How Not to Block Cameras

Intro: How Not to Block Cameras

There has been an influx of projects on the internet claiming to protect an individual from surveillance cameras. Some use lasers. Others use balloons and static electricity. The ones that I found most intriguing used infrared (IR) LEDs.

I resolved to replicate the projects that used IR LEDs. Towards this end, I lined the hood of a hoodie with 10 high-intensity IR LEDs all the while documenting the project to share with others. In fact, I was super-excited to share this project with others when I was done with it. So, modeling my project after those that came before me, I inserted the LEDs, wired them up, plugged it in and took a picture of myself with a camera modified to view IR light. When I flipped the camera around to look at the picture, the first thing I noticed was that it hadn't worked. Instead of creating a halo of light in place of my head, I looked like I was wearing a sweatshirt lined with Christmas lights.

I was ready to write the whole thing off as a fake, but I figured that perhaps the project required some more thorough testing and that is precisely what I did.

Update: Please stop telling me I used the wrong kind of IR LEDs, I powered them incorrectly, I used the wrong kind of camera (I didn't), the LEDs are meant for pulsing or that you are simply smarter than me (I don't care).

Most of you are missing a key point. The simple fact of the matter is that the viewing angle (even a high viewing angle) will not protect you if you turn your head slightly away from the camera. Assuming that you will not always know where the camera is, the prior devices that my work is modeled after won't do much to help you.

In short, it is of my opinion, that we have all probably been misled.

Cryptography that only works maybe sometimes if the hardware is old enough and Jupiter is perfectly aligned with Saturn is ineffective cryptography. The same could be said for personal-protection camera blockers. If the device is incapable of hiding your face from every IR camera at every angle, at all times, then it doesn't work. Heck, I would settle for a device that can hide you from all IR-enabled security cameras at night, but I even doubt this is possible using current methods.

Like I said, if anyone can take my experiment and make it work without altering it too much... take 12 5mm IR LEDs with no more than 12v of power and make it work at all viewing angles (without the addition of optics), I would be actually very pleased to be proven wrong. However, I am suspicious as to whether anyone can do this given these parameters.

STEP 1: Establish a Method

The first thing I wanted to do was to determine where my project had failed and how I could change my project so that it could work as intended. Next I wanted to analyze the design of those that had claimed to build working models. Finally, my goal was to analyze all of this information to

So, I thought of the reasons my project failed:
1) The LEDs were spaced too far apart
2) The viewing angles made some of the LEDs seem to be turned off
3) There was only 5v of power
4) My camera's resolution was too high
5) I took the picture from too close

And then I looked at some of the other projects that seemed to work. The first one I examined was by aKaMaKaVeLy. After my initial test, this one seemed highly suspect for a number of reasons. First off, it used a 9v battery and no resistor. That alone made it seem fishy. Next, the LEDs were spaced out around the hat at about the same distance mine were around the hood. Last, throughout the video, everything was done as video except for the two quick shots of it working that were still images. From this project I took away very little.

I next examined the project made by URA / FILOART. Their project seemed slightly more believable. They used 12 LEDs powered by 12v of electricity that were centered on a headband. I figured if any project was going to work, it would have to be theirs.

So, I resolved to buy a host of IR LEDs from the Electronic Goldmine and conduct tests with 8 LEDs (the minimum number aKaMaKaVeLy claimed were needed) and have them be centered on the forehead like URA / FILOART had done. I would power it at 12v and take a shot from the front and the side. A successful test would block the camera from all directions with 8 LEDs centered on the forehead powered using 12v (with a 220 ohm resistor).

STEP 2: Conducting the Test

Once I established how I was going to conduct the test, the next thing was to actually follow through with doing it. I ordered five different types of LEDs from the Electronic Goldmine (Parts #G14670, G2318, G13661, G2158 and G14587).

I placed these LEDs in a breadboard and then took video of myself holding them to my forehead while powered by 12v.

Some were brighter than others, but none worked as intended. None of them were effective from the side-profile view.

From the initial test, I concluded there was no way it could work.

