Slashdot Mirror


Terahertz Imagery Progresses

ke4roh writes "Since Slashdot last discussed terahertz imaging, the European Space Agency's Star Tiger project has taken terahertz images of a human hand. Some of the pictures show just how useful the imagery might be for peering through walls and such - one of the images is through a 15mm pad of paper." The EE Times has another story.

270 comments

  1. Terehertz Specs by EvilSporkMan · · Score: 5, Funny

    I predict the #1 use for this technology will eventually be peeking through woman's clothes.

    --
    -insert a witty something-
    1. Re:Terehertz Specs by guido1 · · Score: 3, Funny

      I predict the #1 use for this technology will eventually be peeking through woman's clothes.

      Unfortunately, they prototyped it by peeking through a guys clothes, so it may never catch on.

      See the image and avi here...

    2. Re:Terehertz Specs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Horay for science!

    3. Re:Terehertz Specs by greechneb · · Score: 4, Funny
      Seeing through clothing might be an option, but did they have to use this guy?

      picture

      video

    4. Re:Terehertz Specs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      At least the guy had big tits tho.

    5. Re:Terehertz Specs by dirvish · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Yeah, I definately need a terehertz imaging equipped video camera!

      I have heard that video cameras with really good low light (zero lux?) capabilities can see through thin layers of clothing. Haven't tried it myselft though.

    6. Re:Terehertz Specs by Feyr · · Score: 1

      i know some sony model can. and probably a lot of others. but you have to open them to remove one of the light filter in it (sorry, can't remember which one)

      but then, why would one want to PEEK under woman's clothes.... when you can have the real thing?

    7. Re:Terehertz Specs by dirvish · · Score: 2, Funny

      but then, why would one want to PEEK under woman's clothes.... when you can have the real thing?

      Are you coming on to me?

    8. Re:Terehertz Specs by u19925 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      much simple solution exist for peeking through women's clothes. remember sony camcorder night vision mode? if used in day time and if a woman is wearing tight clothing which is transparent to IR light, then that IR light gets reflected by your body. So by using an IR filter, you can almost see through. Sony removed this feature in new camcorders (they added a sensor, so it can't be used in day light. i guess, it can still be fooled. also, there is some rumor that they changed the CCD chip somewhat). This was all sometime in 97-98.

    9. Re:Terehertz Specs by swb · · Score: 1

      I heard about this, but have never seen any pictures of what it looked like.

      It'd be interesting to see if it was at all like they said it would. It must have been pretty revealing, or Sony wouldn't have deleted the feature.

    10. Re:Terehertz Specs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      anybody notice the fat man wearing a gun?

    11. Re:Terehertz Specs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      thats the point of the picture. its supposed to show how great this technology is for security

    12. Re:Terehertz Specs by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What are you talking about? That chick has awesome tits!

    13. Re:Terehertz Specs by kcelery · · Score: 1

      I'll noticed the guy also looks bald. It seems the dead cells in the hair does not emit much terahertz signal.

    14. Re:Terehertz Specs by irc.goatse.cx+troll · · Score: 1

      Its decent enough.

      Google will find more. have fun.

      --
      Pain lasts, kid. Its how you know you're alive. Sometimes I think this growing up thing is just pain management-TheMaxx
    15. Re:Terehertz Specs by Alsee · · Score: 1

      It it my imagination, or is that guy wearing a special STEEL-PLATED THONG?!?!

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
    16. Re:Terehertz Specs by LS · · Score: 1

      It looks like skin is shiny in the terrahertz spectrum...

      --
      There is a fine line between being a cultivated citizen and being someone else's crop. - A. J. Patrick Liszkie
  2. Woohoo! by d3kk · · Score: 3, Funny

    No more wishing for x-ray vision. Woman's locker room here I come!

    1. Re:Woohoo! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Too bad they'd look like these pixelated oil paintings! (nsfw?)

  3. Will this run Doom3 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    jsut wondering or do I need a beowulf cluster for that?

  4. Imagine... by MisterFancypants · · Score: 4, Funny

    Imagine a Beowulf cluster of these taking pictures of Natalie Portman.

    1. Re:Imagine... by rhombic · · Score: 2, Funny

      But can it image through hot grits?

      --
      1984 was supposed to be a warning, not an instruction manual.
    2. Re:Imagine... by chocolatetrumpet · · Score: 1

      you'll even be able to see the hot grits through her pants...

      --
      Spoon not. Fork, or fork not. There is no spoon.
    3. Re:Imagine... by Dark+Lord+Seth · · Score: 2, Funny

      What pants?

    4. Re:Imagine... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I invented pants.

  5. I can just see the spam now... by minektur · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "x-ray goggles" based on REAL SCIENCE!!!!!

    See what is going on at your neighbors house!

    Protect yourself from armed muggers! ....

    1. Re:I can just see the spam now... by jonveit · · Score: 1

      15 mm of paper?! That's definitely thicker than a blouse :-) Besides if the advertising spam for the existing pocket cameras weren't explicity suggesting the naughty usage enough by flashing a sexy young female along with a phrase like "You can put this camera any where!", imagine the inuendos with some xray vision glasses. "An imager can show details of features under the skin." - being someone who can get a bit naeous at the sight of blood, taking too close a look with this technology might turn a naughy peek into a good look at all the guts. Ugh..

    2. Re:I can just see the spam now... by dirvish · · Score: 3, Funny

      You could see if your neighbor is plotting against you and then preemtively strike him.

      Protect yourself from armed muggers! .... Not sure how that would work. You would probably get pretty tired running away from every armed person, depending on where you live.

    3. Re:I can just see the spam now... by Feyr · · Score: 1

      that's been done before. i remember a few years ago (5-6 years) some company had a lense to see through clothes.. i think it was insanely priced tho, but eh... nothing stops a voyeur i guess

  6. saw this on alias by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i saw a story line similar to this on the show ALIAS. They had this deally on a satellite or something in space. They used it to view beneath chunks of ice in the artic. cool beans

  7. new new hand fetish pictures for my website by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    hope they took pictures of some good looking hands, i mean, one without warts and stuff. I need new images for my hand fetish website!

  8. Great by LordKaT · · Score: 5, Funny
    A news story about images . . . and no images!


    --LordKaT

    1. Re:Great by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      A slashdot poster that can't even use . . . a web browers.

      Hint: Click on the word pictures.

    2. Re:Great by LordKaT · · Score: 1
      Actually I was talking about the ZDNet article.

      --LordKaT

    3. Re:Great by Isbiten · · Score: 1

      Yeah no pictures here!

      --
      I fought the corporate America, and the corporate America bought the law.
    4. Re:Great by LordKaT · · Score: 2
      Well looks like Im going to get abused for this but . . .

      I was talking about the ZDNet article, dagnabit!

      --LordKaT

  9. Yea but... by welthqa · · Score: 4, Funny

    In Alias the terahertz camera could see thru 30 meters of earth.

    --


    100% Pure Evil With The Look And Feel Of Wholesome Goodness
    1. Re:Yea but... by jandrese · · Score: 1

      In Alias they hacked into a computer system and retrieve all of the relevant data in 5 seconds by placing a credit card on top of the monitor. Lets just say they don't let basic physics, chemestry, or even common sense stand in the way of the story.

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
    2. Re:Yea but... by martissimo · · Score: 3, Funny

      When you have Jennifer Garner filling the screen in various states of undress, basic physics is really not all that important ;)

    3. Re:Yea but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      In Alias the terahertz camera could see thru 30 meters of earth.

      Well, it's just a TV show. It's not accurate. If it was real life, they'd be pointing it at Jennifer Garner.

    4. Re:Yea but... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 1

      Be careful about the biology that could result, should you meet her in person. You wouldn't want to have to deal with the continuing biology that may crop up nine months later.

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
    5. Re:Yea but... by welthqa · · Score: 1

      my credit card does that. it opens locked doors, gives me cash back and i can even earn bonus miles. plus it's made of pure platinum. and i think we all know ladies love the platinum.

      --


      100% Pure Evil With The Look And Feel Of Wholesome Goodness
  10. Practical Application by BoomerSooner · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Airport screening. This reminds me of the airport in Total Recall where Arnold had a gun. Very cool. 4th Amendment notwithstanding.

