X-ray
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Backscatter X-ray gun will help police hunt contraband
Though "strip-search" backscatter X-ray machines were pulled from US airports for privacy reasons, the tech has found a new home in the MINI Z portable scanner. Made by American Science and Engineering (AS&E), it displays see-through images on a Windows tablet PC from low-intensity backscatter X-rays that don't penetrate deeply into organic tissue. The company said it took seven years of research to shrink the X-ray tubes enough to create a handheld device that uses only 10 watts of power (see a simulation here or the video below). Scanning an object several times will even increase the detail. Backscatter X-rays don't penetrate deep into organic tissue, so the MINI Z is (theoretically) safe for operators and bystanders -- but it's not designed to scan humans anyway. Instead, the US military plans to put it to use searching for guns, explosives, drugs and organic materials. Its portable nature also makes it ideal for scanning vehicles, drug labs and hand baggage, to name a few scenarios -- so don't be surprised to see it at a customs checkpoint or concert near you. [Image credit: AS&E]
Scientists use lasers to understand how water stays liquid below its freezing point
We only remember a few things from science 101, but we're reasonably certain that water boils at 212 degrees (Fahrenheit) and freezes at 32. Scientists at Stanford's SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, armed with a Linac Coherent Light Source X-Ray Laser, however, have shown us otherwise. Should you be armed with such a device, the normal rules of physics no longer apply, and -- for the first time -- it becomes possible to observe water right down to its molecular level, even while it is supercooled as a liquid to minus 52 degrees Fahrenheit.
Kickstarter project lets you print eerie 3D x-rays for $99
If your average 3D-printed paperweight isn't morbidly realistic enough, then here's an interesting alternative. It's an object that consists of thin layers of plexiglass, each of which has been printed with regular ink before being stacked in a vacuum chamber and drenched in machine oil. It's a relatively simple process, with no actual 3D manufacture or etching involved, but it offers an unusual degree of control over color and transparency. This makes the technique perfect for biological specimens, and especially ones that benefit from some x-ray detail. A Kickstarter project is currently offering its own choice of "Looking Glass" curiosity for sale (an elephant inside a boa constrictor's belly, inspired by The Little Prince) starting at $39, or you can get your own 3D object file turned into a personalized trinket for $99, with delivery expected in November if the funding target is met. And yes, you can opt for a 3D x-ray of one of your body parts -- in fact, somebody already has -- but it probably helps if you choose a part with bones in it.
Apples and Oranges: Amazon moves into the Apple TV space
Those of us who have been waiting for an Amazon Prime channel to finally show up on their Apple TV now have an explanation as to why it never arrived. Today Amazon introduced FireTV (US $99), an Amazon set-top box that seems perfectly situated to compete with Apple TV. Amazon cited a 350% growth in their video streaming service as their basis for entering this market. With a quad-core processor, a dedicated GPU, and 2GB of onboard RAM, the new unit's specifications compare extremely favorably against both Apple's latest unit as well as Roku. Standout features include enhanced "MIMO dual-band WiFi", a slick user interface, built-in Karaoke, and voice search. The box is about the same form factor as an Apple TV, with a small but much more solid-looking remote. The unit will offer many of the same channels, or "apps" in the Amazon parlance. These include Netflix, Hulu Plus, WatchESPN, SHO Anytime, Bloomberg, and Vevo. Streaming music services including Pandora and iHeart Radio should follow soon after launch. A feature called "X-Ray" will provide additional details about what you're watching as you watch it. This extra information is delivered to your Kindle Fire HDX tablet for tight product-line integration. There's also some sort of AirPlay equivalent on offer for watching slideshows of your tablet- and cloud-based photo collections. Apple has to be taking notice of Amazon's latest move. From the Kindle to the TV, Amazon is striding boldly into an arena of consumer content that Apple first pioneered with iTunes and Apple TV. If anyone can transform content delivery from a hobby to a business, Amazon can. FireTV's easier interaction style and spoken commands (yes, I struggle with entering text on Apple TV -- especially when I have to re-enter my WiFi network password) should set a new bar for streaming set top. Apparently there's even a mic built into the remote. I found the interface screenshots to be cleaner than the somewhat confusing menu system I currently see on my Apple TV unit.They're full of bright clear images that feel like a well thought out, navigable system -- and probably a bit of a WiFi hog. So how will Apple react? Certainly that $99 price point for Apple TV has got to give or the Apple unit needs a major refresh. If Apple intends to stay in this "hobby", I would expect an interface overhaul and perhaps some Siri support to stay competitive. I also would think they'd need to open a third party SDK, the way that Amazon will with its open HTML and Android ecosystem. At launch, you'll be able to download and play Minecraft, The Walking Dead, Monsters University, the Amazon exclusive Sev Zero -- all on your TV.
