UW Computer Security Research and Course Blog

As technology advances to the point of interacting with and in some cases replacing our bodies’ biological functions, security on these technologies must also advance to ensure the safety of users. The virtual reality helmet being designed by researchers at York and Warwick Universities (found here and here) aims to bring these capabilities into a helmet unit for recreational and training purposes. It will mimic sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch on the face, as well as temperature and humidity, to create the feeling that one is in a faraway locale. That said, the researchers will obviously need to make sure all of these channels are secure to ensure safety when using the helmet.
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Rob Spence, a Canadian Filmmaker, is currently developing a prototype to equip his prosthetic eye with a built-in, wireless video camera.  The digital system, while not able to transmit information to his brain, will be able to route the signal through a series of increasingly large transmitters to a remote machine, which could potentially stream that data live on the internet.  As Spence explains, “If you lose your eye and have a hole in your head, then why not stick a camera in there?”
Spence hopes to be able to integrate this recorder seamlessly into his existing prosthetic eye, such that a casual observer would not be able to notice its presence (for a stunning picture of how realistic his current eye looks, and how small his current camera is, see the article linked at the bottom of this post).  He plans to have an on/off switch, so the recording feature can be stopped for private events, theater screenings, or bathroom trips.  Spence and his team are currently working to shrink all of the necessary components such that they are small enough and lightweight enough to fit within the space of an eye-socket, without weighing enough to cause disfigurement.

(Read on …)