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Optical Cellphones
foondog writes "Here is a story over at News.com about optical cellphones. It seems that the Department of Defense has given a grant to the University of California to develop optical cellphones that are faster and more secure. This sounds a little strange to me since you would need a line of site with no obstacles in the way to use this. The article doesn't explain how this might work."
TM
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(sorry... had to be said)
Need line of sight. DoD likes lasers. Big lasers, with lots of power. Could be dangerous.
I wouldn't want to hold one of these up to the side of my head and start talking, it might make it's own line of sight to the nearest tower.
Ouch!
Holy line of sight, Batman!
This is just a high-bandwidth version of the bat signal. This technology has been around since the sixties. Hopefully they can make it more portable.
- DoD's new "light emitting cell phones" cause massive outbreak of seizures. Spokesman says: "We're really shaken up about this."
- DoD investigating new "tin can and string" technology for secure landline communications.
Maybe they found a way to modulate the output from the sun? Will probably make those night-time minutes REALLY expensive though!
My phone right now is fast enough and secure enough for me. If anyone's listening in, yes I'm going to be home at 5:30 for dinner and I'll pick up the dry cleaning on the way home.
The sell phoane comes with a set of special specticals that you put on and look at you're conversashion partner, who has an identicle set up. The phoanes then comunnicate via lazers in the specticals, thats why you have to look at each other.
(creative spelling purely intentional in homage to the original article)
What I really want is a phone with a freaking laser on it!
The article doesn't explain how this might work.
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Of course it doesn't
"This isn't a study in computer science, its a study in human behavior"
I'm busting out Beejee's when I get home for ThanksGiving. I can't wait for this!!
can you see me now? good.
can you see me now?
all you need is mirrors...mirrors will be everywhere...and behind those mirrors will be clones of tom ridge on john ashcroft. oh the end is near.
It's called a heliograph and a CD would make a very good substitute. ;)
Take a CD and an ice lolly stick. Make a hole in one end of the stick and hold the CD up in front of your face, shiny side facing out. Be facing the sun, more or less.
Hold the lolly stick up in front of that (about 12 inches away) and sight through the hole in the CD and the hole in the lolly stick at the aeroplane, boat, visitor craft or whatever you are trying to signal to. Now wiggle the CD until the shadow of the hole in the middle of the CD falls over the hole in the lolly stick. Now you are shining your light right at your target. By flicking your hand, you can turn the light on and off and so make morse. Or binary. Whatever.
If you do do this to a visitor, they will probably just decode the information on the CD and try to work out the meaning. Do not expect to be rescued. Expect instead to get Barry Manilow's greatest hits beamed back to you some days later.
If this saves your life, paypal me!
All things in moderation; including moderation