Sky Tunez

By Ryan Rounds

3D scanner: 3D scanning implies analyzing the real-world environment or objects for collecting data on their appearance, i.e. color and shape. Digital 3D models can be constructed from the data collected. Such devices are being used by the amusement industry extensively for producing video games and movies. This technology is more widely used in reverse engineering, industrial design, prototyping, keeping records of cultural artifacts, and computer vision. A number of technologies have been used for building the three-dimensional scanning devices. Every technology has limitations, costs, and advantages.

Functionality: The idea behind using a three-dimensional scanner is creating a Point Cloud of the Geometric Samples on the subject’s surface. The subject’s shape can then be extrapolated by using these points. If information regarding color is gathered at every juncture, the determination of colors on subject’s surface can be easily done. 3D scanners share analogy with cameras. If one tries to define a Spherical Coordinate System wherein the origin would be the scanner and vector would be drawn from front of it such that θ=0 and ?=0, then every point in picture would be associated with θ and ?. Combined with distance that corresponds to r component 3D position of every point in picture is described by the spherical coordinates.

Technology: 3D scanners consist of two types- non-contact and contact. Non-contact three-dimensional scanners could be divided further into 2 major categories- passive and active scanners.

Non-Contact Active: Some light or radiation is always emitted by active scanners. It is advised to detect the reflection of this light, as it would help in locating environment or an object. The kinds of emission possibly used include x-ray, ultrasound, or light.

Contact: Contact three-dimensional scanners locate the subject by the way of physical touch. The best example of contact three-dimensional scanner is a CMM (Coordinate Measuring Machine). It is widely used in manufacturing processes due to its precision. However, it has a disadvantage that contact with object to be scanned is required. The target object might get modified or damaged by scanning. Historical artifacts, in particular, have to be specially taken care of.

3D Prototyping: 3D prototyping is the subset of rapid prototyping. The basic advantage of 3D prototyping is that numerous materials can be used as base materials. It involves taking of virtual designs through CAD (computer-aided design) or Animation Modeling software, transforming them into virtual, thin, and horizontal cross sections, and then creating every cross-section in the physical space, 1 by 1 till the model gets completed.

It should be noted that STL File Format is the interface between machines and CAD software. This interface carries out the approximation of shape of an assembly or part by making use of triangular facets. Surfaces of a superior quality are produced by smaller facets. 3D prototyping is believed to be the ‘next level’ equipment by most of the experts of this field. Pioneer companies are striving to master the technique. The conservative prototyping machines cost around 25000 pounds, as per the study conducted in the year 2005.

About the Author: Go to Prototype Zone to get your free ebook on Prototyping at http://www.prototypezone.com/. It also has a Prototype Forum at http://www.prototypezone.com/, and a Blog with daily news on Rapid Prototyping. Go to http://www.prototypezone.com/ to visit the site and get your free ebook on prototyping.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=267990&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Excerpt from: 3D Scanner Technology, 3D Scanning and 3D Scanner Technology

By Ben Anton

LED, or light emitting diode, technology is something consumers are hearing more and more about from television advertisements, magazine ads and news reports. However, very few people understand why this light source is such a powerful alternative to traditional lighting. The advantages of LED light sources over other technologies are numerous but can be simplified into two main categories: 1.) energy efficiency & longevity and 2.) power & versatility.

Benefits: Energy-Efficiency & Longevity

- LED light bulbs generate only trace amounts of heat, resulting in nearly all of the electrical energy consumed being used toward creating the light itself. Incandescent, halogen or fluorescent lights can use up to 90% of their energy consumption producing heat-carrying infrared light photons which do not produce visible light.

- LED light bulbs produce more light per watt of energy.

- Standard LED light bulb are estimated to burn for 35,000 to 50,000 hours at full capacity before requiring replacement (some high-quality LEDs even boast 100,000 hours). Incandescent burn for 1,000 to 2,000 hours.

- LED technology is perfect for applications that are frequently turned off and on, like flashlights. Fluorescent bulbs burn out more quickly when they are frequently switched on and off.

- LED light bulbs are solid state components, which are difficult to break, unlike incandescent, fluorescent and halogen bulbs which have internal filaments that can easily break.

Benefits: Power & Versatility

- When compared watt-for-watt to an incandescent bulb, LED light bulbs produce more light per watt than any other light bulb.

- A single LED bulb can produce twice as much light (as measured in lumens) as a traditional bulb.

- LED light bulbs light up quickly, providing full brightness in micro-seconds.

- LED light bulb are much smaller than regular bulbs making them perfect for a variety of applications

- LED light bulbs do not use any mercury.

