What did Boeing use in place of humans to test the effects of Wi-Fi on an airline cabin packed with passengers?

December 26, 2012 By News Staff

Answer: 20,000 pounds of potato sacks

Initially using a de-commissioned airplane, the team from Boeing Test & Evaluation laboratories conducted a series of tests on wireless signals in airplane cabins, ensuring "signal propagation met the regulatory safety standards that protect against interference with an aircraft's critical electrical systems," according to a press release.

The team determined that potatoes were ideal stand-ins for passengers, given their similar physical interactions with electronic signal properties. Much of the testing was conducted on the grounded airplane with the seats filled with 20,000 pounds of potato sacks. The test data was then validated on the ground with human stand-ins for passengers.

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