Scientists have created the coolest way to use lasers we’ve seen in a while. A team at University of Rochester’s Institute of Optics made a superhydrophobic surface that causes water to bounce right off of it like a SuperBall hitting the floor.

The material was made by using lasers to etch microscopic structures into the metal. Unlike current chemical nonstick coatings, the etching won’t degrade and wear away over time. (We’re looking at you, 10-year-old “non-stick” Teflon pans.)

The team behind the etched metal was inspired by nature’s many hydrophobic, self-cleaning surfaces. They use the example of the lotus leaf: it is extremely hydrophobic and uses this quality to keep its surface clean of dirt and debris.

Studying the lotus leaf up close yielded the discovery that the lotus leaf surface is covered in a hierarchal structure of patterns on the micro and nano scales. They recreated the same type of structure in their multi-functional hydrophobic surfaces to induce the crazy water-bouncing effect seen in their videos.

Possible uses for the new superhydrophobic surface are widely varied and completely awesome: waterless toilets, ice-proof airplane wings, smoother flowing air conditioning pipes, anti-microbial coatings, and effective rust-proofing.

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The holograms we know and are a little creeped out by today are generally created by projecting images onto a medium. The infamous Michael Jackson hologram that performed at the 2014 Billboard Music Awards? He was created by projecting a “digital head connected to an actor.” While we are edging ever closer to Star Wars-type holograms, the limitation remains that the image source still needs something to reflect light off of before it reaches your eyes as a 3D image.

Japanese company Aerial Burton has moved holography in a completely new direction. They created 3D moving images in mid-air using laser plasma technology. Their technique doesn’t require fog, water, or a screen to create images; the lasers simply ionize molecules in the air. The company accomplished this using a 1kHz infrared pulse laser directed into a 3D scanner. The laser hits pre-defined points in mid-air, instantly creating short-lived pockets of plasma by ionizing molecules at the appropriate points.

This so-sciencey-it-makes-your-head-kind-of-hurt technology has its limitations, though. It can’t create detailed images like the projection method can. The little bursts of light are so short-lived that the projector has to continually blast laser beams to continue displaying the image. The system was designed to be portable enough to fit into a car, which is an important aspect for Aerial Burton. They envision the technology being used to project information or directions in emergencies, so when there’s a natural disaster you will only have to look to the sky to find an evacuation route or safe haven.

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Have you ever wondered what would happen if an old low-tech toy was given the power to control a modern, really very dangerous tool? The folks at Just Add Sharks did, and they came up with a beautiful thing: the Etch-A-Sketch laser cutter. Armed with an Arduino, a laser cutter and some technical skills, they were able to create a perfect union of retro and modern.

The laser cutter used by JAS has two settings: one that will cut right through wood, and one that will just burn a design on the surface a la Etch-A-Sketch drawings. After re-routing the laser cutter’s original wiring, the new controller had to be constructed. The classic Etch-A-Sketch shape was cut from plywood and stained with mohogany dye. The Etch-A-Sketch logo even appears at the top of the controller.

The wooden knobs are actually attached to rotary encoders that control the laser cutter’s path. Sadly, you can’t see the shape you’re drawing on the “screen” of the controller, but you do get the see the laser moving as you twist the knobs, making art just like you did when you were a kid. But this time, if you mess up you can’t just shake the picture clear. If you want to try it yourself, the schematics can be found at Just Add Sharks.

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Alchemy, a contested medieval practice often noted for the transformation of common metals into gold, is one of the last influences you would expect to see in the world of engineering. But researchers from the Department of Energy and Japan Synchrotron Radiation Research Institute/SPring-8 are using it to transform cement into metal.

Although not technically alchemy, the team did use liquid cement to transmogrify into a glass-metal hybrid. They did this by using an aerodynamic levitator with laser beam heat to melt mayenite, a calcium aluminum oxide mineral. The hybrid material could possibly be used to create a glass semiconductor for use in your television, computer or other commonly-used devices.

“This new material has lots of applications, including thin-film resistors used in liquid-crystal displays, basically the flat panel computer monitor that you are probably reading this from at the moment,” said Chris Benmore, a physicist from the U.S. Department of Energy. Who knew such archaic concepts (the conversion of common materials into those more desirable) would be used in contemporary technology?

The post King Arthur’s Alchemists Influence Modern Technology first appeared on Gajitz.

Apps for the iPhone and other smartphones have become surprisingly useful and sophisticated. In fact, they’ve become so advanced that they’re branching out beyond the phone to incorporate plug-in accessories as well. The Smart Dot is a laser pointer accessory that’s controlled by plugging into an iPhone or Android phone.

The laser pointer is a tiny nubbin of a thing that plugs into the phone’s 3.5mm headphone jack. The associated free app lets you control the laser pointer from your phone’s screen – but there’s a lot more to the Smart Dot than just pointing at stuff on the wall with a little dot.

The Smart Dot also works as a virtual mouse pointer and as a presentation tool, helping you navigate around slideshow presentations on your computer. And when you use the included stylus accessory it’s a handy stylus for your iPad while storing the Smart Dot dongle. You can alternatively use the strap accessory that lets you attach the Smart Dot device to your purse, belt loop or whatever.

Tangram, the company behind the Smart Dot, has dubbed app + accessory products like this “appcessories.” They want to offer customers something more valuable than a piece of plastic with a limited-functionality app, so they’ve done their best to make their product into a multi-functional must-have gadget with all of the operations you’ll need.

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