Forming New Mobile Networks With People-Borne Sensors

An anonymous reader writes with this snippet from Medical Daily: "Members of the public could form the backbone of powerful new mobile internet networks by carrying wearable sensors. According to researchers from Queen's University Belfast, the novel sensors could create new ultra high bandwidth mobile internet infrastructures and reduce the density of mobile phone base stations. The engineers from Queen's renowned Institute of Electronics, Communications and Information Technology (ECIT), are working on a new project based on the rapidly developing science of body centric communications."

Comments

And access what?

[snowraver1]

My Blackberry already has crappy battery life. The last thing I want is my battery life to be dependant on my neigbours' usage

IEEE 802.15.6 Body Area Network Standard

[dtmos]

The IEEE 802.15.6 task group on body area networks has been standardizing a communication protocol for similar sensor applications, but emphasizing long battery life rather than high data rates.

Why should we shoulder the burden?

[Anonymous Coward]

Why should "Members of the public.." have to shoulder the burden? What about those lazy, unproductive chickens, rabbits, rats, seagulls. At least it will give them something else to do rather than stealing my lunch.

Re:Might work

[Anonymous Coward]

mod down - link goes to goat.cx

Redirect...

[al3k]

All I can imagine are situations similar to setting an open access point to redirect everything to meatspin as a prank...or possibly something slightly more malicious

If it kills off the Internet, then good!

[gilgongo]

From TFA: "Success in this field will not only bring major social benefits it could also bring significant commercial rewards for those involved."

If they're talking about a type of mesh network, then I say bring it on! Right now, things really don't look good for the "traditional" Internet as we know it. It's controllable servers, lap-dog ISPs, government p0wned routers, etc. One day, the net will just be Rupert Murdoch's pay-ground just as sure as cable TV went main stream in the 1980's.

Take out the centrality, enter the mesh. They stole our revolution - let's steal it back!!

(Sits back and waits for the sound of cynical laughter and replies beginning "In the real world...")

Re:If it kills off the Internet, then good!

[blair1q]

It's going to have some technological hurdles to cross, like transatlantic links...unless you like rowing...

I'm gonna go Orwellian on yo ass

[lanceran]

I can see this becoming a tool for survelliance with the ability to track down anyone with a wifi station, which can easily become as popular as cellphones.

Re:I'm gonna go Orwellian on yo ass

[lanceran]

I can see this as something most people are not going to want to carry around. Phone, keys, wallet and sunglasses are too much as it is.

Maybe they can integrate them into purses/man-satchels/bras/brossieres etc. along with wireless recharging and built-in antennas in the straps.

Give it a few years, cellphones in early 90 had brick-sized batteries and yet people still carried them around, now it is hard to find a phone that is not a miniature wi-fi enabled game console with a video camera that can also make phone calls.

Sure. I'll do that.

[blair1q]

Because I've always wanted to be part of a hive.

Especially one geared towards tracking me and everyone near me.

On empty streets?

[c0lo]

Deep in the night (what are you doing there?), about to be attacked by muggers, can't dial 000 because is nobody on the street and the cell tower density has been reduced.