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Boeing Uses 20,000 Lbs. of Potatoes To Check Aircraft Wireless Network Signals

Posted by Soulskill on from the you-mean-you-don't? dept.

coondoggie writes "Boeing calls it Project SPUDS — or rather, Synthetic Personnel Using Dielectric Substitution — that is, using sacks of potatoes perched on aircraft seats to test the effectiveness of wireless signals in an airliner cabin. Boeing said it was researching an advanced way to test wireless signals in airplanes and needed a way to effectively simulate 200-300 people sitting in seats throughout the aircraft."

4 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. So by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    So did they do this test in their labs, or at a Five Guys?

  2. coincidence by pesho · · Score: 5, Funny

    The fact that Boeing's customers treat their passengers as sacks of potatoes is purely coincidental.

  3. I hope they used the 50-ohm potatoes by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 5, Funny

    cause if they used the 75-ohm ones, their Starch Wave Ratio may be too high.

    oh, and they have to be properly grounded. potatoes have experience in this area, so that's not usually a problem.

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  4. Legless by Roger+W+Moore · · Score: 5, Funny

    Sacks of potatoes can form a mostly human shape

    Only if you ignore the legs...which would also explain how they estimate the legroom to provide in economy seats.