02:00 EDT

You know that so-called "biggest drawing in the World" made by pin-point DHL mailings of a GPS tracker? Well, all you doubting commenters were right: it's a complete and utter fake. While artist Erik Nordenankar was allowed into a DHL warehouse, that's about it as far as any real mail is concerned. A note on his website says "This is fictional work. DHL did not transport the GPS at any time." So, no GPS tracker, no DHL pin-point global mailing. Just one big steaming pile of fakeness. [Gadget Lab]

The Biggest Drawing in The World: Created With the Help of GPS and DHL

Sean Fallon — Sun, 25 May 2008 15:00:00 EDT

I have to hand it to Erik Nordenankar and DHL for devising what has to be the most creative fusion of art and technology to date. The concept was simple but brilliant: place a GPS device in a briefcase and mail it via DHL with precise travel instructions over the course of a 55-day period. When all was said and done, the GPS data formed a virtual self-portrait of the artist that spread over 6 continents and 62 countries covering nearly 70,000 miles.

Apparently, the drawing was done as part of an advertising campaign for DHL—which explains why a briefcase that looks like a bomb managed to crisscross the world in an accurate manner. However, DHL does know a thing or two about taking long circuitous routes on their way to a destination, so this ad makes perfect sense. UPDATE: This drawing is fake, fake, fake! Here is the real deal. [Worlds Biggest Drawing via Hack a Day]