Movie theaters, restaurants
and other establishments that don't want their clientele to use cellphones may soon have a new weapon: a
nanotechnology-derived paint that can block cellphone signals. The paint, from a company called Natural Nano, uses
copper particles, combined with a hardware blocking device, to block cellphone transmissions, while allowing other
frequencies, including those used for emergency broadcasts, to get through. That distinction may allow the paint system
to be sold legally in the US, though that means we'll just have to carry a small vial of paint stripper with us every
time we go out to the movies.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Joe Smith @ Mar 1st 2006 6:02PM
I like the direction people are going with nanotechnology. Just think: one day they're gonna have nanopaint that blocks radiation from anything! Such as Atomic Bomb Radiation.
Xultar @ Mar 1st 2006 6:55PM
Well they also need a paint to block out loud people who don't know how to STFU.
Christine Blanskvard @ Mar 1st 2006 8:10PM
Wow, Nano's huh? Did anyone read Micheal Chritons book called "Prey?" Kinda scared of Nano's after reading that, but I know they are doing remarkable things for surgery and such.
Matt @ Mar 1st 2006 8:22PM
that's horrible.. if i'm at a movie, and someone calls me (on my silenced phone) with an emergency, i'm screwed..
wait. i never go to movie theaters anyway, at least none that would do this crap.
Dave @ Mar 1st 2006 8:58PM
Well I hope theater managers are ready for a trip to the county lock-up at some point. If they block first responders and LEO's like myself from receiving a call in, they might walk away with a brand new pair of shiny bracelets.
Oh well, who goes to the theater anyways? Waste of money.
Joseph Ledbetter @ Mar 1st 2006 9:50PM
Right. Just wait til' some INSANE person blocks all the exits with SMGs and NO ONE has the ability to call for help via a cell phone. THAT'S REALLY SMART! Not only is it extremely unsafe to block off the ability to call in case of an emergency, but it's extremely rude to block off the service of one's phone when they arna't the one's paying for it. Of course, no one should be using their cell phones in the movies, but it's just too dangerous and asking for a lawsuit to implement this into a theater.
Let me get ahold of some of it, and duplicate something from Saw and Saw II. Now tell me there are more advantages than disadvantages and I'll reconsider.
Deluxe @ Mar 1st 2006 11:26PM
You are aware there was a time when people didnt have cellphones, and went to movies right?
They should have shut them down because they had no way of contacting the outside world should someone have come in a blocked all the exists and tried to kill them?
And what if you were in a car without a cellphone and you got car-jacked? They should ban people without cellphoenes from driving. That's almost as dumb as what you just said. *almost*.
lpret @ Mar 1st 2006 11:57PM
What about doctors? Seriously, would doctors that are on-call not be able to go to the movie theatre?
Or IT staff? Or anyone who needs to be able to be contacted?
I'd bet this doesn't roll out as well as everyone thinks it will.
Oscar @ Mar 2nd 2006 3:27AM
Why they dont ask politely to turn off the phones?
teo @ Mar 2nd 2006 9:30AM
Emergency frequencies -- yes, 911 cell phone calls -- no. Sounds like grounds for an ACLU lawsuit. About everything else is now-a-days.
Mark S. @ Mar 2nd 2006 10:33AM
While I agree it's grounds for a lawsuit, how would you know if a place is using this paint? It's not like the restaurant or theater would have a sign up saying, "This wall slathered with Natural Nano!" The most likely situation is that everyone's cell would lose its bars and they would not know why. Oh well, it was only a matter of time.
glacia00 @ Mar 2nd 2006 11:52AM
If it weren't a problem then the solution wouldn't exist. In other words if people weren't idiots you wouldn't need to block cell phones. A better solution would be an age limit for cell phones. Back when I still went to theaters it was inevitably teenagers who couldn't manage to act like humans.
If a business uses it they obviously will view it as a positive selling point. Why go to the expense without saying "Look what we did for you." There's little doubt that any business using the paint will have a sign telling you that signals are blocked and by Assumption of Risk the chance of a lawsuit is minimal.
glacia00 @ Mar 2nd 2006 12:30PM
Follow Up...
To address the machine gun blocked theater door scenario. (When was the last time this happened by the way?)
1. I doubt the paint would be used anywhere except the actual seating area. It simply wouldn't be necessary to have it other places.
2. If you're being shot at it's hard to call. If you have a gun pointed at you it's unlikely the gun toting lunatic will let you have a moment to turn your phone back on and make the call to 911.
3. It's probably better if theater staff make the call anyway. There are probably a hundred landlines in most theaters and most staff probably have cell phones and they're not often in the seating area.
4. Cellphone 911 calls are a gamble to begin with since they're just as likely to be routed to the wrong place anyway. 50 frantic calls to a half dozen different 911 call centers probably isn't helpful.
PetRiLJoe @ Jun 8th 2007 3:41AM
You are SO dumb glacia00. Why should ANYONE have to risk their lives by PRETENDIGN that there MIGHT be someone out there other than the people in the theatre room you are in to call 911 for you? It's oto much of a risk. You're saying 50 " frantic phone calls " would stop them form simply sending help? It's what they are THERE for!! They have the manpower to do it. THEY ALL KEEP IN TOUCH. It's not that hard.
I for one am not giving my life to someone else. Just because I saw someone else dialing 911, doesn't maen everyone else shouldn't either. What if that persons cell phone doesn't have a good signal? Battery life? Then you've just wasted precious time depending on someone else.
-Joseph L