Wednesday, February 23, 2011

A Few Good Ideas, Courtesy of the CIA

The CIA has a fabulous photostream featuring pictures and descriptions of some incredible spy tools. Most are obviously a little old-fashioned. But check out the "Letter Removal Device." That looks like something that might still come in handy. And which New Yorker couldn't use a Pigeon Camera? Below are a few of my other favorites . . .



Above: Charlie the Robot Fish, which "contains a pressure hull, ballast system, and communications system in the body and a propulsion system in the tail. It is controlled by a wireless line-of-sight radio handset."


Above: The Belly Buster Drill from the 1950s and early 1960s. "It would drill holes into masonry for implanting audio devices. After assembly, the base of the drill was held firmly against the stomach while the handle was cranked manually. This kit came with several drill bits and accessories."


Above: Love this one. It's the Seismic Intruder Detection Device, which was "designed to blend in with the terrain. It can detect movement of people, animals, or objects up to 300 meters away. The device is powered by tiny power cells and has a built-in antenna. Its transmitter relays data from the device findings via coded impulses." Keep your comments respectable, readers.

11 comments:

EQ said...

Exactly what sort of...*terrain* is that last...*item* intended to blend into?

Anonymous said...

Pigeon camera?

Anonymous said...

Okay, that stuff is awesome. Who comes up with this stuff for the CIA? They must have some serious imagination... maybe its an author of imaginative fiction.

Kitty said...

That robo fish is adorable but the other one... Is interesting.... But creative XD

Elizabeth said...

Hehehe. I think that the 'terrain' would fit in very well with my front yard since people keep letting their dogs leave Seismic Intruder Detection Device's in my yard. And cool pigeon camera!

Megana said...

Hi! I was wondering when the nwxt Kiki strike was gonna come out? SO EXCITEDDDDD

Anonymous said...

Funny -- I could use a good hand drill with some masonry bits right about now....

brave chickens said...

Hahahaha XD It's two types of turds!

Anonymous said...

Anonymous:
You'd be surprised how many authors did spy stuff. This includes Ian Fleming (creator of James Bond), Graham Greene, and possibly (make that "probably") Christopher Marlowe (playwright responsible for Doctor Faustus)(he had a really weird pattern of long, unexcused absences from his college studies, and England's Privy Council had to instruct Oxford to give him his MA).

Robert in San Diego

Anonymous said...

My roommate the lurker has reminded me the spy-author list includes Roald Dahl (when he wasn't being a fighter pilot) and Julia Child. Also, while not a spy, Miguel Cervantes (Don Quixote) apparently masterminded FOUR prisoner of war/ransom hostage escape attempts. And those are just off the top of the head.

Robert in San Diego

Anonymous said...

i heard about a bird camera actually on the radio. The camera is in the belly and the wing-span is about 6 inches. I just thought i might share.
And are these tools Really from the CIA???