|Publication number||US5384652 A|
|Application number||US 08/000,970|
|Publication date||Jan 24, 1995|
|Filing date||Jan 6, 1993|
|Priority date||Feb 22, 1991|
|Also published as||DE69210596D1, DE69210596T2, EP0577698A1, EP0577698A4, EP0577698B1, US5563728, WO1992015157A1|
|Publication number||000970, 08000970, US 5384652 A, US 5384652A, US-A-5384652, US5384652 A, US5384652A|
|Inventors||Richard C. Allen, Gary M. Cisneros, Stanley L. Fickes, Gary N. Hughes, Walter S. Johnson, James L. Konsevich, John Piccone, Bernard E. Stewart|
|Original Assignee||Photonics Corporation|
|Export Citation||BiBTeX, EndNote, RefMan|
|Patent Citations (26), Non-Patent Citations (14), Referenced by (28), Classifications (12), Legal Events (5)|
|External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, Espacenet|
This application is a continuation application of the application Ser. No. 07/659,501 filed on Feb. 22, 1991 now abandoned.
This invention relates to the field of information communication between machines. More particularly, this invention relates to information communication using infrared signals as the communication medium.
In the field of data communication between and among various digital machines traditionally, such machines are linked with wire, coaxial cable, optical cable and the like. The communication link between machines has tied the machine to a particular location such as the user's desk. Even with an aimed infrared link such as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,977,618 a computer must be hardwired to the infrared transceiver and essentially immobile.
With the advent of portable and notebook computers and availability of application software, users want the power of a network without being chained to their desk. Such a user includes a corporate employee and student. In the corporate environment the user will produce their work product on their notebook computer. Additionally, fellow employees will attempt to communicate with the user via electronic mail over a local area network. Accordingly, the user desires to carry his notebook with him throughout the corporation for example, to meetings, to a laboratory, to seminars and the like. The user will want to access data or provide data to fellow workers at meetings, lectures and the like as well as take notes, compile data, prepare memos, annotate documents and be able to access the network while doing so.
A student will move from classroom to classroom, to the library, to laboratories and other similar locations with their notebook. Ideally, a student would receive an assignment via the network, prepare the assignment on their notebook computer and return the assignment via the network for grading. Tests could be similarly administered. The immobility of a node on a traditional network severely restricts the power of a portable by either preventing portability or when portable preventing access to a network.
Information has been transmitted via radio signals. A radio transceiver would allow a user mobile access to a local area network. However, radio is subject to rigorous control by the Federal Communications Commission making this approach prohibitively expensive. Further, the information transmitted over or stored on a radio local area network is vulnerable to intentional or inadvertent corruption or theft.
Another approach using diffuse infrared signals, allows a user mobility within a given chamber. A transponder is incorporated in a ceiling or wall of this technique. Multiple transponders are also contemplated for chambers too large to be efficiently covered by a single transponder. Those multiple transponders are connected together by signal cables. By requiring the transponders to be connected by wire the same difficulty and problems associated with forming cable connections are incurred as for an ordinary link such as a local area network. Such a system only allows node to node communication via the ceiling transponder. No direct node to node communication is possible. Thus, every room within a facility would be required to have a transponder for communication. No communication would be possible unless a transponder were present. Further, a protocol or architecture for data communication allowing true user mobility has never been achieved.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a typical node according to the preferred embodiment.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a repeater according to the preferred embodiment.
FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of the LOG IN sequence.
FIGS. 4A through 4C show the sequence of steps for communication between nodes according to Case I of the present invention.
FIG. 5 shows a transmission collision according to Case I.
FIGS. 6A and 6D show the steps for a network identification sequence in a single repeater system.
FIGS. 7A through 7F show the sequence of steps for communication between nodes according to Case II.
FIGS. 8A through 8R show the sequence of steps for communication between nodes according to Case III.
FIGS. 9A through 9C show the sequence of steps for communication between nodes according an alternate embodiment of Case III.
Communication via an infrared link provides a suitable medium for a network type link for portable nodes such as notebook computers. The link can operate with or without a repeater circuit. Each node is automatically reconfigurable to accommodate the link whether repeater is present or not.
Each node includes a diffuse infrared transceiver coupled to each node for transmitting and receiving encoded infrared signals, means for communicating directly between nodes where no repeater in present and means for preventing communication directly between nodes where a repeater is present. Communication between nodes where a repeater is present includes a sending node transmitting an encoded infrared signal to the repeater and the repeater retransmitting the encoded infrared signal to a receiving node.
The link can successfully operate with multiple repeaters. Only a repeater with a token may communicate with a node. A repeater can manufacture a token if no adjacent repeater has a token.
Information is communicated in a network over diffuse infrared signals. A network node can be a portable or notebook computer. A node may also be a conventional personal computer, printer, modem, file server and the like. However, other nodes are also envisioned. For example, a node may include a special purpose hand-held inventory control unit utilized by warehouse operator or a hand-held special purpose quality control module on a factory floor. For purposes of this disclosure, a node shall mean any digital machine capable of communicating on a digital communications network such as a local area network whether mobile or not. Thus, a node could be a notebook computer, a desk top personal computer, printer, fax machine, file server or the like.
FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a typical node according to the preferred embodiment. Each node 100 in the communications network will include an infrared transceiver 102. Each transceiver 102 includes an infrared transmitter 104 such as an infrared light emitting diode, an infrared receiver 106 such as a photo diode or a phototransistor and the appropriate control circuitry 108. Multiple infrared light emitting diodes may be used to increase the transmission power of the infrared transmitter 104. The control circuitry 108 will include analog circuitry 110 to drive the infrared light emitting diodes including a D/A converter 112 and evaluate signals received by the photo diode including an A/D converter 114. The control circuitry 108 also includes logic circuits 116 which can communicate with the analog circuitry 110 and the digital system 118 of the node. The logic circuit 116 has sufficient capability to carry out the functions described below.
A node which operates according to the present invention will properly function in a room whether or not a ceiling repeater is present. In other words, a network can be established among several nodes which can share information in the same way that a hardwired local area network can share information without the intercession of a repeater circuit. A network can also be established in a room containing a repeater circuit or multiple repeater circuits. Each of these three separate operating cases will be described.
FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a repeater according to the preferred embodiment. A repeater may be present but is not an absolute requirement according to the present invention. The repeater 120 includes an infrared transceiver 122. The transceiver 122 includes an infrared transmitter 124 such as an infrared light emitting diode, an infrared receiver 126 such as a photo diode or a phototransistor and the appropriate control circuitry 128. Multiple infrared light emitting diodes may be used to increase the transmission power of the infrared transmitter 124. The control circuitry 128 will include analog circuitry 130 to drive the light emitting diodes including an A/D converter 132 and to evaluate signals received from the photo diode including an A/D converter 134. The control circuitry 128 also includes logic circuits 136 which can communicate with the analog circuitry 130. The logic circuit 136 has sufficient capability to carry out the functions described below. For certain applications the logic circuits will be coupled to logic circuits of other repeaters via a hardware repeater bus 140.
Nodes and repeaters according to the present invention send information in packets with a synchronization (sync) pulse prefix. A node can only send a packet with an A-sync or a C-sync. A repeater can only send a B-sync or a D-sync. A node can receive either but not both an A-sync or a B-sync. A repeater can receive B-sync, C-sync or D-sync. The circumstances controlling when these sync signals and appended information packets can be sent or received are described below.
