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Wifi Could Be Used To Detect Guns and Bombs, Researchers Say (bbc.co.uk)

Posted by EditorDavid on from the detecting-a-signal dept.

An anonymous reader quotes the BBC: Ordinary wi-fi could be used to detect weapons and explosives in public places, according to a study led by the Rutgers University in New Jersey. Wireless signals can penetrate bags to measure the dimensions of metal objects or estimate the volume of liquids, researchers claim. Initial tests appeared to show that the system was at least 95% accurate.

It could provide a low-cost alternative to airport-style security, researchers said. The system works by analysing what happens when wireless signals penetrate and bounce off objects and materials.

32 comments

  1. Can it be uses for... by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 4, Funny

    Can WiFi also be used to detect dupes? This was posted within the last couple ofriends days.

    1. Re:Can it be uses for... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Can WiFi also be used to detect dupes? This was posted within the last couple ofriends days.

      Is a friend day similar to a person day?

    2. Re:Can it be uses for... by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 1

      Is a friend day similar to a person day?

      No, it's more like a wife router or penis M&M's. Freaking autocomplete.

  2. We know by nospam007 · · Score: 2

    You told us already.

    1. Re: We know by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      and the headline is still just as misleading
      Wifi can't do any of that, but rf in the spectrum that wifi uses can.

    2. Re:We know by postbigbang · · Score: 1

      Yep. Same origins here: https://arstechnica.com/scienc...

      --
      ---- Teach Peace. It's Cheaper Than War.
  3. What if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...the gun does not have Wifi, or is on the suspicious channel 12/13?

    1. Re: What if... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And if I set the SSID of my gun to "FBI Surveillance Van" will it evade the scanners?

  4. As if the spectrum isn't crowded enough by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So now it's for gun radar too.

  5. So, just like the THz scanner, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    but with GHzs?

    That's yuuge, bigly interesting fake news.

  6. Can it find my lost keys? by raymorris · · Score: 3, Funny

    Guns smuns. I know where my guns are. Can it find my keys?

  7. Duplicate From Three Days Ago by careysub · · Score: 1

    Same story.

    I thought I need to refresh my browser. And this was a weak-tea story anyway.

    --
    Starships were meant to fly, Hands up and touch the sky - Nicky Minaj
    1. Re:Duplicate From Three Days Ago by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Apparently it was dupe week, this is the third dupe I've seen in the past week.

  8. Yeah, tinfoil to the rescue by bobstreo · · Score: 1

    If your microwave oven can screw with your 2.4GHZ wifi, I'm pretty sure you can easily defeat this "special" detection method.

    Metal detectors don't work all that well for plastic weapons, or ceramic knives either. Unless you have the detector set to belt buckle and coins in the pocket mode.

    1. Re:Yeah, tinfoil to the rescue by rtb61 · · Score: 1

      Well, having a sense of humour, I could point out that flying exposes you to greater radiation http://jag.cami.jccbi.gov/cari..., for those interested in numbers. So to protect yourself, you can claim health justification for a tinfoil hat and suit, to block radiation, so, hmm. You know it;s coming, they don't like the way you looked at them, strip search and fist up the arse to find contraband, no just torturing you to feed their sexual perversions. I'll holiday at home and the airlines and hotels et al can go fuck themselves, especially in the USA.

      --
      Chaos - everything, everywhere, everywhen
  9. Passive radar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Sounds a lot like the passive radar research which a lot at the radar conferences. There topics like drone detection with WiFi or mobile signals, target classification and even ISAR with WiFi are hot topics.

  10. I remember back in WW2 when they used WiFi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To detect German planes..

    1. Re:I remember back in WW2 when they used WiFi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You were how old during WWII?

    2. Re: I remember back in WW2 when they used WiFi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      eleventy-seven

  11. Wow! by Rick+Zeman · · Score: 1

    I read about this exact same thing a few days on this site called slashdot dot org. Maybe the editors should try reading it?

  12. /. Editors by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Do they get paid? Does anyone manage them?

  13. Lower cost? wtf?? by magarity · · Score: 1

    No Senator ever got campaign contributions from a lower cost solution vendor.

  14. Another Divining Rod by BrendaEM · · Score: 1

    Another device and a gut full of prejudice for detaining people.
    https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/04/world/middleeast/04sensors.html

    --
    https://www.youtube.com/c/BrendaEM
  15. I want a wifi camera. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Taking pictures only in the wifi spectrum. Would be cool.

    1. Re:I want a wifi camera. by DarkLordBelial · · Score: 1

      Done!

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?...

  16. Japanes airports are using this for +5 years by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    because we have no TSA like orgainzation pretending to fighting something that didn't exist in the first place.
    So we have these traveler-friendly radiowaves systems instead of being bombarded by an overdose of X-rays.

  17. CSIRO by dohzer · · Score: 1

    So will the CSIRO be able to collect licencing fees from body scanners now?
    https://arstechnica.com/tech-p...

  18. Sonar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Isn't this just sonar with radio waves?