Popular Mechanics has a cool article in their January 2009 issue about a new binocular technology for the U.S. military. Called LightSpeed, these binoculars have high-power infrared LEDs that allow them to transfer data and voice at up to 1 megabit per second and 32 kilobits per second respectively. There is a receiver in the left eyepiece and a transmitter in the right, which can emit an undetectable beam up to 1.8 miles. So to transmit information to another person, you just have to look at them. Unlike similar systems that use lasers that can be harmful, this system is eye-friendly.
Now if you just combine this with a TV-B-Gone, think of all the mischief you could make (shame on you).
Pretty neat idea. Only issue I see here, which isn’t an issue with lasers, is communications security. So with a laser, because of the highly focused beam, the only way to intercept the transmission is to place your receiver/listening device directly in the path of the beam. Which is not only more difficult since you have to be in the exact very narrow path of the beam (unlike radio which transmits in every direction) but would also most likely block some or all of the beam, and thereby alert the legitimate receiver (or transmitter) that their comms are being intercepted. They toyed with using lasers to shoot communications from airplane to airplane in fighter formations (and by toyed I’m willing to be there is something like that in actual use out there) on stealth jets like the F-22 and JSF. It’s very high speed data, and essentially completely undetectable when you’re only shooting the beam over short distances in an airplane formation (less than a mile). They also do this sort of thing for talking to satellites I believe. Of course the trick is you have to keep the beam painted on the designated receiver, otherwise they can’t hear you either, but that’s why they hire the smart folks up there at AFRL.
This IR system is eye-safe, but on the downside, a regular (as opposed to laser) IR beam would have a wider beam/visible area, and would therefore be a little easier to intercept. They *do* make eye-safe lasers these days, so it’d be interesting to see if they can sort of combine the best of both worlds at some point.
Of course the more common problem (which would apply to the lasers, too) is that you need clear line of sight. Not just in the radio sense but in the sense that you actually need to be able to *see* your target. This system won’t work in fog, clouds, smoke, what have you. But hey, it’s a step forward.
where can i get somethig similar to this??
hoia soy luis enrique de huimanguillo tabasco mexico, y quisiera saber el presio de estos binoculares y en cuanto me saldria el envio
hello…this looks like some device!!no surprises that US has the most powerful devices due to such devices…this binocular looks more like a weapon!!…i wonder how it would cost…can we people buy this techno wonder….