infrared

The next generation in night vision for the U.S. military may be something that is already a commercial success in such applications as noninvasive medical examinations and silicon wafer inspection.

DARPA is betting on an indium gallium arsenide crystal and shortwave infrared (SWIR) sensor technology developed by Sensors Unlimited (SUI) that works in a wavelength somewhere between the visible and thermal bands. SUI, a subsidiary of Goodrich, has signed a three-year contract with DARPA to develop prototypes of lightweight helmet- and vehicle-mounted cameras based on SWIR technology.

Incorporating advanced materials and circuitry, the cameras detect reflected light at wavelengths … Read more

The makers of the massage mouse and the MP3 player that does facials have got some competition for the USB port. Another so-called pain reliever that attaches to the computer comes from USB Fever, this one offering to soothe sore muscles with an infrared heat pad.

Although Everything USB says it's light enough that "you should barely know you are using it," we think it looks like a giant suction pad--a large version of the kind they stick to your chest for electrocardiograms. And that may be no idle coincidence: It comes with a disclaimer suggesting that … Read more

As fond as we are of massage chairs--and even more of massage beds--we'd be somewhat reluctant to surrender our bodies to this personal sauna for fear that we'd be entering an MRI scan.

The "Solo System Sauna" uses infrared heat and electromagnetic waves that are concentrated on the parts of the body "where you need it most," according to its product literature. That sounds kind of frightening, especially when trapped in its "double dome" compartment that also resembles an iron lung.

On the other hand, maybe we're the ones … Read more

Fact is, all of the wireless speakers I've reviewed for CNET still use speaker wires to do what speaker wires always do, deliver audio signals from power amplifiers to the speakers. And since wireless speakers have built-in power amplifiers, they need to be plugged into an AC wall outlet. So where a standard speaker has one wire, the wireless speaker has at least two! The "wireless" part refers to the system's ability to wirelessly transmit audio signals from the front of the room to the surround speakers.

The two wireless transmission systems, infrared and radio frequency, … Read more

The chances of your flight being hit by a shoulder-fired, laser-guided missile are good enough that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has spent more than $100 million looking into ways to prevent it.

Defense contractor Northrop Grumman just completed 6,000 hours of in-flight testing on its Guardian directed infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system, all part of the DHS initiative to adapt existing military technology to protect commercial aircraft from attack by surface-to-air-missiles (SAM) similar to the U.S.-made Stinger.

The DIRCM system works by first detecting the attack, then directing an invisible, eye-safe laser to the homing/seeker … Read more

Even those of us at Crave who aren't huge gamers discovered long ago that we would lust after just about any design to come out of Razer's equipment labs. And though it's difficult to get us worked up over a mouse these days, but the company has managed to accomplish that too, once again.

Razer just outfitted its ambidextrous "Diamondback" gaming mouse with a 3G infrared sensor, a technology that was first embedded in its "DeathAdder" model. Available next month for $60, the 1800-dpi Diamondback will be available in "Frost Blue," &… Read more

Talk about the world turned upside-down. The last thing we thought we'd ever see is people clamoring to make their bathrooms more like public loos, but that's apparently what's happening in our increasingly fixture-fixated consumer market.

We knew the trend had become mainstream (no pun, honest) after witnessing the overwhelming popularity of Dyson's "Airblade" hand-drying machine. But that product is aimed at the business market--we think. The "EZ Touchless Infrared Sensor Faucet," however, is clearly destined for the household at $50, according to GadgetGrid.

And why not? It's at the perfect … Read more

We know it sounds crazy, but a few gamers might actually get tired of bass fishing on the Wii. (Some people are just never satisfied.)

So for those fickle anglers who think they're good enough to progress from virtual to real waters, here's an item that may still tickle their digital fancy. The "William Joseph Infrared Thermometer" is supposedly the first point-and-shoot model of its kind, designed to literally test the waters without getting your feet wet or--more important--without disturbing the fish.

This may seem like overkill for those not acquainted with the finer points of … Read more

Modesty apparently has no place in the digital age. It's one thing for airport security to consider using technology that can see through clothes, but some tech-savvy voyeurs are cobbling together DIY infra-red scanners for less-than-noble uses. For every offense, however, there is economic opportunity.

The "Shot Guard" line of undergarments, for instance, is designed to "make photography difficult," according to American Inventor Spot. The defensive clothing is being marketed in Japan, where the peeping problem is apparently concentrated. (Why are we not surprised?)

It's unclear how this foundation-wear blocks prying beams, but Shiny … Read more