University of Michigan engineering researchers have developed infrared technology that doesn’t need bulky cooling equipment to work.
“We can make the entire design super-thin,” said Zhaohui Zhong, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering. “It can be stacked on a contact lens or integrated with a cell phone.”
Infrared light starts at wavelengths just longer than those of visible red light and stretches to wavelengths up to a millimeter long. Infrared vision may be best known for spotting people and animals in the dark and heat leaks in houses, but it can also help doctors monitor blood flow, identify chemicals in the environment and allow art historians to see Paul Gauguin’s sketches under layers of paint.
Unlike the visible spectrum, which conventional cameras capture with a single chip, infrared imaging requires a combination of technologies to see near-, mid- and far-infrared radiation all at once. Still more challenging, the mid-infrared and far-infrared sensors typically need to be at very cold temperatures.
Graphene, a single layer of carbon atoms, could sense the whole infrared spectrum—plus visible and ultraviolet light. But until now, it hasn’t been viable for infrared detection because it can’t capture enough light to generate a detectable electrical signal. With one-atom thickness, it only absorbs about 2.3% of the light that hits it. If the light can’t produce an electrical signal, graphene can’t be used as a sensor.
Zhu Jingxuan, a junior in the Fashion & Art Design Institute of Donghua University, loves gourmet food and travel, which inspired her to invent a curious device she calls a food printer.
It’s a combination of camera, smell extractor and printer. During a trip, when people enjoy delicious and distinctive local food, they can use the device to take pictures and collect the aroma simultaneously and then print them postcard-style. Posting the cards to family and friends enables them to share a good eating experience visually and aromatically.
“I spent several months designing it,” said the 20-year-old student majoring in industry design. “What I completed was just an idea and draft sketch. Without the help of Sony’s designers, I could not have made the model.”
Zhu’s food printer concept design won the “most-fun” award of the sixth Sony Student Design Workshop. The annual design contest was launched by international electronics company Sony Corp in 2006 and aims to erect a platform for Chinese university students to undertake industry design, inspire their creative potential and support China’s innovations and inventions industry.
Very cool: both the gadget and Sony’s efforts to engage young minds to shape the engineers of the future. We need to encourage those that are going to give us our gadgets in the future.
The Celluon Magic Cube turns any table or surface into a virtual keyboard or multi-touch mouse with its amazing laser projection and motion detection technology. The Magic Cube is smaller than a pack of cards – easy to use, and a great travel companion projection keyboard for mobile, tablet, and laptop devices. Do read the reviews on Amazon, it isn’t so much magic as a bit of cool engineering that might be a bit ahed of ready for prime time. Still if you like to try cutting edge gadgets and are willing to accept the drawbacks they sometimes have, this might be worth looking into.
Projects a virtual laser keyboard onto any table and detects keystrokes. The experience of typing on a projected keyboard is different than a standard keyboard. Projects a condensed QWERTY layout. The Magic Cube detects movement just above the surface of each projected key. Practice using included tips is recommended. Devices with automatic keystroke correction, like the iPad, iPhone, and iPod improve accuracy significantly.
Acts as a standard keyboard via Bluetooth (wireless) or USB (wired)–no drivers needed
Great companion wireless keyboard for tablets and touch phones. Small. Light. Charges via USB
Compatible with Win XP SP2+, Mac 10.4+, iOS 4.3.5+ (iPhone/iPod/iPad), etc
Mouse mode projects a standard two-finger multi-touch pad (Windows 7 only. Not iOS capable)
FaceCake Swivel lets you try on clothes at home taking advantage of Kinect technology. Very cool. Kinect continues to allow some great innovation.
The application allows you to try on multiple items, layer them and see how they look from different angles (as you move the items move with you – it is true that this is still pretty rough, but given how fast innovation moves this part will likely improve quickly). You can also send an image to friends to have them weigh in on your potential purchase.
I haven’t been following that closely but my vague recollection is Kinect backed off attempting to prohibit innovation that integrated connect into other products. That was a very smart move, I believe.