NEW YORK, 11:30 PM, SUN JUL 6 | 14 POSTS IN THE LAST 24 HOURS | tips@gizmodo.com | RSS
UK | FR | NL | IT | DE | ES | JP | AU
Posts Tagged “

Terrorism

anti-terrorism gadgets

The 10 Strangest Anti-Terrorism Gadget Patents

These are dangerous times we live in—which is why I am sure that some of America's greatest minds are out there toiling away on new gadgets we can use to protect ourselves in the war against terrorism. Unfortunately, the people who patented these 10 anti-terrorism gadgets are not among these brilliant thinkers. Sure they are creative, but an airplane sleeping gas system and an explosion containment umbrella? Would a doggie earphone that helps you remotely contact your dog to give verbal instructions make you feel safer? Seriously, if this is the best we can come up with, this country is in serious trouble. Hit the link for the full list. [Neatorama]

gps

NYC Makes Buses Hijack Proof With Remote Controlled Device

Let's say someone put a bomb on your bus and it can't go below 50 mph or it will explode. If that were to happen on a NYC bus you would probably be incinerated because the city has installed a new GPS device in thousands of local commuter and tourist buses. If the authorities get wind of a hijacking in progress, they can slowly stop the vehicle and prevent it from restarting via remote control. It may not work for "Speed" style situations, but for conventional hijackings, it could prove to be an effective weapon. More »

airplanes

European Union Tests Automated Airplane Seat-Back Spy Cams to Detect Terrorism Faces

The European Union's Security of Aircraft in the Future European Environment (SAFEE) is testing some kind of nebulous facial detection system that will suss out whether your expression is one of a terrorist planning on commandeering the ride or just diarrhea face. More »

furniture

Quantum Sleeper, Rest Well in the Face of Terrorism

Some might call being trapped in a small, airtight box getting buried alive. Others realize that it's a completely rational response to the potential threats in a post-9/11 world. Featuring 1.25" polycarbonate bulletproof plating, the Quantum Sleeper seals you into your mattress in emergency situations. You breathe filtered O2, use the built-in facilities and wait comfortably for the world to not be over. Sound a bit unsettling? No way. Just look at that happy couple basking in their thoughtful preparation, the husband grabbing his wife lovingly, always ready to perform the Heimlich should the opportunity arise. [product via boingboing]


robots

Autonomous Robots: Ethical Combatants or Suicide Bombers?

UK robotics professor Noel Sharkey is raising a fuss over the US Defense Department's intention to put $4 billion into "unmanned systems" in the next year or two. One fear is that spillover from all that R&D will give terrorists new ways to build effective GPS-guided suicide bombers for $500 or less.
"How long is it going to be before the terrorists get in on the act? With the current prices of robot construction falling dramatically and the availability of ready-made components for the amateur market, it wouldn't require a lot of skill to make autonomous robot weapons."
But Sharkey has other more philosophical issues, ones that echo Isaac Asimov's own concerns of more than a half century ago. More »

home entertainment

File Sharing, Like Drugs and Dissent, Supports Terrorism

A 2006 report by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office called "Filesharing Programs and Technological Features to Induce Users to Share" was just released to the general public yesterday, and it contains some interesting governmental observations as to the dangers of digital piracy. More »

gadgets

$100,000 Bulletproof Toilet

Terrorism has scared the shit out of people...literally. While that actually makes no sense, it sort of explains the $100,000 toilet. Evidently a necessary invention in a world filled with terror, the structure is not only bulletproof, but can withstand a 15 ton blast as well. While we don't know of any units in America (yet), Beijing has 8 floating around in their Zhongguancun Plaza. Just wait until the sirens go off and we are all forced to hide in porta-potties. Crap. More »