Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Metamaterials used to focus Terahertz lasers, make them useful

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/metamaterials-used-to-focus-terahertz-lasers-make-them-useful/

Forget old and busted X-rays, T-rays are the future, man! It was only recently that we were discussing Terahertz lasers and their potential to see through paper, clothes, plastic, flesh, and other materials, but that discourse had to end on the sad note that nobody had managed to make them usable in a practical and economically feasible way. The major hurdle to overcome was the diffusion of Terahertz radiation -- which results in weak, unfocused lasers -- but now researchers from the universities of Harvard and Leeds seem to believe they've managed to do it. Using metamaterials to collimate T-rays into a "tightly bound, high powered beam" will, they claim, permit semiconductor lasers (i.e. the affordable kind) to perform the duties currently set aside for sophisticated machinery costing upwards of $160,000. Harvard has already filed a patent application for this innovation, and if things pan out, we might be seeing body scanners (both for medical and security purposes), manufacturing quality checks, and a bunch of other things using the extra special THz stuff to do their work.

Metamaterials used to focus Terahertz lasers, make them useful originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 11:39:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink

! PhysOrg | source

University of Leeds | Email this | Comments

Screen Grabs: EVO 4G captures illicit in-progress surgery on The Closer

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/screen-grabs-evo-4g-captures-illicit-in-progress-surgery-on-the/

Screen Grabs chronicles the uses (and misuses) of real-world gadgets in today's movies and TV. Send in your sightings (with screen grab!) to screengrabs at engadget dt com.

The Sprint badge on our EVO 4G definitely isn't lit up in florescent yellow, but the logo on Sgt. David Gabriel's sure is. During last night's episode of The Closer, Brenda's right hand men were instructed to bust out their cellphones in order to videotape a crime in progress, with the "crime" being the removal of a rapist's heart for transplant into a young, innocent lady back at the hospital. We'll spare you the gory, sticky details, but suffice it to say this 8 megapixel shooter definitely proved valuable when it came time to show and tell. Oh, and didn't 4G just go live in the Los Angeles area? Man, talk about a timely appearance...

Gallery: HTC EVO 4G appears on The Closer

Screen Grabs: EVO 4G captures illicit in-progress surgery on The Closer originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 14:52:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Dell Streak on sale August 13 for $300 on AT&T contract, $550 without

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/dell-streak-on-sale-august-13-for-300-on-atandt-contract-550-wi/

After a brief delay in getting the ball rolling stateside, Dell's finally ready to start selling its Streak this Friday to all comers. If you go for a new two-year contract through AT&T, you'll be paying $299.99; if you value your freedom, though, you'll be looking at $549.99 out the door -- oh, and if you signed up for the pre-sale, you'll be able to place your order a day earlier on the 12th. Unfortunately, we don't have any indication that it'll be launching with anything newer than Android 1.6, so let's hope that juicy 2.1 update with 720p video capture wastes no time getting rolled out. Follow the break for the full press release.

Continue reading Dell Streak on sale August 13 for $300 on AT&T contract, $550 without

Dell Streak on sale August 13 for $300 on AT&T contract, $550 without originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:10:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices able to get just about anything online

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/buffalo-launches-trio-of-affordable-wireless-n-devices-able-to-g/

Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices to get your game console, laptop, or just about anything online

Is your wireless adapter pumping out signals using a letter designation lower than N? If so, think of all that delicious speed you're missing. Buffalo is here to give you a taste with three new Wireless-N devices, priced such that they'll fit into most budgets. First up is a fairly standard router, the WCR-GN, sporting 802.11n WiFi and four Ethernet ports in a cool white design for a mere $40. Then there's the WLAE-AG300N, a dual-port access point designed for making a pair of wired game consoles or the like wireless. That is a little more pricey, at $80, but the final product, the smallest of the bunch, brings us back down to $40. It's the WLI-UC-GNM, a USB 2.0 802.11n adapter that is barely bigger than the port it fits in, poking out just far enough for you to pull the thing back out again. All three are pictured in the gallery below, and all three should be shipping soon.

Gallery: Buffalo Wireless-N Devices

Continue reading Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices able to get just about anything online

Buffalo launches trio of affordable Wireless-N devices able to get just about anything online originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 15:56:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | | Email this | Comments

Intuitfocus HF-IF1 enables 'handsfree' follow-focus on DSLRs

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/10/intuitfocus-hf-if1-enables-handsfree-follow-focus-on-dslrs/

Given that even the professionals are swapping in DSLRs for those bulky, pricey camcorders, it's about time Intuitfocus solved a century-old problem: touching the focus ring to focus. In an effort to eliminate the focus puller from your payroll while also placing more control of a shot in the hands of a single filmmaker, the HF-IF1 handsfree, electro-mechanical follow-focus system enables DSLR focus to be altered by simply thumbing through a wheel. The rig can be used to dictate focus, zoom or aperture on all DSLRs with lenses from 14mm to 600mm, though the company does mention that not every single lens will play nice. As you'd expect, this essentially eliminates shake introduced by having to touch the focus ring, and it ships with a foursome of various rubber belt sizes for various lens diameters. It's scheduled to ship next month at an undisclosed amount, and we're desperately hoping that the company chooses Dancing Pigeons to showcase its magic. A boy can dream, right? Promo clip follows the break, should you find yourself interested.

Continue reading Intuitfocus HF-IF1 enables 'handsfree' follow-focus on DSLRs

Intuitfocus HF-IF1 enables 'handsfree' follow-focus on DSLRs originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 18:05:00 EDT. Plea! se see o ur terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | source

DP Review | Email this | Comments