Amazon intros X-Ray for TV, helps you remember those 'Game of Thrones' actors
Amazon's continuing the steady X-Ray takeover of media today by extending the feature to its TV selection. The latest implementation of the concept, which has already made its way to the company's e-book offerings, offers up similar functionality to its movie counterpart, harnessing IMDB data to offer up contextual information on actors. The feature's available as of today for "most popular TV shows" on the company's Instant Video offering (some of which are also a part of its Prime video selection). And it's a solid list, too, including: Justified, Downton Abbey, The West Wing, Sons of Anarchy, Falling Skies, American Horror Story, Grey's Anatomy, Doctor Who, The Walking Dead, Lost, Glee, Breaking Bad and Game of Thrones. More info on the feature can be found below.
Amazon Kindle 3.5 for iOS adds X-ray for extra-detailed searches
Amazon has made a big selling point of X-ray for Kindle books -- but, not surprisingly, for its own platforms first. iOS readers can reclaim some equal footing today now that a Kindle 3.5 update is bringing X-ray to their devices. The addition lets iPad and iPhone bookworms see a map of where characters, places and phrases appear in a given book, whether it's to find a favorite passage or just to keep track of intricate storylines. Very thorough literary types just need to hit the source link for the update they've likely been craving for months.
iPhone 5 chemical study shows a green Apple, leaves room for improvement
Eventually, that shiny new iPhone 5 will have to meet its untimely end, whether it's in a landfill or (preferably) a recycling company's machinery. When it does, you'll at least be glad to know that Apple has kept the toxin levels down. HealthyStuff and iFixit have dissected the extra skinny smartphone and put it in the same "low concern" category for potential harm that's normally occupied by phones wearing their green credentials on their sleeves. Lest anyone rush to tell Greenpeace about the feat, just remember that there's a difference between proficiency at excising dangerous chemicals and getting rid of them completely: HealthyStuff still found small traces of bromine, chlorine, lead and mercury in the iPhone 5's construction, which could pose risks if the handset is ever broken apart or melted for scrap. Some concern also exists that the x-ray fluorescence spectrometer doesn't reveal the full extent of any toxic materials. Whether or not these remain sore points for you, the new iPhone is at least easier on the eco-friendly conscience than most of its peers.
Amazon outs X-ray for Textbooks, 'smart glossary' for all of your learning needs
Ever wanted Amazon's X-ray for books to play nice with those school publications as well? If so, you're in the luck. The outfit announced today that X-ray for Textbooks will provide a library of terms to lend a hand with your studies alongside a similar function for movies that's powered by IMDB. Of course, the helpful tech will land with the trio of new slates that were also unveiled at the event.
Amazon announces X-Ray for Movies, a Kindle feature that uses IMDB to name the actors for you
Amazon is on a roll at its Kindle press event today, unveiling tons of new hardware, but it's also got some software tricks up its sleeve too: the company just announced X-Ray for Movies, a feature that uses the Internet Movie Database (IMDB) to name the actors for you. As you might know, Amazon already offers X-Ray for books, but this is the first time you can use the feature to get more information about films. To active X-Ray, just pause whatever you're watching and you'll see things like actor bios, a cast list and links to other titles (which you can purchase, natch). All told, not exactly a novel idea, but for Amazon, at least, it's a logical extension for X-Ray. Look for it on the new Kindle Fire HD or the smaller $159 Fire that was also announced earlier.
Diamond hones DOE X-ray laser howitzer to razor-sharp precision
The US Department of Energy's SLAC accelerator lab already has a pretty useful X-ray laser -- the Linac Coherent Light Source (LCLS). But, recent modifications to the device have scientists drooling over its new found potential. Using a thin wafer of diamond, the Stanford-run lab filtered the beam to a lone frequency, then amplified it in a process called "self-seeding." That's given the world's most powerful X-ray laser even more punch by tossing out unneeded wavelengths which were reducing its intensity. The tweaks allow scientists across many fields to finesse and image matter at the atomic level, giving them more power to study and change it. According to the lab, researchers who came to observe the experiment from other X-ray laser facilities "were grinning from ear to ear" at the possibility of integrating the tech into their own labs. The SLAC team claims they could still add 10 times more punch to the LCLS with further optimization, putting the laser in a class by itself -- X-ray-wise, anyway.
