Boeing engineers took an unexpected route to refine in-flight Wi-Fi, all thanks to an unlikely hero: The potato. Back in 2012, Boeing was on a quest to enhance the reliability of in-air wireless connectivity, a rapidly growing demand due to the increasing use of electronic devices at cruising altitudes. Their innovative solution was both amusing and effective, involving thousands of spuds sitting where passengers normally would.
Poor Wi-Fi on flights was a common gripe, with signals often weak or patchy, frustrating the many travellers who enjoy staying connected even at 35,000 feet. Traditional testing required full planes, but it was impractical to have people sit still for extended periods while engineers gathered the necessary data. The breakthrough came when Boeing engineers learned from a peculiar source: an article in the Journal of Food Science. This article discussed the dielectric properties of fruits and vegetables and introduced the idea that potatoes might reflect and absorb radio waves similarly to humans.
Seeing an opportunity, Boeing’s team, led by engineer Adam Tischler, decided to test this theory. Potatoes, due to their water content and chemical makeup, proved to be perfect stand-ins for human bodies. Despite initial skepticism, the team purchased 20,000 pounds of potatoes and placed them in a decommissioned aircraft’s cabin to mimic seated passengers.
The resulting project was humourously dubbed “Synthetic Personnel Using Dialectic Substitution,” or, fittingly, SPUDS. Researchers realised that taco-testing could yield data on wireless signal strength across the aircraft without real passengers. The engineers incorporated complex statistical analyses to fine-tune Wi-Fi systems, ensuring strong and reliable signals throughout the cabin. This system not only improved Wi-Fi for passengers but also guaranteed that these signals wouldn’t interfere with the plane’s critical navigation and communication systems.
Dennis Lewis, a Boeing engineer, noted in a video that understanding the peak signals was crucial, especially when considering the combined effect of 150 or even 350 electronic devices on board. The SPUDS project’s success led to immediate improvements in onboard wireless systems. Enhanced Wi-Fi is available on several Boeing aircraft models like the 777, 747-8, and 787 Dreamliner, now enjoyed by passengers of major airlines.
So next time you find yourself connected to Wi-Fi at 35,000 feet, you might just give a nod of appreciation to the humble potato and the ingenious minds at Boeing who dared to think outside the box… or in this case, outside the spud sack!
