How to turn invisible
Have you ever felt like you can’t go out without being recorded whether by paparazzi or installed cameras? Did you know that nowadays, there exists clothing items which act as a privacy tool?
Scott Urban never had in mind the combination of fashion and digital privacy. In fact, he started out with ‘Urban Spectacles’, by designing simple handmade wooden spectacles.
Scott Urban was once requested by a customer to make eyeglasses which would make cyclists more visible in the dark. He therefore started experimenting with different materials.
When he first launched his campaign called Reflectacles, someone asked if these glasses could be used as anti-surveillance accessories. Scott started to think about his product and he came up with a version of Reflectacles called Ghost. They were designed to protect whoever wore them from being spotted in video surveillance. Mr. Urban himself dislikes the fact that he could be viewed in surveillance and so he was sure that other individuals felt the same way.
As video surveillance is becoming more common, designers such as Urban are trying to disrupt facial recognition and they are being supported by the public. Urban raised $41,315 in the Reflectacles’ kickstarter campaign. More than half of the initial goal.
Scott Urban has always valued his privacy and his product protects whoever wears it from unwanted surveillance. His two versions of eyeglasses are the Reflectacles and the ghost glasses. The Reflectacles are used for lights to get reflected on. These are especially useful for people who ride bikes or walk during the night and could also help to avoid traffic accidents. The other version is the ghost glasses which reflect infrared light in order not to be recognised by cameras. When Scott Urban first finished this model he tested this out himself by going to a shop and asking the owners to look at their surveillance footage and to their surprise, he couldn’t be recognised as he was wearing the Ghost glasses.
The way Ghost Refelectacles work shown in this youtube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQBzq4L1dB0
There are similar projects as the Ghost glasses. An example is ISHU which is aimed at also disrupting one’s identity on camera. Saif Siddiqui is a London- based designer whose idea arose from the rise of paparazzi culture.
Some people, especially celebrities value their privacy and appreciate not being documented everywhere they go, especially when it comes to personal meetings and this is were the initial idea for ISHU clothing started from.
Mr. Siddiqui makes clothing items reflective by using prismatic metallic int. This idea was liked especially amongst celebrities to the point that ISHU has collaborated with Jay-Z.
Similarly, there is Adam Harvey’s ongoing project, is called ‘HyperFace Camouflage’ which is a design for clothing made to confuse facial recognition. This project is a continuation of Harvey’s CV Dazzle project which was part of his thesis at New York University’s Interactive Telecommunications Program. CV Dazzle is meant to disrupt facial recognition through the use of hairstyles and makeup.
Rebecca Ricks and Shir David are students from the same university as Mr. Harvey and they created the project called Unidentified Halo, this time with the use of a ball cap which shines infrared light onto the face of who wears it. This light cannot be seen by anyone except for when viewed on video surveillance as it makes the face unrecognisable.
Initially, the two wanted to create a shoe which will alter the way you walk but after getting in touch with Nasir Memon, a New York professor specialising in biometrics they decided to stick to infrared light.
They wanted to create something which looked low-key and wouldn’t stand out when someone wears it. It had to be something that one would wear in everyday situations and for this reason, they went with the cap. They tested this out with cameras that they were able to access and this project was a success as the face of the person wearing the hat wasn’t able to be identified.
Technology is always improving and sometimes investing in something new doesn’t seem worth it. However, these tools are usually made to make a point.
