A company from Slovenia, called PaintCam, is shaking things up in the security world. 

It has come up with this wild new gadget, the PaintCam Eve. 

It’s not just another security camera watching over your house. This thing packs a punch with paintball and tear gas projectiles to really give intruders a surprise they won’t soon forget.

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How does the high-tech deterrent work?

The heart of Eve’s capability lies in its sophisticated computer vision technology. It can identify human faces and animals even in low-light conditions, distinguishing between friends and foes.

WHAT IS ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE (AI)?

The system, which comes in 3 models, Eve, Eve +, and Eve Pro, allows homeowners to categorize visitors via an app interface — making decisions about who is welcome and who is not. But the most intriguing feature? When Eve detects an intruder, it issues a stern warning, and if not heeded, it proceeds to launch paintballs or tear gas.

Eve security camera. (PaintCam)

MORE: CREEPY TOOL LETS CRIMINAL HACKERS ACCESS YOUR HOME VIDEO CAMERAS

User control and responsibility

PaintCam does offer users a significant degree of control. The system alerts the homeowner when an unknown person is detected in the company of someone known, asking whether to “take the shot” or not.

This feature places a heavy responsibility on the user, turning home security into a more interactive and potentially morally complex activity. How users will navigate these choices, especially in high-pressure situations, is yet to be seen.

Eve security camera. (PaintCam)

MORE: 6 BEST OUTDOOR SECURITY CAMERAS 

Ethical and legal implications

While the prospect of a security camera that can “shoot” at intruders may sound appealing to some, it raises significant ethical and legal questions. The use of force, even non-lethal, by an autonomous system could lead to unintended consequences.

For instance, what happens if the system mistakenly identifies a neighbor or a child retrieving a lost toy as a threat? The legal ramifications of such scenarios remain unclear, making Eve a subject of debate among security experts and civil rights advocates alike.

Eve security camera. (PaintCam)

MORE: SNEAKY LIGHTBULB SECURITY CAMERAS ARE THE NEXT BIG THING IN HOME SECURITY 

Market potential and challenges

The global home security market is set to garner a market size of an estimated $106.3 billion by 2030, indicating a vast potential customer base for innovative products like Eve. However, its market success will depend not only on consumer interest but also on navigating the legal landscape and public perception challenges that such a confrontational device presents.

Eve security camera app. (PaintCam)

When will Eve be available?

PaintCam launched Eve with a Kickstarter campaign on Tuesday. At the time of publishing, the exact cost of the security device has not yet been disclosed. You can sign up for notifications about the product on PaintCam’s official website, as well as on the Kickstarter product page. 

PaintCam’s commitment to proactive defense

The company posted this mission statement on its site:

“We offer innovative solutions that seamlessly integrate with your environment, establishing both passive presence and active deterrence. Our unwavering commitment is to make the world a safer place, not by fortifying intimidation strongholds, but by delivering intelligent, adaptable, and elegant security options.”

Kurt’s key takeaways

This innovation invites us to reflect on the nature of home security. Are we moving towards a future where our homes are not just passively protected but actively defended by machines? And at what point does the integration of such technology in our daily lives challenge our notions of privacy and safety? Only time will tell whether systems like Eve will become the new norm or remain a curious footnote in the evolution of home security technologies.

Considering the potential for mistakes, do you feel comfortable with the idea of a security system like PaintCam Eve that can autonomously deploy paintballs or tear gas? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact

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A physical education teacher and former athletic director of a Baltimore County high school has been arrested and charged with using an AI voice cloning service to frame the school’s principal.

The Baltimore Banner reports that Baltimore County police believe a recording whiich circulated through social media in January with purported audio of Pikesville High School principal Eric Eiswert making racist and antisemitic comments was fake. Experts told The Baltimore Banner and police that the recording, which briefly resulted in Eiswert’s suspension, has a “flat tone, unusually clean background sounds, and lack of consistent breathing sounds or pauses.” 

Baltimore County police traced the recording to Dazhon Darien, a former athletic director at the school whose name was also mentioned in the audio clip. He allegedly accessed school computers “to access OpenAI tools and Microsoft Bing Chat services” as reported by WBAL 11 and NBC News. He was also linked to the audio’s release via an email address and associated recovery phone number.

It is not clear what AI voice platform Darien allegedly used.

The police arrested Darien on Thursday at the airport, and said in a statement “It’s believed Mr. Darien, who was an Athletic Director at Pikesville High School, made the recording to retaliate against Mr. Eiswert who at the time was pursuing an investigation into the potential mishandling of school funds.” He has been released after posting bail, and faces charges including theft (for the issue with school funds), disturbing the operations of a school, retaliation against a witness, and stalking.

In this fraught environment, OpenAI decided in March to withhold its AI text-to-voice generation platform, Voice Engine, from public use. The service, which only requires a 15-minute audio clip to clone someone’s voice, is only available to a limited number of researchers due to the lack of guardrails around the technology.

US lawmakers have filed, but not yet passed, several bills like the No Fakes Act and the No AI Fraud Act that seek to prevent technology companies from using an individual’s face, voice, or name without their permission.

Update April 25th: Clarified that Pikesville High School is in the city of Pikesville in Baltimore County, MD, added details about Darien and Thursday’s arrest.

The Portal isn’t the Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck killer some thought it might be, but it remains a handy tool for gamers who can’t play on their primary TV or just want the ability to enjoy games throughout their home. If you’re not already caught up on what it is, it’s essentially an eight-inch 1080p LCD display that’s sandwiched between two halves of a standard DualSense controller, meaning it features adaptive triggers, haptic feedback, and all the perks of Sony’s latest gamepad. Its main (and only) purpose is to stream games via Remote Play, which requires a PS5 and reliable Wi-Fi network.

We love what the Portal enables, but some curious technical choices can get in the way of your fun. For example, since wireless audio relies on Sony’s proprietary Link protocol, you can only use the Pulse Explore earbuds and Pulse Elite headset with it (sorry, no Bluetooth earbuds allowed). Thankfully, it has a 3.5mm audio jack for using a pair of wired headphones, assuming you still have a pair lying around.

Additionally, you may run into trouble if your network performance isn’t strong. The latency can make the experience utterly unenjoyable, and we certainly wouldn’t recommend trying multiplayer games or fighting titles where precision is paramount. We’ve found it much better when the console is connected via ethernet, however, which is almost mandatory for stable gameplay outside the home. We’re hoping Sony can eventually improve on these pain points with future software updates, but even with the aforementioned caveats, the Portal remains the best all-in-one solution for streaming games via Remote Play.