Showing posts with label Technical. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technical. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Apple to patent smart flash

MY PAPER, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2010, PAGE A9
From http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ebook/web_php/fvbrowserjs.php?urljs=http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ecreator/sphopf/mya270910cnd_opf_files/mya270910cnd.js&ver=Gen
By CUPERTINO, AGENCIES



PICTURE: NEW FLASH SYSTEM
SOURCE: PATENTLY APPLE
MY PAPER, MONDAY SEPTEMBER 27, 2010, PAGE A9


APPLE is designing an advanced camera flash system that is said to optimise the lighting on the subject, according to a patent application filed by the tech giant.

The filing was related to flash re-directors and new imaging sensors, LA News Monitor reported, quoting technology blog Patently Apple.

According to the patent, the company could integrate the system into a wide variety of Apple products, including its iMac desktop and MacBook laptops.

The company is also planning to use the system in devices based on its iOS operating system and in Apple cameras as well, said LA News Monitor.

This latest move suggests that Apple wants a bigger piece of the imaging business, after having improved the imaging capabilities of its devices, including the iPhone 4 and the iPod touch, according to CNet.

Patently Apple revealed that the flash re-directors would work by selectively illuminating certain areas of a scene with an array of flash lights that point at different directions.

According to the filing, as reported by Patently Apple, the camera flash system will not provide blanket lighting for the whole photograph. It will, however, allow for a lens that redirects a fixed light source, or multiple flashes, said LA News Monitor.

The light source can either be automatically aimed at the place where it is needed or the photographer can control it.

This means that the camera could detect where the subject is and turn on the nearest flash accordingly for a picture with better illumination, reported CNet.

LA News Monitor said that Apple has improved the photographic capabilities of its hugely successful smartphone – the iPhone range – by releasing the iOS 4.1 software update.

The update added high dynamic range, which takes several versions of the same photograph automatically. It also tweaks the exposure for each one automatically, said LA News Monitor.

The technology will then combine the photographs into a single image with near-perfect colour tone and balance.
By CUPERTINO, AGENCIES



HELPDESK
我的字典: Wǒ de zì diǎn

Patent: 专利权 - zhuān lì quán
Illuminating: 照明 - zhào míng
Flash: 闪光灯 - shǎn guāng dēng
Tone: 色调 - sè diào


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Thursday, July 29, 2010

Pencil Hardness Test - Wolff-Wilborn Pencil Tester

Website: http://www.sheeninstruments.com/products/hardness/wolff-wilborn.htm
Test procedure and datasheet: http://www.sheeninstruments.com/datasheets/wol.pdf


PHOTO: Wolff-Wilborn Pencil Tester Sheen 720N
http://www.elektrophysikusa.com/images/content/pencil_hardness.jpg

The purpose of scratch hardness tests is to determine the resistance of coating materials or lacquers to scratch effects on the surface.



PHOTO: http://www.byk.com/instruments/products/images/products/146/HR9500a.tif.jpg



PHOTO: Twenty pencils in the range of grades from 9B to 9H ( ISO 15184 / BS 3900 - E19 )
http://pad2.whstatic.com/images/3/30/Pencil_hardness_452.jpg


In the Wolff-Wilborn Test, twenty pencils in the range of grades from 9B to 9H ( ISO 15184 / BS 3900 - E19 ) are used, each being moved over the surface under a fixed pressure and angle to the surface. The degree of hardness of the pencil which damages the surface is taken as a measurement of scratch hardness e.g. '3H' hardness.


PHOTO: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNqdmTxZAA1hmnrIuR_KwUbeQCmPeeYSZHAm2x-6pB3CQqc1F8bSF0a6hRkkg-6PADH6mjt5bX_H9l5kJ25iQ92tDBM78Lr7NGqARw7fVFPPKYyJxgM1cCNGWzFZ0GKBPEGMtHthvmtrw/s1600/PencilGradingChart.png


Complies with ASTM D3363, ECCA-T4-1, BS 3900-E19, ISO 15184.



INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE
The test methods describe how the relative hardness of a coating is to be determined. This is achieved using a set of pencils of known hardness.

The test surface needs to be correctly prepared and smooth. (Please refer to the relevant test standard.) The test should be performed at 23°C ± 2°C with a relative humidity of 50 ± 5% (ECCA T4) or 25°C ± 2°C (ASTM D3363).
1. Select a mid range pencil eg. 2H.

2. For wood pencils, remove approximately 3/16 to 1/4 in. (5 to 6 mm) of wood from the point of each pencil using a draftsman-type mechanical sharpener, being careful to leave an undisturbed, unmarked, smooth cylinder of lead. Holding the pencil holder ( when using drawing leads) at an angle of 90° to the abrasive paper, rub the lead against the paper maintaining an exact angle of 90° to the abrasive paper until a flat, smooth and circular cross section is obtained, free of chips or nicks in the edge of the cross section.