    1. Re:Practical Application by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think it was a subway station of some kind, not an airport ;)

    2. Re:Practical Application by Arcturax · · Score: 5, Funny

      They are already working on those for airports. In a way, I will feel sorry for them having to see me naked just so I can get to my plane faster.

      --

      --Won't that be grand? Computers and the programs will start thinking and the people will stop. - Dr. Walter Gibbs
    3. Re:Practical Application by Rolo+Tomasi · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Furthermore, having goggles using this technology would be a killer advantage in urban and close quarters combat. Wallhack in reality, nowhere to hide! These sensors are manufactured in solid state technology, so power consumption and size would be no problem (comparable to CCDs, I assume).

      --
      Did you know you can fertilize your lawn with used motor oil?
    4. Re:Practical Application by Nehemiah+S. · · Score: 1

      Yes- just needs an integrated goggle crosshair that follows an infrared "laser sight" mount on a pistol. That way you can not only see through walls, but shoot from the hip with perfect accuracy...

      --
      ... and there is no doubt, that one day he will be
      where the eye of his telescope has already been
    5. Re:Practical Application by Bastian · · Score: 1

      Could this mean an increased problem with airport security guards hassling passengers with strip searches?

    6. Re:Practical Application by JDWTopGuy · · Score: 3, Funny

      Maybe, but some of us geeks who live on pizza and cola (or beer, whatever) and never work out might get through a lot faster!!!

      Besides, why would you need a strip search if you're already seeing them naked?

      --
      Ron Paul 2012
    7. Re:Practical Application by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I may be wrong, but don't such strip searches include checking up the person's anus? eew.

  11. anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    that's cool. What sort of astrnomy can be done with this?
    fp?

    1. Re:anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      THz radiation or far-infared radiation is extremely relevant to astromony. This region of the EM spectrum allows one to directly observe the rotational motion of small molecules. The most important of these being water (althogh radicals are also very interesting). The spectral information includes such things as: molecular structure, gas density, gas pressure, and local temperature.

    2. Re:anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      that's cool. But what sort of astrnomy can be done with this?

    3. Re:anything by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about determining the chemical composition of interstellar clouds and planetary atmospheres ?

  12. Thermal imaging by Adam9 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Snip of some info from the tiger page:

    Terahertz imaging can be achieved by observing the natural terahertz waves emitted by pretty much everything. Unlike light, terahertz waves are able to propagate through cloud and smoke providing a powerful advantage for certain remote sensing measurements. From a practical aspect they are also able to pass through windows, paper, clothing and in certain instances even walls.

    Sounds like thermal imaging on steroids. Eventually, would this become the standard military surveillance method that could be used on a UAV in enemy or (god forbid) domestic airspace?

    1. Re:Thermal imaging by stratjakt · · Score: 1

      That's what I'm wondering. Looking at the blurry hand-shaped pictures, how do I know this isn't just a really really sensitive thermal camera?

      Why a human hand, and not a plastic manniquin hand? Surely some heat can penetrate a 15mm pad of paper.

      It looks a *lot* like a thermal scan, espescially before the "Gaussian filters and averaging techniques are used to enhanced pictures" (I read "this is what we drew in photoshop")

      Hell I dont care about no thermodynamics. I dont know why I'm worried about it.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    2. Re:Thermal imaging by mmol_6453 · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Using an IR camera, a firefighter can see animated fire behind a sheet of 1/2" drywall.

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
    3. Re:Thermal imaging by t_little · · Score: 2, Informative

      Sounds like thermal imaging on steroids

      It is thermal imaging. Terahertz waves are at the low end of the far-infrared region of the spectrum. They are produced by thermal radiation of all objects warmer than liquid helium temperature.

      --

      -- Tim Little

    4. Re:Thermal imaging by LilGuy · · Score: 1

      Would it BECOME standard? You're way behind buddy. I got a professor who was an intelligence officer for the army about 20 years ago, and he said they were working on new satellites that could peer through buildings. I'm sure they've got even more sophisticated technology now...

      --

      You're nothing; like me.
  13. Imagine.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What the porn industry can do with this! No more fake celbrity nude photos!!

    1. Re:Imagine.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That may not be such a good thing. With the fake photos, at least they usually have the good sense of taking the hidden parts from professionally trained and maintained models. If you see the real thing, celebrities may end up looking much less appealing.

  14. Old news by redbeard_ak · · Score: 4, Funny

    These things have been available in comic books for years.

    --
    . This sig unintentionally left blank. I meant to put something here, but I'm busy.
    1. Re:Old news by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the quality was better.

    2. Re:Old news by RobertKozak · · Score: 2, Funny

      I've been looking at the bones of my hand since I was a kid just by using a simple flashlight.
      -- Offtopic, Inflammatory, Inappropriate, Illegal, or Offensive comments might be moderated.

      --
      Bet this .sig looks familiar.
  15. Oh great by creative_name · · Score: 5, Funny

    As if the black car sitting outside my house wasn't enough, now I have to deal with this kind of government surveillance too!? At least now I know where they got the pictures of my Anti RIAA boxers from...

    --
    Posting as directed.
  16. useless by steelerguy · · Score: 5, Funny

    until you can make out a nipple...

    1. Re:useless by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I guess that's if you are a T-man. For an A-man, the technology might already be good enough.

    2. Re:useless by broken.data · · Score: 2, Funny

      Prior Art is revealed: Scrambled Cable Pr0n

  17. moths by greechneb · · Score: 4, Funny

    According to the article, the frequencies are used only certain moths. It also talks about using the frequency to carry terabit wireless networks...

    Does this mean that that I could use the wireless network to create swarm of attack moths that can see through reams of paper.

    I can finally overtake the pointy haired boss and rule the office!

    1. Re:moths by mmol_6453 · · Score: 1

      I can definately see the advantages in being able to map a source of data on a two-dimensional map. That would do a darn good job at filtering out jamming signals.

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
  18. TeraHertz Donut. by Limburgher · · Score: 2, Funny
    I can see this coming soon in grade schools nationwide.

    A: "Wanna TeraHertz Donut?"

    B: "Sure!"

    A Hits B

    B: "Ow!"

    A: "TeraHertz, Donut?"

    --

    You are not the customer.

  19. I wonder... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    What kind of engineering is required to make the 'lead underwear' required to block these. Certainly not a simple tinfoil hat.

    1. Re:I wonder... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 1

      Actually, tinfoil will take care of microwave signals rather nicely. Try lining your microwave oven with it. You'll see an immediate difference. YMMV. ;)

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
    2. Re:I wonder... by yourmom16 · · Score: 0

      Microwave is not terahertz, Microwave is low frequency.

      --
      "We have got to make Stan understand the importance of voting, because he'll definitely vote for our guy." - South Park
    3. Re:I wonder... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0


      Just make it thicker.

      Really, I'm not sure how much metal you'd need to block a terahertz signal. Another way of looking at the problem is to ask what kind of antenna you need to receive it.

      Real tinfoil might work if you folded it a couple of times to make the hat (people generally ignore that no one actually uses tin (Sn) for foil or cans any more - but when they did, it was thicker than the aluminum foil we use today). I suspect your typical wafer-thin aluminum foil is more transparent than 15mm of paper.

      These are only cameras, anyway - just because they can take a picture of your brain doesn't mean they can decipher it, though. Just think very complicated thoughts, with a lot of red herrings. When the terahertz orbital mind control lasers go up, THEN it'll be time to worry (except you won't because they won't let you...nnnnnaaaarrrggghh...must...warn...slashdot.. .).

  20. Can see through clothing... by $$$$$exyGal · · Score: 4, Funny
    ... the project has also released pictures of the human body imaged through clothing.

    Where are those pictures ;-)? Weren't there some night-vision camera's that also did that?

    --sex

    --
    Very popular slashdot journal for adul
    1. Re:Can see through clothing... by pmz · · Score: 1

      Weren't there some night-vision camera's that also did that?

      I believe it was a certain line of camcorders in their low-light mode.

