In 2021, I discovered and recreated a mind-blowing physical privacy project: a custom baseball cap fitted with infrared diodes that can hide you from surveillance cameras (hello, Flock!). It was an incredible experience, but unfortunately there weren’t enough buyers. I just stumbled across an old video from that time…... The most fascinating (and slightly unsettling) part of this tech is that, in theory, you could make a facial-recognition camera see a completely different person instead of you. Pretty dangerous stuff! Do you think there’s still demand for devices like this? 🤔show more

If you're planning to create a similar device at home, make sure to wear safety glasses (red IR glasses)! Working with these powerful diodes can easily lead to retinal burns! Original research paper:

I used a PWM dimmer, diodes with different wavelengths, and lenses for those diodes ranging from 15 to 45 degrees. But you can experiment. By the way, in theory, this system could even be installed on a car's license plate. But I didn't tell you any of that. This is all just theoretical research. I'll say right off the bat that I only made the cap; the video below was sent in by people from the privacy forum who took this idea and ran with it.

If you'd like to support my work and my research in this field, please consider making a donation. I'm thinking of giving a small gift to those who donate (be sure to DM me afterwards) the most in the future. I don't have any orders for these devices yet; I need to figure out the workflow and buy a 3D printer. Thank you! 4AhpUrDtfVSWZMJcRMJkZoPwDSdVG6puYBE3ajQABQo6T533cVvx5vJRc5fX7sktJe67mXu1CcDmr7orn1CrGrqsT3ptfds - XMR; 0x1191b7d163bde5f51d4d2c1ac969d514fb4f4c62 or officercia.eth - Ethereum & all EVM chains; 17Ydx9m7vrhnx4XjZPuGPMqrhw3sDviNTU - Bitcoin; BLyXANAw7ciS2Abd8SsN1Rc8J4QZZiJdBzkoyqEuvPAB - Solana; TYWJoRenGB9JFD2QsdPSdrJtaT6CDoFQBN - TRX.

You can find more tips and cool ideas here:

love this reminds me of

Yeah I heard about this collection 😎

would be dope merch if u can figure out how to diy

I have some experience in doing merch:) Maybe I’ll come up with something like this in future…

As the surveillance state takes shape there will be a huge market for an industry to disrupt the technology for civilians stick with it.

The most important thing here is to find a way to deliver and sell them safely - including for me…

Move to India you can make and sell anything there while barefoot , I’ve seen the videos 😂 Best of luck into the future

bro I was building these in the 2010's when I was a tweaker and hitting licks. Except I had an entire outfit made with infrared LEDs. I didn't want anything identifiable being seen. Just an etheral light blob stealing your catalytic converter. 🤷🏻‍♂️ Definitely has a place now.

Good to know 👀 Have you checked the attached research paper?

the retina burn is scary, I didn't have the light washing over my face. I used a beanie and had them facing outward all around the crown. The beanie fold held wiring and batteries. same idea with a hoodie, batteries in a zip pocket, LEDs all over facing outward.

This idea was actually featured in the latest Dexter: Resurrection series but built into a hoody so it lined the face even from the bottom, makes me wonder if they saw your creation because the show was from 2025

Wow I didn’t know this… I already posted about it in past so maybe

@SHO_Dexter explain haha

I always wanted to make one of these. If you're selling, I'm buying. Did you ever see this?

Haven’t seen! Thank you 🙏 I ll check out

>will there be a demand for this It’s small but niche and mostly a small group at this point. It will expand as other zero-opt-in cameras come online such as any potential expansion/normalization of smart glasses/personal HUDs as wearables expand (if they do)

I need to brainstorm this… perhaps I can come up with a cheaper solution (this one I was selling for 100$)…

Can you open source it since sales was a problem and let people 3d print and wire it themselves? In the future no doubt this type of tech will be made "illegal" to sell like they try to do with license plate obscuring products as well.

I will!

This idea was described in a hacker story published in OMNI magazine in 1991, except the IR diodes were embedded in the frame of a pair of sunglasses

Didn’t know about this! So cool 😎

So much of the C.21st blueprint was foreseen around then. Ahead of its time.

Dexter Resurrection had a Serial Killer named the Dark Passenger that used a Hoodie with IR-Diodes, so I guess there is a market for it ; )

Until today, I didn't know this series existed… it's really cool! I'll think about doing something similar.

Lol, you mean being a Serial Killer or Creating a Series? Or build an IR-Diode Hoodie?

