The Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Georgia Tech have developed the Terahertz imaging system, which enables users to read books without opening them. The prototype of the system was able to correctly identify the letters on a stack consisting of several sheets with one letter printed on it.

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The prototype employs terahertz radiation. According to IBTimes, terahertz radiations offer better performance than X-rays as these radiations can differentiate between paper and ink. The new set up also provides better depth resolution than ultrasound. The system can detect 20-micron deep air pockets between the pages to help in differentiating between the pages of a book.

Researchers are now refining the system to improve its accuracy. The system currently can read texts on the top nine pages o  book. Efforts are being made to increase the reach of the radiations. According to TechCrunch, the system works on the principle that paper and ink bend and reflect radiations in different manners.     

The Metropolitan Museum in New York is reportedly interested in using the technology to allow people peek into antique books, which are too fragile to be touched. The system can also be used for analyzing materials stacked in thin layers.

The MIT researchers developed the algorithm for acquiring images from individual sheets while Georgia Technology researchers contributed the algorithm for interpreting incomplete or distorted images. The researchers pointed out that the system was able to get through a lot of Captcha-based security measures on several websites.