Road/driving tracking devices
from Dust0741@lemmy.world to privacy@lemmy.ml on 22 Feb 15:29
https://lemmy.world/post/43451699
from Dust0741@lemmy.world to privacy@lemmy.ml on 22 Feb 15:29
https://lemmy.world/post/43451699
Does anyone know more about these devices? Some are obviously cameras, but the others are likely some radio scanning, potentially BLE, but I don’t know. Anyone know?
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Another similar device:
<img alt="" src="https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/90202518-84da-495b-a180-882b103ac38b.jpeg">
I work for a company that makes security cameras and we also make radars as a supplement to the cameras. The purpose of the radar is to tell PTZ cameras where objects are so they can pan/rotate to the correct spot as quickly as possible.
In this case these look like fixed cameras so I don’t think it’s a radar.
I would assume, considering the climate these cameras are in that this is some kind of weather sensor.
Considering the size of it, it probably has a few features to it.
Doesn’t look like any weather sensor is there to me.
Surface Temperature sensors (infrared) look like cameras or like a brick with a hole in it as well and are used for efficient winter maintenance
My country have them as well (it is a kit from a local provider). But of course my country sneeky deployed a Chinese smart cloud cam on top as well (a Hikvision Cam).
You even see the hikvison cam on the Website of decentlab, but when you click on the kit, you see, that the cam is not part of it.
Perhaps it’s a bit pedantic, but I’d consider that a road sensor not a weather sensor. Road condition and a webcam is related to weather but not one of the primary instruments like a barometer, anemometer, thermometer, rain gauge, etc.
I see what you’re saying though, it could be one of those road sensors.
<img alt="" src="https://sh.itjust.works/pictrs/image/94d29550-8407-46ed-be71-7ab489c71140.webp">
The large flat one looks like radar to me. I hadn’t heard of radar being used with PTZ cameras. But you can also use it standalone to measure traffic flow.
If it isn’t radar, it’s something with a large, flat antenna (probably a phased array). The other two options I can think of are a long-range RFID scanner or a point-to-point network connection.
Yeah it’s quite hard to tell. The shape is kinda generic so anything could be behind all that plastic!
Because of how wide and thin it is, it looks like a phased antenna array to me. It’s a way to create cheaper, performant antennas. You see this form factor with a bunch of RF applications in UHF to EHF range.
Here’s an example of a random mmWave radar board. Imagine a plastic case over this to keep out dust and rain.
<img alt="15042" src="https://lemmy.world/pictrs/image/8076b7e9-88ae-442e-8f11-b6de5e02bb35.jpeg">
alibaba.com/…/60Ghz-long-distance-Millimeter-wave…
A quick search for “traffic sensor” returns a whole class of items that all basically look like the rectangular brick in your photo. Supported by the temporary / construction look of the one in the other comment.
Construction company puts in a lane restriction or other traffic modification, plop down a traffic sensor to make sure cars are still flowing through properly.
I have no proof, but I suspect some of them will identify your car by your ezpass. (a brief pause) Did a search, and yup. You’re carrying a tracking device, of course they are going to use it to track you
https://www.aclu.org/news/privacy-technology/newly-obtained-records-reveal-extensive-monitoring-e-zpass
The white brick at the bottom is for detecting large objects (cars) and is either controlling a traffic signal, or is being used to count traffic going through that spot.
An intersection near me uses them to switch the lights at an intersection where traffic almost never comes from, so a timed light is unnecessary, but important traffic still comes from that direction.
Road guy Rob has a video that came out yesterday and in it they discuss the bottom one being a radar alternative for loops in the ground for cars to change the lights.
Dunno if you’re in America but here’s a site with a map of known flock cameras if you want to check if that one is part of the network
deflock.org
Disclaimer: this list is not comprehensive.
Btw, the white box in a supermarket ceiling is to ID you and track your movement based on your phone.
Looks cold, a thermite module would help.