PHOTO: Step 3
http://www.gardco.com/images/hardness/wolffwilbornGARDCO/calibraation_red.jpg

3. Stand the tester onto its end face and insert the pencil until its point touches the flat surface. Tighten the pencil clamping screw.

4. Place the 720N on the test surface and push it forward by approximately 1/4 -1/2" (6-12mm). Be sure to hold the gauge by the indentations on the wheels.

5. Rotate the pencil through 90° and move the gauge 1/2" (12mm} to one side of the first test. Repeat step 4.

6. Repeat step 5.

7. Examine the coating for indentation and scratching. If there is none, repeat the test using a harder pencil eg. 3H. If the surface is scratched or indented repeat with softer pencil eg. H.

8. Repeat step 7 until a pair of pencils is found, one of which scratches / indents the coating, the other does not.


PLEASE NOTE: This method is only applicable to smooth surfaces and coatings.




Reference
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Friday, May 14, 2010

The new office lingo ‘You’re so 404’


PHOTO: http://amir32a.persiangig.com/aga/payiz.jpg


MY PAPER, F R I D A Y, MAY 1 4 , 2 0 1 0, PAGE A1 & A4, NEWS
http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ebook/web_php/fvbrowserjs.php?urljs=http://myepaper.mypaper.sg/ecreator/sphopf/mya140510cnd_opf_files/mya140510cnd.js&ver=Gen
By PAMELA CHOW, pamelac@sph.com.sg




PHOTO: A 404 error means that whatever page you tried to reach on the Internet isn't there. Usually this means that you didn't type the correct address in the browser or that the link you used to try to access the page was wrong. http://z.about.com/d/pcsupport/1/0/i/3/-/-/404-page-not-found.jpg


Should you hear the words “you’re so 404” being shouted across office cubicles and you don’t know what it means, here’s a hint: The three digits typically show up when a webpage you’re looking for can’t be found.

Meaning to say, you’re “404” when you’re lost and don’t have a clue about what’s going on.

Office workers here, especially those of multinational companies, have been eschewing cliches in recent years, opting instead to use creative mashes of Western and Singaporean terms.

For example, property agent Jasline Lim, 36, often hears and uses the term “blue-skying”, which means brainstorming with a mind as open as the blue sky, in place of the over-used “thinking outside the box”.



PHOTO: A Short Survey and Some Blue Sky Thinking
http://solotravelerblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/question-mark.JPG


Originating from the Western phrase “blue-sky thinking”, the Singaporean spin-off has been shortened, a characteristic of home-grown lingo.



PHOTO: After the recent debate over the Wii, it is nice to see there is some real innovation and blue sky thinking out there. Finally, a new type of controller we can get behind!
The future of gaming interaction is here at last!
From: That guy's a Maniac...
http://media.thatguys.co.uk/uploaded_images/500x_nipple-pad-759626.jpg http://media.thatguys.co.uk/labels/Womengamers.html




PHOTO: Ducks in a Row Photo by Mike Hall.
http://eliastobias.net/wp-content/3ducks.JPG

Mr Rick Ong, 30, a treasury adviser at a bank here, has come across such expressions as “ducks in a row”, where staff readily accept an idea without offering their own, and “blamestorming”, a discussion to find fault rather than to solve a problem.



PHOTO: Blamestorming
http://o.aolcdn.com/propeller/media/group_avatar/group_570_1218989720.jpg




PHOTO: Ducks in a row: Photo by Photographer Ron Adair - photo.net
http://photo.net/general-comments/attachment/3144567/Adair_Ron_Ducks-in-a-Row2.jpg







PHOTO: Nuts and bolts
http://www.boltdepot.com/images/Chrome-nuts-and-bolts.jpg

Some phrases, like “we need to check all the nuts and bolts of this machine”, have underlying meanings. This phrase is used to call for a thorough search for the culprit of a major mistake.


PHOTO: Before I get into the nuts and bolts how to make money online
http://www.metafever.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/sucess-money-business-man-money-falling.jpg


Mr Ong said: “Learning such lingo makes it easier to communicate with others who use it, and I can better understand the messages that my colleagues are trying to project.”



Office slang has cultural slant
Office-speak is not new or uncommon, but due to the influx of international companies into Singapore, lingo is imported and mixed with local culture, creating new slang, said Associate Professor Francis Bond from the Division of Linguistics and Multilingual Studies at Nanyang Technological University. He said: “The slang used here is different from that used in the West, because Singapore is a multilingual society, so sometimes we have direct translations or shorter variants.”



PHOTO: Time to get my rusted drawing skills some run and see if I still have it http://studiomugenjohncel.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/kogasa-riddled-with-arrows.jpg

This can be seen in some examples like “get arrowed” and “spoil market”. To “get arrowed” is to be given an unfavourable assignment, and you “spoil market” by doing so well at work that your colleagues pale in comparison.

