Sometimes you find technology in the weirdest of places!
On my way to work each morning, I have the benefit of being able to walk. At SAP I didn't have this privilege as you were forced to pretty much drive to the campus as it was so big. Before my time at SAP, when I was living in Frankfurt, I too lived within walking distance of the office and I realized how much I missed it. You somehow get to "see" a lot of things when walking as opposed to driving.
Anyway, back to the point. This morning I was somewhat fascinated by finding technology in the darndest of places. A homeless man who tends to sleep under one of the bridges on my way to work never really caught my attention. I just realized that it was the same guy since he tends to be there every morning. Today I saw that he had some kind of plastic, toy like figurines surrounding him and his "area" where he sleeps. I felt compelled to ask whether this was to keep the evil spirits away or something along those lines....I had no idea. It turns out that these were toy motion detectors. He surrounds himself at night with three or four of them and if anyone tries to get near him, they go off with a loud alarm or peeping sound to be more accurate. He had been robbed in the past and in order to protect himself while he sleeps, he uses these things and says it's been quite effective. Then I started thinking where does this guy get the money for this. He told me he specifically saved up money he was able to panhandle and bought these things in a toy store. I don't want to get into a discussion about homelessness or any of those issues. That is not what this blog is for. I just have to say I was fascinated to see how technology (as simple as it has become to some extent and cheap at that) is being implemented in "real world" situations.
Update: OK, OK folks, I realize how many technology "boy wonders" there are out there. Thanks for all the indications of how to circumvent these motion detectors and "get at" the guy! I didn't realize how much criminal intent resides just below the surface of the few people actually reading this blog! So, anyway, as I'm not one to try and figure out how to steal from homeless people, please stop telling me how this is a really bad way of protecting oneself. Take all that energy and give to charity or something helping to make less people homeless (and hence avoiding the need for this guy to protect himself from theft as he's forced to sleep on the street!) :-)
