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Could your vacuum be listening to you?

A team of researchers demonstrated that popular robotic household vacuum cleaners can be remotely hacked to record speech and music. They used signal processing and deep learning techniques to recover sound waves from the laser-based navigation system, revealing potential security risks and privacy breaches.

Dissecting colloidal glasses using laser as a lancet

Researchers at IBS Center for Soft and Living Matter use laser to study cage formation in colloidal glasses, finding non-monotonic length scale peaking at onset temperature. The findings reveal complex dynamics underlying glass transition, with implications for understanding other glassy systems.

FEFU scientists helped design a new type of ceramics for laser applications

Researchers created a new type of ceramic nanocomposite (Ho3+:Y2O3-MgO) that can be used in high-capacity lasers operating in the medium infrared range. The material has increased thermal and mechanical resistance due to its almost pore-free structure, allowing it to transmit over 75% of light in the medium IR wavelengths.

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount

Sky-Watcher EQ6-R Pro Equatorial Mount provides precise tracking capacity for deep-sky imaging rigs during long astrophotography sessions.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

Researchers demonstrate record speed with advanced spectroscopy technique

A new spectrometer uses dual-comb spectroscopy to measure spectra in mere microseconds, enabling real-time biological imaging and machine vision applications. The device can analyze gases and solids at high speeds, making it ideal for applications like explosion analysis and chemical signatures capture.

Portable system boosts laser precision, at room temperature

Physicists at MIT have designed a quantum light squeezer that reduces quantum noise in lasers by 15% at room temperature. The system uses an optical cavity with two mirrors to engineer the light exiting the cavity, allowing for more precise measurements in quantum computing and gravitational-wave detection.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

A deep-learned E-skin decodes complex human motion

A deep-learning powered single-strained electronic skin sensor captures complex five-finger motions in real-time, creating a virtual 3D hand. The sensor's rapid situation learning system ensures stable operation regardless of its position on the skin.

Laser loop couples quantum systems over a distance

Researchers have created a new tool for quantum technologies by coupling atoms with nanomechanical membranes using laser light. The technique enables strong interactions between quantum systems over longer distances, opening up possibilities for quantum networks and simulations.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

New 'refrigerator' super-cools molecules to nanokelvin temperatures

Researchers at MIT have successfully cooled sodium lithium molecules down to 200 billionths of a Kelvin using collisional cooling, enabling the potential for molecule-based quantum computing. The technique involved making the molecules and atoms spin in sync, avoiding 'bad' collisions that heated or destroyed the molecules.

Nanolaminate-based design for UV laser mirror coating

Scientists propose a new design that replaces traditional high-n materials with tunable nanolaminate layers to achieve improved performance parameters. The new coating enables larger bandwidth, higher LIDT, and smaller transmission ripples compared to traditional designs.

Biomimetic optics: Effective substitute for eyes

Researchers at the University of Tyumen developed biomimetic optics that mimic human eye functions, offering excellent adaptation to changing conditions and miniature sizes. The new optics has advantages over traditional technologies, enabling wider range of functional characteristics.

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor

Aranet4 Home CO2 Monitor tracks ventilation quality in labs, classrooms, and conference rooms with long battery life and clear e-ink readouts.

Lasers learn to accurately spot space junk

Researchers developed a system to accurately detect space debris in Earth's orbit using laser ranging telescopes and neural networks. The new algorithm significantly improves the success rate of space debris detection, allowing for safer spacecraft maneuvers.

Laser-based prototype probes cold atom dynamics

Researchers develop a new industrial laser system to study cold atom dynamics in space. By doubling the frequencies of widely used telecommunications lasers, their design enables accurate measurements of subtle variations in the Earth's gravitational field.

A milestone in ultrashort-pulse laser oscillators

Researchers at ETH Zurich have demonstrated a sub-picosecond thin-disk laser oscillator achieving an average output power of 350 W, surpassing the previous record. The breakthrough enables efficient cooling and heating control, paving the way for even more powerful lasers with potential kilowatt-level output.

New printer creates extremely realistic colorful holograms

The new CHIMERA printer produces digital 3D holograms with unprecedented detail and realistic color, created using low-cost commercial lasers and high-speed printing. The printer can produce wide-field-of-view holograms with full parallax, ideal for applications such as museum displays and architectural models.

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope

Celestron NexStar 8SE Computerized Telescope combines portable Schmidt-Cassegrain optics with GoTo pointing for outreach nights and field campaigns.

Electrochemistry to benefit photonics: Nanotubes can control laser pulses

Skoltech scientists have developed a method to control the nonlinear optical response of carbon nanotubes using electrochemical gating. This approach enables designing devices that can control the duration of laser pulses, opening up new possibilities for universal laser systems with controllable pulse duration.

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

Researchers developed a new laser-based system that uses speckle pattern analysis to detect fires in harsh environments. The system achieved an accuracy of 91 percent in tests at a waste plant in Denmark, offering a promising solution for fire detection in industrial settings.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

Laser prototype for space-based gravitational wave detector

Researchers have developed a laser prototype that nearly meets the stringent requirements for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission. The laser system features a seed laser, YDFA amplifiers, and an optical reference cavity to improve spectral purity and stability.

Using nature to produce a revolutionary optical material

Researchers have created a new material using tellurium nanorods produced by naturally occurring bacteria, which can protect electronic devices against high-intensity bursts of light. The material has the potential to revolutionize high-speed optical networking and improve internet communications.

