laser
Latest
US intelligence report says Havana Syndrome probably wasn't caused by 'energy weapons'
It's "highly unlikely" that Russia is using rayguns to give US personnel nausea and headaches
Sean Buckley03.01.2023
High-powered lasers can be used to steer lightning strikes
Scientists have used a laser to guide lightning strikes, and the tech could help protect rockets and forests.
Jon Fingas01.16.2023
Leica shows off its first 4K ultra-short-throw projector
Leica has just unveiled an ultra short throw (UST) projector called the Cine 1 that can beam an 80- or 100-inch image at just six inches from a wall
Steve Dent09.02.2022
Hitoki Trident hands-on: I'm in love with a $500 laser-blasting water pipe
The Hitoki Trident is a desktop flower water pipe that goes pew pew pew to get you high high high, and I am in love love love.
Andrew Tarantola07.28.2022
Researchers built a low-cost camera system that recreates sound from vibrations
A CMU team says the system can recreate audio from a speaker by looking at a nearby bag of Doritos.
Kris Holt06.22.2022
LG's latest 4K CineBeam projector pumps the brightness up to 3,700 lumens
LG, which helped kickstart the Ultra Short Throw (UST) laser projector craze with the original CineBeam, has just unveiled a new high-end model.
Steve Dent05.20.2022
Russia claims it's using new laser weapons against Ukraine
Russia says it's using laser weapons in Ukraine to blind satellites and take down drones.
Jon Fingas05.18.2022
SLAC's newest laser works best when it's colder than outer space
It took nearly a decade but the new super-powerful, super-chilled coherent laser system at Stanford's SLAC is ready to unlock the quantum realm's secrets with massively powerful X-ray blasts.
Andrew Tarantola05.10.2022
FedEx wants to equip cargo aircraft with anti-missile lasers
FedEx has asked US officials for approval to install anti-missile laser systems to protect its aircraft from attacks.
Jon Fingas01.15.2022
The US Army will test a 300 kW laser weapon system in 2022
Even if it’s only a demonstration, the system represents a significant step up from the lasers the military has had access to in the past.
Igor Bonifacic10.29.2021
Laser-powered fusion energy inches closer to reality
It just became more realistic to use lasers to generate fusion energy — scientists have sparked a fusion explosion that produced much more energy than before.
Jon Fingas08.18.2021
The Dyson V15 Detect's laser proved my apartment was never really clean
Dyson’s newest vacuum isn’t one for subtlety. It has a laser strapped to the front of it for the purpose of highlighting where your dust is hiding. The Dyson V15 Detect is the company’s newest, top-of-the-line cordless vacuum in its line of stick vacuums, at a cost of $699. Are these high-tech additions gimmicks or truly helpful upgrades for a cleaner home?
Mat Smith05.20.2021
Dyson’s V15 Detect vacuum hunts dust with a laser 'blade'
There's also a bigger stick vacuum for bigger messes and a new Omni-glide model for smaller living spaces.
Mat Smith03.24.2021
Researchers build the fastest laser-based random number generator
A new random number generator that uses a micro laser developed by researchers at NTU Singapore is a hundred times faster than computer-based systems.
Saqib Shah03.01.2021
Vava’s 4K ultra short-throw projector is $840 off at Amazon
It'll cost you 30 percent less than usual if you snap one up swiftly.
Kris Holt11.28.2020
Vava's impressive 4K short-throw laser projector is $850 off at Amazon
Vava’s 4K UHD Ultra-Short Throw Laser is one of the better-reviewed models out there, having achieved an 84 score on Engadget, but it’s also a lot of money at $2,800. However, it’s now on sale at Amazon for $1,950, a significant $850, or 30 percent discount.
Steve Dent11.03.2020
Optoma CinemaX P1 review: A stunning 4K projector with terrible apps
The shiniest new toys in AV land are the short-throw laser projectors you might have seen recently, particularly at CES. They're cool because they give you a huge, bright image for a fraction the price of a comparably sized 4K TV. At the same time, they're relatively easy to install compared to a ceiling-mounted projector because you can place them on a table just inches in front of the screen. I was curious to see how they compare with 4K TVs and regular projectors, so I got hold of Optoma's $3,700 CinemaX P1 paired with its $1,300, 100-inch ambient light-rejecting ALR101 screen. For that sum, I could project a huge 100-inch image for a fraction the price of a 100-inch TV. At the same time, it promised much greater brightness and sharpness than long-throw projectors, along with built-in media powers. On top of reviewing this projector, I'm also reviewing the whole idea of a short-throw laser projector, from installation to day-to-day usage. I discovered a lot of important info and caveats, so hopefully you can learn from my errors and understand how these products fare in the real world.
Steve Dent02.26.2020
X-ray lasers can spot elusive electron motion
Scientists can track the movements of an atom's nucleus relatively easily, but electrons have proven elusive -- they move so fast that they tend to be reduced to blurs. Now, however, those movements could be crystal clear. Researchers at the SLAC National Accelerator Lab have developed a technique, X-ray laser-enhanced attosecond pulse generation (XLEAP), that can observe even the fastest motions of electrons. The laser pulses at just 280 attoseconds, or billionths of a billionth of a second, and can create snapshots of electrons to track their progress. The trick was to modify the laser in a way that squeezed electrons into tighter groups, making for shorter X-ray bursts.
Jon Fingas12.03.2019
The Pentagon has a laser that identifies people by their heartbeat
Biometric identification has become part of everyday life. We've got facial recognition in airports, cars that can be unlocked just by looking at them, technology that detects a person's unique way of walking, and of course the ubiquitous fingerprint, used for everything from smart phones to event ticketing. Next on the agenda? Your heartbeat.
Rachel England06.27.2019
US Air Force successfully shoots down multiple missiles with a laser
The US Air Force just edged closer to its goal of outfitting aircraft with laser weapons. Testers at the White Sands Missile Range have successfully shot down multiple air-launched missiles using the Self-Protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator (SHiELD), proving that it can hold up under intense situations. While SHiELD is currently a ground-based behemoth (see below), the finished technology should be portable and rugged enough to be used aboard aircraft.
Jon Fingas05.05.2019