Researchers at the Grenoble Institute of Technology and the Centre Technique du Papier have developed a 'stealth wallpaper' with imbedded silver particles that keeps snoopers and hackers from accessing a Wi-Fi network from outside. The wallpaper will be available next year from the Finnish firm Ahlstrom, which acquired the license. The wallpaper is covered by silver conductive ink, in interlocking snowflake patterns, which blocks Wi-Fi signals from reaching outside the walls. The wallpaper can be covered by any other wallpaper, thus hiding it. The developers suggest that it could be used on floors and ceilings to prevent leaking through these surfaces to hackers on other floors. The design can be 'tuned' to block Wi-Fi signals in the usual 2.5 and 5.8 MHz bands but allow mobile phone frequencies to pass through if desired. Previous stealth wallpapers have been produced using copper instead of silver, but the costs were about $25 a square foot. The new wallpaper will cost about the same as a "classic, mid-range" wallpaper, according to the developers. http://www.silverinstitute.org/site/wp-content/uploads/2012/07/SNJune2012.pdf
Well there you go, can't stand wallpaper personally so the thought of having to put up two lots is not appealing. Sounds very much like a solution to a problem that doesn't really exist. Still, at least I will be able to take off my tinfoil hat while I am indoors.
