RESEARCHERS REVEAL A COMPUTER PROGRAM THAT CAN TRACK AND DICTATE PEOPLE BEHIND WALLS

Researchers have revealad that a computer programme that can dictate human movement now has the ability to spot people through walls with the help of radio waves.

Without using radar, infrared or x-rays, scientists were able to track people behind obstacles/walls using software that has been trained to predict people's movement and postures using just wave signals.    

Its developers at Massachusetts Institute of technology admit in theory that the network has serious privacy concerns, as it could theoretically be used to spy on nearby buildings and follow people even if they go around a corner out of sight.

Their system first taught the software by showing it examples of both on-camera movement and signals reflected from people's bodies.

This then helped the program to understand how the reflections of signals around obstacles correlated to a given posture.

The team, which is part of the institute’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, then could use wireless alone to estimate someone's movements and represent them using stick figures.

The scientists mainly see their invention having medical applications, where it could be used to track the development of diseases like multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's.

“We’ve seen that monitoring patients’ walking speed and ability to do basic activities on their own gives health care providers a window into their lives that they didn’t have before, which could be meaningful for a whole range of diseases,” said Professor Dina Katabi, who co-wrote the paper on the project.

She also added “A key advantage of our approach is that patients do not have to wear sensors or remember to charge their devices.”

It could also help elderly people stay in their own homes by sending alerts if they fall or otherwise show signs of trouble.

At the moment, the technology is 83% accurate for identifying subjects in large groups, which can be as large as 100 people. This means it could be utilised for search-and-rescue operations where it's important to know who you're looking for.

The team hope to refine the software so it could produce 3D images, rather than just stick figures, that could even detect slight movements, such as a shaking hand. 

In order to address privacy concerns the researchers have developed a "consent mechanism" that would require performing specific movements before tracking is started.