New tool for secret agents and the rest of us

http://www.caltech.edu/content/new-tool-secret-agents-and-rest-us

by ChuckMcM • 14 years ago

77 19 14 years ago

ChuckMcM2• 14 years ago

If you want to see the world change, look no further than this development. This is a pretty amazing feat, getting a terahertz transmitter and receiver on one chip. If you want to build a Star Trek style medical tri-corder this is one of the essential parts.

dchichkov• 14 years ago

I guess near-infrared-opaque clothing manufacturers are really going to like that development.

SenorWilson• 14 years ago

Any one else annoyed by the menu bars that follow you around? I've noticed this trend and they just distract me from the article at hand...

lolhammer• 14 years ago

Please tell me that isn't deliberate

romanpoet• 14 years ago

Unfortunately it is deliberate. As a Caltech student I told them not to do this, but they thought it was edgy and hip.

dkokelley2• 14 years ago

I have JavaScript disabled by default, so when I see something like that, I assume some style element relies on JavaScript to run correctly. I usually put up with it for the feeling of security I get, but if it is designed to do that I can't say I like it.

rpm4321• 14 years ago

Hey, quick question for you. I've got a version of Chrome with JS and plugins disabled that I use for not entirely trusted links. Do you know if there are still some exploits we're vulnerable to, especially on Win? I think I remember hearing a while back that it isn't foolproof.

cousin_it• 14 years ago

I want a browser plugin that hides all position:fixed elements on all websites.

skennedy• 14 years ago

Does this mean X-Ray glasses for real?

ChuckMcM2• 14 years ago

Actually, yes. If you put one of these into a hand held device and had some sort of eye wear with a display on it you could use it to look through stuff. Its kind of like ultrasound though rather than light as you're looking at reflections of the RF energy of different boundary layers. No doubt you could attempt to reconstruct what that would look like but it would be imperfect, say you painted the blade of a knife white, the scanner wouldn't know that.

daniel-cussen• 14 years ago

Wow, 280 GHz frequencies! I know this is not clock cycles, but still!

tuxidomasx• 14 years ago

This is really cool technology. I often wish I could be a part of researching and building new cutting-edge technology, but it's usually cost-prohibitive as a solo hobby (unless you're wealthy, Tony Stark, Bruce Wayne, etc).

And even as a career, it can be tricky to get to that level-- you might need to go back to school just to get access to the research facilities. I feel like its way too easy for someone with a computer engineering degree to end up building websites and software/apps for a living instead of working on some cool futuristic tech.

I'm sure its possible to make the right moves to position yourself to get a shot... I just wish it was easier to do so.

wcoenen• 14 years ago

Some more technical details: https://www.its.caltech.edu/~kaushiks/KS_AH_ISSCC2012.pdf

New tool for secret agents and the rest of us

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