This Strange Device Can’t Be a Good Thing

What you see here is the Image Fulgurator, a new, strange device that frankly scares me. It is the invention of a German man named—and you can’t make this stuff us—Julius von Bismark. The contraption is designed so that one person can project “stealth” images into another person’s photographs—images that can only be seen when the other person looks at his pictures. How can something like this be good? Why would anyone invent it?
    The heart of the Fulgurator (Von Bismark says it mean “Flash Thrower”) is an old manual Minolta SLR. A flashgun, mounted at the back, fires through the camera and through a transparency image on a roll of processed film inside. That image is then projected out through the lens and onto any surface.
    The flashgun is triggered when another photographer standing nearby takes a picture using flash. Like a slave unit, the Fulgurator senses that flash and fires its own flash, projecting an image the other photographer’s camera records. The image is projected so briefly, however, that the other photographer won’t see it.
     As this story points out, Fulgurator is simply a machine that allows a kind of analog hacking into other people’s pictures. Von Bismark seems to believe it might be used in viral marketing and advertising. Maybe I’m just cranky, but I think the whole idea of this is obnoxious. –David Schonauer

Comments

[Tuffer]

Finally someone posts about this and doesn't find it to be cute or extremely fun. kinda punkish and snobby-photography if you ask me.

[JMGiordano]

awesome! Imagine some suburban mom's face when all their pics of Europe with thier fat kids are filled with obnoxious euro-teens giving them the finger!!!! bwhahahahahahahaha!!!!!!
I love technology!

[UncleMike]

Anything can be put to bad use...should you do so...I can think of many creative uses...but as in all things it comes down to money.

[DREW]

Uncle Mike's got it...

[KarmaWarrior]

Ive seen the so-called Fulgurator when it won its prize at ARS Electronica. Its total crap. The most interesting thing it reveals is the how little people understand technology. Even as Julius Von Bismarck was attempting to demonstrate it live, he had to ask members in the audience not to use their cameras as the flashes would stop it working. His well-practiced girlfriend managed to eventually capture an image which had been modified. Another intersting point is that the 'fulgurated' image of Obama which is being touted to support his 'Guerilla' tactics never turned up anywhere in the press.. could it be that no-one elses images were manipulated?
The 'device' is dependant on so many variables: Timing, recharge of flash unit, direction of sensor, exposure time of 'target camera' and the assumption that the camera generating the trigger flash is pointing at the same thing... the chances of it working are miniscule!
Julius Von Bismarck also claims he is going to patent his technology - well, sorry Julius, Cameras, Flash Bulbs, Projectors and Light Sensors are all patented.
I fail to understand why this is groundbreaking since it is basically a projector...and one that doesnt work very well either.
I have an invention too... it draws temporary graffiti on buidlings by stealth... its called 'OHP-Inside-A-Wig'.