The world of spying is about to change when the new terahertz remote sensor finally sees the light of day. Physicist Jingle Liu and his team of researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute used a laser to excite terahertz radiation at faraway targets. In the lab, the researchers demonstrated the technology at 67 feet (the available space in the lab) and are busy cataloging the unique signatures of various materials so the detector can differentiate car keys, makeup compact and Glock. As long as there is a good line of sight, a terahertz detector should be able to see through walls, packaging materials, and even clothing from thousands of feet away, identifying materials contained inside through their unique spectral signatures.
[ via Wired ]