    2. Re:Can see through clothing... by bm_luethke · · Score: 2, Informative

      The night vision glasses only worked on white clothing. It enabled both the thermal imaging and light gathering source open at the same time. This had the affect of taking the normal light image (so they looked like a person) plus the underlying form (the thermal imaging portion). Looked like a 3D model with only a single texture apllied to the model (I.E. all flesh tone, not, ummm, other colors (at work, nothing more will make it through the censors :) ). While not truly see through, it did look pretty good :P

      --
      ------- Sorry about the spelling, I suffer from two problems. Dyslexia makes it difficult to spell well, lazy makes it
    3. Re:Can see through clothing... by karevoll · · Score: 1

      ..you didn't see through the april fools joke about the nightvision-camera that could see through a layer of clothes? ;)

    4. Re:Can see through clothing... by mikeophile · · Score: 1
      Here's some terahertz boobie action for you.

      http://www.startiger.org/media/STmmwave.avi

    5. Re:Can see through clothing... by cosmol · · Score: 1

      And even then, it was only under very specific conditions. (not that I know them OTOH)

    6. Re:Can see through clothing... by Jugalator · · Score: 1

      At least they've got something for the weird people with a hand fetish...

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  21. Tinky-Winky by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    maybe now we can see into the mind of a Teletubby, and figure out the deep ephemeral purpose to their existance: as well as our own. at least look into their skulls and see La-La's ball.

  22. Is it just me, by xercist · · Score: 5, Insightful

    or does the repeated use of the "St(PICTURE OF A STAR)rTiger" logo on the pictures page make the whole thing look considerably less like a professional research project?

    --

    --
    grep "xercist" /dev/random ...you'll find me in there someday
    1. Re:Is it just me, by stratjakt · · Score: 1

      Yes it does.

      That and the fact that the "first silicon machined wafer carrying the front end terahertz array" looks remarkably like an S.O.S. pad.

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    2. Re:Is it just me, by Jeff+DeMaagd · · Score: 1

      Like the Cue:Cat logo (or however it is "spelled") it gets pretty darn annoying. It looks more like a marketer's wet dream than a science task force page.

    3. Re:Is it just me, by Jugalator · · Score: 1

      Yes, it doesn't even align correctly with the rest of the text, at least not in the Oprah Browser. :-)

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
    4. Re:Is it just me, by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You have an Oprah browser? Do you get O magazine? (it's Opera)

    5. Re:Is it just me, by ethnocidal · · Score: 1
      They're engineers and scientists, not webdesigners. Their stated aim is 'to bring together a small team of highly motivated researchers to make a breakthrough in a strategically important technology area in just 4 months.' Personally, I find it somewhat refreshing that a team decides to focus on what they are good at, and spend less time on the website. I believe we may need to modify the primary lemma

      1. Flash website
      2. ...
      3. Profit!
      to the more apt

      1. Flash website
      2. Nekkid-women-specs
      3. Profit!
    6. Re:Is it just me, by charon_on_acheron · · Score: 1

      I prefer the Caroline Rhea Browser. Bigger tits, smaller belly.

    7. Re:Is it just me, by JDWTopGuy · · Score: 1

      A recent slashdot access log analasys reveals (no pun intended) that most slashdotters prefer the "Beowulf cluster of Natalie Portman clones with hot grits in their pants" browser.

      --
      Ron Paul 2012
    8. Re:Is it just me, by Jugalator · · Score: 1

      You have an Oprah browser? Do you get O magazine? (it's Opera)

      I know, I just call it Oprah since that /. thread some week ago. =)

      --
      Beware: In C++, your friends can see your privates!
  23. Regarding all these pr0n related posts by Isbiten · · Score: 1

    Didn't a japanese company sell a hoax camera not so long ago. Which was supposed to let you see through clothes?

    --
    I fought the corporate America, and the corporate America bought the law.
    1. Re:Regarding all these pr0n related posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Well, it wasn't a hoax. Sony sold a video camera that, when set to the infared setting, would see through clothes.

      I got my camera *just* after they fixed that problem. Bummer.

    2. Re:Regarding all these pr0n related posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, the camera really does exist (like the previous post says). My dad bought one of these before they fixed it. I took it on a trip with a bunch of friends to a beach and accidentaly turned on the "night shot" feature and got quite an eyeful of the girls sunbathing.

    3. Re:Regarding all these pr0n related posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Accidentaly....

    4. Re:Regarding all these pr0n related posts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Tou still can, check this out
      http://www.kaya-optics.com/products/experimen ts.sh tml

  24. Re:Terahertz? by madshot · · Score: 1

    put up a URL of a webpage were you saw that so it can be confirmed.

    --
    Obama = Socialism.
  25. I hope this is safe. by MsWillow · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Just thinking back to movies of X-Rays being used to show pictures of your foot, to see how it fit inside a new shoe. Sure, at the time it was a great selling gadget, but I wonder how much damage it did to the people who used it, and those who worked in the store with it. I'm thinking also of modern x-ray technicians, who wear special lead-lined vests, and limit the exposure as much as possible.

    It'd sure looch the large one if, after taking pictures of your hand, you suddenly developed bone cancer and died within a year. :(

    --

    Lemon curry?
    1. Re:I hope this is safe. by SirTwitchALot · · Score: 1

      If you had read the article, you'd know that this is a passive technology. It doesn't iridiate the object at all, it merely observes terahertz radiation let off naturally by the subject.

      --
      Go away, or I will replace you with a very small shell script.
    2. Re:I hope this is safe. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Bah! This is PASSIVE imaging technology. It's people like the poster who caused NMRIs to be renamed MRIs.

    3. Re:I hope this is safe. by rawrslashdot · · Score: 1

      I don't see why it wouldn't be safe, since it uses 'passive' terahertz radiation. Everything emits this radiation, according to the site.

    4. Re:I hope this is safe. by stratjakt · · Score: 1

      >> It's people like the poster who caused NMRIs to be renamed MRIs

      Yeah, that was the GREATEST FUCKING TRAGEDY of the 20th century.

      ?

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    5. Re:I hope this is safe. by Chocolate+Teapot · · Score: 1
      ...but I wonder how much damage it did to the people who used it...
      None whatsoever
      --
      Modest doubt is called the beacon of the wise. - William Shakespeare
    6. Re:I hope this is safe. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm ahem old enough to have had that done to my feet. It was supposed to assure perfect fit for your shoes. I ahem also had radioactive pellets shoved up my nose to cure my frequent sinus problems as a kid while my dad was in the service. I wander if this is the reason pictures never came out right when I took the photo's.

  26. Apple. by Daleks · · Score: 4, Funny

    Just wait, by tomorrow morning Apple will have an article on their webpage about the "Terahertz Myth." Soon afterwards AMD will release the Athlon XP 1100000+, but it will really run at 700000 Mhz.

    Posted from Mac OS X.

    1. Re:Apple. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No. The announcemnet from AMD is "Athlon XP 1100000+ delayed until September."

    2. Re:Apple. by Neon+Spiral+Injector · · Score: 1

      Actually the Athlon XP 1100000+ will be running at 12 Hz but have a terabyte of cache.

  27. Great. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Now I have to deal with wallhackers outside of Counter Strike.

    1. Re:Great. by Tackhead · · Score: 1
      > Now I have to deal with wallhackers outside of Counter Strike.

      Look on the bright side - in the next release, wallhacking won't be cheating, it'll just be another piece of equipment. (dr00l, someone gimme one of these and a paintball gun...)

  28. Also recently discovered by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    An image of a hand in the 430-750 trillion Hz range shows remarkably more clarity than the new technology!

  29. Re:MOD PARENT UP +5 Insightful! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    +5 won't work since it already has 1.

  30. Once Again... by Lord_Slepnir · · Score: 1
    Once again we see the world driven by the porn industry. I can see it now. Some fly-by-night porn producer sets up a terrahertz camera aimed at the women's locker room of the local health club.

    That reminds me. Where can I get one of these. I'm on my way to workout.

    1. Re:Once Again... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Keep working out and you won't need one to see your penis. Until then, you do.

  31. does PATRIOT cover this yet? by RMH101 · · Score: 1

    Just a matter of time...

  32. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  33. Re:Linux? by EvilSporkMan · · Score: 1

    Another quick note: a terabyte (as in Linux, and as in the terahertz as a measurement of computer clock speed) is actually 2^40 bytes.

