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Laser fire extinguisher simulator threatens arsonist's livelihoods
Look, we know how hard it can be to put out a fire with your typical, under -the-sink extinguisher. Sure, the flames are brightly colored and searingly hot, but it can be difficult to know where to aim that thing sometimes. Enter the BullsEye Fire Extinguisher Training System, which combines a laser-equipped, mock extinguisher, and a digital, on-screen "fire" display. Thanks to the BullsEye technology, you and your family and / or friends can learn to put out fires from the safety and comfort of your home or office, without actually have to burn down your safe, comfortable home or office.
ARANZ Medical works up handheld wound monitor
While the sheer thought of gauging the depth of a flesh wound may make some folks queasy, ARANZ Medical is making the entire process a whole lot easier for nurses and patients alike. Thanks to the Silhouette Mobile, medical personnel are now able to receive data about a wound's width and depth without using any sort of physical probe, as the $6,000 handheld is able to extract the aforementioned information via lasers. Additionally, the measurements can be stored and charted, which enables a patient and his / her caregivers to easily track the progress of an injury. Interestingly enough, the Silhouette camera was previously used to "help digitize and animate Gollum from The Lord of the Rings, which easily makes this one of the most bizarre industry leaps that our feeble minds can recall.[Via MedGadget]Read - Film technology applied to woundsRead - Video of the Silhouette Mobile in action
Ultimately disappointing laser gun shell
Considering that most light gun games for the Wii already have some sort of on-screen crosshair to indicate where your remote is pointed, there aren't many reasons why you'd want to buy this laser-sight-equipped pistol shell. Sure, you could scare the bejeezus out of the federal agents inconspicuously parked across the street, or maybe act out that scene from the "Dre Day" music video, but after a few minutes of tomfoolery, you'll start to feel a bit foolish about your purchase. In addition to forking over $8.39 to order the item, you'll also have to pay for shipping, handling, and the two AAA batteries needed to power the red beam.The Wii logo on the packaging's bottom-left corner is fantastic, even more ridiculous than the Wü branding we've seen on other China-manufactured accessories. The customer reviews on Superufo's product page are likewise hilarious: "Good! And worth buying it! I have bought one more than two years and it still work well, I am very glad with this." Two years? Not bloody likely![Via DCEmu]
SMS-activated laser hack blinds security cameras
We'll be straight with you: under no circumstances should you give this villainous "hack" a go outside of one serious round of perfectly legal Capture The Flag. That said, a Hollywood-inspired individual figured that he'd rig up the next great security camera deactivation scheme for the 007 writers the world over to take note of, and if you've got a scope, a laser, a spare cellphone (and quick thumbs for SMS-ing), and a bit of wiring knowledge, you too can piece together a dubious hack that you'll likely never utilize. 'Course, if even this seems daedal to you, there's always the tried and true MacGyver method.[Via Hack A Day]
DVD laser retrofitted into Mini Mag flashlight
If you've ever been memorized by the eerie glow of a laser diode (that would be everybody, no?), and don't mind hacking up a spare DVD drive in order to craft your own laser-based flashlight, this here project is all you. By extracting the laser diode from an unused DVD optical drive and obtaining an AixiZ Laser Module, a Mini Mag, and an assortment of fairly common tools, the laser that formerly read your flicks can now light your way. Of course, you should realize that beaming any living thing in the eyes with such a device is unsafe (and frankly, downright unkind), but feel free to hit the read link below, check the vid after the jump, and get to work if your trusty flashlight just isn't brightening your day nights the way it used to.
