Waveproof

Definitions — Cognitive Activity and Physiological Signatures

Telemetry refers to the remote sensing and transmission of data from a target to an observer, traditionally used in fields such as aerospace and medical monitoring. In the emerging context of cognitive telemetry, the concept extends to the detection of subtle physiological and behavioral signals—such as micro-movements, body rhythms, or bioelectromagnetic variations—that can indirectly reveal patterns of human thoughts or intent. Using advanced radio frequency (RF) and radar systems, telemetry operates by emitting high-frequency pulses (for example, in the 80–100 GHz range) that reflect off the human body. These reflections are modulated by biological and environmental factors and then demodulated by receiver systems capable of interpreting the micro-variations in the returned signal. Artificial intelligence and signal analysis algorithms can then convert these data streams into meaningful representations—such as movement, respiration, or, in speculative research, cognitive or emotional states.

Issue — Why Cognitive Activity Has Become a Target for Telemetry

Cognitive activity has become a compelling target for telemetry because it offers access to intimate, pre-verbal signals that reveal aspects of human thought and emotion once considered private. The rapid expansion of AI-driven sensing and analytics has created powerful incentives across both public and private domains. The ability to remotely infer attention, intent, or emotional state has potential applications in surveillance, behavioral analytics, finance, and intellectual property monitoring. As radar and wireless technologies advance, the boundary between legitimate measurement and intrusive observation becomes increasingly blurred. What was once inaccessible—signals linked to human cognition—is now a valuable and exploitable data source, raising urgent ethical and regulatory questions about consent and autonomy.

Approach — Waveproof’s Mission and Research Approach

Understanding how radar and backscatter systems detect involuntary physiological cues is essential to building defenses for cognitive privacy. Waveproof’s research develops experimental methods to measure and quantify how GHz-range radar interacts with biological micro-signals. This work will establish scientific baselines and safety standards ensuring that emerging sensing technologies cannot be used to infer or manipulate internal cognitive processes without consent. By defining measurable indicators of risk and developing practical shielding and detection tools, Waveproof aims to protect the privacy of human thoughts and promote ethical boundaries for next-generation telemetry research.

Impact — Why We Are Doing This

This project establishes the first empirical foundation for understanding and mitigating potential cognitive telemetry phenomena through direct experimentation and transparent documentation. By developing measurable defenses and an operational detection system, we moves the discussion of thought-privacy risks from speculation to data-driven analysis. The results of this initial phase—quantitative measurements, reproducible methods, and open technical findings—will provide a scientific baseline for future study of high-frequency sensing and its implications for human autonomy and privacy. The work directly supports high-impact research and development that illuminate technology’s societal and ethical dimensions before they become entrenched in policy or commercial practice. Waveproof’s commitment to open science, transparent methodologies, and ethical AI governance ensures that its findings can inform broader academic, technical, and policy communities. In the long term, this research will help define standards for cognitive privacy protection and foster cross-disciplinary dialogue about how emerging sensing technologies should be governed to uphold individual rights and scientific integrity.

Research & News

AI Powered Radar Remotely Detects Cell Phone Calls (Penn State, 2025)

A recent report from researchers at Penn State University reveals that conversations can now be remotely detected and reconstructed from cellphone vibrations using advanced AI-powered radar systems at distances of up to 10 feet (Lucas, 2025). The surveillance using telemetry technologies is no longer hypothetical—it’s real, advancing fast, and becoming commercially accessible for only a few thousand dollars. As barriers to ownership collapse, the risks multiply. Predators, authoritarian regimes, or opportunistic actors can gain access to thought-inference capabilities, endangering constitutional rights, cybersecurity, and even democratic discourse. Yet while ownership of such technology is becoming cheaper, detection and protection remain expensive and out of reach for most citizens—especially in the absence of legislative frameworks or affordable countermeasures.

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