It seems like science fiction, but it's actually backed by frightening scientific evidence.
A viral post online showed Wi-Fi signals mimicking breathing patterns in a 3D model; but what was shown as a graphic is actually real and is only a small scope of what signals can track in the home.
'Breathing is enough to give you away.'
A post from an engineer claimed that "each breath slightly changes how Wi-Fi waves reflect off your chest" and effectively revealed that "breathing is enough to give you away" should bad actors want to know about your whereabouts.
The post, seen by nearly 2 million readers, said that these tiny changes in breathing rhythm are noticeable and match Wi-Fi signals in the same room.
Unfortunately for the consumer, these claims are corroborated by many reports — including those from the government — and are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what can be tracked using Wi-Fi signals.
In fact, the study of Wi-Fi-based tracking has been widely studied, and the results are frightening.
By simply monitoring how the signals are bouncing back, programs can detect human presence, whether a person is walking/standing/sitting, and, according to a report from Stork.ai, even detect movement through walls in some conditions.
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Blaze News has previously reported on how smart TVs and even HDMI cords can be used to pry into user privacy, and Wi-Fi can now be included with a vast list of capabilities that even extends to monitoring the amount of occupants in a room.
Moreover, a report from the National Institute of Standards and Technology — a federal entity — made this an open secret in a 2022 report when it positioned it as a good thing that could "help doctors fight the COVID-19 pandemic."
In a report titled "Wi-Fi Could Help Identify When You're Struggling to Breathe," the NIST said it could detect breathing rates, breathing patterns, slow breathing, or other disruptions with "already available Wi-Fi routers and devices."
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Heartbeats are also not off the table according to Taiwanese researchers.
Dr. Tzi-cker Chiueh, from a power management company called Delta, found in his research that breathing rates can be monitored through Wi-Fi signal disruptions with up to 95% accuracy at up to five meters. Heartbeats were tracked at 83% accuracy from up to one meter away.
Readers may recognize similar technology being utilized by the CIA to locate a stranded pilot in Iran.
Studies and reports appear to prove that Wi-Fi signals can be effectively used as distance-measuring devices that can also digitize and measure human function through the analysis of the constant burst of signals and any consistent pattern of disruption.
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