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Comment by Tharkun | Hacker News Reader

Why do they even need a laser? You can use a simple webcam to get an HR reading from the face. Here's an article from half a decade ago: https://www.geek.com/apps/measure-your-heart-rate-using-a-we...

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Can you get an HR reading from a webcam 200 meters away (about 2 football fields) and through clothing?

Probably with a good lens.

The military and various intelligence agencies have done an extraordinary amount of research on ultra-long distance facial recognition, and it turns out that it requires gigantic, super expensive lenses from a long distance. This method is much easier.

flat lenses already exist.

Even if the face is covered?

Faces can be obscured or disguised. Gaits can be adjusted. Heartbeats...maybe caffeine pills could be used to avoid identification?

>maybe caffeine pills could be used to avoid identification

I think it would still be your unique signature.. only faster

I wonder if you can hack your pacemaker to fool this technique.

Then of course the next question is: I wonder if you can hack someone else's pacemaker.

Yes. Numerous hacks have been shown over the last decade and if you're a tinfoil hat aficionado, then some people believe it's why Barnby Jack was murdered before presenting at Defcon.

you have... (hack hack) afib.

(and then, apple watch is a countermeasure)

Perhaps think of a loved one?

No, you'd need to introduce some temporary/changing irregularities in the heartbeat which sounds far less healthy.

There are always irregularities in the heart beat. A perfectly regular heartbeat would likely be unhealthy, given that hear rate variability (HRV) is a desirable trait.

These tools are often created to augment current and future technologies. It can serve to confirm an actor when other technologies are inconclusive (e.g. Face mask), it can serve to increase the likelihood of identification via multiple confirmations (e.g. visual, audio, heart) among other things.

Perhaps they want the laser ID device mounted on a sniper rifle.

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