Wi-Fi Can ‘See’ Through Walls To Ensure Elderly Are Safe In Their Own Homes

One of the more useful inventions of the late 20th century has to be Wi-Fi. Without its ability to keep us tethered to the internet and, consequently, the rest of the world, we’d be left in the dark.

Wi-Fi now appears to have the potential to both bolster our addiction to the internet and keep us secure.
 
A study conducted by a team from Carnegie Mellon University has devised a low-cost way for Wi-Fi and AI to see 3D forms of humans through walls. The scientists have incorporated a deep neural network called DensePose that can outline Wi-Fi signals to UV coordinates. During this process, the surface of a 3D object is projected as a 2D image which is used as a mapping for a computer-generated image.
 
The researchers have found a way to map the location of participants using a cheap 1D sensor; in this case, it was Wi-Fi antennas. Usually, RGB cameras and LiDAR radars would be needed to accomplish such a feat.
 
Aside from being able to tell where a person is standing, it can also detect the position in which they are, whether they are seated, standing, lying down, or walking around.
 
One of the benefits of being able to lower to cost of such technology is that it could eventually be produced for the public to use in their homes.

You might wonder why you need a router that can see you through a wall. The device could be helpful in homes with older people living alone or otherwise. The system can detect them and ensure they haven’t taken a fall or incurred some other injury, especially in bathrooms where a camera might not be the most welcomed addition. Another use would be guaranteeing a house was safe from home invaders.
 
By using a router, families can eliminate the use of cameras and secure their privacy at the same time. 
 
Additionally, where most routers are priced in the hundreds of dollars, the team estimates that their device will only cost US$30.

The use of Wi-Fi to monitor health is becoming increasingly popular. In a previous study, a team at NIST found a way for routers to monitor the breathing patterns of people nearby. 
 

[via TechTimes and ZDNET, Photo 109270774 © Kittichai Boonpong | Dreamstime.com]