lasers

Some people cry over the hue of their eyes.

If only they were blue, rather than muddy brown. And, well, brown eyes don't look so good with your dyed-blonde hair.

An inventor in California believes he has found the solution. Gregg Homer, founder of Stroma Medical, says that, in a mere 20 seconds, he can turn old brown eyes into old blue eyes. Or even young ones.

The way Homer told it to KTLA News, brown eyes are actually blue. Well, beneath the brown pigment that covers the iris, there is apparently a blue-looking orb.

So his procedure … Read more

A Space Shooter brings whimsy and comic-book-style graphics to the crowded touch-driven shoot-'em-up category. You play as Commander P. Jefferson, a Buzz Lightyear-like character whose sole purpose is to protect the galaxy. With your double-barrel spacecraft, you get to hunt down aliens, destroy asteroids, and tangle with enemy ships. While the game's story may be somewhat confusing and disjointed, it doesn't take any of the fun out of the straightforward missions.

A Space Shooter's interface is as simple as it gets. Just touch the screen and drag in the direction you want your ship to fly. … Read more

If you think that engineering functional human body parts using a printer and laser is a sign of the end of time, you might want to proceed with caution. If you think such a development portends the saving of lives, read on.

Because researchers from an interdisciplinary group of five Fraunhofer institutes in Germany are announcing their successful creation of completely functional blood vessels using 3D printing and intense laser impulses.

First, advances in 3D printing have enabled researchers to print organs inexpensively and quickly using a modified inkjet printer. As in, very modified.

Using special inks, the researchers were … Read more

HP launches the TopShot LaserJet Pro printer that can scan 3D objects, Netflix finally arrives on most Android phones, and Amazon.com is rumored to be in talks with major publishers to launch a Netflix-like service for books.

Links from Monday's episode of Loaded:

HP held its annual Imaging and Printing Conference in Shanghai today, where the company announced plans to build out its business imaging division with 13 new printers designed to grease the workflow for small to midsize businesses. Along with hardware announcements, HP also unveiled new consumer features like ePrint Wireless Direct that lets users print with a smartphone without the need for an Internet connection; an advanced HP Printer Control app (PDF) for iOS devices; and a twist on HP ePrint called SocialID, which lets you assign a custom e-mail address that makes it easier for multiple users to print in the cloud.

One of the new product offerings you'll see soon is the HP LaserJet M275 (PDF), a multifunction printer with new TopShot Scanning that's essentially the reverse of 3D printing: the scanner bed can capture a 3D image of any object placed on the top-mounted tray.

This workhorse laser targets SMBs, so it can only hold up to 150 sheets of paper, but it also features ePrint and is fully compatible with Apple AirPrint so you can output images and documents directly from your iOS devices.… Read more

TomTom embraces apps, the ultimate driving machine drives itself, an electric car sets a Nurburgring record, and we make fun of a Ferrari 456 Italia.

• TomTom Go Live 1535M: Has apps, will travel

• Ford presents unified tech vision in Evos concept

• Hyundai Genesis Coupe's new nose: Hot or not?

• 2012 Hyundai Veloster three-door coupe to start at $18,060

• How to ruin a perfectly good Ferrari 458 Italia (video)

It sounds like something out of a James Bond movie, or Dr. Evil demanding "sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads," but BMW is actually developing lasers for use in headlights. The company sees lasers as the next step after LED headlights.

BMW says the key advantage to lasers are their efficiency. Where LEDs generate 100 lumens per watt, lasers generate 170 lumens per watt. When used in an electric car, laser headlights would draw less energy from the battery.

To make lasers safe for use in headlights, BMW filters the lights through a fluorescent phosphor … Read more

Most modern business warriors don't need actual Swiss Army knives in the course of a typical work day. But they do love gadgets with Swiss Army-style features.

The Griffin Stylus + Pen + Laser Pointer not only sports a very long and specific name, it also delivers exactly what it promises. It's a stylus with a built-in pen and laser pointer.

This device is designed to withstand the rigors of the conference room battleground, survive the brutal world of tablet input, write grand poetry on actual paper, and amuse bored cats.

The pen part of the Stylus + Pen + Laser Pointer … Read more

I'm going to take entirely undeserved credit for improving the laser-powered virtual-projection keyboard offered by Celluon and ThinkGeek.

In a pinch to turn my iPad into a fully functional writing tool, I tried out a variety of Bluetooth-capable, iPad-compatible keyboards on deadline. One of them was ThinkGeek's original Bluetooth Laser Virtual Keyboard, which projects a full-size keyboard onto any flat surface.

It paired. It worked. But it threw me off as a writer because--for whatever neurotic reason--I needed that ole-fashioned keyboard "click" to prevent me from hunting and pecking my way through articles.

Now, Celluon and ThinkGeek are lauding the arrival of the Cube Laser Virtual Keyboard. Not only does it use a prettier, almost liquid interface for its laser projection, but it brings the "click" as the gesture recognition software employs sounds to indicate keystrokes and control gestures. … Read more