    --
    -insert a witty something-
  34. Did you see the animation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    http://www.startiger.org/media/STmmwave.avi

    Is that guy wearing a thong?


    "And the award for best portrayal of a kinky security guard goes to..."

    1. Re:Did you see the animation? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's called Hungry Butt Syndrome, a chronic disabilitating disease that effects millions world wide.

  35. *drools* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Imagine a Beowulf cluster of these taking pictures of Natalie Portman..

    1. Re:*drools* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mentioning Natalie P. made me pour hot grits down my pants!

      Ahh... nostalgy. Has anyone archived the best trolls?

  36. your a dumb fuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    amsterdam... everybody here knows that you dumbass... in other news 1+1=2... and putting linux in the title just to get mod points. you, sir, are an ass...

  37. Just in case..... by andyring · · Score: 1, Redundant
    Terahertz camera takes snapshot of the future


    14:35Tuesday 11th February 2003
    Rupert Goodwins

    A new area of remote sensing and communication is opening up, thanks to groundbreaking technology from the European Space Agency.

    StarTiger, a European Space Agency project, has taken the first terahertz picture of a human hand. Terahertz radiation lies on the boundary between radio and light waves and is far more difficult to detect and analyse than either, but is of huge interest for medical, security, environmental and communication uses; the technology could, for instance, theoretically carry wireless data at terabit speeds.

    ESA originally investigated the radiation for sensing atmospheric and ground phenomena from satellites, but it is now examining terrestrial applications of the new frequencies. "We have recognised the huge potential in non-space applications, and in parallel to exploiting the use of terahertz waves and the StarTiger technology in space, we have kicked-off a commercialisation study to identify the best way of transferring it into terrestrial systems," said Pierre Brisson, head of ESA's Technology Transfer and Promotion Office.

    One terahertz is 1,000 gigahertz, and most current radio technology stops at around 100 GHz: 0.1THz. Everything gives off terahertz radiation naturally, and like radio waves -- but unlike heat or light -- the waves can pass through some solid objects. Like light, it is possible to focus the radiation and create images as if the intervening material were translucent, and by analysing the frequencies given off the chemical and physical characteristics of the object can be worked out.

    Terahertz radiation has wavelengths too short for normal radio antennae to pick up but too long for normal optical techniques and thus the band has been closed to experimenters and scientists. Until now, the only known user of the frequencies has been a species of moth. By using nano-engineering techniques to create micro-machined arrays of minute antennae, the StarTiger team has created a sensor array that can image objects at 0.2THz and 0.3THz.

    "The final version was an enhanced imaging system incorporating a two-colour 16-pixel detector array of the size of a postage stamp. This advanced system incorporated revolutionary silicon micro-electrical-mechanical systems (MEMs) technology," said Chris Mann, the project manager at Rutherford Appleton Laboratories (RAL) in Oxfordshire, where most of the work has been done. "The enhanced system delivered images that confirmed the nature of terahertz waves. An imager can show details of features under the skin, confirming the potential of this technique." As well as images of a hand taken through 15mm of paper, the project has also released pictures of the human body imaged through clothing.

    Because the field is so new and unexplored, many applications are still to be tested. Detecting explosives or biological agents in parcels, cancers beneath the skin, the state of wounds beneath dressings, and seeing through fog: all have been suggested by StarTiger and other researchers.

  38. And in other news.... by sickboy_macosX · · Score: 1

    Today scientists have announced a new way to get more pornography online by using new technology.. I could see where this would be useful for X-rays and such iof it could get cleaner. it is kind of cool however. I just dont want to see this kind of technology coruppted. (By the way, i have no problems with porn, i like it just as much as the next guy. =) )

    --
    --- /* In Soviet Russia, the Mac OS X kernel panics you! */
    1. Re:And in other news.... by Angry+White+Guy · · Score: 1

      Yeah, assuming the next guy is Hugh Hefner.

      --
      You think that I'm crazy, you should see this guy!
  39. It's passive. by dark-nl · · Score: 4, Informative

    The picture of the hand, at least, was taken using just the rays the hand emits naturally.

  40. Re:Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    Look Eric Krout,

    Although a lot mods still mod you up, I've done my part and just spent my 5 points modding you down, and encourage everyone else to do the same.

    Stupid troll.

    Power Glass

  41. Good to see some constuctive devices being made by Neophytus · · Score: 4, Interesting

    A device that can be used to see through walls has potential anti-terrorism uses, and if tweaked it could probably be used as a replacement for the mildly-dangerous xray technology. Also being able to be used for communications, this is a step in the right direction for research into radio technologys.

    1. Re:Good to see some constuctive devices being made by jratcliffe · · Score: 2, Informative

      There are already systems that can see through walls, using UWB. Not _exactly_ the same thing, but pretty cool, nonetheless: http://www.businessweek.com/technology/content/oct 2002/tc20021017_4359.htm

  42. Ugh... by da3dAlus · · Score: 3, Funny

    Imagine the X10 camera ads this will bring forth...

    --

    Sometimes I doubt your commitment to Sparkle Motion.
    1. Re:Ugh... by mpthompson · · Score: 1

      Unfortunately I can imagine the ads. Still a pain in the ass, just fuzzier.

  43. Re:Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I cannot believe that this actually got modded up. I wish that mod gets fucked in the ass by old Ike.

  44. shut up, they R0X0R! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    This is gonna be bigger than the ::Cue::Cat!

    (Hopefully they keep their marketing people away from any sharp objects or dangerous electricty!)

  45. MOD PARENT UP!!!!!!11111 +5 FUNNY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    d00d ur kewl

    10 print "taco taco taco"
    20 goto 10

    ur such a hax0r ROFFLE

  46. Um... by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 4, Funny

    From the article:

    Everything gives off terahertz radiation naturally, and like radio waves -- but unlike heat or light -- the waves can pass through some solid objects.

    Light waves can't pass through solid objects? Except, you know, glass. Or clear plastic. Visible light can't pass through things that are opaque, moron. That's why they invented the damn word in the first place.

    --

    There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    1. Re:Um... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Not to be a wiseass, but glass technically isn't a solid. It's a REALLY slow flowing liquid.

    2. Re:Um... by Ex-MislTech · · Score: 1

      High Frequency light is akin to microwave
      radiation, the photonic particles may be
      blocked, but as we know there is more there
      than meets the eye .

      These non-visible portions of the spectrum
      are where X-rays, gamma rays, and others
      come from . Some I am sure we do not even
      know yet exist , like dark energy being
      discussed by Stephen Hawking of late .

      This Ultra high freuquency radiation is much
      like super high frequency radar and we know
      it can shoot thru fiberglass ray domes with
      the greatest of ease .

      So ease up on the name calling, calling ppl
      names does not make you any smarter, or
      make ppl cower down to your testosterone
      powered brain .

      Chill, read, learn a little ...

      Peace

      Ex_MislTech

      --
      google "32 trillion offshore needs IRS attention"
    3. Re:Um... by Floody · · Score: 1

      Not to be a wiseass, but glass technically isn't a solid. It's a REALLY slow flowing liquid.

      That's an urban myth. Glass is probably most accurately described as an "amorphous solid", i.e. non-crystaline in structure but rigid. There is a second-order phase transition that occurs between the supercooled liquid state and the amorphous solid state, although not a dramatic change.

      Actually, it's not outside the realm of possibility to consider glasses to actually be a distinctly different form of matter, neither liquid nor solid; owing largely to the fact that glasses combine the properties of both traditional solids and liquids. Disordered molecules, but rigidly bound.

      Regardless, the urban myth that non-molten glass can "flow" is incorrect; in that respect it behaves like a solid.

      More information, including cites, can be found here.

    4. Re:Um... by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 1

      Um. I wasn't trying to make anyone cower. The person that I corrected isn't even on /., they're the author of the article. I thought it was funny that the author suggested all solid objects are opaque, when we all know of many counterexamples. I was making a joke. Your post contained no information that was new to me. Patronize someone else.

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    5. Re:Um... by EvilSporkMan · · Score: 1

      They probably meant to say that stuff that isn't usually considered "transparent" actually is when dealing with terahertz radiation.

