Optical Mice Used To Detect Counterfeit Coins

JimXugle writes "El Mundo reports that Spanish researchers at The University of Lleida have used a modified optical mouse to detect counterfeit €2 coins (Original article, in Spanish) with a success rate comparable to that of an expert trained to do so. Details are to be published freely in the journal Sensors."

Who counterfiets 2-Euro coins anyways?

[davidwr]

Geesh, can you get me a mouse that detects North Korean bogus US$100 bills?

How does it compare to a vending machine?

[istartedi]

In what ways does it defer, if any, from the techniques used in vending machines?

If it's better, patent and sell to vending companies? Yeah... patents are evil; but maybe a novel application of an existing technology isn't so evil in this case--provided it really is novel and not just a poor-man's vending machine detector, in which case the vending machine companies may already have a patent on it...

Re:Genius you see...

[Ukab the Great]

And that's why Spain will never get to host the world Dreidel championships.

Re:16x16 pixels?

[logjon]

You could also try not missing the point. Or the the part of the summary that says "with a success rate comparable to that of an expert. Or the point, that being that sensors are cheaper and generally more easily employable than people.

Re:16x16 pixels?

[pz]

Somehow I doubt a 16x16 pixel grayscale sensor is going to detect counterfeit coins any better than the human eye, but maybe I should read TFA before I jump to judgement...

And maybe before posting, too? Just a suggestion.

Generally, if you're about to post something that is along the lines of, "this couldn't possibly work because ..." without (a) having read the article, and (b) being an expert in the field, best to think twice.

How

[SEWilco]

There are several methods.

1. Smash coin with mouse. If coin bends, it is fake.
2. Put mouse on balance scale. See how many coins are required to balance the scale. If the number of coins is different from the number of genuine coins required, at least one fake has been detected.
3. Use the coin to pry the mouse apart. Look for scratches exposing a different color on the coin.
4. Put the coin on the mouse. Burn the mouse. See if the coin melts.
5. Put the coin on the mouse. Pour on the coin an acid which does not affect a genuine coin. Check if the coin survived.
6. Line up coins the length of the mouse. See if the number of coins matches the number of genuine coins.
7. Use coins to buy a mouse. See if the cashier rejects any coins.
8. Use coins to pay for a call to the Secret Service. Report that someone might have used a counterfeit coin to pay for a phone call from this phone booth. Leave the mouse in the phone booth. Repeat until the "mouse counterfeiter" or the "mouse crank caller" is caught.