Category Archives: Uncategorized

“From: no-reply-projects@hackaday.com

Sent: Monday, August 24, 2015 9:39 AM

To: david@…

Subject: Your Project is a Semifinalist in the 2015 Hackaday Prize!

Dear David Prutchi,

Congratulations! We think your DOLPi – RasPi Polarization Camera is awesome and you are one of our top 100 picks for the Hackaday Prize. You are advancing to the next round.

What happens now? We are announcing this in a short bit on Hackaday and this is a good time for you to tell everyone that your product is now in the running for a trip to space! Spaaaace!

…”

Hi! DOLPi is a low-cost polarization camera based on the Raspberry Pi.

Like intensity and color, polarization is another property of a light wave.

Humans cannot sense polarization, but many animals like cuttlefish and insects have polarization-sensitive vision that they use for navigation, finding water, and detecting transparent prey.

This is DOLPi – it is completely self-contained and easy to build. In spite of its simplicity, it holds truly awesome power for the development of brand new scientific and commercial applications!

Continue reading→

These are polarization images taken with DOLPi.  Colors represent Angle of Polarization

George Musser – an editor at Scientific American (and author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to String Theory”) – developed a diy version of the Wu-Shaknov Experiment.  If George’s setup truly manages to measure the relative linear polarization of gamma rays from positron-electron annihilation, then he would have accomplished the most inexpensive demonstration of quantum entanglement!

The idea is to measure the relative linear polarization of gamma-ray photons emitted with opposite parity from the annihilation of positrons produced by the decay of Na-22 using Compton polarimetry and coincidence counting.  The predicted results in the number of coincidences are different when assuming quantum entanglement than when basing the calculations on local hidden variables theories.

Continue reading→

From today’s SJ Voice:

Click here for the full article.

George Musser – an editor at Scientific American (and author of “The Complete Idiot’s Guide to String Theory”) – visited our basement lab a few weeks ago.  Today he published a very nice blog about us on the Scientific American site.  Thanks George!

Click here for the blog.

We were interviewed by the Jewish Exponent and featured in today’s edition.  Check it out at: http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/26460/FatherDaughter_CoAuthors/

A scan of the printed edition is at: Exponent002

My ongoing eBay search found a  number of Perkin Elmer SPCM AQRH-12 units.  Two are listed for $499 (buy-it-now) as working, one for $199 as “parts/repair.”  I have no connection to seller.

eBay auctions: 230835435238, 230835438679, and 320959423052 (parts/repair).

Harvey Summers called my attention to a miniature electron accelerator that was built for an exhibit at the Trocadéro’s Gardens in Paris, France.  The device is an exhibit that was shown to the public for the first time during the CNRS exhibition “Entrée en matière” in November 2011.

Continue reading→

Welcome to diyPhysics.com, a blog dedicated to the advanced do-it-yourselfer interested in modern and quantum physics!

We are the authors of the book “Exploring Quantum Physics through Hands-On Projects,” which will help you understand Quantum Physics through hands-on experiments that you can conduct at school or at home!

Our book will guide you in the construction and use of setups to reproduce the key experiments that have brought us to our current understanding of the quantum world. Importantly, all of the experimental equipment can be built out of relatively inexpensive materials that are readily available at the hardware store or from on-line vendors of electronic surplus.

The projects range from simple measurements of Planck’s constant all the way to testing violations of Bell’s inequalities using entangled photons. The project descriptions are targeted to an audience with basic experience in electronic prototype construction. The circuits actually work, and the schematics are completely readable.

We hope that you enjoy reading our blog!

David and Shanni Prutchi

www.prutchi.com

#CommissionsEarned. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

All opinions are my own.  They don’t necessarily reflect the opinions of my employer, affiliates, or associates.