Optical Mice Used To Detect Counterfeit Coins 123
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."
Re:How does it compare to a vending machine? (Score:3, Interesting)
The conclusion from this (Score:2, Interesting)
If you compare a counterfeit-coin-detecting expert with a purpose-built handheld device, the answer is pretty obvious.
Until the day the people who print counterfeit coins buy a purpose-built handheld device, of course, and there's no expert around to reprogram the device because he jumped off a bridge after losing his job.
Re:Fun fact #65 (Score:1, Interesting)
Some one did something similar in the states several years ago. They made $200 bill with President Bush's portrait and bought some ice cream at dairy queen accepting the change. Don't know if they were ever found but this person was http://money.cnn.com/2004/09/02/news/funny/200_bill/ and I found several other stories while finding that link so yes people would accept them, unless your average cashier in Europe is smarter than over here. Admittedly not a difficult task. On the other side of the coin we do have a $2 bill that you often risk yourself using, one man was held handcuffed at bestbuy for two hours in front of everyone until someone from the secret service got there and explained that the $2 bill does exist.
Re:How does it compare to a vending machine? (Score:3, Interesting)
For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares?"
"intensive purposes" is retarded
Perhaps the poster was going for "for all intents and purposes"?
If so, ouch.
Re:Other coin facts. (Score:3, Interesting)
We have a coin of our own that is not always accepted, whereas we readily accept US (foreign) coins.
You don't see the irony in that?