Wi-Fi can track you now — thanks to WhoFi tech

Until now, it may have seemed that privacy was only threatened by surveillance cameras or activated GPS. However, researchers at La Sapienza University in Rome presented the WhoFi system, which can track a person using a regular Wi-Fi router, eliminating the need for smartphones or cameras.

GSMinfo reports this.

How WhoFi technology works

This Italian study analyzes how the human body interacts with Wi-Fi signals. Each person's "body imprint" is unique and changes the intensity and sometimes the direction of radio wave propagation. Because of this, when the same person reappears in the same Wi-Fi network zone, the system can recognize them.

WhoFi can track movement not only within a room but also between different locations without the need for visual contact. Unlike cameras, this technology can "see" in the dark and even through walls. According to experimental results, accuracy in some scenarios reached 95.5%, whereas previous approaches offered a maximum of about 75%, which was insufficient for reliable tracking.

No special devices are required. The tests used standard TP-Link N750 Wi-Fi routers, which are mid-range models that don't support the latest standards.

This technology can be used to:

• In stores to recognize customers and automatically apply discounts.
• By special services to track the movements of suspects.
• Law enforcement agencies can use it to identify participants in protests and rallies without using cameras.

The technology is still in the prototype stage. Nevertheless, it is already evident that it has great potential: a monitoring system like this one can help reduce crime and improve citizens' comfort and safety.

Read also:

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