Sick of neighbors stealing your Wi-Fi? New wallpaper may fix that.
French researchers developed Metapaper, which blocks Wi-Fi signals from escaping the home, ramping up security for the same price as traditional wallpaper. The paper, which still allows TV and radio waves to pass through, will hit the market next year, distributed by Finnish company Alstrom.
Even though setting a password on Wi-Fi is cheaper than installing yards of wallpaper, this innovation demonstrates the rising concern about connection security, and may appeal to consumers looking for added protection as they redecorate.
Wi-Fi is the most common Internet access point for mobile devices, and unsecured connections open up their hosts to a bevy of security threats. Hackers can sometimes dig up personal information just by accessing the same network connection, as the case was when Android endured a security breach on unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
Tech companies such as Google and home goods retailers like Lowes are drumming up "smart home" systems, using the Internet and mobile technology to make appliances and home devices work better. These smart home technologies can incorporate Wi-Fi into the way appliances like dishwashers, TVs and stoves work, making network connections even more crucial to domestic life, and possibly creating a market for a slew of new products to stylishly protect the home's network.
As different parts of homes become increasingly reliant on network connections, products like Metapaper offer home protection, so keeping Wi-Fi secure may also become more important.