there is a way to lift fingerprints off fabric

I think that we all know that most of the technology that we see on that CSI show is more advanced than actual forensic science or, in some cases, just plain non-existent.

However, some researchers in Scotland have just discovered some new techniques that could crack a case on the next episode of CSI: Whatever city we’re in. The technique involves getting fingerprints off of clothes.

It involves vacuum metal deposition, which is already good for plastic and glass. In the case of fabric, it is put in a vacuum chamber, and heated and evaporated and spread in a fine layer over the fabric. When heated zinc is applied, it attaches to the gold layer where the fabric has no fingerprints, and leaves the treated fabric to shine out where the contact has been made.

Of course, it isn’t a perfect method of identification, but later research will make it so the print is clearly visible. As the process stands now, it works most clearly on silk and polyester.

Well, I can picture some exciting new episodes of CSI in future seasons. I wonder if it is possible to take a fingerprint from a glove that has been turned inside out. That would make certain a killer with gloves on would still get caught.

Source

Rainbow paints a rainbow in 15 seconds

Last week, I saw a documentary film entitled Exit Through the Gift Shop, and it was a film about street art. You can watch it for free at Hulu.com now.

The film opened my eyes to see that some of the graffiti isn’t there for “tagging” or going against the system, but an attempt from artists to make the streets more beautiful. Many of these great street artists, including the now legendary Banksy, bring in cardboard stencils so they can do their work faster. Also, so they won’t be apprehended by the law.

This street artist named Mudlevel has created a Robo-Rainbow, which can make a perfectly formed multicolored rainbow on a wall in 15 seconds. You can see it on a video after the jump.

The Robo-Rainbow uses a mechanical sweeping arm with spray cans. That might sound incredibly simple, but the device is quite complicated with an Arduino processor controlling an electric drill and servos to trigger the spray can nozzles. Apparently, it is harder to make a colored arc, and requires varying speeds of the swooping arm to make it work.

Well, this is definitely for any town that could use a little more rainbow-colored goodness on the walls. Personally, many cities could use decorations like this.

robo-rainbow from mudlevel on Vimeo.

DIY – From Grape Juice to Party Beverage in Just 2 Days

Okay, there’s a couple of ways I can go with this post, I can explain the finer points of the German Federweisser (or young wine) typically made and consumed in wine making regions, because it used the grapes that were not good enough to be made into fine wines, and its fermentation process was also so quick that it couldn’t travel well and needed to be consumed in a matter of days, or conversely, I could simple say, where the heck was this when I was in college?

The Do It Yourself Juice to Alcohol Kit, you need only to select a 64oz bottle of juice, then pour in a packet of the Juice to Alcohol Kit’s magic powder, lose the bottle cap in favor of the included airlock and rubber stopper (or it will explode) and store it at room temperature. The yeast will change the juice into a tasty, carbonated alcoholic beverage in around 48 hours (you can start tasting after 24). If you enjoy a dryer taste with a higher alcohol content, continue to ferment it at room temperature until it’s just the way you like it. Imagine a fine cabernet aged in oak barrels… okay, now forget about the cabernet and enjoy this light, refreshing and surprisingly delicious drink, reminiscent of a wine cooler, only it has some science and history behind it, and you made it yourself, gotta love the Germans.

Kit available from www.thinkgeek.com for about $9.99 (includes 6 packets of powder)

Please remember to drink legally and responsibly… in that order…

Source: www.spikeyourjuice.com

HEX Sport Watch Band

HEX is a name that is associated with fashionable tech accessories, and this time around the company has rolled out its latest offering for the masses – especially those who own the latest iPod nano (6th generation) as they can then slot it into the HEX Sport Watch Band.

The HEX Sport Watch Band will not only let your iPod nano function as a watch, it also doubles up as a protector and makes sure your iPod nano stays in place even during intense workouts, boasting a NIKE Plus port for added functionality.

Just like the other HEX Watch Bands that have been released, the Sport Band will come with a “Pop in, Pop out” design for easy insertion of the iPod nano. Expect this watch band to deliver full access to all iPod nano controls courtesy of its integrated control buttons. Made out of perforated premium silicone, you can be sure that this is top class material for added breathability and comfort during athletic activities.

