News & Analysis
Wi-Spi surveillance 'toys' shown at CES
Sylvie Barak
1/9/2012 3:31 PM EST
LAS VEGAS--Interactive Toy Concepts was showing off its new "Wi-Spi" line of remote control video surveillance devices at CES Unveiled 2012 on Sunday (Jan 8) evening.
The firm was demoing two models, a helicopter and a race car, both of which can be remote controlled via a phone application to fly or drive around shooting live stream videos, which show up directly back on the user's phone and can be quickly uploaded to YouTube, Facebook and other social networks.
The car - aptly codenamed "the Intruder" - can sneak around filming secret footage replete with audio, while the helicopter can fly around and capture both video and still scenes furtively from above.
"It's perfect if you want to spy on your colleague in the next cube," a rep from the firm told us.
Both models will be available in the fall of 2012, with the Wi-Spi Helicopter costing $120 while the Intruder race car will cost $100. Check out the video (in Firefox or Chrome) below
The firm was demoing two models, a helicopter and a race car, both of which can be remote controlled via a phone application to fly or drive around shooting live stream videos, which show up directly back on the user's phone and can be quickly uploaded to YouTube, Facebook and other social networks.
The car - aptly codenamed "the Intruder" - can sneak around filming secret footage replete with audio, while the helicopter can fly around and capture both video and still scenes furtively from above.
"It's perfect if you want to spy on your colleague in the next cube," a rep from the firm told us.
Both models will be available in the fall of 2012, with the Wi-Spi Helicopter costing $120 while the Intruder race car will cost $100. Check out the video (in Firefox or Chrome) below
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chanj
1/9/2012 6:12 PM EST
What's the connectivity? WiFi? What if it flies out of your own WiFi coverage?
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seaEE
1/9/2012 9:57 PM EST
Then it should probably have a self-destruct feature!
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t.alex
1/10/2012 10:30 AM EST
Helicopter can easily fly out of range :)
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Josh66
1/10/2012 2:18 PM EST
You don't fly these things very far typically, usually within sight of the operator.
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agk
1/10/2012 8:11 AM EST
Wi-Fi control toys create a scientific mind to the kids. They can use various software plate forms and write their code and test the toys. A great new application to our children and grand children.
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zeeglen
1/10/2012 11:53 AM EST
Sure and the lawyers will love them. Flying whirling blades into someone's face is not a good way to test code.
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nicolas.mokhoff
1/10/2012 12:51 PM EST
Children should be able to learn science in an non-intrusive manner. Spying on your neighbor for fun will openly lead to more bullying aftre the video hits the Internet. Not good.
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EffGee
1/13/2012 5:45 AM EST
The best way to learn any science is to read books. Such toys are made for playtime!
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WKetel
1/12/2012 10:19 AM EST
How is a WiFi toy going to teach a kid anything about science? The whole thing is plug and play and probably not able to be modified or repaired. The helicopter could indeed be flown out of control range, or even more likely, be subject to jamming signals, accidental or intentional. In fact, it could probably be shot down with a rubber band from some of the "office marksmen" that I have observed in the past.
The concerns about invasion of privacy certainly do seem to be another consideration, unless the video resolution is so very poor that those observed are not identifiable.
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phoenixdave
1/12/2012 12:12 PM EST
I've recently viewed images from some people in Syria who have used something similar (although may have been homemade) to take birds eye photographs of demonstrations, which were then posted on the web.
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