The preferred sync pulse includes 64 bits. The first 48 bits provide synchronization. The remaining 16 bits define the sync type. The binary data for the pulses are as follows: ##STR1## Packets are all a predetermined size, preferably 64 byte of information. Bytes of different sizes can be used.
Consider a room having no infrared repeater device, for example a small corporate conference room. A first user enters the room to attend a meeting. The user brings their notebook computer which contains information to be electronically shared with other attendees. A node must first establish its connection to a network (LOG IN) before it can send or receive network traffic; FIG. 3 shows a flow chart of this sequence.
A node is preconfigured 150 to expect a system having a repeater and thus, can only send packets with a C-sync prefix (a C-sync packet) and can only receive packets with a B-sync prefix (a B-sync packet). In the alternative, nodes could be configured to expect no repeater and thus, could only send or receive A-sync packets. In the preferred embodiment, the node first pauses for a required traffic delay period TDP 152 to determine whether there is any network traffic within the field of view of the node and thereby avoid collisions. If there is network traffic during the TDP 154, the node pauses the TDP again, if not, it transmits a C-sync network identification packet (C-NI) 156 which interrogates whether there is a repeater that can detect the synchronization pulse. If the node receives no response to the C-NI within the TDP the lone node will recondition 164 itself to receive signals from other nodes. The node may repeat the C-NI 160 and 162 X times first to ensure that it is properly sending the message and that its transceiver is not blocked, such as by the user's hand. The node will now transmit an A-sync network identification message (A-NI) 166 which identifies itself, and lists the nodes it has contacted.
If a second node is brought into the room, it will duplicate the steps just described relative to the first node. If it sees node 1's A-NI announcement, it will ignore that announcement because is it configured to only see B-sync packets. Node 2 will then transmit a C-NI signal interrogating whether there is a repeater within its transmission radius. Because there is no repeater in a Case 1 situation, node 2 will receive no acknowledgement of the presence of a repeater. Accordingly, node 2 will reconfigure itself to receive signals from another node. Now both nodes 1 and 2 are configured to receive signals from other nodes.
Each A-NI packet identifies the source user and lists each user it can communicate with. Until one user receives an A-NI packet each list will be the null set. Once a node receives an A-NI packet it will respond with an A-NI packet identifying its user and the users it can see.
Because this system is applicable to networks where the identification of a user is important for such applications as sending electronic mail or controlling access to the network or particular data to authorized users, it is important that individual users be recognized. Thus the A-IN packet may include the user's LOG IN identification as the node identification. The lists of recognizable users would then include the network LOG IN identification for each user whose node is identified by each other node. Such a list would entail significant overhead for packet transmission. Accordingly, node numbers may be assigned to the individual nodes recognized in the network. For example, the first node to be recognized by another node would be assigned node 1 the next node as node 2 and so on. The A-IN message would then entail the message indicating the transmitting user's LOG IN identification, the node number and then the list of node numbers. In this way, the traffic overhead for the list is greatly reduced. To simplify this disclosure, the references hereafter will recite only "I am node n, I see node 1, node 2 . . . " and it will be understood that user identification has been considered.
This cycle will continue until a third node enters the room. The third node will not recognize any information being transmitted by either node 1 or node 2 because it is preconditioned to only recognize C-sync packets. Rather, the third node will wait the TDP, and follow that with a C-sync looking for a repeater. Because this room has no repeater, the third node will eventually reconfigure itself to accept A-sync packets according to the flow chart of FIG. 3. It will then recognize the transmissions from nodes 1 and 2. At an appropriate time, node 3 will respond with its A-NI packet "I am node 3, I see nodes 1 node 2". This procedure can repeat indefinitely for any number of nodes in a room that has no repeater.
If one of the users takes their node from the room, that node will no longer respond with its network identification message. For example, if node 2 leaves the room after its last roll call message, node 3 will say, "I am node 3, I see node 1, node 2". Node 1 will then respond, "I am node 1, I see node 2, node 3". Because there is no node 2 it will not respond with its appropriate roll call message. After waiting for the TDP, node 3 then responds with the A-sync packet "I am node 3, I see node 1". A new node that is brought into the room later will be assigned the vacant node number 2.
Naturally, the A-NI roll taking overhead is temporarily suspended at such time as there is valid network traffic. The roll taking only occurs during network empty times after the TDP has passed.
Data is communicated between and among the nodes for Case I by the following procedure shown in FIG. 4. For example, if node 1 (50) desires to send data to node 2 (52), node 1 first transmits a request to send signal RTS. Because node 1 (50) is configured to communicate with other nodes, each packet of information includes the A-sync prefix. To indicate this, FIG. 4A shows node 1 transmitting an A-RTS packet, indicating that it is transmitting a request to send with the A-sync prefix. In response node 2 transmits a clear to send packet (CTS). Thus, FIG. 4B shows that node 2 (52) transmits an A-CTS packet. Upon receiving the A-CTS signal, node 1 then transmits its data. The data also includes the A-sync prefix. The RTS and CTS signals also include headers indicating which node is transmitting and the intended receiving node.
Consider a system where there a three nodes, 50, 52 and 54 as shown in FIG. 5. The possibility for a data collision exists. For example, node 1 (50) and node 2 (52) may each want to transmit data at the same time. Each sends a request to send signal. Node 1 (50) transmits an A-RTS to node 3 (54) and node 2 (52) transmits an A-RTS to node 1 (50). Because the infrared signal is diffused throughout the room, each node receives the transmission of every other node. Because there is a collision in the A-RTS packets, no request to send is properly received by any node in the network. Therefore, no node will respond with an A-CTS packet. After waiting for the appropriate time delay, node 1 (50) and node 2 (52) each realize that their respective A-RTS packet was not received. Each will pause for a random amount of time before resending their requests to send signal. Because the delay is random and changing, eventually one of the A-RTS packets will be appropriately received. If node 1's A-RTS packet is properly received by node 3 it will also be properly received by node 2. Node 2 will recognize that the A-RTS is not intended for it, however, it will refrain from transmitting its A-RTS until the data transmission between node 1 and node 3 is complete. Node 3 automatically responds with its A-CTS packet. Node 1 (50) then sends the data to node 3. Node 2 also receives the data but ignores it because it is not the intended recipient.
A potential network room contains a single repeater circuit 60 mounted on the ceiling. The repeater could be mounted on a wall, tabletop or any other convenient location.
A first node 62 is brought in the room. As with Case I, the node must first LOG IN to the network as shown in FIG. 6A. Returning to the flow chart of FIG. 3, this time the node receives 158 an appropriate response to its transmission of the C-NI packet 156. The repeater transmits an B-NI packet informing the node that it is repeater 1, assigning the node a number, listing the repeaters it sees and the nodes it sees in FIG. 6B. In this case, the node 62 is assigned the node number 1. The repeater 60 will announce which nodes it can communicate with. Similarly, each node will respond with a C-NI packet indicating which repeaters it can communicate with. Because the node C-NI packet has a C-sync prefix, no other node can recognize its C-NI roll taking signal. A second node 64 is brought into the room in FIG. 6C and transmits a C-NI packet. Node 1 (62) also receives the C-NI packet, but, because it is preceded by a C-sync prefix and node I (62) is configured to only receive data or commands from a repeater, i.e., packets having a B-sync prefix, it ignores the message. The repeater 60 transmits the B-NI packet with a B-sync prefix indicating that it is a repeater and it can communicate with node 1 (62) and node 2 (64) as shown in FIG. 6D.
FIGS. 7A-7F show a data communications sequence from node 1 (62) to node 2 (64) of the network of FIG. 5. Node 1 (62) first transmits a C-RTS. The repeater 60 receives the C-RTS. Node 2 ignores the signal because of the C-sync prefix. In FIG. 7B the repeater transmits a B-CTS. All nodes within the field of view of the repeater receive the signal. Node 2 of course, cannot act on the signal because it did not send an RTS packet. Node 1 begins to transmit its data with a C-sync prefix. Because the data has a C-sync prefix, node 2, the intended recipient, ignores the data as shown by a dotted line in FIG. 7C.
