Researchers from the York University, Toronto and their UK-based counterparts, who texted the message 'O Canada' using evaporated vodka, say their simple system can be used where conventional wireless technology fails.
"Chemical signals can offer a more efficient way of transmitting data inside tunnels, pipelines or deep underground structures," said Professor Andrew Eckford, in whose lab the experiment was conducted.
The chemical signal, using the alcohol found in vodka in this case, was sent four metres across the lab with the aid of a tabletop fan.
It was then demodulated by a receiver which measured the rate of change in concentration of the alcohol molecules, picking up whether the concentration was increasing or decreasing.
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Though use of chemical signals is a new method in human communication technology, the bio-compatible method is very common in the animal kingdom.
Bees for example use chemicals in pheromones when there is a threat to the hive, and so do the Canadian lnyx, when marking territories.
Researchers say their system also fills a major gap in the molecular communication literature, by providing an inexpensive platform for testing theoretical models.
"Our system shows that reliable communication is possible and our work motivates future studies on more realistic modelling, analysis, and design of theoretical models and algorithms for molecular communication systems," said Engineering Professor Weisi Guo at the University of Warwick, UK, who initiated the research.
"They can also be used to communicate on the nanoscale, for example in medicine where recent advances mean it's possible to embed sensors into the organs of the body or create miniature robots to carry out a specific task such as targeting drugs to cancer cells," he added.