Magnetic wood panels could solve the annoying problem of mobile phones ringing in the middle of theatre and cinema performances, according to Japanese researchers.
A team from the Iwate University in northern Japan say they have successfully tested the technology, which involves magnetic nickel-zinc ferrite sandwiched between fibreboard.
Electromagnetic waves from mobile phones are blocked by the magnetic particles in the wood.
Lead researcher Dr Hideo Oka told TTJ that possible commercial products could include ceilings, furniture, partitions and folding screens.
Dr Oka said: “I believe that for furniture or building materials wood might be the best material because it has a natural and warm texture.”
Fibreboard was chosen because of its low distortion.
Dr Oka said experiments were ongoing and that it could take two or three years before a commercial product was ready.
He believes it could be much cheaper than conventional electromagentic wave absorbers made of rubber and could use recycled magnetic materials and waste wood.