The data being transmitted from node 1 is now stored in memory in the repeater 60. The repeater transmits a B-RTS packet indicating it needs to transmit data to node 2. Node 1 and node 2 each receive the B-RTS. Because node 2 (64) is the intended recipient, node 2 responds with a C-CTS. Node I also receives the C-CTS but ignores it because of the C-sync prefix as shown in FIG. 7E. In FIG. 7F, the repeater 60 transmits the data with a B-sync prefix. Because it did not send a C-CTS packet, node 1 will ignore the data. Node 2 (64) receives the data.
The present invention is also operable in a system having multiple repeaters. In such a system it is possible, and in fact likely, that any one repeater may not be able to communicate directly with all nodes or all repeaters in the network. Similarly, some nodes may be able to communicate with more than one but not all of the repeaters in the network. Nevertheless, as a user moves with their node throughout a room having multiple repeaters or throughout a network having multiple rooms and multiple repeaters, the user needs to maintain their link to the network.
Even though there are multiple repeaters, a node must still LOG IN to the network just as in Case I and Case II. As in Case II, a node can only transmit a C-sync packet and only receive a B-sync packet. A repeater can receive C-sync packages from a node, B-sync packets from other repeaters and D-sync packets from other repeaters. A repeater can only transmit data when it has proper authority which be indicated by a token.
Consider the network shown in FIG. 8. There are three repeaters 70, 72 and 74 and seven nodes 76, 78, 80, 82, 84, 86 and 88. The repeater 70 can communicate directly with nodes 76, 78 and 80. The repeater 72 can communicate with repeater 80, 82 and 84. The repeater 74 can communicate with node 84, 86 and 88. Each of the nodes could receive and transmit infrared signals to its adjacent neighbors if they were so configured.
As in Case I and Case II, there will be a roll taking network identification packet sent by a node or a repeater whenever there is dead time on the network. As with Case II, whenever a repeater transmits a network identification packet it will include a B-sync prefix indicating that it is a node. Similarly, any network identification packet transmitted by a node will include a C-sync packet indicating that it is a node.
Each repeater will transmit a B-NI packet to it's nodes indicating which nodes it can see as before. Each repeater will also periodically transmit a D-NI packet to the other repeaters in the network indicating to them which nodes they can see. A repeater cannot transmit B-sync packets without possession of a token.
In FIG. 8A the node 76 wants to transmit information to the node 78. The node 76 transmits a C-RTS to the repeater 70 as in Case II. As shown in FIG. 8A the repeater 70 does not respond to the A-RTS from the node 76 because it does not possess the token 90. If the repeater 70 receives the token 90 within a proper delay time it will respond with a B-CTS signal as shown in FIG. 8C. If it receives the token too late for such response, eventually the node 76 will repeat the C-RTS packet and repeat the sequence shown in FIG. 8A. Once the repeater 70 transmits an appropriate B-CTS signal, it is received by the nodes 76, 78 and 80 as well as the repeater 72. Because the repeater 72 ignores any B-sync packets that transmission is shown with a dotted line in FIG. 8C. The nodes 78 and 80 will ignore the transmission because they did not send a C-RTS signal. The node 76 transmits a C-sync packet with the data to be transferred. Because the data has a C-sync prefix, the node 78 ignores the transmission as shown in FIG. 8D. The data is stored in the repeater 70 which then transmits a B-RTS signal indicating it wishes to transmit data to the node 78. Nodes 76 and 80 as well as the repeater 72 each receive the infrared transmission. The repeater 72 ignores it because it has a B-sync prefix. The nodes 76 and 80 ignore the message because they are not the addressed recipient. The node 78 transmits a C-CTS signal to the repeater 70. The nodes 76 and 78 cannot recognize the C-CTS command because it has a C-sync prefix. Because the node 70 still has possession of the token 90 it transmits the data to the node 78. Because the nodes 76 and 80 did not transmit a CTS signal they will ignore the data.
FIG. 8H shows the repeater 70 transmitting a D-RTS to the repeater 72. The nodes 76, 78 and 80 ignore this transmission because it has a D-sync prefix. D-sync packet communication between repeaters are used to transfer the token. In this case, the repeater 70 tells the repeater 72 that it has a token and would like to pass it along. In FIG. 8I the repeater 72 transmits a D-CTS to the repeater 70. The repeater 74 ignores this signal because it did not transmit a RTS. The nodes 80, 82 and 84 ignore this transmission because it has a D-sync prefix. The token is thereby transferred from the repeater 70 to the repeater 72. A similar sequence of steps is followed to transmit the token from the repeater 72 to the repeater 74 in FIG. 8J.
In FIG. 8J the node 76 transmits a C-RTS requesting to send data to the node 82. Repeater 70 is the only repeater which receives the C-RTS transmission from the node 76 but because it does not own the token 90 the repeater 70 does not respond as shown in FIG. 8K. The token is transferred from the repeater 74 to the repeater 70 in FIG. 8L. Accordingly, the repeater 70 transmits a B-CTS signal. The nodes 78 and 80 ignore the B-CTS because they did not transmit a C-RTS. The node 76 transmits the data with a C-sync prefix and only the repeater 70 accepts the data in FIG. 8M. In FIG. 8N the token 90 is graphically indicated to hold the data. However, it will be understood that the data is actually stored in a memory circuit within the repeater 70. The token is transferred from the repeater 70 to the repeater 72 in FIG. 8O. The data is also transferred along with the token via the D-RTS, D-CTS and D-data sequence. Once the repeater 74 has the data stored in its memory circuit, the repeater transmits a D-RTS signal which is ignored by the repeaters 70 and 74 in FIG. 8O. Because the node 82 is the intended recipient, it responds with a C-CTS signal which only the repeater 74 acknowledges. The repeater 74 then transmits the data with a B-sync prefix in FIG. 8Q.
The token is passed from repeater to repeater using D-sync packets. Therefore, each repeater will know whether an adjacent repeater owns the token. Because of this, in an alternate embodiment it is possible for a repeater to manufacture a token in the event that an adjacent repeater does not own a token. For example, in FIG. 9A if the node 76 wanted to transmit data to the node 78 while the repeater 74 owned the token, the repeater 70 could manufacture a second token 92 as shown in FIG. 9B. In FIG. 9B the repeater 74 attempts to pass along the token 90. However, the repeater 72 cannot accept the token 90 because two repeaters cannot own a token which can each communicate with a common node. In this case, the two repeaters 70 and 72 can each communicate with the node 80. The repeater 74 will attempt to give away the token 90 for a particular period of time. If no repeater will accept the token the repeater 74 will then destroy the token 90. It may be possible that all tokens because destroyed. This is not a problem because a token can be created by any repeater upon an appropriate C-RTS packet from a node requesting to send information.
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|US9219545 *||Jun 20, 2013||Dec 22, 2015||Koninklijke Philips N.V.||Method, system and device for transmitting lighting device data|
|US9383814||Nov 12, 2009||Jul 5, 2016||David G. Capper||Plug and play wireless video game|
|US9586135||Feb 27, 2013||Mar 7, 2017||David G. Capper||Video motion capture for wireless gaming|
|US20020131123 *||Mar 7, 2002||Sep 19, 2002||Clark Gerald R.||Free space optical communication network|
|US20020171896 *||May 21, 2001||Nov 21, 2002||Lightpointe Communications, Inc.||Free-space optical communication system employing wavelength conversion|
|US20030053177 *||Oct 4, 2002||Mar 20, 2003||Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba||Repeater apparatus, communication equipment, communication system thereof and repeating method|
|US20030090765 *||Nov 9, 2001||May 15, 2003||Neff Brian W.||Free-space optical communication system|
|US20030119447 *||Jan 19, 2001||Jun 26, 2003||Fisher James Robert||Interactive display|
|US20130178165 *||Jul 13, 2011||Jul 11, 2013||Alcatel Lucent||Very short-range interconnection device between communication equipment and a communication network|
|US20140147126 *||Jun 20, 2013||May 29, 2014||Koninklijke Philips N.V.||Method, system and device for transmitting lighting device data|
|WO1998020684A2 *||Oct 17, 1997||May 14, 1998||H2T Handheld Technology Ltda.||Communication system by diffused infrared rays|
|WO1998020684A3 *||Oct 17, 1997||Jul 23, 1998||H2T Handheld Technology Ltda||Communication system by diffused infrared rays|
|U.S. Classification||398/126, 370/315, 398/129, 398/127, 370/450|
|International Classification||H04B10/02, H04B10/105, H04B10/10, H04B10/22|
|Cooperative Classification||H04B10/40, H04B10/1149|
|Jan 14, 1994||AS||Assignment|
Owner name: COMTRON INCORPORATION, JAPAN
Free format text: TECHNOLOGY LICENSE AND PRODUCT DISTRIBUTION AGREEMENT;ASSIGNOR:PHOTONICS CORPORATION;REEL/FRAME:006827/0477
Effective date: 19930217
|Jul 24, 1998||FPAY||Fee payment|
Year of fee payment: 4
|Aug 13, 2002||REMI||Maintenance fee reminder mailed|
|Jan 24, 2003||LAPS||Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees|
|Mar 25, 2003||FP||Expired due to failure to pay maintenance fee|
Effective date: 20030124


