Researchers at MIT are confident they can now create a device that can see through walls and sense if there is a person there – just like Superman.
With ‘Man of Steel’ currently in cinemas, it would appear the perfect time for Professor Dina Katabi and her graduate student Fadel Adib to unveil their innovation. The system, called ‘Wi-Vi’, utilises a low-power Wi-Fi signal and senses any movement after cancelling out consistent obstacles such as walls and furniture, reports mit.edu.
There are suggestions that the technology could be used to capture gestures made by people behind walls, allowing gesture-based appliances to function without needing to be in line of sight of the sensor. In terms of the monetization of Wi-Fi, it is a novel approach, but it is unlikely to be ready for public consumption any time soon.
“We wanted to create a device that is low-power, portable and simple enough for anyone to use, to give people the ability to see through walls and closed doors,” said Professor Katabi, who also suggested it could be used for security purposes, as it could show if an intruder is hiding somewhere.
Commenting on the technology, cnet.com quipped that the National Security Agency could use it to see how bad people’s dancing is when they are in front of a mirror. A video on Wi-Vi has been released, but further details are expected at the Sigcomm conference in Hong Kong, which runs from August 12th – 16th.