Panasonic preps SD cards that survive heat, water and X-rays, will probably outlast you
Much ado has been made of weather-resistant cameras, but it's all a moot point if the memory card dies, isn't it? Panasonic wants that level of survivability in its SDHC and SDXC cards, and its new UHS-I-level SDAB and SDUB lines are tested for the kind of abuse that could see the camera give up the ghost first. The cards can take the kinds of punishment that we often associate with rugged gear, such as temperatures from -13F to 185F, immersion in 3.3 feet of water for half an hour and the usual steep drops. It's beyond this that the resistance levels become truly exotic: the cards are also built to survive zaps of electricity, proximity to magnets and exposure to X-rays. If it all becomes too much to bear, the design will even fuse on the inside to prevent fire burning the card from within. Those who like what they see will only have to decide whether or not they want the SDAB range's 95MB/s read speeds and 80MB/s writes or are willing to settle for the SDUB line's respective 90MB/s and 45MB/s transfers. We have yet to see if or when the SD cards cross the Pacific after their September 8th launch in Japan, although we hope so -- with that kind of extra-tough design, our photos are more likely to endure than we will.
Visualized: Samsung Galaxy S III blasted with X-ray, doesn't gain superpowers
Tearing down a gadget normally presents a Catch-22 of having to destroy what you love to see how it works. As it turns out, there's a clever way around that clause: when you have access to digital mammography X-ray machines beyond the hospital, like reader Alex does, you can get a peek at a Galaxy S III's insides without having to dissect that Hyperglazed beauty layer by layer. The resulting scan stresses just how tightly packed Samsung's Android flagship is when it's all put together, but it also carries a slightly ethereal, Ghost of Smartphones Present aura, doesn't it? While we doubt that Charles Dickens would ever have imagined this kind of spirit, you can gaze upon a much larger, even more detailed version of the supernatural Samsung after the break.
Researchers capture a single atom's shadow, has implications for quantum computers
A very small atom can cast a very large shadow. Well, not literally, but figuratively. Researchers at Griffith University have managed to snap the first image of a single atom's shadow and, while the dark spot may be physically small, the implications for the field of quantum computing are huge. The team of scientists blasted a Ytterbium atom suspended in air with a laser beam. Using a Fresnel lens, they were able to snap a photograph of the dark spot left in the atom's wake as the laser passed over it. The practical applications could improve the efficiency of quantum computers, where light is often used to transfer information. Since atoms have well understood light absorption properties, predictions can be made about the depth of a shadow cast, improving communication between the individual atoms performing calculations. The research could even be applied to seemingly mundane and established fields like X-Ray imaging, by enabling us to find the proper intensity levels to produce a quality image while minimizing damage to cells. For more info, check out the current issue of Nature.
NASA's NuSTAR probe snaps first X-ray image of feeding black hole
It was Bret Easton Ellis who coined the phrase, "The better you look, the more you see," and it appears the folks down at NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab agree. In what's considered a "first," the agency's latest space-scouring probe, the Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array, has turned on its X-ray vision to capture focused images of a black hole, dubbed Cygnus X-1, feeding on a nearby giant star. By tuning into these high-energy frequencies, scientists are getting a peek into a previously unseen side of the heavens at 100 times the sensitivity and 10 times the resolution of any preceding tech. The space agency plans to use the observatory's powerful sight to suss out other known areas of mass X-ray activity like 3C273, an active quasar located two billion light years away and even explore G21.5-0.9, the fallout from a supernova within the Milky Way galaxy. NuSTAR's first tour of galactic duty will span two year's time, during which it'll attempt to record imagery from "the most energetic objects in the universe, " as well as track the existence of black holes throughout the cosmos. Impressed? Yeah, us too.
NASA's black hole-hunting NuSTAR mission launched today
The black hole-hunting telescope NASA announced last month launched from Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean today. The $165 million NuSTAR mission will spend two years scouring the universe for black holes by scanning X-ray light at higher energies than its predecessors. According to Space.com, NuSTAR will especially target high-energy regions of the universe where "matter is falling onto black holes, as well as the leftovers from dead stars after they've exploded in supernovas." Head on past the break for a video of the launch and click through to the source link for more details and images.
