$ uname -a
Linux localhost 3.10.18 #1 SMP Mon Jan 8 23:08:08 PST 2018 armv7l armv7l armv7l GNU/Linux
$ lsb_release -cr
Release:        16.04
Codename:       xenial
$ tmux -V
tmux 2.6
$ dmesg --version
dmesg from util-linux 2.27.1

$ dmesg | grep -C1 $'a'
[    5.706427] usb 1-2: Manufacturer: HD WebCam
[    5.706434] usb 1-2: SerialNumber: NC2141103Q533020AALM03
[    5.798439] Unsafe core_pattern used with suid_dumpable=2. Pipe handler or fully qualified core dump path required.
--
[13843.531106] usb 1-2: Manufacturer: HD WebCam
[13843.531115] usb 1-2: SerialNumber: NC2141103Q533020AALM03
[13843.546586] uvcvideo: Found UVC 1.00 device HD WebCam (0bda:57cf)

$ dmesg | grep $'a' | head -n 1 | od -c
0000000   [                   5   .   7   0   6   4   3   4   ]       u
0000020   s   b       1   -   2   :       S   e   r   i   a   l   N   u
0000040   m   b   e   r   :      a   N   C   2   1   4   1   1   0   3
0000060   Q   5   3   3   0   2   0   A   A   L   M   0   3  n
0000076

$ lsusb -vd 0bda:57cf | grep iSerial
  iSerial                 2 NC2141103Q533020AALM03

$ lsusb -vd 0bda:57cf | grep iSerial | od -c
0000000           i   S   e   r   i   a   l
0000020                                           2      a   N   C   2
0000040   1   4   1   1   0   3   Q   5   3   3   0   2   0   A   A   L
0000060   M   0   3  n
0000064