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Anti-WiFi Wallpaper Available Next Year

hypnosec writes with good news for folks who want to live in a Faraday cage. From the article: "A new type of wallpaper, which has been developed by scientists from the Institut Polytechnique Grenoble INP and the Centre Technique du Papier, will go on sale in 2013 after a Finnish firm Ahlstrom acquired the license. What looks like a bog-standard wallpaper roll actually contains silver particles that allows it to filter out up to three different frequencies simultaneously. It is not the first time that such a technology has surfaced. Back in 2004, BAE Systems was tasked by Ofcom to come up with a similar solution based on what was then called a stealth wallpaper. It used copper instead of silver and blocked Wi-Fi signals while letting GSM, 4G and emergency calls through. Back then, though, a square meter cost £500, whereas the Wi-Fi wallpaper devised by the French researchers should be priced reasonably, with costs matching those of a 'classic,' mid-range wallpaper according to M. Lemaître-Auger, from Grenoble INP."

3 of 167 comments (clear)

  1. could this decrease interference in high-rises? by Trepidity · · Score: 5, Interesting

    If I put some of this wallpaper on the walls between me and neighbors in an apartment building (and maybe even something similar on floors/ceilings), could this plausibly increase signal quality by reducing interference from the 50 (!) other access points I currently see within range?

  2. how about passive cell-phone-blocking tech? by davidwr · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Churches and theaters would love it, because the FCC can't say "you can't do that" without a serious court challenge.

    --
    Knowledge is how to play a game, intelligence is how to win, wisdom is knowing what game to play.
  3. Re:it probably could be done also with paint by aztracker1 · · Score: 2, Interesting

    But what about the cellular signals you *do* want?

    --
    Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info