text:
Physicist Pascal Gallo co-founded a company in partnership with Lausanne’s Federal Institute of Technology to create ultra-pure lab-grown diamonds for demanding high-tech applications, longer lasting watches and high-quality jewelleryThe reason for developing the lab-grown diamonds was a search for ultra-pure stones that could enhance the power of energy transmission using lasers. Diamonds have extraordinary properties: they are the best conductors of heat which means they can create intense laser beams without overheating. Research scientist Pascal Gallo and Professor Eli Kapon of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) found that using diamonds in lasers broke the world record for laser energy transmission.The two colleagues patented their discovery, and wanted to start up a
Perspectives Pictet considers the following as important: In Conversation With, innovation, Pictet report Spring 2019, Swiss brands, Switzerland
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Physicist Pascal Gallo co-founded a company in partnership with Lausanne’s Federal Institute of Technology to create ultra-pure lab-grown diamonds for demanding high-tech applications, longer lasting watches and high-quality jewellery
The reason for developing the lab-grown diamonds was a search for ultra-pure stones that could enhance the power of energy transmission using lasers. Diamonds have extraordinary properties: they are the best conductors of heat which means they can create intense laser beams without overheating. Research scientist Pascal Gallo and Professor Eli Kapon of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL) found that using diamonds in lasers broke the world record for laser energy transmission.
The two colleagues patented their discovery, and wanted to start up a business using diamonds to produce laser beams capable of powering drones remotely. But they needed very pure diamonds to achieve that aim, and with no reliable source in nature or on the market, decided to create their own. It took five years of research funded by public bodies in Switzerland and elsewhere in Europe to develop what was needed to make the business viable, and LakeDiamond was launched in 2015.
The key was a new technique for creating diamonds. Since the 1950s, synthetic diamonds have been made by replicating the high pressure and high temperature which converts graphite into diamonds naturally. But the quality of the stones made in this way is not controlled, and they have too many impurities for high quality uses.
LakeDiamond’s stones are grown in a vacuum using a process called Chemical Vapor Deposition. A small piece of diamond is put in a specially designed reactor to seed the growth, and carbon atoms are deposited on its surface in a crystalline pattern at a rate of 10 microns an hour which takes five days (100 hours) to add 1 millimetre. The purity of the diamonds is ensured by the vacuum – nothing apart from carbon is deposited.
‘We designed and developed the reactors, and we can also manufacture them,’ says Pascal Gallo, LakeDiamond’s CEO. ‘But we do not sell them, even though there are requests to buy the reactors almost every week. We prefer to make the diamonds ourselves so we can develop products that use them.’
Used in lasers, the company’s diamonds can produce really pure beams which are more powerful than the sun and can transmit up to 1,000 times more energy per square metre. Projecting a diamond-powered laser beam at photovoltaic cells on drones can power them enough to fly them remotely, while reducing the size of the batteries needed to operate them now. Those batteries currently account for up to 70 per cent of a drone’s weight, which limits the duration of flights with the need to frequently recharge them.
‘Lasers containing diamonds can produce a very intense, almost perfect beam of light with extremely low divergence as it reaches out,’ says Pascal Gallo. ‘This dramatically extends the flight time, but is harmless to humans who look into the beam or stand in front of it. The drone industry is interested and we are already working with a major manufacturer to develop the tracking system needed to follow the drones while beaming the energy.’
In January 2019, the company signed a global partnership agreement with TAQA, an international energy company listed in Abu Dhabi, to distribute energy via lasers po-wered by its lab-grown diamonds.
Pascal Gallo’s interest in stones dates from childhood when his grandfather was a mine prospector in Africa. He developed a deep passion for crystals and precious stones, and after majoring in physics at an engineering college in Toulouse went on to take a doctorate in crystal growth which investigated the properties of ultra-pure crystals. He then joined Prof. Kapon’s group at EPFL to continue h is research in applied fields such as lasers.
The first products that will be produced by LakeDiamond, however, are micro-mechanical components with unprecedented accuracy which have been devised in partnership with another EPFL research group. These are particularly useful for various applications, including in the high-end Swiss watch-manufacturing industry where the company is making a full set of components for a mechanism based on diamonds.
‘ Lasers containing diamonds can produce a very intense, almost perfect beam of light with extremely low divergence as it reaches out’
‘Diamonds are very hard, but – perhaps counterintuitively – they are also a very elastic material. The combination of hardness and elasticity makes excellent springs which improve accuracy and store more energy. Diamonds also have low friction in contact between them, sliding over each other almost perfectly and requiring no lubricant. The components are not cheaper, but last longer with no need for servicing every few years.
LakeDiamond is also developing jewellery products, and has formed a joint venture with a market leader who believes that the price of natural diamonds and grown diamonds will converge. The US Federal Trade Commission has already ruled that grown diamonds should not be called synthetic because they are grown from natural materials. This is a big step forward for the company, particularly in marketing to millennials, young people born between 1981 and 1996 who care about environmentally responsible consumption and are prepared to pay for natural products.
Other promising sectors for LakeDiamond stones include high-power diamond-based transistors which are much smaller, more efficient and offer dramatically improved performance. They are particularly useful for rapid battery-charging applications which require power of more than 20 kilowatts and could find a role in manufacturing electric cars. A first prototype is under development, with plans to bring them to market by 2020.
Another sector of interest is bio-sensing, which uses devices like magnetometers that can measure very weak magnetic fields to sense heart and brain activity. They are very expensive and complex to operate widely in medical centres, since they work only at cryogenic temperatures, but diamond-based magnetometers have comparable accuracy and are simple to operate since they can be used at room temperature. This is another collaborative project with EPFL for LakeDiamond – one of several searching for opportunities to diversify uses of the stones.
All the company’s diamonds are currently grown in just two prototype reactors. But with so many opportunities to explore, LakeDiamond is seeking to raise CHF60 million for constructing 50 commercially operational reactors to increase its output. Rather than offering shares in the company through an IPO, it is using the innovative approach of an Initial Coin Offering (ICO) which sells investors cryptocurrency tokens through a blockchain ledger. Each token costs 55 cents and buys one minute of production on the reactors.
After the ICO, the value of the tokens will fluctuate depending on demand for the diamonds, the purity required and the performance of the reactors. The low minimum investment is much less than the minimum needed for most IPOs and is therefore attractive to a greater range of investors. After launching the ICO in late 2018, the company has already raised enough to judge that the project is viable.
The LakeDiamond team is particularly keen to retain production in Switzerland where the company has benefited greatly from its partnership with EPFL. The cooperation of the Swiss financial regulator FINMA in establishing the rules for the ICO h as also been helpful – as is the involvement in the ICO of Swissquote, a listed bank which is the first to distribute tokens through an ICO and provides storage in an electronic wallet.
Alex Kummerman, LakeDia-mond Chief Investment Officer, says that the pragmatic FINMA approach to the ICO is just one aspect of the friendly business environment that Switzerland has offered LakeDiamond. ‘There is a five-year tax holiday for start-ups which is renewable for another five years. The Crypto Valley initiative centred in and around the canton of Zug has hosted hundreds of start-ups in the blockchain sector and developed great expertise. And EPFL has a technology transfer office which establishes links between its researchers and industry.
‘Being located in Switzerland is very helpful, particularly for a high-tech company. Swiss technology brands have a great reputation internationally – their quality has a very positive image around the world. So it is a great country to launch innovative products like ours.’

