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posted by janrinok on Wednesday August 12 2015, @05:56AM   Printer-friendly
from the shoot-out-the-lights,-unplug-the-wifi dept.

Researchers at University College London (UCL) have devised a system for detecting the Doppler shifts of ubiquitous Wi-Fi and mobile telephone signals to "see" people moving, even behind masonry walls 25 centimeters thick. The method, which could be useful in situations from hostage-takings to traffic control, won the Engineering Impact Award in the RF and Communications category at this National Instrument's NI Week 2015 meeting (which convened in Austin, Tex., 3-9 August).

Other researchers—notably Dina Katabi and Fadel Adib of MIT—have built through-wall radars in the household communication bands, but these are active radars that transmit as well as receive. The UCL technique uses only passive radiation—from Wi-Fi routers (using emissions in any of the IEEE 802.11 b, g, n, ac), ambient GSM and LTE mobile signals, and other sources—so there is nothing to betray the surveillance. The system calculates the positions of hidden target by comparing two signals: a reference channel, receiving the baseline signal from the Wi-Fi access point or other RF source, and a surveillance channel, which picks up Doppler-shifted waves reflecting from the moving subject.

Tan and company built their "high Doppler resolution passive Wi-Fi radar" on two multi-frequency, software-defined, FPGA-based transceivers (National Instruments' USRP, or Universal Software Radio Peripheral. The system compares the reference and surveillance signals, interprets the very small frequency shifts, and reveals the hidden subject's location and motion.

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  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2015, @12:40PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2015, @12:40PM (#221660)

    This cannot be new research, because what has been approved for public consumption is usually old news. Decades old and obsolete. They've moved on to much better methods with excellent results.

    Radar has been around a while and can be used to track movement, but I am also interested in mind reading from large distances. I know they do it because every time they do, I can sense it. If I have been thinking differently, they have police cars all over the place that day and are stopping random vehicles and checking them. I know I've not been marked for liquidation yet or I would be implanted with some electronics or already dead. I know I'm on a list somewhere and considered 'person of interest'. I've also noticed that thinking passive things does calm them down a bit.

    As for active or passive radars, all houses should be fitted with metallic sheets either on the inside or outside (and well grounded) so these harmful, unnatural, man-made radiations cannot harm us too much.

    Also, a metallic wire netting should be hung over the house to protect from above (like the netting used to protect from air raids). The satellites are watching you all the time. We don't know what those satellites can or cannot see, or if they can tell people apart. So better be careful because they are not your friends. Wear a cap at all times (when outside) that hides your face from spy satellites. And do not look up. The cap can be lined internally with tin-foil, although that makes it hot and humid inside.

    If all else fails, start living in a shipping container buried a few feet inside the earth, with two access doors (one for normal use, the other for bugging out when big brother comes looking for you) and exhaust fans, etc.

    *One issue with the summary text: A bracket has been opened, but not closed. Please close it before it destroys the world.

  • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2015, @02:56PM

    by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2015, @02:56PM (#221707)

    The closest to mind reading we have is FMRI that shows what parts of the brain are active.

    Determining what is is happening inside the brain from brain waves is like trying to understand what is happening inside a factory by listening to the noise while standing outside. (not sure who I stole that analogy from).

    Presumably, using a FMRI is like peaking in the windows.

    The passive radars work because our bodies partially block radio signals. Blocking those signals may mean your phone won't work anymore. Somebody else mentioned insulation: I found that the wifi signal drops 30dB upon moving outside: save for a large lobe leaking out the picture window.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2015, @04:37PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday August 12 2015, @04:37PM (#221750)

      No, the closest thing to mind reading that everyone is aware of is FMRI.

      It is not the only thing. It is possible that people are sitting in a room, connected to antennas listening for keywords people are thinking.

      Or electronics (satellites, perhaps) that scan the environment, gathering mind waves. Electronics has come a long way and antennas have improved and also noise can be filtered through software algorithms, giving big brother clear text to work with, along with the complete details of who said what. All this is entered into a database immediately for easy access. If someone enters the red zone on a graph, a team is sent to liquidate the person and destroy all evidence, while preventing everyone near that person (through mind control) to help him.

      Just because we don't know of this yet does not mean they are not already using it.