      --
      -insert a witty something-
    6. Re:Um... by Elwood+P+Dowd · · Score: 1

      Yes, that's what they should have said. It's just not what they did say :)

      --

      There are no trails. There are no trees out here.
    7. Re:Um... by po8 · · Score: 1

      Apparently, this is Elwood P. Dowd from after the injection.

      ...In this world...you have to be either oh-so-smart, or oh-so-pleasant. For years I was smart. I prefer pleasant.
  47. possible application by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Joist and stud finder. The resolution
    looks too bad find nails.

  48. What is this Strtiger? by jonr · · Score: 1

    I don't get it...
    This is what happens when you let the marketing team design literature, people!
    J.

    1. Re:What is this Strtiger? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Essentially, they managed to pull off what Brooks (Mythical Man Month) and Heinlein (the Man who sold the Moon) described. They found some young talented engineers, told them to go away and design something and fielded all the incoming crap for them.

      In case this is giving libertarians a hard on - it was done at a government lab using taxpayers' money.

  49. Alright!! by Lord_Slepnir · · Score: 1

    About time. Now Herr Reichmarshall Ashcroft can track Democr^H^H^H^H^H^H Commun^H^H^H^H^H^H terrorists. And we all know those who oppose this are probally doing something un-american. And of course Ashcroft, as the god-fearing american will never exploit this to violate our consitutional rights.

  50. Re:Terahertz? by madshot · · Score: 1

    you are really sick you know that?

    --
    Obama = Socialism.
  51. Dude by Exiler · · Score: 5, Funny

    Locker room, they're already naked!

    --
    Banaaaana!
    1. Re:Dude by Yorrike · · Score: 5, Interesting

      You'll want one of these then.

      --

      Looks can be deceiving. Or CAN they?

    2. Re:Dude by Bob+Vila's+Hammer · · Score: 1

      I so admire the Japanese drive for making the imagined dreams of Anime Film a reality. That picture totally reminds me of the film 'Ghost in the Shell', where the terrorist/hacker dude slips his overcoat on and disappears within the Thermoptic Camoflauge - only to be beaten up by Major Kusanagi wearing the same. It appears that this fantastic technology is already in the prototype stage.

      --


      --"The perfect example of the man of action is the suicide." - William Carlos Williams
    3. Re:Dude by xenocide2 · · Score: 1

      If by prototype you mean "we have a person surrounded by cameras and projectors so that another camera percieves a person as translucent green."

      --
      I Browse at +4 Flamebait

      Open Source Sysadmin

  52. Re:Linux? by dirvish · · Score: 1

    That is one of the most pitifull attempts at kharma-whoring I have ever seen. 23 of this guys last 24 comments are titled "Linux?" What a twat.

  53. Re:Terehertz Specs (pics) by $$$$$exyGal · · Score: 0, Offtopic
    Here's some example pics: not safe for work

    --sex

    --
    Very popular slashdot journal for adul
  54. Re:Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Not that pitiful. It worked.

    Can one meta-mod a post as "Funny", based on the fact that someone modded up such a post?

  55. Re:Terahertz? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Welcome to Slashdot, asswipe.

  56. x10 cam by dirvish · · Score: 1

    If they equipped that x-cam that is on all the pop-up ads with this I might actually buy one.

  57. Interesting medical applications by chrae · · Score: 2, Interesting
    When this becomes more developed this could lead to less of a need for Doctors to use exploritative surgery to see what is going on in the deep tissues. To find things such as torn tissues or tumors.

    And from what I understand from the article, TeraHertz radiation is something that objects emmit naturally. So I'd assume devices using this technique would not be exposing you to radiation, as X-rays do.

    Security checkpoints might adopt this also. Airports currently use x-rays which can be damaging to high speed film and has other negative issues also. The article mentioned that certain chemical characteristics could also be gleaned from an imaging system such as this, since the object itself (and the chemicals it contains) is the thing emmitting the radiation. Possibilities include detecting explosives and drugs.

    Also, just as a side note, the pictures of a human body through clothing referred to in the article are of some fat guy with flabby tits. View at your own risk.

    1. Re:Interesting medical applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unlikely to be effective for deep tissue therapy it seems.
      Penetrates clothing, paper, smoke, and some walls?
      Doesn't look like you'll get much from something under a few inches of flesh.

      Better stick to x-ray.

      The whole reason it is safe is that it doesn't punch through the body.
      You can't have something interfering with the body to some extent, while still going through it *and* still being safe.

    2. Re:Interesting medical applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      oh. and you do know light is radiation, right?
      a flashlight exposes you to radiation :-P

    3. Re:Interesting medical applications by chrae · · Score: 1
      oh. and you do know light is radiation, right?
      a flashlight exposes you to radiation :-P


      From the article: According to de Maagt, the main advantage of a terahertz imager is that it does not emit any radiation and it is a passive camera, capturing pictures of the natural terahertz rays emitted by almost all objects.

      You did read the article didn't you?

    4. Re:Interesting medical applications by chrae · · Score: 1
      Unlikely to be effective for deep tissue therapy it seems.

      Like light, it is possible to focus the radiation and create images as if the intervening material were translucent. From what I gather, you could focus such a device similarly to how you focus a regular camera. Putting things at different tissue depths into focus. And since your body emits this radiation from all depths, only the stuff that is in focus would be seen.

    5. Re:Interesting medical applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Foolish person. Doesn't *emit* radiation, it picks *up* radiation. I.E. terahertz radiation.
      Just like you can have a passive x-ray device - not that there are that many natural x-ray sources, but they exist.

      You completely failed to get my point.

    6. Re:Interesting medical applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Explain to me the mechanism by which "focusing" will prevent the absorption by intervening layers.

      A camera's focusing alters the projection focal point.
      It does not in any way modify the light that is projected on it.

      This *passive* device will only pick up radiation reflected from your body that makes it through the clothing.

      Even if there was an active terahertz radiator behind you, it would have to be emitting massive amounts of radiation to punch through your body - like trying to shine a flashlight through a human.

      The only result would probably be sunburn.

    7. Re:Interesting medical applications by chrae · · Score: 1
      Don't think of it like a camera which records reflected light, or as an x-ray machine that records xray "light" shined through an object and recording the "shadows" on film. There is no need to project or reflect this radiation as the objects emit the radiation.

      The reason isn't news because of the discovery of this spectrum of radiation, but because of the ability to focus and record it. As I understand it, it is much more difficult for machinery to detect than radio or light wave frequencies and required some sort of nano manufacturing based upon the species of moth that has antenae that can sense radiation in this spectrum.

      Hope that clears things up.

    8. Re:Interesting medical applications by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      *sigh*
      humans emit infrared too.
      Great, that means we should be able to do a lovely map of internal structures?

    9. Re:Interesting medical applications by chrae · · Score: 1

      Right. Humans do emit infrared. Except infrared doesn't pass through solid objects as readily as this band of spectrum does.

    10. Re:Interesting medical applications by hankwang · · Score: 1
      Actually, terahertz imaging is much more advanced than what is shown on the pictures, at least if you use a terahertz emittor instead of depending on the minute amount of thermally emitted radiation. Take a look at the Teravision project or the pictures at the terahertz research group at the Rensselaer polytechnic institute.

      With passive terahertz imaging, you have to face the problem that basically everything, including your detector, is emitting terahertz radiation. With a well-designed pulsed terahertz source, as in the links, you are much less sensitive to thermal noise. Unfortunately, it requires quite a bit more equipment, most importantly a femtosecond pulsed laser system which is too expensive (at least USD 150,000), bulky, and fragile for use outside a laser laboratory.

  58. That's nothing by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    MacGyver built a teraherz camera out of a banana peel and a rubber band.

  59. Building Contractors Would Love This by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If you could use this to look through a wall for hidden water damage you could sell a zillion of these.

  60. Re:Terahertz? by geekopus · · Score: 1

    YHBT

    Since you're obviously new around here:
    You Have Been Trolled
    Unless you want retinal damage, don't click on the Goat Sex link.....

  61. Can you imagine the pr0n spam? by JRHelgeson · · Score: 0
    Come check out my THz webcam.

    or

    Come check out my truly voyeuristic THz videos of people fully clothed!

    --
    Good security is based upon reality and common sense. Common sense is a function of having common knowledge.
  62. wuhahaha by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A moderator on german tv just said "nuclear waffles" instead of "nuclear weapons".

    just wanted to let you know.

