This is where the exciting technology of contact lens displays saves the day. Imagine a pair of lenses wirelessly connected to a wearable computer — lenses capable of overlaying your perceived surroundings with information, warnings or even illusions. A glowing arrow would appear to float in front of your eyes, telling you which Peachtree street […]
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A diode is the simplest possible semiconductor device, and is therefore an excellent beginning point if you want to understand how semiconductors work. In this article, you’ll learn what a semiconductor is, how doping works and how a diode can be created using semiconductors. But first, let’s take a close look at silicon. Silicon is
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The first rudimentary methods of telling time involved simple observations of the natural world, perhaps by wedging sticks in the ground and monitoring the movements of the shadows. This particular experiment would have evoked the most fundamental part of a sundial, the gnomon (pronounced nom-on), which is the component that casts the shadow. It’s easy
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Source of Radiation When talking on a cell phone, a transmitter takes the sound of your voice and encodes it onto a continuous sine wave (see How Radio Works to learn more about how sound is transmitted). A sine wave is just a type of continuously varying wave that radiates out from the antenna and
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In the next few years, we might be filling our closets with smart shirts that can read our heart rate and breathing, and musical jackets with built in all-fabric keypads. Thin light-emitting diode (LED) monitors could even be integrated into this apparel to display text and images. Computerized clothes will be the next step in
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Anatomy of a Metal Detector A typical metal detector is light-weight and consists of just a few parts: Stabilizer (optional) – used to keep the unit steady as you sweep it back and forth Control box – contains the circuitry, controls, speaker, batteries and the microprocessor Shaft – connects the control box and the coil;
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The art of connecting things is becoming more and more complex every day. In this article, we will look at a method of connecting devices, called Bluetooth, that can streamline the process. A Bluetooth connection is wireless and automatic, and it has a number of interesting features that can simplify our daily lives. The Problem
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While there are many different types of batteries, the basic concept by which they function remains the same. When a device is connected to a battery, a reaction occurs that produces electrical energy. This is known as an electrochemical reaction. Italian physicist Count Alessandro Volta first discovered this process in 1799 when he created a
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The popularity of mystery clocks is no mystery at all. They’re novelties and great conversation pieces. They are mind-boggling at first glance, and amusingly fascinating once you understand what’s going on. They’re triumphs of imagination and craftsmanship, and they’re often works of decorative art as well. The mystery comes in how these clocks work. They’re
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Microcontrollers are hidden inside a surprising number of products these days. If your microwave oven has an LED or LCD screen and a keypad, it contains a microcontroller. All modern automobiles contain at least one microcontroller, and can have as many as six or seven: The engine is controlled by a microcontroller, as are the
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