MIT:On the Effectiveness of Aluminium Foil Helmets: An Empirical Study

[Ichingcarpenter]

Last edited Sat May 12, 2012, 08:55 AM - Edit history (1)

Ali Rahimi1, Ben Recht 2, Jason Taylor 2, Noah Vawter 2
17 Feb 2005
1: Electrical Engineering and Computer Science department, MIT.
2: Media Laboratory, MIT.



Introduction

It has long been suspected that the government has been using satellites to read and control the minds of certain citizens. The use of aluminum helmets has been a common guerrilla tactic against the government's invasive tactics [1]. Surprisingly, these helmets can in fact help the government spy on citizens by amplifying certain key frequency ranges reserved for government use. In addition, none of the three helmets we analyzed provided significant attenuation to most frequency bands.
We describe our experimental setup, report our results, and conclude with a few design guidelines for constructing more effective helmets.


Snip;


Results

For all helmets, we noticed a 30 db amplification at 2.6 Ghz and a 20 db amplification at 1.2 Ghz, regardless of the position of the antenna on the cranium. In addition, all helmets exhibited a marked 20 db attenuation at around 1.5 Ghz, with no significant attenuation beyond 10 db anywhere else.
Conclusion

The helmets amplify frequency bands that coincide with those allocated to the US government between 1.2 Ghz and 1.4 Ghz. According to the FCC, These bands are supposedly reserved for ''radio location'' (ie, GPS), and other communications with satellites (see, for example, [3]). The 2.6 Ghz band coincides with mobile phone technology. Though not affiliated by government, these bands are at the hands of multinational corporations.
It requires no stretch of the imagination to conclude that the current helmet craze is likely to have been propagated by the Government, possibly with the involvement of the FCC. We hope this report will encourage the paranoid community to develop improved helmet designs to avoid falling prey to these shortcomings.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Andy (Xu) Sun of the MIT Media Lab for helping with the equipment, Professor George Sergiadis for lending us the antennae, and Professor Neil Gershenfeld for allowing us the use of his lab equipment.


http://berkeley.intel-research.net/arahimi/helmet/

I looked up the authors and most eitherteach or work for Intel computer chips company now.

LOL

[ret5hd]

1. Well, they did it all wrong!

We don't wear ALUMINUM foil hats, we wear TIN foil hats!

Merely another government plot to get us to remove our hats!

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. They say it amplifies the frequencies the govt uses

which is ironic to say the least.

No more hats for me then..

[jberryhill]

3. Yes, it creates a resonator

It's like the body of a guitar is to sound waves.

If you want to seal something off from EM waves, you need to completely enclose it.

Instead of putting a conductor partially around their head, they need to use attenuation, not shielding.

A wet towel soaked in salt water is much better. The slight conductivity attenuates the EM waves, without setting up a reflective resonant cavity.

[Poll_Blind]

4. .

PB

[pacalo]

5. We've come a long way since 2005.

There's a new, improved version without tin foil. The attenuation properties are in the antennae...

[bvar22]

6. I KNEW it!!!

Tin Foil Hats are a Government Conspiracy!!!

[daaron]

7. I KNEW IT!!! :D nt