- LED technology is designed to focus the light better for a more intense, bright light.

- LED light bulbs maintain their color when dimmed, unlike incandescent bulbs which turn yellow.

- LED light bulbs can be built to emit color without using costly colored filters, which drive up the cost of traditional colored lights.

With these benefits, LED light bulbs can be used in a countless number of applications. Hunting, fishing and camping enthusiasts can be confident that with a LED flashlight in their gear, they will have adequate, powerful light that will last for days on one set of batteries and years on one light bulb. They will also be pleased to find this technology built into a number of form factors, all specifically designed for specific activities – headlamps for cave hikers, flexlights for fishermen, lanterns for campers and torches for hunters.

Home owners will be able to see power consumption reduction and lower electric bills within one month by transitioning light bulbs in the kitchen, bathroom or living room to LED replacement bulbs.

Perhaps one of the best reasons to switch to LED light sources is to lessen your footprint on the environment. By switching to LED light bulbs, you are not only saving money by using less energy, you are also helping the environment by preserving our resources. In an environment that needs the earth’s inhabitants to use less and save more, LED technology lights the way.

~Ben Anton, 2008

About the Author: Ben Anton lives in the Northwest. Want more information on products utilizing the latest LED technology? Visit the Coast website to find out more about LED Lenser flashlights, headlamps, and bulbs.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=238025&ca=Computers+and+Technology

Read more from the original source: LED Technology Surpasses Other Lighting Technology

By Lisa Gunther

I’ve had a Swiss Army knife with me since I was a college student. I had to have one when I went off to college. I guess it was something about the “be prepared” feeling a Victorinox swiss army knife exudes. That knife is long since lost, but I foundly remember it. It was the Mechanic model.

These days I carry a pink classic on my key chain so that my keys are easy to spot when on my desk or in my purse. I also have a yellow one in my desk drawer just in case I can’t find my pink one. Or, maybe someone needs to borrow a little pocket knife in an emergency.

Anyhow, I wrote this goofy little poem one day when I was thinking entirely too long and hard about swiss army knives:

Kill a bear

Chop down a tree

My Swiss Army Knife

Is there for me

Clip your nail

Open a box

With my tried and true

Victorinox

Boy Scout pal

Officer’s friend

When you need a tool

It’s what you send

Up in space

Down on the ground

It’s in your pocket

And can be found

Always there

When times get rough

There’s never a job

That is too tough

Stainless steel

Red cellidor

When you need to cut

There’s nothing more

Open some wine

And pop a cap

If there’s a party

Drink in a snap

Plug it in

To USB

Transfer documents

So flawlessly

MP3

And a laser

Show your girl your knife

You’ll amaze her

Whatever else

Could possibly

Be the coolest thing

For us to see?

When it rings

I will not roam

I’ll just flip open

Swiss Army phone

Swiss army knives are perfect gifts for everyone on your shopping list. The Classic model is small and will fit on anyone’s keychain. It features a key ring, small blade, nail file with screwdriver tip, toothpick, tweezer and scissors. I find the scissors to be especially handy when I need to clip my nail or cut a little string off my clothes. The most popular colors for the Victorinox Classic include the red 53001, pink 53005 and black 53003 models. But you can get a classic in these colors as well: assorted rainbow tie dye colors, yellow, camo, blue green, white, grey, purple and with white flowers on them. The Classic even comes in sterling silver models which rival the finest pocket knives available at places like Tiffany.

Someone that fancies a larger model should definitely look at the 53501 Red Swiss Champ. That has been the most popular large knife Victorinox has ever made. It has a lot of stuff packed into it without it costing a fortune. It runs about $68 to $75 online. Those that want the Champ on steroids best take a look at the SwissChamp XLT.

There are several hundred models of swiss army knives to choose from. The best approach is to think about which features you must have and then pick a knife with those features. Some people can’t live without scissors, others really want pliers. A small pen really comes in handy on the Signature models. It’s up to your taste and budget which one you pick.

About the Author: Get a Victorinox swiss army knife today from www.swissknivesexpress.com. Swiss Knives Express is your online source for genuine Victorinox items at deep discount. Affordable, brand new factory items… just in time for the holidays.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=314983&ca=Society

More here: Swiss Army Knives – Silly Knife Poem by a Gadget Lover

Incoming search terms:

• can a swiss army knife kill someone
• pocket knives
• swiss knives express

By Stewart Wrighter

Although we love our high-tech gadgets completely, having them break down on us makes us very mad indeed. Even if it is just the casing that gets damaged, we still want our gadgets to look pristine for sure. Finding an iPhone replacement screen then is a good idea if the front is scratched or cracked and even an iPhone LCD is easy to come by too.

