In the world of product engineering and quality assurance, true testing goes far beyond checklists and datasheets. It’s about simulating real-world use—sometimes in ways no textbook or standard could fully capture. At Envitest Lab, this philosophy shapes how we approach every project, every test setup, and every problem statement.
The Potato-Powered Wi-Fi Test
Around 2012, Boeing engineers faced a challenge: How do you ensure strong and consistent in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity throughout a passenger aircraft?
Theoretically, the placement of antennas and routers could be optimized with models, but wireless signals behave differently depending on how they interact with people in a confined space. Testing with real humans, however, was impractical—no one could be expected to sit motionless in airplane seats for days on end just for data collection.
Their ingenious solution? Fill the plane with potatoes.
Potatoes, as it turns out, absorb and reflect radio frequency signals very similarly to the human body due to their water content and chemical properties. By placing thousands of pounds of potatoes in seats across the cabin, engineers could accurately simulate a full load of passengers and map Wi-Fi signal strength throughout the aircraft.
What sounds like a bizarre experiment actually turned out to be a pivotal moment of practical innovation—one that ensured better connectivity for millions of travelers in the years that followed.
The Envitest Approach: Creative, Contextual, and Customer-Focused
At Envitest Lab, we don’t use potatoes—but we do use the same spirit of creative problem-solving. Every product we test is destined for real-world deployment—where the environment won’t wait for ideal lab conditions.
Whether it’s:
- A defence-grade power supply facing rapid altitude changes and shock loads
- A vehicle-mounted control box undergoing vibration fatigue due to rough terrains
- A high-voltage battery exposed to extreme heat, cold, dust, and water ingress
We understand that a product’s real-world success depends on more than just passing a standard. It must survive and perform in the wild, just like it would once installed.
To get there, we frequently custom-build test setups, design specific fixtures, and simulate complex deployment conditions. In some cases, we replicate mounting orientations exactly as per the end-use. In others, we simulate a mix of stress factors—thermal cycling + vibration + electrical load—to truly understand system durability.
Like Boeing, we believe that effective testing doesn’t just validate a design—it enables it.
Going Beyond the “Minimum”
Standards like MIL-STD-810, DO-160, IEC, and IS provide essential frameworks. But Envitest doesn’t stop there. Our lab is driven by the context of use, and we are always ready to stretch our imagination, tools, and technical capabilities to ensure products aren’t just compliant—they’re ready for reality.
Our team works closely with R&D and QA leaders across industries to understand:
- How the product is used
- Where the failures happen in the field
- What environment it will face over its life
We use this understanding to tailor test plans, provide detailed insights, and support customers in building more robust and reliable products.
From Potatoes to Performance: The Future of Testing is Intelligent
The potato story may have brought a smile, but it also leaves a powerful lesson: testing should mirror reality, even if it means getting creative.
At Envitest, we take pride in bringing this kind of applied intelligence to testing—because we know that real users, not lab environments, define whether a product truly succeeds.
So the next time you wonder what it takes to ensure your product performs in the field, remember: testing isn’t about ticking boxes—it’s about understanding the box, flipping it, shaking it, freezing it, and making sure it still works when it lands.
Envitest Lab – Engineering Confidence. One Test at a Time.
Inspired by the unconventional. Driven by real-world reliability.