Mice's Motion Sensors Could Spy Users

A group of researchers from the University of California, Irvine, have developed a way to use the sensors in high-quality optical mice to capture subtle vibrations and convert them into audible data. The high polling rate and sensitivity of high-performance optical mice pick up acoustic vibrations from the surface where they sit.

By running the raw data through signal processing and machine learning techniques, the team could hear what the user was saying through their desk. Mouse sensors with a 20,000 DPI or higher are vulnerable to this attack. And with the best gaming mice becoming more affordable annually, even relatively affordable peripherals are at risk.

More information:

https://www.tomshardware.com/tech-industry/cyber-security/high-performance-mice-can-be-used-as-a-microphone-to-spy-on-users-thanks-to-ai-mic-e-mouse-technique-uses-mouse-sensors-to-convert-acoustic-vibrations-into-speech

Smart in-Asphalt Fabric

A fabric developed by scientists from Germany's Fraunhofer Institute for Wood Research and the SenAD2 project, monitors the condition of paved roads. The material consists of flax fibers interwoven with an electrically conductive sensor wire less than 1 mm thick. The fabric is produced on a double rapier loom in a width of 50 cm (19.7 in) at whatever length is needed. Side-by-side connected lengths of the material are laid down across the base layer of a road, as it's being constructed. The surface layer is then poured over top, covering them.

At the side of the road, an external measurement unit is connected to the sensor wire. As cracks proceed to form in the asphalt over the months and years that follow, the material expands, placing pressure upon the sensor wire. This creates a change in the electrical resistance of the wire, which is detected by the measurement unit. AI algorithms determine the current extent of the damage, and to provide an estimate of its likely progression over time. The technology is currently being tested on an industrial road in Germany.

More information:

https://newatlas.com/good-thinking/electronic-fabric-asphalt-roads/

Forest Digital Twin

Scanning forests with lasers can provide three-dimensional models of forests, creating a unique way to look at these ecosystems. Researchers at the University of Helsinki are pioneers in applying this technical solution to measuring ecosystems. This technique, referred to as Terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), opens new opportunities in measuring forest structure, monitoring disturbances and simulating ecosystems.

TLS provides us with a new way of looking at forests – not just from above, but from within. It helps us understand tree growth, forest responses to disturbances and the effects of forest structure on biodiversity and capacity for recovery. A deeper understanding helps researchers, decision-makers and communities to make increasingly justified decisions – and, ultimately, to better reconcile human activity with the environment.

More information:

https://www.helsinki.fi/en/news/climate-change/digital-twin-forests-help-new-technology