The Anti-Paparazzi Purse!

At last, a way to tell the tabloid whores from the true flashbulb-haters! Allow us to introduce the “anti-paparazzi clutch bag,” a device designed by NYU student Adam Harvey that cleverly sabotages any photographs taken after dark. With an LED light built into a clutch purse, senses the offending camera’s flash and counters it with a brighter flash, effectively blinding the camera… and anyone else within eyeshot, in all likelihood.

Harvey, a student at NYU’s Interactive Telecommunications Program, broke down his philosophy to PDN Gear Guide. “It would be really nice if there was some way to communicate back to the photographer if you didn’t feel like having your picture taken,” he says. “There are both kinds of people: total camera hams and people that shy away from it.” True, but let’s not forget the rash of celebrities who actually call the paparazzi in advance of their every move, then make hysterical scenes when they’re hanging from the trees and climbing out of (or into, depending on the celeb) dumpsters. In other words, don’t expect to see Miss Lohan carting one of these puppies around anytime soon.

While you can’t head out and get your anti-pap Louis Vuitton bag just yet, Harvey’s hard at work to perfect the decive – and even fit it into smaller accessories. From PDN: Currently the wiring and batteries fit in a ladies’ clutch, but he hopes to continue reducing the size of the device to the point that it could be worn in something as small as a pendant or tie tack. In its current form the device is activated by powering it on and then tilting the clutch. The sensor will register a flash being fired from up to a 45 degree angle each way. The device works at up to 1/125 shutter speed, thus effecting slower, low-light shots.

Whatever the case, it’s undoubtedly a lot more practical than Blur [http://dvice.com/archives/2007/05/blur-reflective-spray-a-messy.php] – not the band, but the camera-neutralizing reflective nanoparticle spray. Once sprayed on a subject’s face, all images of that person will be rendered as a white flash. That’s all fine and good, as long as the pap subject doesn’t mine spraying themselves in the face with white glitter every time they leave the house.