  63. win32? by ideut · · Score: 0

    Actually a terabyte of hard disk capacity is 10^12 bytes. A terabyte of physical memory is 2^40 bytes. And a terahertz clock (if it ever exists) will be 10^12 cycles per second.

    --

    --

    1. Re:win32? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      T'wat are you referring now?

  64. Smacks of by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    a component in Bones' tricorder.

  65. Inkjet fabrication instead of photolithography? by mikeophile · · Score: 2, Interesting

    It seems like it would be a much easier and cheaper way of producing the Thz waveguide antennae.

    1. Re:Inkjet fabrication instead of photolithography? by iamthemoog · · Score: 1

      The kind of photolithography used here is based on very thick photoresists (for example, epon SU-8). If you're forming waveguide structures using these materials (i.e. patterning a channel and coating it with gold to form a guide), side-wall and top surface quality are of great importance for low-loss operation - you can't tolerate rough or wobbly waveguides.... So, Using inkjets, you'd have to figure out a way of building up multiple layers of ink or whatever to produce your pattern and also aligning each layer over the top of a previous one to pretty good accuracy.

      Also, bear in mind the inkjet process is pretty much 2 dimensional - so building an antenna (ideally 3d) would pose a whole set of new problems.

      moog

      --
      No Norm, those are your safety glasses; I'll wear my own thanks...
  66. WARNING!!!! goatse.cx link! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the above is a link to goatse.cx

  67. win32? by ideut · · Score: 0

    Please mod parent flamebait. Twat is the rude word.

    --

    --

  68. What I found especially interesting by Rolo+Tomasi · · Score: 1
    from http://www.space.com/businesstechnology/technology /t-ray_camera_020613.html
    To develop the technology quickly, StarTiger was created by the ESA. The project brought a group of researchers together for a few months, provided ample money and facilities, and encouraged development of new technology in a short period of time. The researchers started in June, created their first T-ray image last fall, and released one this week.
    Sounds really simple and efficient. Is a lot of research done this way?
    --
    Did you know you can fertilize your lawn with used motor oil?
  69. Is not. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thanks for the troll, though.

  70. Re:Terehertz Specs (pics)-Time out for peek a boo. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    " Here's some example pics: not safe for work [wigner.bme.hu]"

    Well the "out of work" shouldn't have a problem.

  71. Re:Practical Application-"Super" man. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well don't forget. For every action there's a reaction. I predict lead undies will become popular.

  72. Fuck, calm down.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    seriously, fuck you, "Elwood"

  73. Re:Terehertz Specs (pics) by ubugly2 · · Score: 1

    thanks,do you have any more from the artist or similar?

  74. It's not actually THz... by JRHelgeson · · Score: 2, Informative
    The article actually states that the camera is imaging at the 0.2THz to 0.3THz - which means that they're operating at 200-300GHz.

    Thats like Intel stating they broke the Gigahertz barrier when they reached 300 MHz processor speeds (or rather 0.3GHz).

    --
    Good security is based upon reality and common sense. Common sense is a function of having common knowledge.
    1. Re:It's not actually THz... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In my first incarnation as a grad student, I
      built a kind of camera that worked at 380
      GHz ... in 1984.

      The detectors were either bolometers or (much
      more sensitive) Schottky diodes that were good
      up to 1 THz.

      It was an interesting gadget that contained teflon
      lenses, parabolic mirrors, diffraction gratings.

  75. Is too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who's trolling? :-)

  76. Re:Off-topic cry for help.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it sounds familiar
    the doctor gave me lots of drugs so i would feel nothing
    after 1.5 years i said skrew the drugs and then appreciated everyday life
    see, life is about feeling, and the so-called "antidepressants" take that away, and therefore take away life
    the drugs may teach you to mellow out though

  77. Species of Moth? by JRHelgeson · · Score: 0
    The article states:
    Until now, the only known user of the frequencies has been a species of moth.

    Does anyone know what species?

    I would kill to be that moth...

    --
    Good security is based upon reality and common sense. Common sense is a function of having common knowledge.
  78. Misinformed posts. by Jaguar777 · · Score: 1

    There have been quite a few posts asking about cameras that can see through clothing. One even calling it an April's fools joke. Here is an article about Video Voyeurs from CyberCrime. If I remember correctly the infrared on the cameras work best in bright sunlight looking at tight dark clothing.

    --
    Maybe you should educate the morons of tomorrow so they'll stop believing the leaders of tomorrow. - Dogbert
  79. What would it take to be portable? by MP*Birdman · · Score: 1

    I'm thinking for search and rescue puposes..

    How feasible would it be to focus though multiple layers of different materials, or though one layer of unknown thickness (eg. snow from an avelanche) to look for people and/or things like shipwrecks?

    If they can do that, and have it be portable, the military would likely be interested too. In either case, I can see scientific and medical applications for this.

  80. Conservative SCOTUS ruled against thermal imaging by Artifice_Eternity · · Score: 4, Informative
    It's possible that Ashcroft will seek the use of this and other types of remote imaging technology in the future. But for now, he can't use them without a warrant.

    Surprisingly, the Supreme Court ruled last year -- in an opinion written by Scalia (conservative) and joined by Souter (moderate) and Thomas (conservative), as well as Ginsburg and Breyer (both liberal) -- that the use of thermal imaging to detect marijuana grow lamps inside a house was illegal:
    The District Court [had previously] ruled that the thermal imaging device "is a non-intrusive device which emits no rays or beams and shows a crude visual image of the heat being radiated from the outside of the house"; it "did not show any people or activity within the walls of the structure" it "cannot penetrate walls or windows to reveal conversations or human activities"; and "(n)o intimate details of the home were observed."

    The Court of Appeals initially reversed this ruling, but reversed itself, ruling that Kyllo has shown no expectation of privacy because he had made no attempt to conceal the heat escaping from his home, and even if he had, there was no reasonable expectation of privacy because the imager "did not expose any intimate details of Kyllo's life," only "amorphous 'hot spots' on the roof and exterior wall."

    The U. S. Supreme Court reversed the decision of the Court of Appeals. Justice Scalia's decision pointed out that the Fourth Amendment provides that "(t)he right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreason able searches and seizures shall not be violated." It cited a 1961 ruling, Silverman v. United States, ruling, "At the very core" of the Fourth Amendment "stands the right of a man to retreat into his own home and there be free from unreasonable governmental intrusion." It held that with few exceptions, the question whether a warrantless search of a home is reasonable and hence constitutional must be answered no.

    The decision discussed at length the change in technology availing the government of visual surveillance, and the historic tie of visual surveillance to trespass. However, the court observed, visual surveillance has been historically lawful, because the eye cannot be guilty of trespass. The decision referred back to the 1986 Ciraolo case where the Supreme Court ruled that aerial surveillance with the naked eye was permissible without a search warrant, even if the police were looking at plants growing within the back yard, which known legally as being within the "curtilage" of the home.

    In his discussion of the effect of the evolution of technology on privacy rights, Justice Scalia stated that technology enabling human flight has uncovered portions of the house and its curtilage that once were private. But, he held, the Kyllo case had to confront the limits on the power of technology to shrink the realm of guaranteed privacy.

    What the court concluded is that a search is permissible without a search warrant if the surveillance was normally available to the public without additional technology. Thus, looking down from an airplane is permissible, but using an eavesdropping device is not.

    The distinction that "off-the-wall observations" could be permissible while "through the wall" surveillance could be impermissible would lead to a trap as technology advances. The court held that any other approach "would leave the homeowner at the mercy of advancing technology-including imaging technology that could discern all human activity in the home."
    It looks to me like terahertz imaging would fall under this ruling, and thus be illegal without a warrant. For now, anyway...
  81. The question remains... by nickgrieve · · Score: 1

    Are these waves blocked by tinfoil?

    1. Re:The question remains... by mmol_6453 · · Score: 1

      Yeah. You wouldn't put tinfoil in your microwave oven, would you? :)

      --
      What's this Submit thingy do?
  82. Will the consumer have access to Thz technology? by ciphertext · · Score: 1

    Could you imagine your voyeuristic neighbor with a Thz ban scanner? Your bedroom life would no longer be sacred. Imagine if the same individual had access to the rendering software for the Thz scanner. What a neat home movie they would have.

