Researchers from York University have sent a text message using vodka.
No, that statement was not written by someone drinking vodka. It’s not even a cute reference for drunk texting. We literally mean that a text message has been sent via vodka.
Here’s the skinny.
According to published reports Friday, the aforementioned researchers succeeded in their task by sending a “chemical signal” four meters across the lab with the aid of a tabletop fan.
Using a method also known as molecular communication, the programmable experiment uses chemical signalling from the evaporated alcohol found in vodka. The message is demodulated by a receiver that measures the rate of change in concentration of the alcohol molecules, picking up whether the signal strength increases or decreases.
“We believe we have sent the world’s first text message to be transmitted entirely with molecular communication, controlling concentration levels of the alcohol molecules to encode the alphabet, with single spray representing bits and no spray representing the bit zero,” explains nariman farsad, one of the experiment’s designers.
Hard to believe? Check out the full study report here.
