This phone accessory spots hidden cameras in 5 seconds SweepLED prototype uses LED reflections and could cost only $7

Date:
Tue, 01 Sep 2026 19:00:00 +0000

Description:
SweepLED is cheap, accurate, and easy to use, and it can spot hidden cameras that other detectors can't.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter SweepLED can spot hidden
cameras by varying its illumination AI can detect camera lenses by the light that gets reflected back The accessory fits on the back of a camera and works in seconds Unless you're in the safety of your own home, there's always a worry that you're being surveilled without your knowledge when you're in an Airbnb, hotel room, changing room, or restroom, for example. Now researchers have developed an LED-powered phone accessory to give you some extra peace of mind.

It's called SweepLED, and it's the invention of a team from the Korea
Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST). The portable device combines 15 LED lights, a cable to attach to your phone, and some AI processing. According to the researchers, SweepLED can spot hidden cameras
94% of the time with a processing period of just five seconds per object. While this is only a prototype for now, the team has tested it on 30
different objects, reporting a high level of skill at identifying where
hidden cameras are embedded (or not). Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

Here's how it works: SweepLED fixes to the back of a phone (over the camera). As video is recorded and the phone stays still, the add-on turns its LEDs on and off, comparing different reflection patterns against each other. Hidden camera lenses show up in those reflection patterns in a way that standard reflective surfaces don't. Protecting your privacy SweepLED uses reflection patterns to find cameras (Image credit: KAIST ) "Hidden cameras pose a
serious threat to personal safety and privacy in everyday spaces," says Professor Jun Han , from the KAIST team. "This research is meaningful in that it combines low-cost smartphone-based hardware with AI analysis to present
the possibility of a practical detection technology that even non-experts can use." You may like The top 5 subscription-free security cameras to protect your home without monthly fees Our security expert explains how to protect your home when you're on vacation These bone conduction headphones have a
tiny 4K camera for recordings

Previous devices along these lines required users to look for 'bright spots' manually as they were lit up by the detector, the tell-tale sign that there was a camera looking back at them. This should be more efficient, and better at spotting different camera types hidden in a variety of different housings (like clocks or mirrors).

There's still plenty of work to do to get this refined and commercialized,
but it shouldn't be expensive: the KAIST team reckons the manufacturing cost of SweepLED would be in the region of $7 (about 5 / AU$10). Get daily
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If you do a lot of traveling, it might be worth investing in something like this just to make sure you're not being spied on. The work has been presented at the ACM MobiSys 2026 conference and published online , though as yet there's no indication of when it might be available to the masses. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Today's best phone deals Contract Deals Sim Free voucher gift Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra 48 months Unlimited mins 25GB data 30 upfront 42.95 /mth View at EE See all prices gift Apple iPhone
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/home/home-security/this-phone-accessory-spots-hidden -cameras-in-5-seconds-sweepled-prototype-uses-led-reflections-and-could-cost-o nly-usd7


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