    --
    To know is to have knowledge....to understand is to be enlightened.
  83. Re:Off-topic cry for help.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thanks for the comments.
    I think a lot of people thought I was making this up (hence the moderation); I'm not. I just want to see if the way I feel is common to other computer geeks out there.
    Anonymous for obvious reasons.....

  84. Time Domain has a better solution by Ex-MislTech · · Score: 1

    Time Domain corporation has Ultra Wide band
    and is a better all around product .

    It does the X-ray vision trick, and it will
    make hyper accurate GPS possible .

    It has many other possibilites including
    incredible wireless connectivity .

    http://www.timedomain.com/Files/HTML/news/TheEco no mist.htm

    Check it out !!!

    Ex_MislTech

    --
    google "32 trillion offshore needs IRS attention"
    1. Re:Time Domain has a better solution by JoshRoss · · Score: 1

      I was thinking the same thing.. I wonder if timedomain has gone vaporware? Their website is outdated and something is not good.

  85. Astronomy that can be done with this? by dpp · · Score: 4, Informative
    that's cool. What sort of astrnomy can be done with this?

    I work for an observatory that uses these wavelengths to do astronomy. At these wavelengths you're mostly looking at the cold material in the universe --- stuff like interstellar gas, dust, and so on.

    --
    This post is strictly my own opinion and not necessarily that of my employer.
    1. Re:Astronomy that can be done with this? by Alsee · · Score: 1

      At these wavelengths you're mostly looking at the cold material in the universe --- stuff like interstellar gas, dust, and so on.

      Hillary Rosens heart...

      -

      --
      - - You can't take something off the Internet! That's like trying to take pee out of a swimming pool.
    2. Re:Astronomy that can be done with this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
      At these wavelengths you're mostly looking at the cold material in the universe
      ...or at hot chicks.
  86. I'm just waiting... by skermit · · Score: 1

    I'm just waiting for the terahertz filter for Sony digicams that'll let you see nekkid women under their clothes THROUGH walls. *snicker*

    http://www.spy.th.com/through.html

    --
    -Christopher Wu
    http://www.christopherwu.net/
  87. seems bogus by djtack · · Score: 1

    Terahertz radiation lies on the boundary between radio and light waves and is far more difficult to detect and analyse than either, but is of huge interest for medical, security, environmental and communication uses;

    If this is so groundbreaking, why do they fail to mention that "terahertz radiation" also goes by another name: infrared? If it's so hard to detect and analyze, how come my $10 radio-shack universal remote control can do it?

    1. Re:seems bogus by JBark · · Score: 2, Informative

      I believe they failed to metion infrared, because infrared is usually considered part of the light spectrum, hence the terms "infrared light" and "ultra-violet light".

    2. Re:seems bogus by jerrytcow · · Score: 1

      Not only that, a lot of USB cams can see IR light. Point the IR port of your palm/laptop/jeteye at the cam and initiate a transfer.

      I seem to remember that it looked blue when detected by my IBM USB camera for some reason.

    3. Re:seems bogus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It is FAR-infared radiation. Right between microwaves (GHz) and infared. The energy is so low it cannot drive the normal types of photodetectors like those found in your remote control. You generally need a liquid-helium cooled bolometer to detect terahertz radiation.

  88. Re:Off-topic cry for help.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You might get better response if you post this on userfriendly.org. I see a bunch of random-topic items, including ones such as this, posted there...

  89. Re:Off-topic cry for help.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Thanks for the tip......

  90. Re:Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Amazing and impressive that you caught that! I wonder how many more he would have done if you didn't mention it.

  91. Worked fine for me. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The great-great-grandparent post is absolutely correct. The link displays some amazing photographs of the inside of the human body, which could only have been taken by terahertz imaging. I think you will all admit that you couldn't reproduce those photos by normal photographic means.

  92. Re:Terehertz Specs (pics) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wow. Those are impressive.

  93. Re:Will the consumer have access to Thz technology by praksys · · Score: 1

    Tinfoil hats will soon be superceded by tinfoil longjohns and tinfoil wallpaper. Time to invest in aluminium futures I think.

    Seriously though - this is too easy to beat for anyone who feels the need to.

  94. What exactly is 'terabit speeds'? by jerrytcow · · Score: 2, Interesting
    Terahertz radiation lies on the boundary between radio and light waves and is far more difficult to detect and analyse than either, but is of huge interest for medical, security, environmental and communication uses; the technology could, for instance, theoretically carry wireless data at terabit speeds.

    Do these waves travel faster than 2.4 GHz waves? That would be news - I was under the impression that all waves traveled at the same speed.

    1. Re:What exactly is 'terabit speeds'? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I would guess that terrabit speed means 1e12 bits per second.

    2. Re:What exactly is 'terabit speeds'? by 21mhz · · Score: 1

      They likely mean bandwidth. It's impossible to modulate 1 terabit per second on a 2.4 GHz channel.

      --
      My exception safety is -fno-exceptions.
    3. Re:What exactly is 'terabit speeds'? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, you could do this if the SNR was very
      very high. the bandwith of 56k baud 64 QAM is
      only about 10 kHz.

  95. Goat link by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Don't follow from work.

  96. One of science greatest mysteries will fall! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Finally, we can solve schroedinger's cat problem!

  97. Why don't they just call it 'far infrared?' by Michael+Woodhams · · Score: 1

    This smells suspiciously of renaming something old so it seems new.

    In the early 1980s, the IRAS satellite did an all-sky survey at wavelengths up to 100 micron - i.e. about 3 THz.

    The article says "most current radio technology stops at around 100 GHz." I myself have observed at 345GHz (0.345 THz) using radio astronomy techniques, and this was over 10 years ago. (This was at the Caltech Submillimeter Observatory, but it is not the only such observatory in the world.)

    There is some new stuff here, however - at CSO, we had only one pixel, and they are talking about a compact 16 pixel detector (working at 0.2 to 0.3 THz - I.e. much the same frequencies as we were using.)

    From an astronomical point of view, although detectors are a fairly big issue, our main problem was noise from the atmosphere - i.e. the atmosphere 'glows' at these wavelenghts, which tends to drown out the astronomical objects you are looking for.

    --
    Quattuor res in hoc mundo sanctae sunt: libri, liberi, libertas et liberalitas.
  98. Re:Off-topic cry for help.... by airrage · · Score: 1

    You are preaching to the choir. We need to have a beer and figure out what to do. I quit once (and I'm not a irrational person) and spent two months traveling in New Zealand, best damn time of my life. I think about that often.
    I would add the following to your list:

    + Sick fantasy of your wife dying (but not because I want here harmed or dead) so that you get the life insurance. Pay off the house, travel.
    + Thinking about doing something besides computer shit, like a hobby or something, but end up playing games on the computer, email on the computer, etc.
    + Realized that college was a lot more fun than I realized at the time, you got to learn new things, sex, drink beer, and somehow 2 hours of sleep was enough!

    --
    "This isn't a study in computer science, its a study in human behavior"
  99. Re:Practical Application-"Super" man. by mythr · · Score: 1

    That's one place I don't want to get the resulting lead-poisoning/tetanus. Nope, no lead undies for me. If they want to see me naked, though, they're going to have to at least buy me dinner!

  100. terabyte by Gonoff · · Score: 1

    A terabyte is a terabyte 2^40 in all circumstances.
    Some HDD manufacturers say 10^12 but that is just so that they can pass off a 0.91 terabyte disc as a 1 terabyte disc.

    1 kilobyte = 2^10 bytes
    1 megabyte = 2^20 bytes
    1 gigabyte = 2^30 bytes
    1 terabyte = 2^40 bytes

    There are words like kibibyte and all sorts of other stupid ideas. They were invented to confuse things. Even Micro$oft Windows seems to have this one right. I just looked at a PC running it. It said 38,050,996,224 bytes = 35.4 MB. If they can get it right, so can you!
    When you get your terabyte disc, make sure you get 1,099,511,627,776 bytes. If you get just 10^12 bytes, they are stealing nearly 93MB of drive space from you!