domain: news


text:
I have been in and around the law enforcement field for 42 years. People find it strange that I support the legalization of drugs. As someone who has been on the front lines of the war on drugs I know it will never work. I also know that police are among the principle victims in the war on drugs.
The six plaques added last year to the New York City memorial of those killed in the line of duty were all commemorations of officers killed in drug enforcement situations. The Drug Enforcement Administration federal agent whose death brought President George Bush to console the bereaved family; the DEA agent tortured and murdered in Mexico; the Customs agent presumed dead when his helicopter crashed in the Bahamas last month while chasing a smuggler's boat; the federal agent and 6 contract pilots whose plane crashed into a Peruvian mountain with sabotage suspected, all represent federal officers who have literally given their lives for the drug war. Each year dozens more, serving at all levels of government, are seriously wounded.
To these casualties must be added the many undercover officers, who suffered psychological stress and injury from their assignments, and those who, engulfed by the milieu in which they were placed, succumbed to personal drug abuse. It has taken litigation to compel the government to agree that line-of-duty disability compensations are merited by the hazards of undercover drug assignments. Progressive police administrators have learned that personnel have to be rotated out of such assignments frequently because of the high risks involved.
Such casualties have become so commonplace that they are now found in the last paragraphs of news stories, if they are even mentioned. These are some of the reasons I favor ending the war on drugs.
Another reason that I am involved in such efforts is that I am an angry man. The maturity of years has not deprived me of an excellent memory, and in the present war on drugs I am experiencing a tremendous sense of deja vu. I have been here before. The same war was being fought in the 1960s when the principal substance of abuse was heroin, a miniscule problem when compared to today. I was a Supervisor of Detectives in the New York City Police Department. Then the problem was the old French Connection, the Turkish poppy crop refined in laboratories around Marseille and pipelined into New York City for distribution by the mafia. We were told by our political leadership that if the Turkish poppy crop was destroyed, the purification mills destroyed and the major American mafiosi importers caught and convicted, there would be an end to the problem. While all of these things happened, the problem did not end.
The Turkish poppy crop was reduced and then virtually eliminated with American money used to eradicate the poppies and convert the farmers' efforts to other products. It quickly became apparent that poppies could be grown in other parts of the world. Within two years the Mexican share of the heroin supply jumped from 38 percent to 77 percent. Then the market spread to Southeast Asia and Afghanistan. Today the poppy crop is untouchable.
The French police destroyed the heroin mills, and we learned what a heroin mill really is. It is a chemist, brought together with $5,000 worth of equipment and a couple thousand dollars worth of chemicals. This combination can be put together anywhere in the world.
I worked hard with my colleagues to arrest and convict the American mafiosi and participated in the federal investigations of Vito Genovese, Carmine Galante and others who were sent to prison for very long prison terms. They were readily replaced by relatives, friends, and associates and nothing changed. Today La Cosa Nostra groups have a very limited role on the drug scene. New organized crime groups, the Jamaicans, Colombians, Los Angeles gangs and others have taken their places. The names of the players have changed but the game is exactly the same.
What angers me is that today, police officers and all other Americans are being told by our political leaders that if the coca crop in Peru and Bolivia can be curtailed it will all be over, ignoring the botanical fact that coca can be grown in many parts of the world. We are told that if the chemicals can be cut off from the purification plants in Colombia it will all be over. The chemicals are derivatives of the oil industry and there are wells in many parts of the world. We are told that if we can incarcerate the Medellin and Cali cartels it will all be over, and that is another lie. The Latin-American narcotraficantes will be replaced by others as easily as were the American mafiosi.
So I am angry because the people I have spent my entire life with, the law enforcement community, are being lied to, just as I was lied to 20 years ago.
Perhaps the greatest pain we suffer is the growing problem of corruption among my colleagues. This also is not a new problem. After the famous French Connection heroin bust we discovered that the heroin was stolen from the New York City police property clerk's office. The investigations of the Knapp Commission proved the corruption of the elite narcotics enforcement unit whose members had become "princes of the city." Today dozens of sheriffs have been convicted of drug corruption, local police officers, federal agents, prosecutors and even judges have been convicted of drug charges. Even the once incorruptible FBI has had its casualties. Enough!
Ralph F. Salerno, "I am an Angry Man: My People, the Police are beingLied To," The Drug Policy LeUer, November/December 1989, p. 11.

domain: sociology


The Dom Minasi Trio continues their music quest on their latest effort Goin' Out Again. One who will not be confined to stereotypical confines; Minasi and his artistic crew produce jazz that's hard to classify. Their previous effort, Takin' the Duke Out paid heartfelt and eccentric homage to the great Duke Ellington, by taking a few of the Duke's popular compositions and turning them completely upside down in terms of structure and execution. A guitarist who weaves musical strings in a variety of styles from avant-garde to free jazz, with a hard rock mentality; Minasi and trio are truly expressive and free. This may come at a cost to listeners who are satisfied with the norm, or those who would prefer music without bounds, because Minasi uses both structure and controlled chaos to create his soundscapes.
Goin' Out Again showcases four Minasi compositions as well as standards from Miles Davis, John Mercer, and Thelonious Monk. To give a glimpse into the mindset of the trio, the opening selection "Autumn Leaves" begins with the memorable melody and then transforms into a cacophony of sound that highlights progressive solos from all members of the trio. Minasi's own selections are dynamic and reveal his range and complexity on the unsettling "As The Spirit Moves" and the mood filled "The Day After Next." The trio is as tight as ever and the challenging selections will blow the minds of listeners; for better or worse. Only adventurous and open minded individuals need apply.
Autumn Leaves; All Blues; Dumpie; As the Spirit Moves; On Green Dolphin Street; Trane's Lament; The Day After Next; Well You Needn't
Dom Minasi- guitar; Ken Filiano- bass; Jackson Krall- drums
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text:
To give balance to recent blog posts, I’ll share my thoughts that arose with a discussion I had with my dad.
He is definitely a conservative in most ways, fiscally and socially. However, he is intelligent and well informed which has caused him to adjust his views over time. I often use him as a way of testing the direction of political winds, specifically which way mainstream conservatism is blowing.
I can lean strongly left at times and my father can lean strongly right. This often leads to disagreements, but maybe just as often leads to certain kinds of agreements. As conservatism and liberalism meets in the middle, the right-wing and left-wing meets in the political desert.
It’s my dad’s fiscal conservatism that saves him from the ideological blindness of partisan politics. He is an economically practical man who has worked in and taught business management. It has been his business to consider new information. My leftism has maybe served a similar role. It’s basically within the general realm of libertarianism that my father and I can find common ground, although neither of us is an ideologically committed libertarian.
The discussion we were having was fairly typical, not unlike any number of other discussions we’ve had. I guess it stood out to me because I sensed my dad was struggling with new info and so reassessing a bit. There is a newsletter he reads and the financial advisor who writes it doesn’t seem particularly conservative. He was reading this newsletter and the info was food for thought.
For example, my dad is slowly coming around to taking environmentalism more seriously. He was reading about how we as a society can’t continue to pump carbon into the atmosphere. This might seem obvious to those on the left, but this is the type of info my dad has spent a lifetime avoiding and the conservative media has helped him avoid it.
Environmentalism isn’t the main issue my dad brought up, rather economics as it relates to politics. Environmentalism only connected because my dad was considering the commentary that oil will no longer play the role as a cheap energy source. This is problematic as our entire society has been literally fueled by cheap energy and it could be a while before we develop a new cheap energy.
The economics and politics angle, I think, related to developing new energy sources. My dad was telling me about how this financial advisor was saying debt itself wasn’t the problem, but whether deficit spending was being used toward pragmatic investments or not. This goes against my dad’s fiscal conservatism.
Both my dad and I agree that bailing out banks was a bad idea. I was telling my dad about Iceland and he wasn’t familiar with that example. I also mentioned Sweden that is doing well, even with a massive welfare state relative to GDP. I used this as a jumping off point for explaining my personal theory (or rather set of theories), and my dad agreed.
My dad is wary of what he calls ‘populism’, but I pointed out that the policies in Iceland and Sweden seem to have been popularly supported in those countries. My speculation is that these countries represent optimal conditions for societal and economic health.
I see several essential factors. First and foremost, democracy seems key which doesn’t imply any single form of democracy, moreso just the general principles of democracy in society overall (not just politics, but also in social institutions, community organizing and economic systems). I suspect that democracy only functions well under certain conditions.
There are obvious differences between the US and countries such as Iceland and Sweden. The US is massive in terms of both population and geographical territory. This might be the most important part as I have yet to see it proven that genuine democracy can function at all on the largescale. With this massiveness, there also comes massive diversity that disallows easy organizing and governing. In the US, every special interest group seems out for their own private good. There isn’t a single shared culture to create a sense of social solidarity and common good.
For these reasons, you can only find some well functioning democracy on the local level of American politics. And even on the local level, well functioning democracy in the US is more rare as local communities have been undermined and in many cases decimated. The federal government helped to end much oppression and corruption on the local level, yet often just shifted the problems to the federal level. The closest the US has ever come to something akin to the Northern European social democracies is, to use one of my favorite examples, the early 20th century municipal socialism of Milwaukee.
To my mind, democracy and local governance go hand in hand. However, that local governance has to be supported by a shared local culture. The problem of many post-colonial countries is that their boundaries were created according to political demands and compromises. This has meant that a single country might contain multiple tribal cultures while any single tribal culture might be divided between multiple countries. Unsurprisingly, these are conflict-ridden societies.
The US seems to be in an impossible situation. I see no likely way of getting democracy to function in the US, definitely not on the federal level and probably not even on the state level. There are just two many special interests and too many lobby groups, not to mention that most of the founding elites never wanted democracy.
My sense of democracy is somewhat open-ended. Democracy maybe isn’t a single ideological system in the way capitalism is. Democracy applies to all aspects of society and can allow for many possible ideological systems. My ideal well functioning democracy could manifest quite diversely depending on the local culture. It could be more capitalist or more socialist or even more religious.
This does seem to be a more libertarian interpretation of democracy. This could be minarchist democracy, but I don’t know that it wouldn’t also allow larger political alliances that might resemble the government of a larger country or union.
The problem with actual functioning capitalism is that it is completely opposed to my vision of democracy. If capitalism is supposed to be a free market, I don’t know what kind of freedom this is or whose freedom it is. It certainly isn’t a democratic economy.
My dad could agree with much of what I said, but he struggles with the notion of a democratic economy for his fear of ‘populism’. Nonetheless, the fact that a mainstream conservative like my dad could agree with my general argument is impressive. There is already a lot of agreement in American society, but the anti-democratic system gets in the way.
I wonder when global society and local communities will get shook up enough to begin implementing something entirely new, beyond a few exceptions found in isolation.