Since these gadgets have become extremely popular, there are many spares to be had on the internet. Indeed, the spares market has opened up many opportunities for entrepreneurs to start-up very successful businesses. By buying them in bulk, they can command excellent prices, even lower than those given by the manufacturers direct, and this eventually gets passed on to the end buyers.

Just putting in spares is a really green way of ensuring that we do not use up all the resources of the world unnecessarily. This means that even those who want to stay as green as possible while using high-tech equipment can do so without feeling guilty.

The plastic that these goods are made from are not biodegradable so they really are difficult to dispose of. Just tossing them in the trash is not really the right thing to do since even the batteries bring with it some bad materials. Indeed, doctors have started to worry about cancerous growths from too much use of mobile phones so we do not yet know how the earth will deal with all this junk being put into it in land fill sites.

It is better, if replacements are possible, to use it until it can no longer function, or give it to someone who can get more life out of it. Some people must have the newest gadget on the market so they rarely know what to do with all this old tech stuff. However, there are charities which take everything they can lay their hands on, technologically speaking, to try to fix them up and sell on to make some extra cash for the cause.

Some charities will actually fix up all kinds of tech gadgets, like computers, laptops and these high-end gadgets, to send-off to third world countries where the young folk cannot lay their hands on them. The cost is too high for them but when they are given something like this, they take care of it until it can no longer function in the normal way. Indeed, they probably appreciate it much more than we do since we have become a throw-away society for sure. Third world countries take recycling to the end degree since they do not know if they will ever get the chance with this kind of equipment again.

Finally, to be politically correct, people really should use their equipment for longer than we usually do. Just changing the spares from time to time to keep it up to scratch is probably the best way that anyone could save money anyway. We all know this makes sense, but will we do this really?

About the Author: Stewart Wrighter has purchased an iphone LCD online a couple of times for his children’s phones. His son ordered an iphone replacement screen online.

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=728517&ca=Computers+and+Technology

See original here: Spare Parts Makes Life Easier For Gadget Users Everywhere

By Aimmy Witakon

They are used to capture video and still photography, digitally by recording images. They are glossy and shiny, and present numerous amenities.

The Pros

1. They store pictures digitally, using detachable cards. One can buy a sole photo storage card that will permit you to take about 360 pictures. In a normal film, that consists of 15 rolls. A removable storage card is small and can be easily carried anywhere

2. After you capture a picture, you can see the view instantly. Now with this technology, you don’t have to worry about how you look or your eyes being closed, if you’re not satisfied with it you can always take more picture according to your needs.

3. Unlike the normal camera, the digital camera comes with the option of ‘deleting’ your unwanted videos/pictures. You can take as many photos as you like without the fear of wasting your film.

4. You never have to publish a single photo you take. You can save all your pictures easily on the computer and print the ones you really like. This saves the trouble of disposing off the bad ones.

5. Many of these cameras are quite handy. Since they don’t require space for film etc, they are very lightweight and small. Some cam?s are as small are a credit card but slightly thicker. They can easily be carried in pouches, handbags etc.

The Drawbacks

1. Digital cameras are like mini computers. Yet the easy ones come with numerous operations, settings, techniques, buttons etc. Day by day, competitors launch new cameras with new features in order to cut down competition, this addition of new features means that the customer now has to learn how to operate them accordingly.

2. The most convenient way of sharing your pictures is by uploading them on the internet. There are quite a few web sites that permit uploading of pictures and then ordering prints. If you have a slow internet connection i.e. dial up, then uploading pictures might be a time consuming and slow process.

3. These cameras use typical AA batteries. Some of them also use specific rechargeable batteries made only for that specific camera. They are disreputable for consuming A LOT of battery. A regular film camera’s battery can run up to 5 years. Digital Cams batteries will run out depending on its use, the amount of usage determines the amount of battery consumed. Rechargeable batteries and backup batteries are a must for such cameras.

4. The cost of such a camera depends on its features. A normal film camera would cost around $100-$200, on the other hand the digital cam cost $250 ‘ onwards depending on the features and additional costs of storage cards can cost up to $70. Film cameras are cheaper.

5. Digital photographs create huge files. An undersized hard drive will fill up instantly. A sluggish computer can make the procedure of viewing photos annoying. In order to save your pictures, you must have sufficient features in your home computer

About the Author: If you want to buy digital cameras, you should visit cheapcamerasslr.com,Or you can compare prices before buying at allcompareprices.com

Source: www.isnare.com

Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=575148&ca=Computers+and+Technology

More: Digital Cameras – Smart Gadget to Store Special Moments