    --
    I'll see your Constitution and raise you a Queen.
    1. Re:terabyte by ideut · · Score: 0
      I think both definitions are fine. Both are in common usage. The dictionary has both definitions. But...
      If you get just 10^12 bytes, they are stealing nearly 93MB of drive space from you!

      You mean GB, don't you?

      --

      --

  101. you're a dumb fuck by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    too! well you're! :)

  102. You Know What Would Be Scary? by OwlofCreamCheese · · Score: 1, Funny

    if you were in a hotel with a camera like that, and you looked through the wall, and what you saw was someone spying on YOU from the other side of the wall.... because then... its like, what can you do? can't call the police or anything... mabey just take the guy out for a beer, really. share storys....

    --
    -You're wasting your time. Alfador only likes me.
  103. Useful for the Fire Service by wsimmonds · · Score: 1

    I live very close to QinetiQ - those responsible for the picture of the guy with the hidden gun on that site.

    There was a press release some time ago about the potential uses for this, and one of the major ones was for the fire service to enable them to see people in fires.

    One of the more concerning things was that there was a somewhat odd camera-like device pointing out of their window straight towards my house for a significant amount of time a couple of years ago.. that somewhat disturbs me :/

  104. See the silicon? by LordSah · · Score: 1

    Did anyone else look at their diagrams of the terahertz pixels? They were massive, stacked silicon structures. I can't imagine them getting the densities of those things anywhere near the densities of your run-of-the-mill digital camera anytime soon. It also explains the rather poor resolution of the sample images.

    Hopefully improvements will let them be rolled into low cost medical equipment (fairly) soon. Or cheap, light x-ray goggles, as everyone seems to want :)

  105. picture through paper pad missing a finger? by venom600 · · Score: 1

    Did the image get cut off, I wonder? or is one of the researchers missing a finger?

  106. Sony camcoders IR Light pictures by m4g02 · · Score: 1

    Someone already said this, but there was not pics and I know you all love and want pics, you sick perverts... ermmm...
    Here are the pics anywayz

    Note this is informative not inappropriate neither offensive! =)

    --
    Sigs are for morons... Wait a minute...
  107. Only 0.2 THz? Only 16 pixels? Bah... by Timothy+Brownawell · · Score: 1
    This so-called "breakthrough" only allows imaging at 0.2 to 0.3 THz? I already have a pair of imaging sensors that operate with 430 to 770 THz radiation -- they work with frequencies over 2300 times higher, and so are over 2300 times better. What's more, these imaging sensors I have have a direct neural interface, something that the StarTiger people will tell you is still science fiction. And I daresay I can get better resolution than their measly 16 pixel sensor gives -- especially if I choose to go for an upgrade.

    :-) Tim

  108. Terahertz in the U.S. by oil · · Score: 2, Informative

    There's a small company in Ann Arbor, Michigan that has a commercial terahertz imaging device called the T-Ray 2000. Check it out. http://www.picometrix.com/t-ray/index.html

  109. Eat this, Kitty Cat by Synithium · · Score: 1

    We'll finally be able to definitively state that yes, indeed, the cat is in the box.

  110. Welcome to Online News by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Internet new is always like this. I mainly read cnn.com, and there are never pictures when there should be.

    And another thing, they never link to sites when they talk about them. "New controversial web site does X" and there is no link.

    1. Re:Welcome to Online News by G4M8I7 · · Score: 1

      well, it IS a news site, and not a "news for nerds" site (yes, i can read the banner :D) most people who read CNN are there strictly for what is going on, and dont really care if they see first hand what is happening in the world, which is a frightening, and disheartening thought

  111. Would someone by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    please tell me what is so damn special about taking really fast photographs? I can see really fast (terahertz) cpus being cool, but photos that fast? Bah.

  112. Re:Off-topic cry for help.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Welcome to the club. You describe me, except instead of wife+kids, it's girlfriend and dogs. I'm still trying to figure out what to do. I've thought about just spending a lot of time under the influence of anti-depressants, but I'd like to be able to use my mind once in a while. Sometimes I feel like if I happened to win the lottery everything would be fine. But unless it happens, I'll never know.

  113. Re:Terehertz Specs (pics) by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That is very cool. Nice work on the surface mapping.

  114. Re:Conservative SCOTUS ruled against thermal imagi by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    It looks to me like terahertz imaging would fall under this ruling, and thus be illegal without a warrant. For now, anyway...

    That ruling established a new "brightline test" to determine if the technology can be used for surveillance. The ruling basically stated that if the technology is in common use, the police can go ahead and utilize it.

    Shortly after that ruling, the federal government donated two thermal imagers to my local police department.

    So, spying on people with teraherz imagers will only be unconstitutional until the technology is in common use.

  115. so all I gotta do is.... by Kadagan+AU · · Score: 1

    take a few crappy pics of my hand, and say it was some terra-thingy, and I can get millions of hits on my webserver from slashdotters? yay!!

    --
    This space for rent, inquire within.
  116. Re:Practical Application-"Super" man. by kcelery · · Score: 1

    First, the metal detector alarm goes off like hell. Then you were invited into a dark room where you're striped for inspection of firearms.

  117. This is not Terahertz, this is 300GHz. by drinkypoo · · Score: 1

    From the article:

    the StarTiger team has created a sensor array that can image objects at 0.2THz and 0.3THz.

    The whole point of engineering notation, in which you only express numbers in terms of powers of ten which are multiples of three, is that your number which gets multiplied is greater than one and less than 1,000, which would put you in the next bracket. It's Kilo Mega Giga Tera, for 10^3, 10^6, 10^9, and 10^12 respectively.

    Hence .3 THz is not proper use of engineering notation, and thus it is not proper use of the name Tera. This is still Gigahertz range. When they get past .999(bar) THz and up to 1 THz, then this is terahertz imaging. This isn't even almost terahertz imaging, it's less than a third of the way there.

    --
    "You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
    1. Re:This is not Terahertz, this is 300GHz. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It takes a true geek to distinguish between .999 and .999(bar).

      By the way, a moment of joy in my geekish childhood was proving to my best friend that .3(bar) + .6(bar) equals 1.0

  118. food? by G4M8I7 · · Score: 1

    OK, all im really worried about is this:

    will it be used to make a new microwave that cookes food in literal moments, instead of making me wait 3 and a half for easy-mac???

  119. large boundaries by Shamashmuddamiq · · Score: 1

    Terahertz radiation lies on the boundary between radio and light waves...

    Right...like how Kansas City lies on the boundary between Philadelphia and Los Angeles.

    --
    ...just my 2 gil.
  120. Re:Linux? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    thanks, i will inform the editors to have your mod privileges revoked and your previous moderations to be canceled due this this modbombing.

  121. No it is true by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Using and old version o the night vision on some cameras (normal everyday sony handycams) or a chipped style newer model (hey stopped it) you can pick up the different wavelength light form the skin under certain clothes, and thus the sybject appears nude.

    but in some freaky green colour.

    freaky-green-sex.com

  122. Hertz or Byte? by Ignorant+Aardvark · · Score: 1

    Terahertz? Screw that! I want teraBYTE images!

    And in other news, a webserver blew up in Europe earlier today, taking out most of France.

  123. Re:Practical Application-"Super" man. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually Terahertz waves will be able to penetrate lead. However, they get absorbed by water, which is why it sees through clothes but shows skin in very fine detail.

    Maybe getting one of these http://www.repro-med.com/maleinfertitilty.htm [repro-med.com]would help. It has certain... other... benefits as well and it should be REALLY popular with the overclockers!

  124. Re:Will the consumer have access to Thz technology by ciphertext · · Score: 1

    By "beat" do you mean "jam"? The US carries a law that says it is illegal to jam electromagnetic wave communication (domestic of course). That is why it is illegal to suppress cell phones in hospitals, hotels, any residence, etc... by using electronic equipment whose sole purpose is to "jam" communications. Purhaps we will all need to live in concrete homes with 6 inch thick windows!

    --
    To know is to have knowledge....to understand is to be enlightened.
  125. Last Post! by alpg · · Score: 0

    Niklaus Wirth has lamented that, whereas Europeans pronounce his name correctly
    (Ni-klows Virt), Americans invariably mangle it into (Nick-les Worth). Which
    is to say that Europeans call him by name, but Americans call him by value.

    - this post brought to you by the Automated Last Post Generator...