Xeni on NPR: new tech eye watches for in-theater camcorders

On the NPR program "Day to Day" this week, I report on new technology that movie industry officials hope will decrease the number of people using camcorders to make illegal copies of feature films. The "PirateEye" system flashes short pulses of light at the audience, then takes a digital snapshot of the area surrounding any object that appears to be a camcorder or pinhole camera. That area could include innocent audience members, as well as non-camera devices that set off a "false positive" — and that could spark protest among privacy advocates.
Link to archived audio for this program, Link to NPR Day to Day home.