Hacker installs video camera in checked luggage

Ever wonder what happens to your luggage after you give it to the ticket agent and it gets swallowed by the conveyor belt system? Or why you always seem to have that note from the TSA after you get your bag back saying that they dug through your bag and helped themselves to your gummy worms?

Computer programmer Algormor was curious about why his bag kept getting molested by the TSA every time he traveled, so he finally got fed up and installed a camera inside of it. Leaving the film rolling, he checked his bag on a few trips and recorded what happened in the airport innards. His talk on the whole setup and execution was featured at The Last Hope conference earlier this year, but until a few days ago he hadn't posted the video.

For all of your conspiracy theorists, what he found unfortunately won't floor you. His videos show a lot of time on conveyor belts, the camera vibrating all around and the general boringness that many would expect from a luggage system. No fiddling, rifling through or malice from the TSA.

Perhaps the most interesting (least uninteresting) parts seem to be on the leg between Indianapolis and Chicago where you see a TSA fella pick up the bag, flip it over and go back to text messaging. On next trip around on the conveyor belt he's taking a break.

Big deal. But for those curious about baggage handling systems, a fun little tour. Check out the videos at algormor.org.

Filed under: Video, Airports