Understanding Camera Optics & Smartphone Camera Trends, A Presentation by Brian Klug
March 26th, 2013
Understanding Camera Optics & Smartphone Camera Trends, A Presentation by Brian Klug:
Recently I was asked to give a presentation about smartphone imaging and optics at a small industry event, and given my background I was more than willing to comply.
Everything you ever wanted to know… about cameras.
Tiny, Hackable Quadcopter Drone
March 24th, 2013
Tiny, Hackable Quadcopter Drone Launches Pre-Orders:
A tiny new open source drone kit made by Bitcraze is buzzing its way to market this spring, targeted at hackers and modders who want to explore droning indoors as well as out.
The trio used only open source material for the project, from mechanics to hardware and code. Not only was it a nod to the open source mantra, it saved them a ton of time; all three have day jobs and have spent the last three years working evenings on the Crazyflie Nano.
“We used what is common knowledge from other open source projects, so we kind of used the same building blocks that have been tested by us and by other open source projects,” says Eliasson.
Though it looks like barely more than four propellers, a battery, and a control board, the team packed multiple sensors and an antenna onto the tiny frame, in an effort to give developers and hackers more to play with.
I’d love to have one of these, but was too late for pre-orders on Seeed Studio.
Immersive 3D Holoscopic Video System
March 15th, 2013
Immersive 3D Holoscopic Video System:
Although researchers have proposed several autostereoscopic displays, the resolution and viewing position is still limited. Furthermore, stereo and multiview technologies rely on the brain to fuse the two disparate images to create the 3D effect. As a result, such systems tend to cause eye strain, fatigue, and headaches after prolonged viewing because users are required to focus on the screen plane (accommodation) but to converge their eyes to a point in space in a different plane (convergence), producing unnatural viewing. Recent advances in digital technology have eliminated some of these human factors, but some intrinsic eye fatigue will always exist with stereoscopic 3D technology.
These facts have motivated researchers to seek alternative means for capturing true 3D content, most notably holography and holoscopic imaging.
Next up: holo TV. That’s totally going to replace the not-so-successful-3D!
It turns out a lot of companies like building their own storage gear
February 25th, 2013
It turns out a lot of companies like building their own storage gear:
First, cloud storage startup Backblaze pioneered the concept of open source storage hardware. Then, it showed how to pack 135 terabytes into a 4U case (which Backblaze calls a “pod”) for less than $8,000.
135 Terabytes is enough for everybody, forever! SCNR 🙂
Has the transparent smartphone finally arrived?
February 19th, 2013
Has the transparent smartphone finally arrived?:
When will we see a transparent smartphone? It’s a question that’s been circulating for years, thanks to films like Minority Report and Iron Man 2, which sparked dreams of a diaphanous mobile future, and now, more than a decade later, it’s one that’s still without an answer.
I would so love to have one of these… but the article is right – it can’t have below par specs, a transparency alone is not enough.
TOUCH TIME: Digital Watch with Touch Screen
August 7th, 2012
I bought this one: TOUCH TIME: Digital Watch with Touch Screen by Donald Brewer.
Next generation digital watch with a touch screen, Smartphone-like watch apps, “always on” display, and you never need to charge it.
