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Ambient backscatter tech allows devices to communicate, sans batteries
- lutusp 13y agoI wish technical writers would do historical research -- it would make their writing more interesting and educational. During the Cold War, the Russians gave the U.S. consulate in Moscow a nice patriotic sculpture "as a gesture of friendship". The embassy did exactly what the Russians hoped they would -- they mounted it on a wall in the ambassador's office. The device was actually an early example of an ambient backscatter device that transmitted voices from the room by way of backscattered energy, readable by the Soviets. It was years before the American embassy staff figured out what was going on. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thing_(listening_device) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thing_(listening_device) Quote: "The Thing, also known as the Great Seal bug, was one of the first covert listening devices (or "bugs") to use passive techniques to transmit an audio signal. Because it was passive, being energized and activated by electromagnetic energy from an outside source, it is considered a predecessor of current RFID technology." My question is -- why won't tech writers do their job? History is replete with interesting example like this to spice up stories and educate people. Do these writers live in a vacuum?