World’s first wireless molecular network uses rubbing alcohol to send text messages

Researchers in the UK and Canada have succeeded in creating the world’s first text message via a molecular communication. The messages are encoded in molecules of alcohol, which are then wafted across the room to a receiver, which sniffs the molecules out of the air and decodes the message. Molecular networks are an area of interest for applications and environments where the usual method of wireless communication — electromagnetic radiation — can’t be used, such as underwater, underground, in oil pipelines, or inside your body.
The molecular communication setup, created by the University of Warwick in the UK and York University in Canada, is surprisingly simple. There’s a commercial electrical sprayer (DuroBlast) that transmits the signal, and on the other side of the room there three alcohol sensors (MQ303, MQ-3, MR513) attached to an Arduino microcontroller that receive the signal. The transmitted message is encoded by another Arduino, which is connected to a custom switch that’s wired up to the electrical sprayer. Each letter of the message is encoded as binary, which is then translated into sprays. There is a fan behind the sprayer to help the molecular signal across the room.