In the future, smartphones will be able to see through walls: here's how it works

Would you like to have the ability to see through walls? With its help, you could become a real superhero: you could easily find people under rubble or detect criminals and hostages. Unfortunately, only comic book characters have this ability. But recently, scientists have taken a huge step towards creating technology that willallow you to see through wallsusing a smartphone camera. The picture is emerging where in the future we will be able to turn on our smartphones and see, for example, what is inside a parcel box. Or such devices will be used at airports for baggage inspection.

In the future, smartphones will be able to see through walls: here's how it works. It seems that cameras that see through walls are becoming a reality. Source: newsroom.su. Photo.

It seems that cameras that see through walls are becoming a reality. Source: newsroom.su

Contents

  • 1 How to see through walls
  • 2 What smartphones will be able to do of the future
  • 3 How a metal detector works
  • 4 A satellite that can see through walls

How to see through walls

The authors of the scientific publication Live Science recently spoke about how the technology of seeing through walls works. Scientists have developed a chip that consists of three small sensors (pixels). They can send and receive very high frequency radio signals of 300 GHz, which fall between the microwave and infrared ranges and are considered safe for humans.

How to see through walls. A device for seeing through obstacles looks like this. Source: Live Science. Photo.

A device for seeing through obstacles looks like this. Source: Live Science

When a tiny chip sends radio signals towards an obstacle, they pass through it freely and are reflected from the object behind it. The reflected signals are returned to the chip and processed in a special device that forms the contours of the object. Based on the resulting outlines, you can understand which object is behind the obstacle.

What will smartphones of the future be able to do

A device for seeing through objects has already been created and tested in laboratory conditions. In tests, he was able to detect objects behind cardboard at a distance of about 1 centimeter. For the scanner to work, the chip must be brought approximately 2.5 centimeters closer to the obstacle. This was done specifically so that the technology could not be used by criminals. Indeed, in the wrong hands, such a device can become a tool for viewing the contents of bags and searching for expensive items in them.

What will the smartphones of the future be able to do? Scientists have made sure that criminals cannot use the device. Source: sochi.mk.ru. Photo.

Scientists have made sure that the device cannot be used by criminals. Source: sochi.mk.ru

Engineers believe that in the future, smartphones equipped with this chip will be able to make our lives much easier. For example, using it you can see in advance what is inside a box without opening it – this will be useful when moving. Also, during repairs, you can find wires behind walls and even cracked pipes. You can find many options for using this technology.

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How a metal detector works

In fact, the technology for detecting objects behind walls has been created for a long time. But the authors of the new scientific work spent 15 years trying to reduce the sensors to the smallest possible size. They wanted to ensure that they could be installed on mobile devices. In addition to this, it was necessary to ensure that the system was as safe as possible for human health.

How a metal detector works. Scientists also tried to ensure that the technology does not harm people's health. Source: aviav.ru. Photo.

Scientists also tried to ensure that the technology does not harm people's health. Source: aviav.ru

Similar devices, but larger, have been used at airports for many years. For example, when a person passes through a metal detector, all metal objects disrupt the magnetic field and it emits a signal. X-ray scanners are used to inspect luggage, but these waves are dangerous to humans. Instead of X-rays, the device uses signals with a frequency of 200 to 400 GHz.

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A satellite that sees through walls

It is worth noting that some companies make a lot of money using such technologies. One of them is the American Capella Space, which helps people monitor what is happening inside the buildings they are interested in. Once it launched the Capella 2 satellite into near-earth orbit, which sends down radio signals with a frequency of 9.65 GHz and helps build maps of premises based on the reflected data.

Satellite seeing through walls. Image from a satellite seeing through walls. Source: daily.afisha.ru. Photo.

A satellite image that can see through walls. Source: daily.afisha.ru

The technology developed by Capella Space is also interesting because it can work even at night and during rains. This was achieved due to the fact that it does not use optical lenses, but radio signals that can pass through clouds. This is a very important advantage, because 75% of the Earth's surface is either constantly in darkness or under layers of clouds.

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It is unknown how much the technology for seeing through walls using a satellite costs. Apparently, representatives of the Capella Space company provide details when placing an order directly. You can read more about all this in our article “This satellite can spy on people even through walls.”


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