SCANNER FEATURES WI-FI MEMORY

SCANNER FEATURES WI-FI MEMORY

It's hard to imagine wanting to scan a stack of documents while riding around in a taxi or catching some sun at the beach, but apparently there is a market for portable color scanners. One of the latest entries is the Xerox Mobile Scanner (www.xerox.com). Perhaps the most interesting thing about it is that it features a 4 GB Eye-Fi SD memory card — billed as the world's first wireless memory device.

 It works with Wi-Fi networks so you can transmit JPG and PDF files directly from the scanner to a computer, mobile phone, pad, or whatever. A free mobile app lets it communicate via a PC, Android, Mac, iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, or the Cloud. Note that its maximum optical resolution is 300 dpi which may be an issue for a few people. The device measures only 2 x 2.75 x 11.5 in (5 x 7 x 29 cm) and comes with a carrying case, rechargeable battery, and charger.

The retail price is $249.99, but the street price is a little lower. Before you place your order, though, think about how much having the Xerox name on it means to you. The device sure looks like a clone of the Mobility Mobile scanner from licensing partner Visioneer. You can pick one of those up for about $100 less.

ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY NO GUNPOWDER REQUIRED

 ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY NO GUNPOWDER REQUIRED

The concept of the railgun has been around since the early 1900s, when a French inventor patented a design for his "electric apparatus for propelling projectiles." It's basically a linear motor in which two parallel rails are connected to a power supply, upon which is placed a conductive projectile that acts as an armature. This completes the circuit, resulting in a powerful Lorentz force that propels the projectile along the rails and sends it toward a target. Railguns are promising as weapons because the projectiles travel at such high velocities that they don't need to contain explosives to do serious damage.

They have a few practical problems, however, as they eat up a lot of current and generate huge amounts of heat. Plus, the rails tend to disintegrate quickly. Early models essentially self-destructed in the process of firing a single round. Nevertheless, the US Office of Naval Research (www.onr.navy.mil) has spent the better part of a decade working on designs that hold together long enough to be practical. They recently tested the first of two commercially-built models, and it looks like a major step forward. The system — built by BAE Systems (www.baesystems.com) — has been run through a series of low energy shots in preparation for upcoming full-scale testing.

 The amazing thing about this weapon is that we're talking about 32 megajoules of power which can expel large objects at speeds of 4,500 to 5,600 mph. By comparison, an M16 rifle generates a muzzle velocity of a little over 2,000 mph.) One megajoule is enough energy to toss out a one ton object at 100 mph. The Navy's short-term goal is to demonstrate a weapon that shoots a distance of 50 to 100 nautical miles. The next goal is "to develop thermal management systems for both the launcher and pulsed power to facilitate increased firing rates of up to 10 rounds per minute." To see it in action, just search for "BAE electromagnetic railgun" on YouTube. ▲