text:
May 6, 2010, 8:32 AM EST
There was a lot of coverage of the Phoenix Suns’ decision to wear jerseys that said “Los Suns” on them as a protest against Arizona’s immigration law. The Diamondbacks have been doing that, and more, for years, however.
Back in 2007 the team began a concerted effort to attract the Hispanic fan base, entering into promotional partnerships with media
outlets such as Univision and La Voz and selling tickets at
Phoenix Ranch Market, which caters to Hispanic shoppers. They also installed new Spanish language signage around Chase Field, and made an effort to market the team under the name “Los Diamantes” because there wasn’t an easy and pithy Spanish translation for “Diamondbacks.”
Such things weren’t political statements. They were reflections of reality. A reality that more than a quarter of Maricopa County residents are Hispanic and that, despite the fact that overall attendance was in decline at Dbacks games, Hispanic attendance had held more or less steady. When a large portion of your fan base is also among your most loyal fans, you do that sort of thing.
It’s the sort of thing that everyone — both the supporters of the immigration law and those who would boycott the Diamondbacks — should maybe think about a bit.
- Braves scratch Mike Minor from start with more shoulder problems 0
- Daniel Murphy on Billy Bean: “I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual” 338
- Blue Jays sign Dayan Viciedo to a minor league deal 8
- Chris Sale will be sidelined for three weeks with foot fracture 11
- Aramis Ramirez says 2015 will be his last year 33
- Francisco Rodriguez re-signs with the Brewers 9
- If addiction is an illness — and it is — Josh Hamilton shouldn’t be suspended 307
- Pirates open to massive extension for Andrew McCutchen 18
- Daniel Murphy on Billy Bean: “I do disagree with the fact that Billy is a homosexual” (338)
- If addiction is an illness — and it is — Josh Hamilton shouldn’t be suspended (307)
- Curt Schilling lowers the boom on some men tweeting threats against his daughter (137)
- San Francisco — and all of California — will consider a smokeless tobacco ban that includes MLB parks (131)
- Ichiro is happy to be away from Joe Girardi (88)


text:
Case Study: CareSense
Improving Pre- and Postsurgical Education
Surgery, and the amount of information given to patients to prepare for it, can be overwhelming.
Yet, patient understanding and adherence to pre- and postoperative guidelines is critical for surgical success; noncompliance can lead to missed appointments, cancelled surgeries or readmissions. Within the Physician’s Organization at Houston Methodist, our surgical teams sought to improve patient education, preparation and adherence to postsurgical guidelines. The Center for Innovation partnered with CareSense to improve patient education via digital communication.
The Center for Innovation chose to implement CareSense, a mobile-first digital platform designed to guide patients through the surgical pathway using a variety of communication tools. The platform allows patients to choose their preferred method of communication — email, phone calls or SMS messages — to receive information about their surgery. The CareSense platform improves the patient experience because it provides information that is:
- Delivered according to the patient’s preference. Not all patients have the same learning or communication style. Empowering patients with choice gives them more control, and improves the likelihood they will receive and understand the information.
- Received in a timely manner — when it is needed most. Rather than loading up patients with information at presurgical appointments, or at discharge, information is delivered at the most relevant time. From appointment reminders and alerts to videos and postsurgical checklists, patients receive helpful information when it is most relevant.
- Designed to answer frequently asked questions and escalate potential issues. Clear and consistent patient communication helps patients feel confident in their recovery and comply with their surgeon’s orders — without having to call the office and speak with a nurse. It also helps patients identify potential infections or other serious issues sooner.
Our team identified an ambulatory surgical location that had the necessary patient volume for a test pilot, in addition to a surgical and administrative staff that was eager to improve patient communications and willing to champion new technology.
Surgical procedures chosen for the pilot were:
- Heart failure
- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG)
- Aortic valve replacement (AVR) hip and knee replacement
- Lumbar fusion
- Colorectal, pancreatic Whipple surgery
- Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR)
For CareSense to be successful, it had to work with the existing clinical flow. Gathering the content to populate the tool required a lot of legwork. The Center for Innovation enlisted the help of service lines to ensure they had the elements that would most help the surgeons and staff. The team conducted interviews and focus groups to review and approve all of the content along each pathway. One of the benefits of creating digital pathways is the opportunity to update and standardize all information delivered over the course of the surgical timeline.
Training the more than 60 clinicians and 20 surgeons was another important ingredient to success. The Center for Innovation knew that training had to be fast and effective, so we set up 15-minute phone and computer training sessions with multiple clinicians and office staff. The office staff offers CareSense to patients when their surgery is scheduled — and they receive their first communication two to three weeks before surgery.
The initial pilot for CareSense launched Dec. 15, 2018. In the first three months, more than 260 patients participated.
CareSense is a product that the physicians find value in and want to use — and that patients really appreciate. Patient feedback is measured as part of the program. And while we collect feedback from surgeons during debriefings, the majority of positive feedback has been unsolicited.
- 98% of participants “strongly agree” (on a 5-point scale) that the program was helpful. The remaining 2% of participants “agree” that the program was helpful.
- 75% have said they “strongly agree” when asked whether the system improved their knowledge and understanding on a Likert 5-point scale. The remaining 25% have said they “strongly agree” when asked whether the system improved their knowledge and understanding on a Likert 5-point scale.
- 84% patient adherence. An overwhelming majority of patients interact with the system, respond to the monitoring questions and read the content.
“My patient … said he was so ready and confident to have his surgery and that [Houston] Methodist had contacted him with so much information he was so ready. He said, ‘I loved it!’”
“Finally, all my patients will be getting the same education.”
“Now I know my patients are in trouble before they even know they are in trouble, which means we can stop potential problems before they become real problems.”
As with all Center for Innovation programs, our goal is to quickly implement a pilot, build upon its success and address any issues. Our next steps will be to maximize adherence by sending follow-up reminders, converting some emails to text and looking for other ways to improve patient engagement.
We will continue to roll out CareSense pathways to an expanded number of service lines and locations.
The largest opportunity to evolve is to integrate CareSense and Epic. A continuum between the patient record and communication will offer greater opportunities to provide a more seamless patient experience, find efficiencies in operations, eliminate redundancies and, ultimately, improve outcomes.

