Two for the Nerds

We (you and I) are winding down for the Fourth of July holiday, I'm sure, but I never really wind down, because I am a nerd. I should point out here that I use the term "nerd" to describe anyone who is really into something just because it's interesting; I'm that way with respect to technology. I'm pretty sure I decided to become an engineer after spending my very early years disassembling all sorts of things lying about the house, dealing with my mother's wrath, to be sure, but also becoming convinced that the core essence of good engineering, improving efficiency, was a perfect fit with my otherwise ADD-driven personality. After all, I had a lot of parts left over when attempting to reassemble all of those items, a clear indication that there was indeed a good deal of efficiency yet to be squeezed out of future product designs.

Part of the reason for my getting into wireless in 1991 was the obvious business opportunity, driven by advances in VLSI, potential consumer and business demand, and a general requirement for access to information while mobile. But the biggest reason was that the nerd in me was just fascinated by the sheer coolness of sending data through the air. Simply making the air do what we previously needed wire for was way more interesting than the clearly zillion-dollar world that wireless would become. And even today there are really cool applications for wireless that continue to bring out the nerd in me. In fact, I have two for you today.

The first you can find in this article in Electronic Engineering Times. I was the wireless columnist for EE Times for many years, writing partially about wireless technologies and applications for design engineers and partially about politics, and I still read this publication regularly for tips on what's new in raw wireless technology. Anyway, this article is on the use of 315 MHz. wireless in tire-pressure monitoring systems for cars. You're clearly a nerd if you've ever wondered how these things work, and, let me admit right here, I have indeed. And now I know.

The second is those whole-body scanners being installed in airports and that have been roundly criticized as both an invasion of privacy and way too revealing. These work by measuring the reflections from millimeter-wave radiation (around 90 GHz.) that passes right through clothing, so one gets a pretty good look (3D, in fact) at whatever's under there. Note this is not an x-ray and does not involve exposure to ionizing radiation, but, interestingly, the frequency used is not that different from that applied in the Active Denial System, which is used for crowd control by causing severe burning pain (but no long-term damage, as far as we know) in the skin. It's all in the transmit power level.

So the scanners are probably safe, but, speaking of politics, are they, as some have claimed, a violation of our privacy or personal freedom? I'm pretty rabid about liberty, but even I have to admit that there's likely no problem here, especially if the TSA is being truthful in telling us that the images aren't stored and thus can't be posted on the Web. Cool wireless technology regardless, and certainly not something that should lead you to question how much independence we really enjoy - nerds and non-nerds alike. This is, after all, about keep bad guys off airplanes. I would think they would be deterred by the high prices and poor service, but I know little of the terrorist mind. That's just not something that typically interests technology nerds.

A pleasant Independence Day holiday to you all.