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Wireless signals used to detect weaponry

Ahhzz

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https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-45196164

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 team behind the research tested 15 types of objects and six types of bags.
The wi-fi system had success rates of 99% for recognising dangerous objects, 98% for metal and 95% for liquids.
When objects were wrapped inside bags, the accuracy rate dropped to about 90%.

The low-cost system requires a wi-fi device with two or three antennas and can be integrated into existing wi-fi networks.
The system works by analysing what happens when wireless signals penetrate and bounce off objects and materials.
It could be utilised in museums, stadiums, theme parks and schools or wherever there is a perceived public risk.
"In large public areas, it's hard to set up expensive screening infrastructure like what is in airports," said Yingying Chen, co-author and a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering in Rutgers-New Brunswick School of Engineering.
"Manpower is always needed to check bags and we wanted to develop a complementary method to try to reduce manpower."
She added: This could have a great impact in protecting the public from dangerous objects. There's a growing need for that now."
The peer-reviewed study received a best paper award at the 2018 IEEE Conference on Communications and Network Security on cyber-security.
It included engineers at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and Binghamton University.


The low-cost system requires a wi-fi device with two or three antennas and can be integrated into existing wi-fi networks.


I'm afraid my paranoid brain says that the NSA is already working on using this, integrating it into their next attack kit to apply to every wireless unit they can access. Imagine the possibilities if law enforcement can get a radar-like image of the room where a wireless AP is located.
 
Why not? 802.11 has been used to *illegally* map households and businesses before. Any penetrating radiowave with at least two transmitters and receiver can theoretically do it. This is the first time I've heard of it being used for something that isn't nefarious.

NSA has likely been doing it for decades. How do you think they knew what they were going to encounter when they assaulted bin Laden's compound?
 
I'm afraid my paranoid brain says that the NSA is already working on using this, integrating it into their next attack kit to apply to every wireless unit they can access. Imagine the possibilities if law enforcement can get a radar-like image of the room where a wireless AP is located.

Detecting and mapping are two very different things. When you try to detect something you already know which signal you are looking for but when you try to map something you don't. This is an extremely rudimentary method (I don't why this is even news) and probably can't be used for much for that purpose, at least not for detailed renders of volumes.
 
Why not? 802.11 has been used to *illegally* map households and businesses before. Any penetrating radiowave with at least two transmitters and receiver can theoretically do it. This is the first time I've heard of it being used for something that isn't nefarious.

NSA has likely been doing it for decades. How do you think they knew what they were going to encounter when they assaulted bin Laden's compound?
Whatever I thought they had used, whether it be a sonar derivative, or something else, I really didn't think they used his wireless APs....

Detecting and mapping are two very different things. When you try to detect something you already know which signal you are looking for but when you try to map something you don't. This is an extremely rudimentary method (I don't why this is even news) and probably can't be used for much for that purpose, at least not for detailed renders of volumes.
measure the dimensions of metal objects or estimate the volume of liquids

sounds like they were using it to detect volumes of liquid. thinking since the human body is about 60%+ water, wouldn't be too hard to stretch the technology to determine how many bodies in an area, and probably more detail as time and technology progresses. This isn't a case of manufacturing hardware and software to deploy on a case by case basis, my theoretical situation is the security agencies finding a way to deploy this to large quantities of private homes, and businesses, without appropriate oversight....
Not saying it's happening currently, just saying I wouldn't be surprised to find out some day soon that it had.
 
Whatever I thought they had used, whether it be a sonar derivative, or something else, I really didn't think they used his wireless APs....
Why not? Most consumer routers are notoriously vulnerable.
 
Just like Batman
 
NSA has likely been doing it for decades. How do you think they knew what they were going to encounter when they assaulted bin Laden's compound?
Prior knowledge from setting it up before hand.


"She added: This could have a great impact in protecting the public from dangerous objects. There's a growing need for that now."
Here's a novel idea, ban guns and stop making them.
 
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