domain: medical


Best Memory Cards for Fujifilm GFX 50S recommendations? The following are the best Fujifilm GFX 50S Memory Cards.
It is imperative that you select the appropriate memory card for your Fujifilm GFX 50S camera if you want to get the most out of its capabilities in terms of performance and capacity. Memory cards with SDXC capability are supported by the Fujifilm GFX 50S. SDXC memory cards offer high-speed data transfer rates and ample storage space, both of which are necessary to accommodate the enormous file sizes created by this high-resolution camera. In this piece, we will investigate and contrast a variety of well-known memory cards that are compatible with the Fujifilm GFX 50S. We will focus on the most essential features and advantages of each card.
Best Memory Cards for Fujifilm GFX 50S
1. Lexar Professional 2000x 64GB SDXC UHS-II
For photographers that shoot with the Fujifilm GFX 50S camera, a high-performance memory card alternative is available in the shape of the Lexar Professional 2000x 64GB SDXC UHS-II memory card. This memory card is equipped with UHS-II technology, which enables it to provide data transfer speeds of up to 2000x (300MB/s), guaranteeing that file transfers are carried out in a timely and effective manner.
The storage capacity of 64 gigabytes offers plenty of room for storing films and photos with a high resolution. The Lexar Professional 2000x memory card provides dependable performance and is backward compatible with UHS-I devices, giving adaptability for various camera configurations when used with the Fujifilm GFX 50S. This memory card was designed specifically for usage in professional settings.
2. SanDisk SDSDXPK-064G-ANCIN Sandisk Extreme Pro
The SanDisk SDSDXPK-064G-ANCIN Sandisk Extreme Pro memory card is a great option for photographers who are using their Fujifilm GFX 50S camera and are looking for a memory card that combines both speed and dependability. This memory card features UHS-II technology, which enables it to achieve rapid data transfer speeds. As a result, file management is simplified, and the shooting experience is made more seamless.
The storage capacity of 64 gigabytes is more than enough for storing films and photographs with good resolution. Because it can operate in harsh circumstances without compromising its performance, the SanDisk Extreme Pro card is an excellent choice for challenging shooting settings. This memory card is a great partner for the Fujifilm GFX 50S because of its exceptional performance and durability. It enables photographers to shoot and retain their creative work with confidence, which is a huge benefit to the photography industry.
3. SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I
Photographers who use the Fujifilm GFX 50S camera have the option of purchasing a memory card with a high level of performance from SanDisk called the 128GB Extreme PRO SDXC UHS-I. This memory card has a big storage capacity of 128 gigabytes, which provides adequate room for storing a large number of high-resolution photographs and movies. It is equipped with UHS-I technology, which enables rapid data transfer speeds and a more fluid experience when shooting.
The SanDisk Extreme PRO card can endure extreme temperatures, as well as being resistant to water and shock, as well as being able to tolerate X-rays without being damaged. This memory card is a good option for photographers who use their Fujifilm GFX 50S and demand both speed and storage space. Thanks to its durability and performance, this memory card is an ideal choice.
4. Sony TOUGH-G series SDXC UHS-II
Memory cards of the Sony TOUGH-G series SDXC UHS-II variety were developed by Sony with the intention of catering exclusively to the requirements of professional photographers who work with the Fujifilm GFX 50S camera. This memory card is highly durable since it can withstand being bent, dropped (from a height of up to 5 meters), submerged in water, uncovered in dust, and exposed to X-rays. Because it utilizes UHS-II technology, it is capable of delivering blisteringly fast data transfer speeds, which guarantees both rapid file transfers and effective workflow.
Memory cards from the TOUGH-G series are offered in a variety of capacities, giving users the ability to satisfy a wide range of storage requirements. Even under demanding shooting situations, photographers are able to concentrate on taking outstanding photographs and movies with the Fujifilm GFX 50S thanks to this memory card’s durable build and consistent performance.
5. Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB SDXC UHS-II
Photographers who use the Fujifilm GFX 50S camera may want to consider purchasing the Lexar Professional 1667x 128GB SDXC UHS-II memory card since it is both dependable and flexible. This memory card’s rapid data transfer speeds are made possible by the UHS-II technology that it utilizes. This ensures that file transfers go smoothly and that you have speedy access to all of your photos and movies.
The Fujifilm GFX 50S’s high-resolution images require a large amount of storage space, which is provided by the device’s 128GB capacity. The Lexar Professional 1667x memory card was developed specifically to fulfill the requirements of professional photographers. It offers dependable performance, is compatible with UHS-I devices, and allows for a wide range of camera configurations.
6. SanDisk 128GB Extreme SDXC UHS-I
Photographers who use the Fujifilm GFX 50S camera may want to consider purchasing the SanDisk 128GB Extreme SDXC UHS-I card because it is both dependable and affordable. This memory card, which has a large storage capacity, provides a sufficient amount of space for storing both high-resolution still photographs and video.
The UHS-I technology guarantees high data transfer speeds, which enables rapid file transfers and effective workflow. Because it is constructed to endure harsh circumstances, the SanDisk Extreme card is a solid option for photographers who routinely work in difficult situations with the Fujifilm GFX 50S.
Best Memory Cards for Fujifilm GFX 50S FAQs
What are SD cards compatible with Fujifilm GFX 50s?
The Fujifilm GFX 50s is compatible with SD memory cards that meet the SDXC (Secure Digital Extended Capacity) standard and have UHS-II compatibility. Some popular options include the Sony TOUGH-G series, Lexar Professional 2000x, SanDisk SDSDXPK-064G-ANCIN Sandisk Extreme Pro, Lexar Professional 1667x, SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO, SanDisk 128GB Extreme, and Sony SF-G64/T1 High Performance. Using memory cards from reputable brands with a proven reliability and performance track record is recommended.
Does SD card matter for image quality?
The type of SD card used can affect the camera’s overall performance, but it does not directly impact the image quality. Image quality is primarily determined by the camera’s sensor, lens, and other factors such as lighting, composition, and post-processing. However, a fast and reliable SD card can help ensure smooth and efficient camera performance, including faster write speeds for saving images and quicker data transfer speeds.


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= Excellent source
Protein - the protein rating is 40 or more
Other nutrients - Provides 25% or more of the Daily Value for the nutrient
= Good source
Provides 15 - 24.9% of the Daily Value for the nutrient
Provides 5 - 14.9% of the Daily Value for the nutrientDaily value (DV)
The %DV indicates whether there is a lot or a little of a nutrient in the specific amount of food compared to the recommended daily intake for that nutrient
The yield is the weight of the beef item after cooking. It will vary depending on the cut, the amount of refuse (e.g., bone), the trim level and the degree of doneness (e.g., beef cooked to rare will yield more than beef cooked to well done). On average, 100 grams of raw beef yields approximately 65 grams after cooking.

domain: food


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Open Tuesday - Saturday 10am-5pm
Situated behind the Bus Station and the Captain Cook Shopping Centre in Middlesbrough, the Cleveland Crafts Centre runs mainly temporary 'selling' exhibitions which reflect the developments in contemporary crafts in the area. Crafts can include greetings cards, jewellery, textiles, glass, wood and ceramics.
Two permanent displays are also available. The Studio Pottery Collection charts the development of ceramics to the 1920s and the International Contemporary Jewellery Collection displays pieces from 1970 onwards.
The centre also runs workshops and activity days for children and adults in various craft-based disciplines. Contact the Cleveland Crafts Centre direct for further details.

domain: artistic


Judson ISD board taking steps toward bond
Updated 11:08 pm, Friday, November 16, 2012
Judson Independent School District trustees are moving forward with plans to build two new schools.
The board hasn't yet decided whether to call a 2013 bond election, but voted Thursday night to enter into negotiations with architects for both a high school and an elementary school.
The SHW Group was the top-ranked firm for both projects.
Both schools would be located on property already owned by the district — the high school on Evans Road and the elementary school in the vicinity of the Copperfield subdivision.
Superintendent Willis Mackey said the Evans Road property will be challenging to work with and he wants to get started with schematic drawings as soon as possible.
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He said the district needs a high school with core facilities — such as a cafeteria and library — to handle 2,400 students, for no more than $63 million.
While the high school would require new architectural plans, Mackey has said he wants the district's next elementary school to be a copy of Rolling Meadows Elementary, which opened in 2011 at a cost of about $17 million.
The district could proceed with up to $80 million of new construction without increasing property tax rates, a financial adviser told the board last month.
Trustees are likely to decide in the next several weeks whether to call for a bond election, which could be held either in May or November.
A survey commissioned by the district earlier this year said 62 percent of respondents would support a bond that results in little or no tax increase.
Trustee Jose Macias said Thursday night that he believes the survey is “way off.”
But, at the same meeting, Selma Mayor Tom Daly spoke in support of a bond, assuring trustees that area homeowner associations would back it.
Waiting until November of next year would be disservice to residents, Daly said.