Building a hoodie ofc lol

thats the coolest shit ive ever seen

Thank you! also did a kit for motorcycles…

I mean this is cool but it’s still useless if you carry around a phone or anything with Bluetooth.

Very true.

@IzzatFarmer Maybe a simple faraday bag for the phone and other tech could allay that issue

@officer_secret >suggests a bag that you leave on a singular camera that will get easily get removed.

@sethforprivacy @privacy_guides @YourAnonNews @YourAnonCentral @YourAnonOne check this out that’s truly amazing stuff straight outta Mr Robot

@sethforprivacy @privacy_guides @YourAnonNews @YourAnonCentral @YourAnonOne Hah thank you

Why does it need to shine directly on your face? Would diodes pointed out from the brim have the same blinding effect? Can you not aim them at your eyes and get the same protection? Nighttime only or can it work in daytime? What exposure range does this work for?

I need to experiment with these… thank you so much for an idea!

This was on Dexter.

flock only see IR at night, there is an IR filter that goes over the lens during the day. so this will work well at night, but during the day, not so much.

🤔 I am sure there is a way to make it work during daylight somehow

@HumanProbably2 @grok solve this problem.

IR-cut filters block most IR but leak some, so stronger/more LEDs or 850 nm can still disrupt residual sensitivity. Reliable daylight fix: switch to visible adversarial light (deep-red LEDs or small wearable projector patterns, per VLA research) or printed adversarial stickers on the brim. Add a light sensor for auto IR/visible mode switch. Eye safety still critical.

@officer_secret @HumanProbably2 @grok a wearable projector pattern?... A diffuser - odd-random shadow maker under the brim? from led pattern? Describe how to make this using cheap available off the shelf aliexpress parts.

Simple under-brim version: buy 5-10 deep-red 5mm LEDs or mini LED modules + small 3.7V LiPo + PWM dimmer on AliExpress. Mount under brim aimed at face. For random shadows, add thin frosted acrylic diffuser or laser-cut irregular pattern film over the LEDs. Power low for eye safety. True optimized VLA patterns need brighter focused projection (hard to miniaturize cheaply); stickers remain easier.

@officer_secret @HumanProbably2 Where do I get the stickers? Exolsun how to use them. Can i buy pre printed caps

Stickers: DIY-print AdvHat-style patterns from (Attack folder has code/instructions) or buy patterned ones on Etsy, Redbubble, Stick the rectangle on hat brim or forehead to disrupt landmarks. Pre-printed adversarial-design caps are sold on those same sites. Real-world results vary with lighting, angle, and the FR system used.

Bet a license plate kit would do numbers

I sold around 10 kits for license plates in 2021… maybe it’s worth pivoting to hardware again lol

Oh I was just thinking about something like this but with sunglasses. 😎

Brilliant idea 👀

oh wow this is damn cool, wanna try build it myself

Let me know if any issues, I’ll be happy to help!

Thanks!

If you wear that you stand out like a beacon in the crowd.

We need "A Scanner Darkly" scramble suits.

Pretty good idea but I think that many security cameras, like we use, has IR filtering, would be useless then. Have you ever try to make that thing by flickering alternating IR and GREEN leds?

An IR cap that turns your head into a blinding flash of light on CCTV. Fantastic idea—until you realize looking like a floating ball of plasma on camera makes you stand out significantly more than the guy just wearing a hoodie.

There are many angles of this method, not just the one with a mask/cap…

yes

Maybe I’ll cook something soon then…

Maybe make them for license plates

Already 😎

When the ambient light in a scene is too bright, modern digital cameras automatically adjust to prevent overexposure. Surely surveillance cameras could be configured to adjust for the excess infrared?

Theoretically yes but cameras with IR filter are typically more expensive.

@Nonstopdrivel That would be a lot of flock cameras needing upgrades... Pretty pricey, and cuts into profits...darn

@officer_secret Regardless of how overexposed the original image was, I would be surprised if there were no algorithms that could pull out at least a little detail in postprocessing, though.

@t3chg1rl True.

How cool is that

Thank you 🙏

Have bought led strips for this very reason, design a license plate cover that is easily installed with the lights angled, wired and battery, have 2 plain hats, create nice hats also, there is a market.

👀

@inversebrah

How many W and which nm ?

I’ll add this information to the thread soon, need to check out my aliexpress orders for 2021…

If you can figure out how to make it work during the day, yeah. There’s also application to license plates. Now THAT I would likely buy, as long as Flock cameras are neutralized by it.

More so today as the people wake up to the surveillance state.

Give us some more years!

@inversebrah sick

Just sell in london,you will make your money

👀