Cellphones That See Through Walls?

[CommanderFrank]

If a team of scientists from the University of Texas at Dallas have anything to do with it, your cellphone will be able to scan through solid objects in the not-so-distant future. The team is utilizing an unused wavelength spectrum range known as terahertz band to see through objects much like X-rays.

“CMOS is affordable and can be used to make lots of chips,” said Dr. O. “The combination of CMOS and terahertz means you could put this chip and receiver on the back of a cellphone, turning it into a device carried in your pocket that can see through objects.”

 

[Gorankar]

This will not be abused by teenage boys, perverts, or police at all. No sir, all on the up and up here.

 

[hiodie]

And why do cell phones need to see through walls? Seems like an odd combination. Especially when limited to 4 inches...not sure where you find walls that are less than 4 inches.

 

[Mize]

Really, really stupid article. Unless you're going to put a high-powered terahertz emitter on a phone it can only pick up something that is emitting. Basically it will be worse than infrared imaging (longer wavelength) and we all know IR lets you "see through wall" so darned well.

Oh, yeah and that "new" CMOS technology [facepalm]

 

[JayteeBates]

Having just moved into a new house I could really use something like that as a wire tracer or stud finder.

 

[Heavy_Nova]

Man, wait until the cellphone cancer guys get a hold of this... I mean... Cellphone + X-ray capabilities...

Those gammar rays are gonna cause much death and devastation! /tinfoil hat

I like the thought of the wire tracer/stud finder function though. I have one somewhere in the house, but can never find it. That would be quite convenient.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

I'm not familiar with terahertz radiation.

Is it much like xrays, where it goes through most stuff, but reflects off things that are radiopaque?

A stud finder would be a great use for this tech, if it reflects off the metal in wires, but not off the wood/plasterboard in most walls. Other than that, I fail to see the usefulness of this (no pun intended)

 

[sleepeeg3]

Really, really stupid article. Unless you're going to put a high-powered terahertz emitter on a phone it can only pick up something that is emitting. Basically it will be worse than infrared imaging (longer wavelength) and we all know IR lets you "see through wall" so darned well.

I'm not familiar with terahertz radiation.

Is it much like xrays, where it goes through most stuff, but reflects off things that are radiopaque?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:EM_Spectrum_Properties_edit.svg
Basically, it is infrared.

 

[ninjaturtle]

Much rather see through clothing.

 

[Sly]

Medical Tricorder?

 

[w4ffles]

Kill it with fire! The TSA doesn't need another tool to invade our privacy.

 

[jrrandell]

All I could think of is the dark knight when i read this xD

 

[Azhar]

And why do cell phones need to see through walls? Seems like an odd combination. Especially when limited to 4 inches...not sure where you find walls that are less than 4 inches.

stud location comes to mind.

 

[the-one1]

All I could think of is the dark knight when i read this xD

na na na na na na BATMAN!