Optics – Page 6 – PossibleThreat Articles

Virtual human hand simulation holds promise for prosthetics

September 26, 2019 0 Comments Computer Modeling, Mathematical Modeling, Mathematics, Medical Technology, Optics, technology, Virtual Environment, Virtual Reality

Animating human hands has long been considered one of the most challenging problems in computer graphics. That's because it has been impossible to capture the internal movement of the hand in motion — until now. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and a technique inspired by the visual effects industry, researchers have developed the world's most realistic model of the human hand's musculoskeletal system in motion. Applications include computer graphics, prosthetics, medical education, robotics, virtual reality.

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Compute at the speed of light

September 26, 2019 0 Comments Computer Science, Computers and Internet, Energy Technology, Information Technology, Optics, Spintronics Research, technology, Telecommunications

A new way to achieve integrated photonics — a new device has been developed that could have applications in imaging, sensing and quantum information processing, such as on-chip transformation optics, mathematical operations and spectrometers.

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Laser-based system detects fires even in dusty, harsh environments

September 25, 2019 0 Comments Air Pollution, Detectors, Medical Technology, Natural Disasters, Optics, Weapons Technology, Weather, Wildfires

Researchers have developed a new laser-based system that offers an efficient and low-cost way to detect fires in challenging environments such as industrial facilities or large construction sites. With further development, the system could eventually detect fires that are more than a kilometer away.

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Machine learning finds new metamaterial designs for energy harvesting

September 25, 2019 0 Comments Chemistry, Energy Technology, Engineering, Engineering and Construction, Materials Science, Optics, Physics, Thermodynamics

Electrical engineers have harnessed the power of machine learning to design dielectric (non-metal) metamaterials that absorb and emit specific frequencies of terahertz radiation. The technique drops the time needed to simulate possible configurations from more than 2,000 years to 23 hours, which should facilitate the design of sustainable types of thermal energy harvesters and lighting.

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Mosquito eye inspires artificial compound lens

September 25, 2019 0 Comments Biochemistry Research, Biology, Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Insects (including Butterflies), Nanotechnology, Optics, Pests and Parasites

Anyone who's tried to swat a pesky mosquito knows how quickly the insects can evade a hand or fly swatter. The pests' compound eyes, which provide a wide field of view, are largely responsible for these lightning-fast actions. Now, researchers have developed compound lenses inspired by the mosquito eye that could someday find applications in autonomous vehicles, robots or medical devices.

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Light work for superconductors

September 25, 2019 0 Comments Computer Science, Distributed Computing, Electricity, Energy Technology, Optics, Physics, Spintronics Research, Virtual Reality

For the first time researchers successfully used laser pulses to excite an iron-based compound into a superconducting state. This means it conducted electricity without resistance. The iron compound is a known superconductor at ultralow temperatures, but this method enables superconduction at higher temperatures. It is hoped this kind of research could greatly improve power efficiency in electrical equipment and electronic devices.

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Secure printing with water-based invisible ink

September 25, 2019 0 Comments 3-D Printing, Chemistry, Fossil Fuels, Graphene, Materials Science, Nature of Water, Optics, Physics

Researchers have developed a rewriteable paper coating that can encrypt secret information with relatively low-tech invisible ink — water. A message printed out by a water-jet printer on a manganese-complex-coated paper is invisible to the naked eye, but the message reveals itself under 254 nm UV light. The paper can be ready for another round of printing after erasing the message by heating it with a blow dryer for 15-30 seconds. The method allows reversible secure printing for at least 30 cycles.

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Light-activated metal catalyst destroys cancer cells' vital energy source

September 24, 2019 0 Comments Cancer, Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Lung Cancer, Optics, Physics, Prostate Cancer, Skin Cancer

A space-age metal that formed part of the asteroid that destroyed the dinosaurs could provide a new method of treating cancer tumors selectively using light.

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Using light to speed up computation

September 24, 2019 0 Comments Computer Science, Computers and Internet, Distributed Computing, Electronics, Information Technology, Optics, Spintronics, technology

Researchers have developed a type of processor called PAXEL, a device that can potentially bypass Moore's Law and increase the speed and efficiency of computing. Researchers looked at using light for the data transport step in integrated circuits, since photons are not subject to Moore's Law. Instead of integrated electronic circuits, much new development now involves photonic integrated circuits. The PAXEL accelerator takes this approach and uses power-efficient nanophotonics.

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Converting absorbed photons into twice as many excitons

September 24, 2019 0 Comments Chemistry, Energy and Resources, Graphene, Inorganic Chemistry, Optics, Organic Chemistry, Physics, Solar Energy

A group of researchers found that when light was exposed to the surface of a tetracene alkanethiol-modified gold nanocluster, which they developed themselves, twice as many excitons could be converted compared to the number of photons absorbed by the tetracene molecules. These findings are expected to contribute to areas such as solar energy conversion, electronics, life sciences, and medical care in the future.