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No availability found through our partners. Please contact the business directly or check some of our recommended alternatives.
TripAdvisor Reviews Ourania Studios Petra
Travel Blogs from Petra
On our first day in Canakkale, we are heading to Assos, an ancient city built in the 6th century BC on a dormant volcano.
Aristotle lived in the city for a while and founded a school philosophy. It is also the home of Athena's temple
What Hunter thought
On Friday 17 April 2015, we went to Canakkale in Turkey. We left the ship early and went to a place ...
... couple of hours to walk the streets at our leisure before being picked up and taken to lunch. Izmir, third largest city in Turkey, some interesting sights sounds and smells. Followed by s buffet style lunch, there seems to be a pattern forming....and then on towards Ayvaik and the Grand Hotel ...
... roofed with sticks and bracken, also there are dome low walls built from boulders around the villages. At one village clinging to the hillside there is a party taking place, lots of villagers are gathered around tables and are eating and drinking, the main street is full of parked cars. We are amused by the way the pack horses have been replaced by motor bikes, but the saddle bags made of a woven carpet material are used across them. As we ...
... borrow a couple of chairs and a small table and watch people pottering around. A man probably in his 40's stopped to talk to us, he works for Turkish Airlines and spoke good English, we chatted about the UK, which he knew all the airports! And our travel plans, he told us if we needed anything just ask as he was about all evening.
In the evening there was a party and disco close by,it was still going on as we went to bed, but fortunately it wasn't too loud and finished around ...
... for a lady that doesn't like heights! There are several remains of temples, three excellent mosaic floors, a gymnasium, the site is very large and it takes us 3 hours to explore it all. We drove into the town, most places were closed for the holiday. We found a small shop open and bought some local wine and some helva, this is a turkish dessert that is served on special occasions, it is made from sesame seeds, they are crushed into a paste and mixed ...
Other places to stay in Petra
Petra, Petra | 3 star hotelfrom $39
Avlaki , Petra | 4 star hotelfrom $83
Avlaki Petras, Petra | 4 star hotelfrom $99
Petra, Petra | 3 star hotelfrom $36
Petra | 2 star hotelfrom $49
GR-Petra, Petra | 2 star hotelfrom $46
Petra, Petra | Hotelfrom $50

domain: geography


Increasing Graphics Performance while Reducing Complexity with HUAWEI CG Kit
The area of computer graphics (CG) research is extensive. Not only is it about exploring new ways to generate and present images through computation and algorithms, but there is also the study of principles behind how these images can be viewed consecutively to portray a sense of motion. At Huawei, their vision is to bring in more cutting-edge CG technologies to the industry.
Having acquired a good amount of technological know-how, coupled with complete hardware expertise, Huawei wants to share their knowledge with the world. In the CG field especially, they want developers to benefit from years of graphics rendering technology by providing improved solutions to enhance app performance.
At the start, Huawei invested a large amount of effort to engage with developers. Through countless interviews, their development team was able to take a deep dive into the trends, pain points, requirements, and industry. Coupled with the industry insights Huawei garnered from the work they’ve done; we gained many precious insights.
In engaging with gaming developers, for example, it was understood that their focus is to make games more fun and expressive. But with the lack of hardware understanding, it is a challenge to perform in-depth graphics optimization. This is especially so when they are faced with business challenges and pressures to trade-off. As a result, they often face a couple of issues – gaps in the implementation of 3D graphics on various platforms, poor high-end image quality rendering, and high power consumption.
In June 2020, Huawei launched the CG Kit as part of their HMS Core 5.0 capabilities. Given the in-depth insights into the CG industry, they were able to develop the CG Rendering Framework that provides better 3D rendering capabilities on Huawei devices. It also supports secondary development, with increased graphics performance while reducing difficulty and complexity, which therefore helps significantly increase image quality, power consumption, and overall development efficiency.
With the CG Kit, developers can now focus on app innovation. We also have team members seconded to our key gaming partners’ offices to conduct joint research and development. By working even closer together, there can be a better understanding of the needs of the industry and their development process to drive further integration between Huawei and developers from a tools and workflow perspective.
At the same time, Huawei not only wants to provide developers with cutting-edge technologies such as super-resolution and animations, but Huawei also wants to grant them a platform with access to the latest graphic innovations in the industry. That way, developers only have to focus on developing content with greater imagination and value.
In the future, CG Kit aims to provide more plug-in capabilities, especially to increase the efficiency of graphic processing. Huawei also aims to drive further development in CG, where CG Kit then becomes a bridge for developers to exchange ideas and experience; to learn from each other. Only then, will we have a more vibrant and diversified ecosystem development community.
We thank HUAWEI for sponsoring this post. Our sponsors help us pay for the many costs associated with running XDA, including server costs, full time developers, news writers, and much more. While you might see sponsored content (which will always be labeled as such) alongside Portal content, the Portal team is in no way responsible for these posts. Sponsored content, advertising and XDA Depot are managed by a separate team entirely. XDA will never compromise its journalistic integrity by accepting money to write favorably about a company, or alter our opinions or views in any way. Our opinion cannot be bought.


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New Jersey #1 In Mental Health?
May is Mental Health Awareness Month. Here's how New Jersey compares to the rest of the nation in mental health prevalence and treatment. Mental Health America (MHA), a national community-based nonprofit dedicated to addressing and promoting the mental health needs of all, ranks New Jersey as the best state for adult access to mental health care.
Kaiser Permanente looking for data reporting consultant
(Jon Cherry / Getty Images) (ALAMEDA COUNTY, Calif.) Kaiser Permanente Oakland is looking to fill a data reporting consultant vacancy. The position is largely responsible for analyzing data from patients and helping to calculate effective metrics for doctors and nurses. Additionally, applicants would be asked to help write and compile manuals and other distributable pamphlets.
Morris School District Performance Report 2020-21
The NJ Department of Education releases 2020-21 school performance reports. Here’s how Morris School District performed. The New Jersey Department of Education (DOE) has made available online the state’s School Performance Reports for the 2020-2021 school year.
2021 Was a Record-High Year for Reported Bias Incidents in New Jersey
Morris County saw a total of 98 reported bias incidents in 2021, occurring in 25 separate towns/municipalities within our county. Acting Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced on April 1, 2022, that, according to preliminary data, 1,871 bias incidents were reported to law enforcement agencies throughout New Jersey in 2021. This represents a 29 percent increase from the 1,447 bias incidents reported for 2020.
Release of First-Ever New Jersey Public Trails Tracker
The New Jersey DEP and Trails Task Force have released the first-ever statewide inventory of public trails. There are over 3,200 trails in Morris County alone. There are nearly 10,000 in the state of New Jersey.
Douglas County residents worry about crime in neighboring counties
Data from the Douglas County Public Safety Pulse Report.Graphics from Douglas County. Although Douglas County residents experience less violent crime than nearby counties, they worry about unsavory activity creeping into their neighborhoods.
Douglas County residents worry about crimes of opportunity, study says
Two lines from the Douglas County Public Safety Pulse Report.Graphics from Douglas County Police. (Douglas Co., Colo.) According to a study issued by the Douglas County Sheriff's office, thefts, burglaries, and break-ins cause the most concern for Douglas County residents.
CDOT: Impaired drivers push traffic fatalities to 20-year high
A highway near Denver is seen during sunset.Photo by Zach Betten on Unsplash. (Denver County, Colo.) Getting behind the wheel is "the most dangerous thing" the average Coloradan does every day, said Col. Matthew Packard, Colorado State Patrol chief.
How to Find Out What Big Companies Like Google Know About You
I show how to see what big companies like Google know about you based on their ad targeting.


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ABC will be having none of that same-sex nonsense, thank you very much, after ruling out two men dancing together in an upcoming episode of Dancing with the Stars.
According to TMZ, a performance by Who is Fancy (aka Jake Hagood) of his new song “Boys Like You” — about two men falling in love — would have been set against two men ballroom dancing. ABC bosses were opposed to the idea and rejected the proposal. Who is Fancy’s choreographer emailed ABC saying it would “be an awesome look to have 2 males dancing with each other.”
“Apologies all but this is a definitive no from the network,” a DWTS producer responded.
However, the network is apparently okay with “near dancing” — two men dancing within close proximity — during the show. A recent example would be a dance by Alek Skarlatos and Carlos PenaVega, which TMZ called “more like a Cirque performance than romantic ballroom dancing.”
ABC hasn’t responded to requests for comment, but a “high-level source” told TMZ: “Creative conversations are ongoing about the dance number.”
As a reminder, this is perfectly okay, but two men sharing a romantic dance isn’t:
Watch part of Alek and Carlos’ dance below:
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domain: entertainment


Boiler consultation needs a more conciliatory tone - David Alexander
Extending the deadline to introduce greener heating systems in Scotland’s residential and private rented sector was a welcome statement announced in Patrick Harvie’s consultation paper the Heating in Buildings Bill.
For landlords the deadline is now 2028, and for homeowners it is 2033, which at least allows some more time to assess the viability and affordability of this scheme.
But within this consultation there remains the constant refrain of threat and coercion rather than conciliation and encouragement. For example, we are told that: “Private landlords would be subject to civil penalties if they don’t meet the minimum energy efficiency standard after 2028.” Not enough encouragement for the private rented sector (PRS) or concern over the affordability or timescale but simply an edict that this must be done by this date or else.
Homeowners are told that: “if it becomes evident that not enough properties are complying with the Standard, we may think about other tools to help us achieve this, including wider civil penalties.” Some of there may include higher council taxes or changes to the land and building transaction tax (LBTT) but this remains under review.