T-ray cameras see through clothes, comets. New terahertz "T-ray" cameras will allow us to see into space and under each others' clothes.

One camera, already built by a company called QinetiQ and working in so-called millimetric waves, has demonstrated the ability to eerily peer through clothes and reveal a concealed weapon -- as well as much of a person's body. The image shows far more detail than an infrared camera, which detects heat.

Terahertz radiation is similar to but more revealing than what the QinetiQ camera detects. Scientists say T-rays are emitted by pretty much everything. They come from "the human hand, an envelope, someone with clothes on or a comet," says Geoff McBride, who works on Star Tiger, the British project. It is supported by the European Space Agency.

Link Discuss (Thanks, Jay!) [Boing Boing Blog]

T rays also see through smoke and clouds, which sould make for an interesting set of optics for artillery as well as an HMD for soldiers in the field. The T rays are similar to millimeter wave radar, only running at a much higher frequency.

Thought: Just walk through the scanner in the airport, and get checked for weapons etc that way. No more strip searches, no more metal detectors. Like out of the movie Total Recall.

12:01:16 PM    

Senator Asks Permission to Bring Laptop to Work. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - You can still find brass spittoons on the floor of the United States Senate, but don't look for personal computers -- they're not allowed in the historic chamber. By Reuters. [New York Times: Technology]

Now that is an opportunity for a wireless blog session. Get all the senators their own laptops and blogs, and let them respond /annotate information, get the thoughts of thier fellow senators, etc, all in real time. Sadly, for now, this is not possible. Given fifteen years, I think we'll see machines on the floor, as well as a secure wireless netowork.

6:06:06 AM    

Taking Blogging And Journalism One Step Further.

TV Weblogs in a War Zone? (sorry, no link available)

"...Imagine a daily weblog from a TV war correspondent, say, CNN's Christiane Amanpour, perhaps?

While darting from war zone to war zone, Amanpour could detail the close calls and the untold traumas. She could explain the behind-the-camera dynamics that never make air. And she could add her own personal thoughts and challenges of the war experience. Think of it as Amanpour unplugged.

For a very busy Amanpour, it would be nearly painless. Two to three times a day, she'd dial up her satellite phone and leave a quick voicemail message back at CNN.com in Atlanta. A producer transcribes the message and posts it online.

The weblog would be a frank, conversational dialogue, featuring behind-the-scenes multimedia of Amanpour in action and a world map that pinpoints her position. It would also include some background data on the countries involved in the conflict. Users could post their own thoughts, sparking even more discussion.

Then crank up Turner's marketing machine. After each Amanpour live shot on TV, CNN plugs the weblog. Produce a few edgy promos to run on CNN and Turner's other cable networks. Even throw a live chat or two.

It would be a hit. Huge hit.

Editorially, Amanpour could offer a unique context that transcends her TV reporting. Promotionally, the weblog audience would feel compelled to watch Amanpour's TV reports now that they know the story behind the story. Financially, it costs next to nothing to produce and it would drive a ton of traffic." [The Lost Remote newsletter]

The only thing I would add to this interesting scenario is the use of video clips, which could be hosted on the blog itself or sent out with the RSS feed as enclosures. Immediate synergy between what shows on the air and the blog, as well as archived references.

[The Shifted Librarian]

Um, again, I sorta touched on this idea here.

5:50:05 AM