Intel's silicon laser modulator breaks 40Gbps speed barrier
Intel announced today that it has fabricated the first silicon laser modulator to encode optical data at 40Gbps, making it 40 times faster than some of the most sophisticated data networks. The company has been working on silicon-based modulators -- key elements in using lasers as a means of fiber optic data transfer -- for years, creating a 1Gbps version in 2004, and then a 10Gbps iteration in 2006. Intel currently spends thousands producing the modulators now, but it hopes to drive down costs in the near future, allowing for integrated silicon photonic circuits to be built featuring upwards of 25 individual 40Gbps modules, enabling transmissions of terabits of data in seconds. So what does all this scientific doublespeak mean for the hard working computer users of the world? Well let's just say that "stuff" is going to be getting "fast" sooner than you think.[Via WSJ]
Boeing developing truck-mounted laser cannons for US Army
Boeing is certainly no stranger to lasers of various sorts, and it's now extending its expertise to the US Army, recently snagging a $7 million contract to begin developing a truck-mounted laser weapon system. From the sound of it, the system appears to be not unlike a mobile version of the still-in-development Skyguard laser defense system, with it designed to shoot down rockets, artillery shells and mortar rounds. According to Boeing, the laser cannon would be mounted on a Heavy Expanded Mobility Tactical Truck (not exactly as pictured above) and, if the Army approves, could end up costing a cool $50 million for a "significant component" of the system to be built and tested. [Via Slashdot]
Motorola signs on with Microvision's PicoP laser projection
After months of eyelash batting and heavy petting, Microvision and Motorola have officially exchanged vows. In a deal inked yesterday, Motorola has agreed to help Microvision bring their PicoP laser projection technology to market. Not a surprise really what with Microvision's penchant for using Moto handsets in their marketing collateral. Unfortunately, the agreement looks to amount to the production of a functional prototype only for the time being. While the prospect of an 854 x 480 resolution projection is certainly titillating, we doubt our gadget vanity can withstand the extra chub and battery drain the tech would introduce on our slim, sexy handsets. Then again, the geek cred gained could offset the lack of swank. No worries, we've got several months (if not a couple of years) to grow up before product is ready for consumers. [Via Pocket-lint]
Atmel intros 'industry's smallest' laser diode driver for HD DVD / Blu-ray
Atmel, the same firm known for cranking out uber-small GPS chips, has now created the "industry's smallest laser diode driver solution" for HD DVD, Blu-ray, DVD, and CD formats. The ATR0881 laser diode driver IC is available now and is designed for use in combination drives that play nice with all of the aforementioned discs. Notably, the ATR0881 itself is housed in a minuscule four- x four-millimeter QFN24 package, and should prove extremely useful in half-height combo drives as well as slim drives found in laptops. Smaller optical drives that handle every format harmoniously? Count us in.
Laser etching the iPhone
It takes a braver man than I to put a brand new iPhone directly in the beam of a powerful laser (Do you expect me to talk? No, Mr. iPhone, I expect you to die-cut), but that's exactly what the Make blog did. They etched some old school flying toasters right there on the back, and they ended up coming out pretty well.There are apparently a couple different engraving houses that can get this done, but according to Engadget, their buddy Phil Torrone (who did this cut) is more than happy to do it for you. So if you're in New York and want to put your iPhone under the lasery knife, give him a call.
Australian physicists develop teleportation scheme for atoms
Although the idea of teleporting individuals from one place to another in order to sidestep the headache of rush hour traffic has been around for quite some time, a team of Australian physicists are busy making it work (on a smaller scale, of course). Granted, they don't fully expect their teleportation scheme to be used on humans in the near future, but there's always hope, right? Anyway, the team has developed a so-called "simple way to transport atoms," which involves bringing the atoms to almost absolute zero, beaming them with two lasers, and using fiber optics to transport them to any other place at the speed of light where they "enter a second condensate" and reconstruct. We'll keep you posted on when human trialing (hopefully) begins.
100 times HDD speed possible thanks to lasers
The concept of light powered computing has surfaced again, this time thanks to a group of researchers at Radboud University Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Using laser technology that we're not even going to pretend to understand, they've figured out a way of transferring data in speeds measured in quadrillionths of a second -- a measurement so fast even our spell checker doesn't recognize it. The technology is around 100 times faster than traditional magnetic storage methods, but it still has some way to go until it can replace your hard drive: for one thing, the researchers need to figure out a way to reduce the footprint of the laser, currently at an apparently massive 5 microns width. As always, we shall wait in anticipation for any developments.[Via Slashdot]
The Jasper Keynote RF green laser pointer: Powerpoint or Astronomy, you choose
If you've been waiting around for the world's first green laser with RF Powerpoint slide-control then today's your lucky day. Sure, sissies will get by with their weak sauce red laser pointers, but any self-respecting he-C-leveler knows that green lasers -- some 50 times stronger than red -- are where the real action is. In fact, Jasper say it's so strong that it's "ideal for astronomy use." See little Billy, right there... that's the cheese I was telling ya about. Ok, ok, we know how sky pointers work, but still. $169 with USB receiving device right in the box.