STEP 3: Other Considerations

Alright, so I decided to give it the benefit of the doubt. I added four more LEDs of the brightest IR LED I got from the electronic goldmine (Part #G2318) and tested again. Again this resulted in no difference.

I considered that perhaps distance to the camera played a factor. I moved the camera back 10 feet and tried again. From this distance I couldn't make out my face too well with or without the LEDs. The LEDs made me look as though I was wearing a headlamp and as far as I was concerned I could see my face.

I decided that perhaps my hacked near IR camera was of too high a resolution (even in 640x480 video mode) to get an accurate gauge. I brought the setup to work where I tested it on the night vision security camera in the stairwell. This time at about 20 feet I got the same results at 10 feet and once turned sideways had no protection whatsoever. I tried this both with the lights on and off. When the lights were on, it almost made no difference at all.

Lastly, I remembered my earlier discussion with Dan who felt that this could work if all the LEDs were pointed directly at one's own face. Pointing high-intensity IR LEDs directly at your face can't be a good idea, but I closed my eyes and tried it anyway. There was little noticeable difference.

STEP 4: Conclusion

If you want to stay safe from video cameras, you are going to need to try another method. Remember to test it first before you trust your privacy to it.

However, I suppose that if you cover your forehead in super-bright IR LEDs you could work something out. Although, at that point, why bother? Just wear a mask.

STEP 5: Lastly...

By all means, feel free to prove my test wrong with replicable results.

Comments

[sinian.kersey]

The attached photo was taken with a 1500lm bulb placed at my forehead. The LEDs needed to "blind" a camera either need to be MUCH brighter or MUCH more focused. Either way, I do not foresee anyone bearing such a device nonchalantly. Thank you for your time and effort OP. Is yes much appreciated.
If anyone does happen to find a work around, I'd appreciate an update.

[JonnyC7]

Some how the premisecwhich is sound went completely the wrong direction. Let me illustrate, take your camera any figital camera and havecsomeone point a remote at you while pushing the botton... See the purple glow thats the ir led. The original projects were not trying to block ir cameras but rather regular ccd and digital cameras using an amplification of same light which blinds the sensor pixels where they are in the image.
So next a hoodie would not work as that is to loose a configuration. Think more of a hat band type of configuration and then the array would have to be 30 + to be effective.

[JonnyC7]

Sorry for typos

[SherylinRM]

It was put in a movie a while ago and since then people have believed it.

It is nonsense.

It was just a movie.

[JoshuaW71]

I'll apologize first for my limited knowledge on the subject, I've only just begun to research alternative methods of getting around facial recognition/surveillance, but I thought the IR was meant to work with your "everyday" security/surveillance cameras, not IR surveillance? IR LEDs with IR camera would seem to defeat the purpose.. I have tried and do know "regular" (sorry for the lack of vocabulary) LEDs work great for same purpose, however, walking around, blinding people, also may defeat the purpose, pending on what one's purpose is..?

[buddahnature]

This is, in my view, an excellent instructable. The author has carried out some very straight forward and eminently sensible tests on this proposed technology and shown it to be rather short on credibility.

If you still believe he's wrong carry out this very simple thought experiment: suppose that all cameras could only operate in the visible spectrum - now imagine you build yourself a hat with a few visible-spectrum-LEDs hooked up to it. Is that hat going to even beat your puny eye, nevermind the visible-spectrum-only camera? Or will those LED's look like tiny points of light?

Or consider this: when you wrap a chain of LED's around a Christmas tree does it suddenly become an undefined blur?

[Andrew QP]

I'd be interested to know the model of camera you used to record, wavelength of the led's you used as well as the luminous power rating. It looks like you've used leds that are under performing.

If you use 200-300mW 850nm LEDs, then you won't get the same result unless the camera has an IR filter...

[aapriori]

Why is everything orangish? Do have a filter or is your camera in IR mode? My cameras don't do this in low light so there's something different about yours.

[alistair.clay]

THIS DOES WORK READ HERE...

you need a concentrated array of IR LEDs to make this work.

