Smartphones could soon get X-ray vision

So far, tests have shown that the technology can see through dust, dense fog, and airborne particles that light normally won’t penetrate. In a more recent test, researchers were able to look through a cardboard sheet. Before we get too excited about this, the report notes that the technology still has some way to go before smartphone users will be able to see through walls and objects using gigahertz signals.

“The superheroes like Superman – we all grew up with that,” Dr. O said. “To be able to see through things, the X-ray vision was something always exciting and inspiring.” The professor also notes that “You should be able to just scan normally how you’d scan and be able to easily capture the image.”

One of the issues with the technology currently available is that it takes hours to get an image that looks through an object because of the number of pixels involved. But Dr. O says that with the right amount of funding, this technology could provide instantaneous images and could be available for smartphones in just a few years. He said, “The fundamental technology is there. I’d really like to make it so it’s for everybody.”

Eventually, smartphones with these chips will be able to look inside envelopes and packages. Such devices could also be used by hospitals to check patients’ hydration levels. Right now, the technology requires that the object that the phone seeks to look through be placed no more than an inch away from the device. This prevents a thief from standing far away from his target in order to secretly use the technology to look through a person’s suitcase or bag to discover personal information..