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August 9, 2010
Adaptive lenses
[posted by Benz Roos]
Explanation drawing of adaptive eye-care glasses by Professor Joshua Silver
Prototype of adaptive eye-care glasses by Professor Joshua Silver
Professor Joshua Silver is working since 1996 to solve the problem of getting cheap glasses for people in developing countries. This version is liquid based lens system. To adjust the focus of the lens for each individual user liquid is poured into the lenses. In this way the glasses are cheap(20 USD) and can give each one the specific individual adjustment for his or her eye.
I think this type of lens system is really great. I like the idea of helping out people, however for lighting design it could be very use full as well. For example such a system would be brilliant to focus lenses of LED fixtures. Which can reduce light pollution. -
August 2, 2010
Silk bioluminescent in caves
[posted by Benz Roos]
Arachnocampa, glowing worms
Ecorazzi has made a nice gallery of images of ‘Avatar’ like landscapes on Earth. One of the images shows the Arachnocampa. The Arachnocampa, aka “glow worm”, lives in caves in Australia and New Zealand. They spin a nest of silk on the cave ceiling and then hang down as many as 70 threads with drops of mucus attached to snare prey.
The larva all glow (even more brightly if they haven’t eaten in a bit) to lure victims to the threads. Incredibly, nearly 100% of the energy input is turned into light. source:ecorazzi -
July 31, 2010
Four planets sunset in Indonesia
[posted by Benz Roos]
Four planet sunset above Surakarta, Central Java, Indonesia photo by Jia Hao
“This mesmerizing sunset photo was taken from the summit of volcanic Mount Lawu, 3,265 meters above sea level, on July 21. The view looks west, toward the city lights of Surakarta (aka Solo), Central Java, Indonesia. Two other volcanic peaks, sharp Merapi (left) and Merbabu lie along the colorful horizon. Four planets shine in the twilight sky above them. Spread out near the plane of the ecliptic are Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Saturn, along with bright Regulus, alpha star of the constellation Leo. For help finding them, just put your cursor over the picture. In fact, these four planets still shine in western skies at sunset, with Venus, Mars, and Saturn grouped much more tightly this weekend and in early August. By August 12, a young crescent Moon will join the four planet sunset.” source: Astronomy picture of the day
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July 27, 2010
6:30 AM colours of the sky
[posted by Benz Roos]
6:30 AM series by Robert Weingarten
Not so sure about this 6:30AM photo series of Robert Weingarten, because it is a bit kitchy. However I really do like the change of light and the colours in the sky, espacially above the sea. The series illustrates thedifferent effect light can have in different wheater circumstances and position of the erth in certain seasons.
Here is the explanation from his website;”After making test pictures from various points around his ocean view home in Malibu, he decided to turn his normal working procedure upside down and inside out by creating a set of strict rules of engagement with the motif. The subject would be sky, sea, and city observed over the course of one year, beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31, 2003, and would be advanced every day he was at home. A number of key artistic decisions governed the outcome of the project. Weingarten established a single viewpoint, looking southeast over Santa Monica Bay, from which every photograph in the series would be made with the camera in exactly the same position.
Each exposure would be made at precisely the same time of day – 6:30 am – measured by one quartz clock. All exposures would be made with the lens focused on infinity and at the same aperture of f/22. Just two variables were allowed into this disciplined scheme: the shutter speed of the lens, which would be adjusted faster or slower depending on the quantity and quality of light available at 6:30 a.m. each day; and, the most variable element of all, changes in the scene that were introduced by the forces of nature.-Weston Naef, Curator of Photographs, The J. Paul Getty Museum” -
July 20, 2010
Solar Equation, 100 million times smaller than the real thing
[posted by Benz Roos]
Solar equation by rafael lozano-hemmer
“Solar Equation” is a large-scale public art installation that consists of a faithful simulation of the Sun, 100 million times smaller than the real thing. Commissioned by the Light in Winter Festival in Melbourne, the piece features the world’s largest spherical balloon, custom-manufactured for the project, which is tethered over Federation Square and animated using five projectors. The solar animation on the balloon is generated by live mathematical equations that simulate the turbulence, flares and sunspots that can be seen on the surface of the Sun. This produces a constantly changing display that never repeats itself, giving viewers a glimpse of the majestic phenomena that are observable at the solar surface and that only relatively recent advances in astronomy have discovered. The project uses the latest SOHO and SDO solar observatory imaging available from NASA, overlaid with live animations derived from Navier-Stokes, reaction diffusion, perlin, particle systems and fractal flame equations” lozano-hemmer. source: designboom
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