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Welcome to the Future: This is How to Photograph People Through Walls Using Wi-Fi

By Milos Kitanovic, 25 May 2017

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It's no secret that Wi-Fi has had an overarching impact on our lives over the years. Endless possibilities of the web are just on a click away from us. Just in a matter of seconds, we are able to access the information and connect with each other faster than we have ever could.

However, just when we thought that we extracted all the possibilities of the Wi-Fi, scientists have found a way to surprise us. Apparently, there is more to wireless networking than meets the eye.

A recent research conducted by scientists at the Technical University of Munich suggests that it is possible to take a photograph through walls using nothing but a wireless transmission system. And with this staggering revelation, goes the conclusion that we are just beginning to scratch the surface of the mystery that is Wi-Fi.

1 How is it possible?

This isn't a science fiction anymore nor it is the scene from some high espionage blockbuster but a sheer reality. Wi-Fi is everywhere - and so are the electromagnetic waves emitted by the routers in order to connect us to the Internet. These are the waves that are traveling through space, so the idea of them traveling through walls isn't too far fetched.

With that in mind, the German team of scientists has found a way to make another use of Wi-Fi signals. The idea was to create 3D holographic photos of the objects inside a room or a building even with walls as the barriers.

electromagnetic waves emitted by the routers

Image Source: www.businessinsider.com

2 What is it all about?

Philipp Holl, a 23-year old student of physics conducted an experiment under the watchful eye of his supervisor Friedemann Reinhard. They dwell on the idea that devices with an electromagnetic signal such as mobile phones and other wireless devices are acting as light bulbs and are able to create an image that depends on 2 antennas. The first one, fixed, scanning and mapping a background of Wi-Fi field and the other that is recording the signal from various points.

scanning and mapping a background of Wi-Fi

Image Source: www.realclearlife.com

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