Hidden 'BopSpotter' Microphone Is Constantly Surveilling San Francisco For Good

Technologist Riley Walz has created a project called Bop Spotter, which uses an Android phone hidden in a box on a pole in San Francisco's Mission district to record and identify music played in public. The device is solar-powered and periodically sends the audio to Shazam's API to determine the songs. Walz describes it as "culture surveillance" that captures vibes rather than catching criminals. The project was inspired by ShotSpotter, a microphone-based "gunshot detection" surveillance company that has been criticized for inaccuracy. Bop Spotter has detected 380 songs in three days, including "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar and "The Next Episode" by Dr. Dre. The device uses a solar panel that provides four times more power than it needs, and Walz had to find a location with a good balance of busy music, sunlight, and public WiFi connection. The website for Bop Spotter has a constant feed of the songs it hears and links to play them on Spotify or Apple Music. Walz didn't disclose the exact location of the phone.