Terahertz is the sliver of the spectrum field that lies between microwave and infrared. Researchers at UT Dallas have been experimenting in the terahertz range and gone into Superman territory to come up with a process that would allow your mobile device to see through “walls, wood, plastics, paper and other objects.”Who needs augmented reality, when you can have X-ray vision?!
Because of pesky concerns about privacy, the research team has limited the distance devices could focus on to 4 inches, so you’d have to get pretty up close and personal to see somebody’s up close and personals. Engadget spoke with Dr. Kenneth O and writes about the practical possibilities of such a device: “Its creator hypothesizes that the technology will still be useful for finding studs in walls, verifying documents and detecting counterfeit currency.”
Used for good, we could really shake up the evil-doers in the counterfeit industry. But, if these powers were to be used for evil, I fear we may be stuck looking for studs and building sub-par homes FOREVER. And as a side note: head researcher Dr. O? That name has evil super-villain written all over it.
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