Gas Plasma Antennas Help Wi-Fi Security

mindless4210 writes "Markland Technologies has developed a new gas plasma antenna technology which could help to secure wireless networks. The technology allows for highly directive and electronically steerable digital data transmission via solid-state semi conductor based plasma generators. A plasma antenna can reposition itself at very high speeds, as well as change it's beamwidth and bandwidth, creating spatial and spectral security features which are not presently available with conventional WiFi antenna technology."

Comments

Markland Technologies

[metlin]

Who the hell are these guys?

Their other products in the emerging technologies section include Acoustic Core - detecting illicit materials using their acoustic signatures, Vapour Trace - a way to search cargo for contraband materials and Crypto.Com - a double cipher keyless transmission system.

Thats a lot of cool science and technology for a relatively unheard of company, not to mention their technologies in the Border Security and Chemical Detection systems.

I had read a while back about the CIA and US Govt investing in startups - I think its quite possible that these guys are probably funded thus :)

Kinda cool yet spooky.

Re:Markland Technologies

[treerex]

I had read a while back about the CIA and US Govt investing in startups - I think its quite possible that these guys are probably funded thus :)

In-Q-Tel makes no secret of the companies it invests in, though they are very careful with their money and perform a lot of due-diligence before making any investment. And to be pedantic, In-Q-Tel is not a Governmental agency, they just happen to concentrate their activity based on the needs of the Defense-Intelligence community. The company I work for is one of those that In-Q-Tel has invested in.

There are lots of programs in the Department of Defence that companies can apply to in order to get research money: you just need to know which back to scratch and get yourself noticed.

Lamest security claim of the century?

[ChiralSoftware]

What good is a directional beam if it hits some radio-reflective object and bounces somewhere else? Also, even if the beam is 99% directional, sensitive or very close receivers could still pick up the 1% that leaks. A security system that is 99% effective is not much better than a system which is 10% effective. Without solid encryption and authentication built-in to the protocol, directional broadcasting is useless. With solid encryption and authentication built-in to the protocol, directional broadcasting doesn't add anything.

The one place where this could have some good security uses is for undetectable transmission, which is probably interesting to the military.

Of course, directional broadcasting has a whole set of real benefits, such as getting more bandwidth by allowing more transmitters in the same region, minimizing interference, minimizing radiation output, etc. But to call this a security feature? I guess the "everything good is a security feature" is the parallel to "everything bad is terrorist" idea which seems popular lately.

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Create a WAP server

solution in search of a problem

[hak1du]

We know how to make WiFi secure: with secure protocols and encryption. When the responsible standards bodies don't screw up badly (as they did with 802.11), it works fine. A somewhat directional antenna may or may not increase security slightly, but not at an interesting cost/performance ratio. If you really want additional security at the physical level, use laser or even quantum communications.

This company has a solution in search of a problem, and they are trying to drum up businesses. Plasma antennas are interesting for 1960's style radio transmissions and stealth, but they have little significance to 21st century wireless communications.