A spray-on coating that could boost phone reception and Wi-Fi signals was introduced by Anthony Sutera, co-founder of military technology firm ChamTech, at a recent Google “Solve for X” event.
The company claims its product does not just boost phone reception, but can turn just about anything into an antenna.
If you are tired of hunting for invisible streams of radio waves in search of a better signal, this new technology could help. ChamTech’s “antenna-in-a-can” coats an object’s surface with thousands of nanocapacitors and spray-on particles, which can turn virtually anything into a transmitter … even a tree. As an added bonus, the spray-on antenna does not require any power.
However, do not expect these magic cans to appear in a Carphone Warehouse anytime soon, if ever. As ChamTech is a military supplier, the technology would be used initially by the American armed forces. It could also be deployed in areas hit by natural disasters, as it would allow first responders to establish emergency communications more quickly and efficiently.
If it actually works, that is. Some radio enthusiasts have said the proposed technology goes against the most basic electromagnetics’ laws. Many have called the presentation a hoax. The fact that ChamTech failed to open a “combat training facility” twice in the past does not add to the company’s credibility. And its bare Website does not inspire confidence either.
Spray-on antenna system sounds wonderful in theory. But until we see some real-world testing, or an article in a peer reviewed paper, it is worth taking this discovery with a pinch of salt.
A similar technology was worked on by the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) back in 2001. Since then, all of the companies involved in the project have moved on.
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GOOGLE has to recognize that there is a difference between "Solving for X" and hyping a technology that just doesn't work as stated.
"Nothing in the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity." Martin Luther King
Anthony Sutera forgot to mention the antenna stencil and matching circuit without which there will be no conversion from electromagnetic waves to electric current, i.e. Maxwells Equations. There is no such a thing as "antenna in a can" unless Sutera et al. proved that Maxwell is wrong!
Don't forget, "military". The shear fact that it extends wireless connectivity to such a degree may make it hard for us consumers to get a a hold of. Why? The military does not let civilians to have better any thing then they do. If a submarine vessel (russian) equip itself with consumer wireless tech, they would be able to detect our subs 20th further with our currently equipped extremely low frequency communication which where designed to be undetectable at range, especially underwater. All our wireless communications security is equipped to to protect itself against the old REPUBLIC design. We (consumers) won't have access until the meletary is beyond yesterday's par.