"but what about the angle!?"

well what would make sense there? COVER MORE ANGLES... and throw out those radio shack IR LEDs. buy them in a pre-wired, water proof, silicon injected strip. they fit in the fold of a hat easily, and you can put 40+ IR LEDs in a 360 degree array (discretely) without any of the bulk you'd have with those you're currently using.

Now ask yourself if you really care about your privacy or if your just messing about for a project. if your answer is privacy then id imagine you could add this same flat array to the underside of your hat... blocks you from underside cams like ATMs. put your hat on and your hood up. it works most of the time and wont look like father christmas built your hoodie.

Enjoy!

[alistair.clay]

ps if your hood is up you only need protection from one angle, possibly two.And if you've built this hat correctly you'll have a lot more than that.

[zazu_247]

Did you try putting them inside the hood, aiming at your face?

[SamiR10]

I got 2 cents. Maybe another approach would work? First of all, I have no actual knowledge on this matter. I'm just thinking basing on my knowledge of photography with normal DSLR cameras. So everything I write may not be applicable for this kind of thing. Anyway...

Cameras that shoot also in daylight take light spectrum in from both ends of visible light. And a bit beyond. Standard digital cameras actually have an IR filter built in. How about UV?

A camera that can take IR but shoots also in daylight must be able to see UV too. And unless it has a UV filter, perhaps UV leds work. (Who uses UV filters anyway? I only use UV filters as lens protection. Cheaper to replace a filter than fix the lens. But if I get too much glare I still take it off.) But make sure they don't hit your skin constantly or especially your eyes, and especially in darkness. Might not be a good idea to get constant UV light in one's retina while the iris is fully open due to the darkness.

Flooding the sensor with UV light should work for common digital cameras and maybe, just maybe those CCTV cameras which shoot in the dark with IR, provided they also shoot daylight with the same lens and sensor. And at least normal digital cameras are more sensitive to UV than to IR. In night mode the aperture is wide open, letting a lot of light in so it can see the IR. Might be easier to flood the sensor with UV.

There are wide angle leds out there. Not sure if UV or IR, but if you get like 130 degree leds and put few of them side by side, pointing away from your face, they should cover quite a wide angle.

Don't know much about CCTV technology so I might be wrong though. But maybe give UV leds a go? Just don't use this to commit any crimes. Only protect your anonymity or something like that.

Hey... last thing. Sunblock blocks UV rays. Perhaps there is a lotion that blocks IR rays. Not really sure if it is even possible, little alone if such product exists. But if there is a camera which is specialised solely to IR light, maybe IR blocking lotion would extend the effect of those leds. The face would look darker to the camera even without the leds and leds in front of your face would emphasise that.

[SamiR10]

Oh, and UV also disperses easier, being short. IR is longer waves, goes more straight. So maybe that would also help with the issue that the IR led needs to be pointing directly at the camera. Maybe you won't even need wide angle leds with UV leds.

[friscobrad]

Great thinking! I have a design I am going to be trying soon and your work will help considerably. Thank you for your contribution. I have to admit that my version will not meet the parameters you set for yours(I will be using more then 12 LED's, and I am planning on using several power supplies in different locations to distribute the weight). Never the less, Thank you for your work! And I hope you keep at it.

[jpayne12]

A design suggestion. Have you tried wiring them into a hat brim lined with white or reflective paint at a downward angle?

[shaggydoo121]

Very good scientific work !

[bschran]

Hate to say it but most security cameras like the one pictured are IR cameras... you would actually be helping the camera along by having that on you.

[ilpug]

True, but that isn't the premise of the idea. Normal cameras use visible light, and if you shine a really bright light at them , that part of the camera is blinded in the film/photo. The same is true with IR cameras. It seems like this would work, you would just need one super-powerful IR light to do it effectively.

[electric_piano_5k]

For further proof, see the cover photo for my "Infrared night vision digital camera/camcorder" instructable.  It is an IR photo of a second identical IR camera which is pointed ALMOST straight at the camera taking the photo. Even at this slight angle the IR LED's are dimmed enough that my face is clearly visible.

[nutsandbolts_64]

Have you tried diffused LED's?