Expect to bring home this puppy in April for $29.95 a pop.

eyeSight delivers software-based gesture recognition technology

eyeSight has just launched a software-based gesture recognition technology that intends to see action on portable computer devices, and it does make us extremely interested to see how eyeSight is going to improve upon the numerous touch gestures used on touchscreen devices that are already on the market these days via a new method.

Apparently, this technology will enable users to control applications, programs and tools on a host of devices including (but not limited to) Android tablets and Windows-based notebooks and netbooks – all through the use of simple hand gestures. Apart from that,eyeSight’s solution for Windows will ensure seamless integration to Windows applications. Hmmm, gestures with the Android platform and with Windows? That is certainly something worth looking into.

This new move by eyeSight does seem to be a step up from last year’s efforts, where eyeSight introduced the Natural User Interface for Android mobile devices. With its new hand gesture interface solution for computer-based Android and Windows platforms, expect a whole new world of possibility to open up for you.

eyeSight’s Hand Gesture Recognition Technology will rely on the current standard built in 2D camera, and good news for those who want to adopt it – you will need not fork out additional dough to purchase new hardware or an expensive 3D camera.

According to Gideon Shmuel, eyeSight’s CEO, “Users can remotely control their music and video player, browse through eBooks, manage presentations, play games, control PC apps and carry out many other tasks without touching the keyboard or touchscreen. It is ideal for functions that do not require hands-on management and offers a new and improved user experience.”

It will boast advanced real-time image processing and machine vision algorithms to keep everything running fine and dandy, and various manufacturers of portable devices that use different operating systems will be able to let their users have a whole new user experience. Imagine remotely controlling applications on a wide variety of devices, such as tablets, notebooks, netbooks, All-In-One PCs, portable computers, and mobile phones among others.

Press Release

Samsung Galaxy Tab has pretty high return rates

Isn’t it a wonder what good marketing can do for you? That is what’s happening with the Samsung Galaxy Tab after the real story breaks cover, where the return rates of this Android-powered tablet device is far higher than that of its main rival, the Apple iPad. We’re talking about a Wall Street firm estimating that around 15% of the Galaxy Tabs sold are actually returned, which is nearly 700% higher than what the iPad is looking at (2%).

Of course, this 15% rate comprises of sales from the tablet’s debut since November through January 16 this year. The culprit behind the high return rates? It could be because Samsung decided to go ahead with Android 2.2 while rushing the Tab out to the market for first mover advantage, despite Google already stating that Android 2.2 Froyo is unsuitable for tablet use, where Android 3.0 Honeycomb is a whole lot better since it was specially optimized for such use.

Hopefully with the advent of Honeycomb-powered tablets, the return rate of future Tabs won’t be that high, and the whole ordeal will be forgotten soon. Guess all those record breaking feats (2 million sold milestone) do not mean that much anymore, while the recent price drop might just lure more people to end up under the “return” pile. We await further developments with bated breath.

Source: Unwired View

Update: Apparently, all of this is a miscommunication, and the Galaxy Tab has fared much better than reported. We apologized for riling the feathers of Samsung fans, and Samsung says that the Galaxy Tab has a return rate of only 2%.

R5800 Solar Death Ray, built by 19-year-old Eric Jacqmain

What you are seeing here is a “death-ray” made by gluing 5,800 tiny mirror tiles to a fiberglass satellite dish.

According to my Source, it is powerful enough to “melt steel, vaporize aluminum, boil concrete, turn dirt into lava, and obliterate any organic material in an instant”. Believe it or not, it was built by a 19-year-old named Eric Jacqmain who wanted to prove how powerful the sun’s energy is.

Okay, point taken! Unfortunately, Jacqmain’s invention failed because it was destroyed by a shed fire that was started by its own energy. Jacqmain says he want so build a more powerful version with 32,000 mirrors in the future. Will that be more powerful than the sun?

In all honesty, I’m not certain at what point the government should intervene when Death-rays are created. I think I saw an episode of Mythbusters where they were trying to find out whether some ancient mirror weapon could blast ships. As I recall, it was busted. Correct me in a comment if it was Plausible.

Okay, this is one those times where I doubt whether this is true, because this weapon seems too powerful and it is rather convenient how this particular WMD was accidentally destroyed.

Does anyone know whether or not this particular R5800 Death Ray is really true? I’m not saying that it is completely false, but I would like to find out more about it.