Figure 1a shows a slotted optical switch. An LED is mounted in a plastic housing, facing a phototransistor, but separated by a gap. If something moves into the gap, it blocks the light path between ...

I am always on the lookout for ideas for simple test and measurement instruments that can be used on my workbench. Over the years, I have built dozens of little test instruments and home lab ...

Carbon nanotube: these structures have been used to create a new and flexible light sensor. (Courtesy: iStock/theasis) A flexible, ultrathin optical sensor that uses carbon nanotubes to convert light ...

There is a point where taking technology for granted hides some of the incredible capabilities of seemingly simple devices. Optical mice are a great example of this principle, using what are more or ...

In 1978, Dr Kenneth Hill, a Canadian physicist, first demonstrated the Fiber Bragg grating (FBG), an optical sensor able to reflect narrow wavelengths of light. During the 1980s, the technology was ...

Aging degradation and seismic damage of civil infrastructure pose a serious problem for society. One promising technology for monitoring the condition of structures is optical fiber sensing. By ...

Figure 1a shows a slotted optical switch. An LED is mounted in a plastic housing, facing a phototransistor, but separated by a gap. If something moves into the gap, it blocks the light path between ...