Don't Scan Me Bro, the Unintenden Consequences Edition

While this is not related directly to the content of this particular blog, I did make a rather interesting and humorous observation today.

Today I flew out of SFO (San Fransisco International Airport) to return home to the east coast. As part of the TSA screening procedures and protocol, there are millimeter-wave scanning devices installed at the screening gates. For the five of you who don't know what these are, they are basically the baby brother of the real time xray scanners from Total Recall...

Ok, hyperbole aside, the observation came after I had opted out of being radiated and was collecting my personal belongings, post TSA approved groping.

As I watched the other passengers who had gone through the device and were collecting their belongings I noticed something. I was relatively alone and segregated from the rest of the "mob" and had my own time and space to put myself back together, which was actually very nice. Instead of elbowing and jostling with other passengers for space and belongings, I actually saved time and significantly less stress by opting-out of the millimetere wave scan.

Of course this would all change if everyone else were to opt-out...


Millimeter Wave Scanner

Simply Amazing

My second post today, but this is too good in my mind to not pass on. The tech being demonstrated is Holographic display using Hogel techniques to generate a lightfield for true volumetric viewing of a static scene.

In short, the technique allows complete 6DOF viewing of complex geometric shapes or datasets, with the exception of extreme glancing angles; from my viewing, any angle less than 40 degrees off ground plane, no image is visible.

This video is from my cell phone, so I apologize for the quality, the in person viewing is spectacular however.

Special thanks go out to Pat Parker and Zebra Imaging for humoring my request to take some video of their technology.



Zebra Imaging

So I was enjoying my morning coffee and perusing my usual  "nerd" news sites and ran across this wonderful item...


Android IDE
Other than the rather unfortunate name, it appears to be a great tool for those times that you have the code bug and no access to a desktop/laptop.
I currently have it installed on my Nexus One and planning on installing it on my Nook Color.

I will post my thoughts on this IDE after I have had a chance to give it a good review, the upcoming flight back to the East Coast will be a good opportunity.