national security agency

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In this week's HotSpot, brought to you by Memory Protection Devices: ParaShoot This week a kickstarter campaign is highlighting a Patent pending ParaShoot smart HD camera supercomputer that you can wear around your neck to capture your daily activities, and wirelessly upload them to the cloud. The ParaShoot features an adjustable-length neck strap, a built-in audio microphone and stabilization to prevent crooked video affects; a micro SD card for internal memory storage, and a Micro-USB port, and more. Hands-Free Tech According to a new, University of Utah study issued by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, hands-free technologies might make it easier for motorists to text, talk on the phone, and even use Facebook while they drive, but they also create dangerous mental distractions for drivers who keep their hands on the wheel and their eyes on the road. The research found that as mental workload and distractions increase, reaction time slows and brain function is compromised. Drivers are found to scan the road less and miss visual cues, resulting in not seeing items right in front of them including stop signs and pedestrians. The public is being urged to not use these voice-to-text features while their vehicle is in motion. Just put the phones down, and slowly walk away. WiSee System A team of researchers at the University of Washington are leveraging Wi-Fi signals to detect movements without the need for sensors. Similar to an XBox Kinect, the WiSee system picks up wireless transmissions within a specific space coming from devices such as smartphones, laptops, and tablets. It can identify nine whole-body gestures, and distinguish specific movements of up to five individuals within the same residence, simultaneously without confusing the receiver. Keeping Your Info Private With all the recent HubBub about former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden leaking information of a pair of government surveillance programs, the Associated Press recently reported on idea on how to keep your data safe from spying. Experts say there are steps anyone can take to improve privacy, but they only go so far; here are some basic tips from the AP to help enhance your privacy: ENCRYPT YOUR EMAILS; use the onion router, or tor; ditch your phone, cut up your credit cards, DON'T KEEP YOUR DATA IN AMERICA OR WITH AMERICAN COMPANIES; and STEER CLEAR OF MALICIOUS SOFTWARE. Well that's all for this week. Be sure to follow us on Twitter, check us out on Facebook, and join in on the conversation at LinkedIn. For more wireless news, check out wirelessdesignmag.com, and don't forget to check out our YouTube channel by clicking on the link below. For WDD, I'm Meaghan Ziemba, and I'll see you next time in the HotSpot.