“Certain words or acronyms could have been influenced by local culture or phenomena as well,” said Prof Bond.





PHOTO: Laser Eye Ultra Waves
An example is a term like “z-monster” (sleepiness). It apparently originated here among men serving their national service, but it can be found in other countries as well.
By PAMELA CHOW, pamelac@sph.com.sg




OFFICE LINGO GLOSSARY


PHOTO: Sad Mac, Broken image, 404 error Apache server
http://www.slipperybrick.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/blue-screen-of-death-t-shirt.jpg

Term: 404
What it means: Someone who is completely clueless
Origin: The Internet’s HTTP 404 Error page, displayed when a page cannot be found
Usage: “Don’t ask Jim, he’s 404.”




PHOTO: The design on this 404 page is very tasteful, but pretty.
http://z.about.com/d/webdesign/1/0/H/T/1/404eroticachallenge.png







PHOTO: let break the myth of unlimited disk space and bandwidth
http://realitybites.in/wp-content/uploads/2009/07/Unlimited-Space-Unlimited-bandwidth.jpg

Term: Bandwidth
What it means: Ability to accept a project or idea
Origin: The capacity of online data transfer
Usage: “I don’t have enough bandwidth for this project.”


Term: CLM (Career-Limiting Move)
What it means: An ill-advised action that will threaten one’s promotion chances
Origin: Not known
Usage: “Scolding the boss is a serious CLM.”





PHOTO: Would make a solid logo
http://static.open.salon.com/files/secpic_seagull1_b1233704043.jpg

Term: Seagull manager
What it means: A supervisor who flies in, makes a lot of noise and mess, then leaves
Origin: Neighbourhood birds that create a lot of trouble
Usage: “The seagull manager voided our entire proposal.”


PHOTO: A little fable about how one seagull manager learned the three virtues of great leadership. http://www.bigshop.com.au/mas_assets/full/BBA-3481.jpg





PHOTO: They bring a potent blend of strategic thinking
http://www.clearpathba.com/images/staircase.jpg

Term: Strategic staircase
What it means: An exaggeration of tactical steps and extra effort put in to improve performance
Origin: A staircase being a metaphor for progression
Usage: “We have planned a strategic staircase for our department.”



PHOTO: http://amir32a.persiangig.com/aga/payiz.jpg


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Saturday, April 24, 2010

Images from solar satellite

Source: http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/TechandScience/Story/STIStory_517763.html
Apr 22, 2010



PHOTO: This image made from an April 12-13, 2010 video provided by NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) shows an eruptive prominence blasting away from the sun. The prominence appears to stretch almost halfway across the sun, about 500,000 miles.
PHOTO: AP
http://www.straitstimes.com/STI/STIMEDIA/image/20100422/solarflare1.jpg


BOULDER (Colorado) - NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) has unveiled the first images from a new satellite designed to predict disruptive solar storms, and scientists say they're already learning new things.


PHOTO: http://standeyo.com/NEWS/06_Earth_Changes/06_Earth_Change_pics/060307.solar.flare.jpg



PHOTO: http://www.lunarbaltic.lv/gallery/sol/sun2_trace%20ultraviolet.jpg


Researchers showed off brightly coloured images and short movie clips of the sun from the Solar Dynamics Observatory in a webcast on Wednesday.



PHOTO: http://www.pta.edu.pl/orion/apodmain/apod/image/0606/sun2_trace.jpg



PHOTO: http://solarmuri.ssl.berkeley.edu/~welsch/brian/small_sun.gif



PHOTO: http://www.astrosurf.com/luxorion/Images/troucoronal-yohkoh.jpg


The satellite was launched Feb 11. Dean Pesnell, the chief scientist, says it already has disproved at least one theory, but he didn't give any details.



PHOTO: http://www.lunarplanner.com/Images/solar_filament_trace.jpg



PHOTO: http://www.astro.physik.uni-goettingen.de/~bruno/APOD/time040.gif


Richard Fisher, director of Nasa's heliophysics division, says the satellite is operating flawlessly.



PHOTO: The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has unveiled the first images, such as the one above, of an erupting prominence on the sun, from a satellite designed to predict disruptive solar storms. Researchers showed off brightly-coloured images and short movie clips of the sun from the Solar Dynamics Observatory in a webcast on Wednesday. Chief scientist Dean Pesnell says the satellite, launched on Feb 11, has already helped researchers to discover new things. AP
From: Storms in Space - TODAY, FRIDAY, 22.04.2010, PAGE 38.jpg



PHOTO: http://82.143.209.25/asp/solsystemet/solen.jpg



PHOTO: http://www.legitreviews.com/images/reviews/news/solarflare.jpg

It carries three instrument packages, one built by the University of Colorado's Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and two built by Lockheed Martin in Palo Alto, California.
AP.



PHOTO: http://www.kaheel7.com/userimages/sun_quran_5.JPG


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