Boeing uses potatoes instead of people to test wi-fi

[Gerald]

US planemaker Boeing used an unusual substitute for passengers to test its in-flight wi-fi system - potatoes.

Passenger seats on a decommissioned plane were loaded with huge sacks of the tubers for several days as signal strengths were checked.

The company's researchers say that potatoes "interact" with electronic signals in a similar way to humans.

The technique also took advantage of the fact that spuds - unlike humans - never get bored.

Boeing's engineers did a number of tests to ensure that passengers would get the strongest possible wi-fi signal while in the air, all while meeting safety standards that protect against interference with an aircraft's electrical systems.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20813441

Potatoes are good, maybe it is possible to order a potato salad instead of a drink,

Note: 21 December 2012 Last updated at 14:57 GMT