The Wave Bubble defends you from squawking cellphoners

Yeah, we know that cellphone jammers—however politically gauche—are very in right now, so exactly what're the academic implications of MIT student Limor Fried's thesis project, the Wave Bubble? Well, it's not much more than a low-power jammer that disrupts radio transmissions about 6 feet in all directions—certainly nothing we've never seen or heard of before—but you've got to admire its DIYness. Well, that and the MIT name associated with it, which is about the only thing that makes it stand out from any other jammers out there.

[Via textually]

[Clinton @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Didn't we see this on Get Smart? Weren't they always using a "Wave Bubble" for secret conversations? :)

[Jason Eubanks @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

You know what I want a jammer that no only blocks the signal but transmits a broadcast message of "Get off the phone A-hole!!!!"

[Bill Smith @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

As much as i like the idea of not having to hear other people on their phones and not being able to recieve any calls... i have to say this is a bad idea. we just all need to adjust to the fact that so many people have them.

[e-mail]

[Joe @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I think it was the "cone of silence" on Get Smart.

[Gabe @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

One thing that's quite COOL about Limor Fried�s thesis are the "Media Sensitive Glasses," the decription of which starts on page 43: "The Media-Sensitive Glasses are a pair of eyeglasses that, when worn, detect when the wearer is watching television and subsequently darken, so as to �protect� the wearer from television�s �hypnotic� effect. The glasses are intended to be part of a therapy system for people who find themselves surrounded by televisions on a day-to-day basis and find it difficult to look away from a television set even if they are not enjoying the viewing experience. To be effective, the glasses must correctly determine when the wearer is watching television and darken the lenses or otherwise render the television�s image difficult to see as well as be comfortable and safe to wear. This section details the design and implementation of the Media-Sensitive Glasses."

Download the thesis and flip through to check it out.

Also, Bill, re your comment "we just all need to adjust to the fact that so many people have [mobile phones]," well, then, people with mobile phones will all just need to adjust to fact that so many people will have jammers. To ask one to simply "adjust" to what is, essentially, a consciously-propagated plague of noise and invasion of personal (sound)space, indicates that you don't think it's a problem. Fine. Feel free to get used to it. The rest of us who DO think it's a problem will continue the struggle. (My favorite contribution to the struggle is the act of transcribing a stranger's mobile conversation and offering to sell it back to them for $5.)

Gabe

[rj @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Why is it that people choose to be so bothered by someone having a telephone conversation nearby, but they'd have no problem with two people having a conversation nearby?

And don't give me crap about "but what about the people who talk so loud on their telephone?" That's another issue, just like if two people nearby were talking too loudly. Then, just like the two people talking, you either suck it up or say something. Most people seem to me to talk at conversational volume on their cellphones.

[Juice @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The socially handicapped would rather not speak to actual people and just huddle next to the wall and jam signals. I agree, if they're talking to loud (on the phone or in a conversation) say something or quit whining...

[TheZodiac @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

You can also disrupt all cellhone frequencies 4-6 feet in a circle around you by carrying a baseball bat, and swnging it thusly:

- all the way around.
- several times.
- while in a walking motion.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

to #6 - glad that's been your experience, but in mine most people talk much louder into their cell phone than they would to other people or into a landline phone. Cell yell. It is annoying to many with or without your agreement.

[Hans @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

you should only turn something like that on if someone IS being loud since we all agree that SOME people ARE loud which means many are not - or text messaging for that matter. Why ruin it for everyone all the time to stop an occasional annoyance?

[lupinstel @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The reason cellphone conversations bother many people as opposed to conversations between 2 people is that we are used to hearing 2 people converse. I don't think any of use mind people talking around us in general, but when you hear only one side of the conversation, and pauses its not natural so you unconsciously pay attention to it. This distracts people, and therefore we become annoyed.

[rj @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Oh, I see. From now on I'll make sure to use the speakerphone function of my cell when using it 'out in public'. That should help, I'm sure.

[jdank @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I don't mind people talking on their cellphones in public, but what does irritate the heck out of me is people using cellphones while driving (without handsfree). So many people are crap drivers without the phone, it's only 10 times worse when they're yapping away behind the wheel.

[Clinton @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

Yes, #4 (Joe), I meant to say "cone of silence". Fat fingered the link too quick when I submitted it. :)

[Those ringtones @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I've found that I have problems hearing certain people in public, whether they're talking to another person next to them or on the cellphone. These are usually the kind whose vocabulary ranges from "like you know" to "OMG!" or from "Dude!" to "Right on!". The problem is that these kinds are usually the ones who talk on their cells most often.

I agree about drivers and cellphones. It seems that holding the phone to your ear severely hampers the range of motion in one's neck, so the driver can't look in the mirrors or out of their side window anymore.

But what bothers me the most about cellphones is those AM-radio-quality ringtones, and how some people actually let their phone ring for a minute so we can all not appreciate their taste.

[scamper @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

From the article: "I believe that there are better ways of expressing one's artistic values than disrupting the safety and well-being of others."

An ironic statement if ever I heard one. I plan to carry a cellphone blocker for precisely this same reason, of course. Can't tell you how many times I've heard the following: *BUZZ* "Hey, I can't talk right now -- I'm watching a movie. No, I'm *in* the theatre! Okay. Later." (These are the same people oblivious to my wicked death-glare, of course.)

Safety and well-being? Please. It's a convenience. Fascinating how quickly the (often annoying) comforts of technology become "necessities."

[Juice @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

#14 - Oh..my...G, Dude, those people TOTALLY irritate me, for sure.

[Rick @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

No, you idiot, the socially handicapped ones are those who yap away loudly on their cell phones, oblivious to the fact that they're a nuisance to those around. People who were brought up correctly are generally well-adjusted and should not to put up with ignorant idiots like cell phone yappers. Normal people are generally too polite to ask these punks to shut the hell up.

[Erik @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

The problem isn't the loud talking, it's the fact that many people on cellphones think it's ok to just go on and on about the perverse and unnecesary details of their lives at loud volume just because they're on the phone. Aditionally, most people seem to want to drop everything they're doing to pick up the fricking phone. Middle of a nice dinner, they pick up the phone and ignore everyone else.

[Chris @ Dec 19th 2005 12:53AM]

I wonder: are faraday cages legal and/or possible? I remember reading a few years back about lining a room with 1" chicken wire in an attempt to block RF (cellular) waves.