Quality of laser beam shaping can be enhanced at no extra cost

The researchers developed a universal beam shaping technique that spatially separates residual and extracted components in the Fourier plane using a virtual diagonal phase grating. This allows for highly uniform flattop beams with improved resolution and accuracy, suppressing edge ripples to 20 μm.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Microscopy in the body

Biotechnologists and medical researchers at FAU have developed a miniaturized multi-photon microscope that can be used in endoscopes, illuminating the body's own molecules to enhance imaging. This technology offers high-resolution three-dimensional images of living tissue, supplementing or even making biopsies superfluous.

Shape shifting mirror opens a vista for the future

Researchers at Osaka University have developed a glue-free bimorph deformable mirror that can be used in vacuum chambers. The new technology uses inorganic silver nanoparticles to bond PZT actuators to a mirror substrate, allowing for precise shape modification and high-precision optics.

UCF researchers develop first sypersymmetric laser array

A team of University of Central Florida researchers has developed the first supersymmetric laser array, which overcomes a long-standing problem in laser science. The findings have promising applications in various fields, including medicine, military, industry and communications.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

Customized mix of materials for three-dimensional micro- and nanostructures

Scientists at KIT integrate a microfluidic chamber into a 3D laser lithography device to produce multi-colored, fluorescent security features from seven different materials. The system enables precise production of three-dimensional microstructured security features for applications such as banknote and document counterfeiting.

'Quiet' light

Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have successfully created a chip-scale laser that emits light with a fundamental linewidth of less than 1 Hz, quiet enough to move demanding scientific applications to the chip scale. This breakthrough uses stimulated Brillouin scattering to produce extremely quiet light and has significant implications ...

System monitors radiation damage to materials in real-time

Researchers at MIT and Sandia National Laboratories have developed a new laser-based system that can monitor radiation-induced changes continuously, providing more useful data much faster than traditional methods. This allows for detailed studies of the performance of materials in just hours, instead of months.

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

UT Austin selected for new nationwide high-intensity laser network

The University of Texas at Austin will be a key player in LaserNetUS, a new national network of institutions operating high-intensity lasers. UT Austin's Texas Petawatt Laser will collaborate with leading optical and plasma physics scientists from around the US to advance research.

New laser advances

Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have developed a 'transistor' laser that can be manipulated at the nanoscale using an external voltage. This technology could lead to more accurate medical procedures and re-routing of fiber optic communication lines.

NASA Goddard selects Michael Krainak as the IRAD Innovator of the Year

Michael Krainak, leader of NASA's Laser and Electro-Optics Branch, is recognized for his innovative approach to applying emerging technologies to agency-priority spaceflight needs. His work on optical communications, photonic integrated chips, and laser-based technologies has significant potential for breakthrough capabilities.

Researchers detect high-energy rays from powerful star system

Researchers have detected extremely high-energy gamma rays from the microquasar SS 433, which is located 18,000 light years from Earth. This discovery sheds light on astrophysical processes and may offer insights into star systems in distant galaxies.

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter

Kestrel 3000 Pocket Weather Meter measures wind, temperature, and humidity in real time for site assessments, aviation checks, and safety briefings.

ICESat-2 laser fires for first time, measures Antarctic height

ICESat-2 successfully fired its laser for the first time, sending photons to measure Antarctic height and detecting small changes in planet's ice sheets, glaciers, and sea ice. The mission will continue with procedures to optimize the instrument, aiming to start getting excellent science-quality data within a month after launch.

Russian scientists develop high-precision laser for satellite navigation

Researchers at ITMO University have developed a high-precision laser for measuring the distance between the Earth and Moon, achieving an accuracy of just a few millimeters. The new laser will be used in the GLONASS navigation system, allowing for real-time correction of satellite coordinates and improved navigation capabilities.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

Vibrations at an exceptional point

A team of international researchers has developed a lasing system that produces phonons, the energy products of oscillation, or vibration. By tuning the system to create resonance, they can trigger mechanical movement that generates an acoustic wave. This breakthrough could lead to new medical and materials science applications.

New laser makes silicon 'sing'

Researchers at Yale University have created a new type of silicon laser that uses sound waves to amplify light, enabling faster and more efficient data processing. The innovative design maximizes light amplification using a special structure developed in the Rakich lab.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Turning graphene into light nanosensors

Researchers embedded graphene in a photonic crystal to enhance its light-absorbing capabilities. By varying the external temperature, they can tune the material's optical characteristics, leading to potential applications in light sensors and ultra-fast lasers.

Attosecond physics: Molecules brilliantly illuminated

Researchers develop powerful femtosecond light source for mid-infrared spectroscopy, enabling detection of organic molecules at low concentrations. The system uses coherent light to reveal molecular fingerprints and diagnose diseases like cancer at early stages.

GoPro HERO13 Black

GoPro HERO13 Black records stabilized 5.3K video for instrument deployments, field notes, and outreach, even in harsh weather and underwater conditions.

Using a laser to wirelessly charge a smartphone safely across a room

Engineers have created a laser-based wireless charging system that can safely charge smartphones sitting across a room. The system uses power from the laser to charge the smartphone via a thin power cell mounted on the back of the phone, with safety features such as a heatsink and guard beams to prevent overheating and accidental contact.

Mind your speed: A magnetic brake on proton acceleration

Proton acceleration is hindered by magnetism, as electrons create a sheath field that accelerates protons at right-angles to the target. This effect, known as magnetic inhibition, progressively worsens at higher laser powers, reducing proton energies.

Advances in lasers get to the long and short of it

A new technique allows researchers to switch emission between long- and short-wavelength edges of photonic bandgap by applying a voltage of 20 V. This is achieved through modifying the dipole moment of cholesteric liquid crystals.