Scientists Build Lasers Out of Sound, Call Them Phasers

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You have to laugh at people smart enough to make lasers out of sound but can't come up with a better name than "phasers." :D

Because laser is an acronym for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation,” these new contraptions – which exploit particles of sound called phonons – should properly be called phasers. Such devices could one day be used in ultrasound medical imaging, computer parts, high-precision measurements, and many other places.
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Well something real at some point had to be named Phasers, I'm just glad it is as geeky as it sounds.
 
Reason #4,350 that Star Trek is superior to "the other guys". So much trek stuff has come into reality. Picard was rocking an iPad back in the 80's.
 
bigdogchris said:
Reason #4,350 that Star Trek is superior to "the other guys". So much trek stuff has come into reality. Picard was rocking an iPad back in the 80's.
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Science fictions sparks the "what if" interest in peoples minds and some of those people actually try to make those "what if's" realities and succeed. Haha, pretty cool if you ask me. If you dream it you can do it, it might just take years and years before technology comes along to make it possible. Hell, within the next 50 years I'm sure we'll be seeing flying cars semi regularly.
 
bigdogchris said:
Reason #4,350 that Star Trek is superior to "the other guys". So much trek stuff has come into reality. Picard was rocking an iPad back in the 80's.
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LCARS > iOS

Although I bet it wouldn't be too hard to create an LCARS interface for Metro, seems like the foundation is largely in place.
 
bigdogchris said:
Reason #4,350 that Star Trek is superior to "the other guys". So much trek stuff has come into reality. Picard was rocking an iPad back in the 80's.
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I was with you until you mentioned Picard. Always thought that Next Gen was a water downed version of the original Star Trek. Don't get me wrong, I liked Next Gen but thought the original was superior.
 
spamhunter said:
I was with you until you mentioned Picard. Always thought that Next Gen was a water downed version of the original Star Trek. Don't get me wrong, I liked Next Gen but thought the original was superior.
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Picard has it all over Kirk. He's poised & measured & doesn't wear a cheap rug.
Rather he accepts even baldness w/ a quiet cool that says I am in command, you are safe with me, I will cradle you in my arms through any crisis in any galaxy.
 
bigdogchris said:
Reason #4,350 that Star Trek is superior to "the other guys". So much trek stuff has come into reality. Picard was rocking an iPad back in the 80's.
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jctusmc03 said:
Science fictions sparks the "what if" interest in peoples minds and some of those people actually try to make those "what if's" realities and succeed. Haha, pretty cool if you ask me. If you dream it you can do it, it might just take years and years before technology comes along to make it possible. Hell, within the next 50 years I'm sure we'll be seeing flying cars semi regularly.
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Unless this "phaser" can cause someone to shit in their pants...it's unworthy of the name "phaser".
 
spamhunter said:
I was with you until you mentioned Picard. Always thought that Next Gen was a water downed version of the original Star Trek. Don't get me wrong, I liked Next Gen but thought the original was superior.
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The first few seasons of TNG were inconsistent but once Riker grew a beard the show started to hit its stride. The last 2 or 3 seasons were exceptional. Q, the Borg, Data's exploration of humanity, the finale etc. were as good as anything from TOS.


mynamehere said:
Looks like there's already an app: http://www.neowin.net/news/interview-we-chat-with-the-creator-of-the-new-windows-8-lcars-app
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Holy crap, looks like I just might be upgrading Win 8 after all.
 
use to have to take into account for phonons when I was doing solar cell research, heat and all that rot... fucking hated the idea of a fake particle just so you could mathematically model it a bit easier.
 
Comebine these with lasers, and you will get lasers that actually DO make a pew pew pew sound!
 
It is both amazing and awe inspiring to see how many people have went into technology because of star trek or items have been influenced by star trek.

I for one, would have never been typing on this keyboard, without it.
 
spamhunter said:
I was with you until you mentioned Picard. Always thought that Next Gen was a water downed version of the original Star Trek. Don't get me wrong, I liked Next Gen but thought the original was superior.
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TNG > TOS X 10
 
infinitywulfy said:
Ah I just couldn't stop giggling at the name. Mahboob. :D
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Yes, took me a while to realise it was an 'h' and not an 'n'.

As for the name, sound uses phonons, light uses photons. Both start with 'ph', so calling it 'phaser' makes no sense. Should be 'saser'.
 
Goty said:
Also, you clearly didn't read the APS article since it doesn't (incorrectly) refer to phonons as "particles of sound".
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See, i thought you were clueless as to the existence of "phonons" thinking they meant to say "photons"... but you were upset over them using "particles" in the description?

Well that's just splitting hairs, seeing as how general of a word "particle" is. For the means of the article it seemed fine....
 
jctusmc03 said:
Hell, within the next 50 years I'm sure we'll be seeing flying cars semi regularly.
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Not likely, unless you mean "hovercars" that float on a cushion of anti-gravity. Imagine the death and destruction from a flying car stalling over multiple other "lanes" of flying cars. there would be no survivors... (though as a sort of "personal aircraft" the descendant of the little 4-passenger planes of today, that I could see --- if we can overcome the problem of vertical takeoff burning so much fuel (or just create massive 'treadmills' for them to take off from vertically :D))

Back on-topic...

Awesome and amazing, but I agree I face-palmed at the name...
 
How long until we can attach these frickin' things to the heads of sharks?
 
jctusmc03 said:
Hell, within the next 50 years I'm sure we'll be seeing flying cars semi regularly.
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Think about the way people drive today. Then imagine those same people regularly flying over your house. Personally I hope we NEVER have flying cars.
 
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