Comments on: The infofuse – encoding messages using colourful fire

By: Alvaro

Alvaro — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 21:07:58 +0000

First time I come across this blog, even though I have been subscribes to the magazine for years. I have been always interested in how to encode messages, never came across this method before. Interesting .

By: Jeremy

Jeremy — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 12:11:04 +0000

These could also be useful for encoding information which is only intended to be retrieved once. Like telling the recipient to burn after reading, but enforcing it by making the message only decipherable by burning

By: Lilian Nattel

Lilian Nattel — Tue, 26 May 2009 23:19:32 +0000

Interesting. I’d like to learn more about how this could be used.

By: CarlosT

CarlosT — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:03:48 +0000

I could see these kinds of technologies applied where you might not be able to rely on having any electricity, even from battery power. The flare scenario could be an example. Imagine if you were on a ship that had emergency flares coded with the name of the vessel and the kind of emergency you’re experiencing in broad categories. That information would remain on those flares essentially forever even if the vessel were without power for months on end. Long after all batteries on board might have died, the flares would still be usable to transmit some information.
Another example would be if you created a chemical “typewriter” that could encode the strips without using electricity. As long as you had the chemicals necessary, you’d have the ability to transmit information, even if no power sources of any kind were available. A coded flare could get someone’s attention and when you know they are looking you could burn a coded strip with more information.

By: Daniel J. Andrews

Daniel J. Andrews — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:29:42 +0000

Quite interesting and maybe directly or indirectly useful (spin-offs), but I’m having difficulty seeing practical applications (limited imagination on my part, no doubt). Of all applications I come up with, there is already a better method of transmitting information even when options are limited (e.g. LED light and Morse Code–LED batteries are coin-sized, last years compared to an infofuse which is used once and gone).
“signal flares are ubiquitous, but do not transmit very much information. Infofuses could serve as signal flares that transmit specific information about the sender.” ”
I’m not sure how that is relevant considering you’re not likely to have the equipment, material, and level of accuracy needed to make these infofuses yourself. That means the specific information is already precoded onto the strip you are carrying. In which case, why not use a flare which tells the watchers to check the specific information you’ve already left with them (one if by land, two if by sea…). Or a quick radio burst. Or a flashing light.
I’d like to see some real life examples that demonstrate how infofuses are a better choice than more readily available low-tech options, or even higher portable options. E.g. Small programmable handheld pointer laser. You can enter a message into it, and it will then use microsecond light pulses to transmit your message to a camera much faster than you could do it yourself. Or a similar theme except using a LED light, or a halogen lamp if secrecy isn’t necessary.