Wireless Movement-Tracking System Collects Health and Behavioral Data

Just like a ray of light, a wireless signal bounces off of certain objects and surfaces. Different materials affect the wireless signal in different ways. Human bodies, therefore, cause particular changes when reflecting wireless signals. Using this property, MIT researchers from the Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) designed a wireless system that captures reflections off of humans and collects health and behavioral data. The system, dubbed Marko, broadcasts radio-frequency (RF) signals that bounce off people in motion and return with specific changes. Specially-designed algorithms then analyze the reflected signals and associate them with specific people.