Passive Millimeter-wave (PMMV) Technology Raises Privacy Issues

Story link: Passive Millimeter-wave (PMMV) Technology Raises Privacy Issues by Brian Turner

Researchers at Northrop-Grumman Space Technology are developing passive millimetre-wave or PMMW technology - tiny cameras which will be able to see through clothing and other materials.

The technology will be used for security and surveillance purpose and could be used to check people for weapons or illegal goods, or to see through heavy clouds. The scanning technology employs ultrafast semiconductors, using frequencies of up to 300GHz, to capture real-time images.

At the moment the images produced by the technology are slightly out of focus and in greyscale. However, researchers are working on improving the image quality.

Further information on the technology will be presented at the International Solid-State Circuits Conference, or ISSCC, held on the 12th of February, 2007.