Loss of Privacy

If you want to enter the vault or other sensitive areas at Israel Discount Bank, you’re going to have to do it with facial recognition. The new measure, announced Monday is for employees and customers.

The Rechovot-based C-True company’s C-entry system is an advanced biometric system which the bank has tested for half a year.

The system can even identify people in difficult conditions such as dim light. Changes, such as sunglasses, beards, moustaches, different hairdos, or a hat do not affect its ability.

C-True specializes in 3D real-time machine vision. Founded in 2006, it benefits from the academic atmosphere and resources of the Weitzman Science Park in Rechovot. C-True is staffed by mathematicians, computer scientists, physicists, and engineers. The company says its labs include advanced physical simulation, strong mathematical infrastructure, and an advanced optical laboratory.

Israel has developed a portable pain ray at the low cost of $250,000. While this may seem expensive, it’s quite cheap, especially for oppressive tyrants in third world countries.

The Man-Portable Active Denial System, developed by researchers at the College of Judea and Samaria, can beam a microwave ray that causes skin surface to heat up to 130 degrees Fahrenheit, causing the nerve cells in the skin to think they’re on fire.

In tests of a similar project by the US military, “nobody [was] able to stay in the beam for more than a few seconds,” writes David Hambling at Wired.com.

The US version weighs over nine tons, making it impracticable to easily transport. The US is, however, continuing research into a portable version.

The Israelis wanted their own after seeing the enormous US version, which they now, apparently have.

Salon.com article on AT&T from 2006

Democracy Now article

NPR Interview

Anit-War’s interview with James Bamford. 31m50s into the interview has some discussion about domestic wiretapping.

Verint Systems

Narus