Raydiance laser can vaporize matter sans heat
While the benefits of lasers that heat can't be shunned, a Petaluma-based startup has slightly different applications in mind for its ultrashort pulse lasers. Raydiance has purportedly developed a laser that "looks like an ordinary slide projector," yet can emit "burst of photons so intense that it can vaporize matter without creating heat." Its uses could span every area from removing tattoos (yes, even Zune ones) without burning the skin, killing cancer cells without affecting healthy ones, or handling any undercover task that the military may require. As it stands, FDA collaboration is said to be "in the early stages," but considering that the firm has already raised some $25 million and plans on doubling its staff to 60 folks in the not too distance future, commercialization may be but a blink away.[Via Digg, image courtesy of BusinessWeek]
ORNL's laser-based surveillance / monitoring system takes on RFID
Amazingly, the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) is actually not located in the UK, but we wouldn't doubt if the latest development to emerge from its confines somehow ends up across the pond. Nevertheless, scientists at the lab have developed a Laser-Based Item Monitoring System that "addresses surveillance requirements in places where video would be unacceptable because of the presence of proprietary information or other privacy concerns." Essentially, this optical monitoring system uses low-cost reflective tags placed on objects, and then maps the precise location of high-value items to sense tampering. The laser can purportedly detect minute changes (movements of less than a centimeter) by utilizing "a high-resolution two-axis laser scanner capable of looking at a 60-degree field of view in 0.0005-degree increments," meaning that it can divide its field of view into more than 10 billion individual pointing locations. The crew also noted that this system was generally superior to bar code and RFID alternatives as the LBIMS would not be susceptible to jamming or interception, but there's no word just yet on when the Department of Energy (or anyone else) will be putting this stuff to good use.[Via Smartmobs, photo courtesy of Primidi]
Genius Traveler 515 Laser mouse rocks touch-sensitive scroll
We can't say that Genius' latest laser mouse is apt to cause any cancellation emails to start flying over those recently ordered Obsidians, but the Traveler 515 Laser does a fair job in the specs department to make up for its vanilla looks. Similar to Saitek's critter, this pointing device boasts a touch-sensitive OptoWheel scroll area, right and left click buttons, Flip 3D and Smart IE hotkeys for Vista users, Turbo Scroll for blowing past those incredibly long patent filings, an adjustable 800 / 1,600 DPI laser, and compatibility with OS X and most Windows flavors. Additionally, this device is said to play nice with both righties and southpaws alike, and while looks may not be everything, we imagine that this one will end up priced a tad lower than its dashing competitor in order to compensate in the attractivity arena.[Via EverythingUSB]
Students bring Pong and lasers together at last
When it comes to DIY projects, there are few surer ways to impress than crafting a unique interpretation of Pong -- something that's been attempted many, many times in the past. Now, a group of students at Cornell University have devised what may just be the most impressive bit of Pong hackery to date, unveiling their so-called "Wall of Pong" for the world to see (and be jealous of). At the center of the system is a moveable laser projection platform that throws the necessary dot onto any flat surface, which the two players can then bat around using actual paddles. From the looks of it, the speed of the ball is somewhat limited by how fast the motorized projector is able to move (check it out in action by hitting the read link below), although it still seems to be capable of providing a satisfying ehough game. Best of all, the entire cost of the project was under fifty bucks, although it sadly looks to be beyond the reach of all but the most seasoned DIY-ers.[Via SlashGear]
Laser dance matrix lets you rock out right on the floor
Dragging dance pad tech out of the PowerPad age, Applied Sciences' Laser Dance Matrix eliminates all the moving parts (except yours). The "pad" features four laser diodes interfaced with the guts of a Logitech Gamepad, triggering a buttonpress when your foot breaks a beam. The designers say that gameplay is similar to any other dancepad, with the notable difference of dancing on directly on the floor, which seems like a huge improvement to us. We just hope they take the next logical step and combine this with one of those LED dance floors that keep popping up -- talk about an instant party. The unit is just a prototype for now, but Applied Sciences is gauging interest to see if they should build them -- hit the read link to demand your laser dance upgrade.[Via Hack A Day]
MIT researchers develop speedy retina scanner to diagnose ocular diseases
Although the mere mention of "retinal scanner" may get the blood boiling in privacy advocates, the latest such device out of MIT sports a much more innocent soul. Researchers at the school have reportedly developed a method to "scan the retina at record speeds of up to 236,000 lines per second, or ten-times faster than current technology." This process will allow doctors to snap "high detailed 3D images of the eye," which can be used to non-invasively spot ocular diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, glaucoma, and age-related macular degeneration much earlier and more accurately. The process itself is dubbed optical coherence tomography (OCT), and while things seem to moving along as scheduled, it will still be "five years or more" before we see this thing commercialized.[Via MedLaunches]
Autonomous, laser-guided turret takes aim
The homegrown home security options out there just keep getting sweeter and sweeter, as yet another go-getter has conjured up an autonomous turret to hold down the fort while the owners are away buying more capacitors and Fruit by the Foot. The programmable weapon relies on an 8 servo serial controller and a s666n High Torque servo motor, not to mention a good bit of programming to get things in working order. What started out as a curious ambition has now developed into quite a serious project, as the creator is hoping to "develop a weapons platform for the Defcon Bots competition," and judging by what we see here, things are lookin' up. The robotic sentry can apparently take out targets on its own or follow a simple laser to targets and fire away, but alas, what good would a made from scratch robotic piece of artillery be without a video to demonstrate? Click on through to see the firepower.