NASA preps black hole-hunting space telescope for launch next month
Scientists will soon have a new tool at their disposal in their search for black holes and a greater understanding of what NASA describes as "the most energetic and exotic objects in space." The space agency announced today that it has begun preparing its Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array -- otherwise known as NuSTAR -- for launch from Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean, with a liftoff planned for no earlier than June 13th. The telescope is by far the most advanced of its type to date, boasting ten times the resolution and more than 100 times the sensitivity of its predecessors, as well as a new design that relies on a complex set of 133 ultra-thin nested mirrors -- a setup NASA compares to a Russian Doll. Those interested can get a brief overview of the mission in the video after the break
UT Dallas researchers seek to imbue your smartphone with X-ray superpowers
If anybody ever told you that the future would be awesome, they were right. A new bit of research has emerged from the University of Texas at Dallas, which describes equipment that may allow people to see through walls -- and if that weren't wild enough, creators of the specialized CMOS imaging hardware believe the same technology could be integrated into our mobile phones. To pull off the feat, the scientists tapped into a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that exists between microwave and infrared known as the terahertz range. Due to privacy concerns, the equipment is being designed to operate at a distance of no more than four inches, but its creator hypothesizes that the technology will still be useful for finding studs in walls, verifying documents and detecting counterfeit currency. In other words, this brand of x-ray vision isn't exactly on par with Superman's abilities, but it's bound to work better than mail order spectacles from Newark.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: dinosaur robots, a robotic bee and X-ray origami animals
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week researchers harnessed technology to reap groundbreaking discoveries in the natural world as Inhabitat reported that a team of Russian scientists revived a 32,000-year-old Arctic plant, and a 298-million-year-old-forest was discovered beneath a coal mine in China. Meanwhile Google geared up to launch a "sea view" service that lets anyone explore the Great Barrier Reef and Makerbot launched a line of colorful 3D printed shells for hermit crabs. Scientists also harnessed advanced printing technology to create a new breed of realistic dinosaur robots and a miniature self-assembling robotic bee, and the National academy of Sciences urged a review of the risks and safety of nanomaterials.Green transportation also soared to astronomical new heights this week as a Japanese company announced plans to build a 20,000-mile-high space elevator by the year 2050. Back on earth, Toyota unveiled the first teaser shots of its upcoming FT-Bh mini hybrid vehicle, a "bricked" Tesla Roadster launched an electric vehicle debate, and we showcased the Taga -- the ultimate bike stroller combo. Green design also hit the slopes as Tenna, Switzerland took the wraps off the world's first solar wing-powered ski lift and William Hughes carved up the snow wearing a blazing bright LED snowboarding suit.In other news, eco phone design rang loud and clear this week as AT&T announced plans to place green labels on mobile devices, Shikun Sun developed a DrawBraille smartphone for the blind, and a NYC architect turned defunct phone booths into free mini libraries. We were also wowed by several eye-opening recycled designs -- a fully functional twin lens reflex LEGO camera and a series of furnishings made from decommissioned military ammunition. Last but not least, we watched a gigantic solar-powered metal flower bloom in Buenos Aires, Nike created a prosthetic running sole for amputee triathletes, and we shined a light on Takayuki Hori's beautiful X-ray origami animals.
NASA finds smallest ever black hole by its 'heartbeat' (video)
NASA's found the smallest black hole it's ever seen, thanks to the Rossi X-Ray Timing Explorer (RXTE) -- weighing around three times as much our own sun, it's near the bottom weight limit for the super-heavy phenomena. It was discovered by its unique "heartbeat", an X-Ray emission that takes place when gas sucked from a nearby star is swirled around the event horizon until friction causes it to super-heat. The disc then repeats the process every 40 seconds and when examined, looks just like the readout on an ECG machine. After the break we've got a video that talks you through it all and we won't mind if you start booming "Space... the final frontier..." halfway through -- we did too.
Avatar special edition takes another dip on iTunes Tuesday, brings exclusive extras
If you've made the switch to watching movies delivered via the internet instead of disc, one of the things that you'll usually give up is interactive special features, but Fox is turning that trend around with its latest repackaging of Avatar. The iTunes Extras Special Edition of the movie goes on sale Tuesday and includes "Green Screen X-Ray" features letting viewers deconstruct the extensive special effects during 17 scenes as they watch, as well as an original screenplay from director James Cameron, his scriptment, and a gallery of 1,700 images. You can get an idea of how the X-ray feature works from the images here and a trailer (included after the break), but at $20 for an HD copy, we figure it will be just the most dedicated fans taking a trip back to Pandora before the 3D Blu-ray is freed from exclusivity next year.
