Wi-Fi Helping To Fight War On Terror

KGO-TV ^ | 7/21/06 | David Louie

[cabojoe]

Aug. 21 - KGO - Cell phones have become a key way for terrorists to detonate bombs remotely. But a Bay Area company has developed a possible solution for the military and for airports to pinpoint them before it's too late.

Bradley Rotter, technology investor: "Our enemies are using our technology against us as a weapon against us."

Cell phones are everywhere, keeping people connected. But they're also being used by terrorists to trigger bombs.

Nicholas Miller, Air Patrol Corporation: "We would literally be able to detect a case, spot a case with a phone in it and literally watch it go down the conveyor belt."

The cell signal sensor works with computer software to triangulate or calculate the location of the cell phone within 10 feet.

Nicholas Miller, Air Patrol Corporation: "The stronger the signal, the shorter the distance. You then do that for multiple locations, and it's really just like three Boy Scouts standing around San Francisco Bay with a rangefinder, a device that can measure how far a boat is away from them."

The technology was originally developed to pinpoint breaches in a wireless computer network and to keep out hackers.

A defense contractor asked the company to see if it could do the same for cell phones.

The first units will be delivered next month.

As with any new technology, there's a risk that terrorists will stop using cell phones as they learn their location can be pinpointed. That's one of the challenges of fighting terrorism -- staying one step ahead of the bad guys.

This device, called the Air Patrol, is the first of its kind designed to prevent that.

Cell phones are constantly transmitting a signal to stay in touch with the wireless network.

A string of air station boxes can detect and pinpoint the location of switched-on cell phones in places they shouldn't be, such as a checked bag on its way to the cargo hold of an airliner.

[cabojoe]

Video at link. Good to know there are solutions being worked on.

[confrico]

awesome. it's the development and spread of new technology that will eventually defeat terrorism in this world

[ARE SOLE]

Great Homepage Cabojoe, damn cool. Your Dad's a baddazz.

[cabojoe]

Thanx. Dad is an animal.

[Cacique]

btt

[Crazy Jim]

Why wouldn't (shouldn't) this be classified?

It seems disclosure of this would force the bad guys to counter. So, why not keep this classified?

Technology will not defeat our enemies when they know what we are doing.

If I recall correctly, the MSM had a oil geology expert on about the location of OBL because there was a canyon in the background. This fellow had traveled all over Afghanistan and said he knew where it was, then the next communication from OBL had a sheet covering the background or was inside a building.

Just my two cents.

[supercat]

It seems disclosure of this would force the bad guys to counter. So, why not keep this classified?

I can see a few reasons:

1. If the device seems like it might someday kinda sorta work, but isn't terribly effective, an article like this may prompt the enemy to needlessly shift tactics to something else that's better for us.
2. Even if we had such a device and it did work, it would be hard to use it without it becoming clear to the enemy what's going on. If the enemy happened to figure out that we were trying to avoid revealing the new technology we were using, the enemy may be able to use that fact to our detriment.
3. Letting the public know about such things may help boost domestic morale; that may help the war effort more than the release of information to the enemy hinders it.

There are other reasons as well, but those seem like possible good ones.