Tech-savvy private investigators are constantly on the lookout for new and innovative ways to do their job. Whether a private investigator wants to save time, have computer surveillance capabilities, see through solid objects or hold a digital voice recorder on the tip of their finger, there are options to satiate even the most innovative PI.
Digital Pens
The CIA invested in an innovative company called Adaptx, which creates digital pens that speed up data entry. It offers a solution often used by engineers, inspectors and the military that private investigators can also benefit from. It can save you time typing your notes on a computer or tablet.
It has innovative handwriting recognition capabilities that let you convert your surveillance notes to text.
Captyrx for Microsoft Office OneNote, which costs $299, instantly integrates your handwritten notes and sketches on paper into Microsoft Office. Simply use your digital pen and choose from various sizes of Captyrx notebooks, such as 8 ½ x 11 notebooks, all-weather notebooks, or on blank sheets of paper that you print from OneNote. When the pen is connected to your PC, your notes will immediately appear in OneNote.
Computer Surveillance USB Flash Drive
If you are concerned about how someone is using your computer, whether it’s an employee or your children, you can purchase Eagle Eye monitoring software for $179. It allows you to view Internet usage even if the history has been cleared, capture keystrokes, track which programs are used, and take screenshots.
You can view usage within individual programs or have the logs emailed to you. You’re also able to schedule start and stop times for your surveillance and use their playback mode to view activity in real-time.
Hand-Held Microwave Imaging
The CIA has also invested in a company called Walleye and boasts having the world’s first and only portable hand-held microwave imager. Private investigators can use the hand-held device to give them x-ray vision when sweeping rooms for listening devices. In addition to being used as a tool for identifying listening devices, it’s been used for a wide range of applications from detecting explosives in luggage to scanning car doors for contraband.
Tiny Digital Voice Recorder
This voice recorder, from High-Tech Future, costs $439 and is listed in the Guinness record as the world’s smallest digital voice recorder. It’s voice activated and is 29 mm x 12 mm. It weights 6 grams and has a battery life of about 30 hours, and a built in 2 GB flash memory, which equates to about 300 hours of recording.
What are some cutting-edge investigative tools that you’re excited about?
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