It may be hard to believe, but over two centuries ago, a man by the name of Michael Faraday invented the electric motor, the first dynamo, and what would come to be known as the Faraday cage. By coating a room entirely with metal foil, Faraday could prevent electromagnetic fields outside the room from interfering with sensitive equipment inside. Conversely, signals from inside the Faraday cage could not escape. At first it was useful for scientific research, but has since expanded into other realms, most notably in recent times for data security. Today, the concept behind a Faraday cage is still used in everything from science labs to USB cables, and even prison buildings. Some folks have probably experienced the effects of a Faraday cage by trying to make a call on their cell phone in an elevator, or in a steel structured building. Wireless signals from devices are unable to get in or out.
In the digital age, Faraday’s methods of blocking signals have become increasingly important for safety and security. Nefarious individuals can use active and passive devices to read RFID or NFC chips embedded into cards, steal information from smart devices, and possibly even damage hardware. A study at the University of Maryland found
