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Scientists are really looking forward to breaking the 10 Gbps Internet connection record set last year. A group of researchers at the University of Oxford are currently experimenting with ways to increase the connection speeds in fiber optic cables. Oddly enough, they are looking to improve speeds by slowing down the light used in fiber optic communications. The boost could be achieved through replacing the existing system required to separate and route different signals to different destinations. The interesting part is that the scientists are using the same metamaterials that could also be used to create invisibility cloaks.

The Oxford researchers noticed that the matematerials can also be engineered to slow light down (instead of bending light as with invisibility cloaks), Placing these metamaterials in the fiber optics cable would allow different frequencies of light to be stored and delayed by different amounts, replicating the current electronic version but at much faster speeds.

The new metamaterial section could also perform the frequency spreading, condensing down what currently requires a large installation into something potentially as small as a fingernail. According to Slashgear, the team of researchers claims that the actual speed gains are considerable as light can move at several terahertz and, even when slowed sufficiently for routing to take place, would be far faster than the gigahertz speeds electronic systems can manage.

Looks like more and more companies want to diversify their product lineup. LaCie came up with speakers, OCZ with a patented mouse, what’s next? NZXT, the renowned PC case maker has also come with a mouse model specifically designed for gamers. Here’s Avatar, the ultimate gaming mouse.

While OCZ’s mouse was derived from an A4Tech version, NZXT’s Avatar sure looks different than anything we’ve seen thus far. Well, not radically different, but it has some original elements, nonetheless. Here are the highlights:

• Optimal performance – 2600 DPI Optical Sensor provides maximum sensitivity and responsiveness which yields unparalleled gaming accuracy. LED DPI indicator gives the user improved usage and feedback. 5.8 Mega Pixels/second with a max frame rate of 6469 ensures smooth fragging and accurate sniping. 4 Speed DPI switch enables you instantly change the DPI rate to your liking.
• Maximum Customization – 7 programmable keys allow gamers to customize their configuration specifically for First-Person Shooters, Real-Time Strategy, or Massive Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games all within the macro and profile settings
• Ergonomic Design – unlike many other mice, the Avatar has an ambidextrous design, giving full use to both right and left handed gamers. Rubber grip helps avoid slipping during intense gameplay and the small, light form factor allows for faster and quicker movements.
• Simple Installation – Avatar is compatible with any USB 2.0 port.

Avatar is already available for $59.99.

I’m happy to announce you that Epson has finished developing an extraordinary LCD display with high resolution and autostereoscopic 3D technology, which allows you to watch three-dimensional videos from almost any position and without wearing those special glasses like in the case of a 3D movie screen at cinema.

To solve the problem of low resolution and limited viewing position, Epson used lenticular lens that are columnar array of cylindrical lenses that determine the view width by refraction, for a view width of 31 to 32.5 mm, unlike other models featuring 62 to 65 mm view width and enabled sharp 3D images in vivid colors on a wider area. The images are highly realistic thanks to the step 3D pixel array technology.

This multi-view system creates the illusion of depth in 3D images eliminating the resolution loss in the horizontal direction, encountered at the other similar models existent on the market, by adding 8-views lenticular lens, 384 x 256 pixels per view resolution, 450 mm best viewing distance, +/-12.5 degrees horizontal viewing angle, 2.57 inches screen diagonal, 1024 x 768 panel pixels, and low-temperature polysilicon TFT LCD technology consisting of multiple small silicon crystals.

Earlier this month, Seiko Epson announced the new 3D display for cell phones and portable media players, based on the new technology, in a complex array of convex lenses combined with a high-resolution 3-inch LCD. The image is produced by capturing the subject from multiple different angles, and magnifying them, while each of the instances is displayed in a different angle to be reconstructed by your brain in a single picture.

The sad part is that you’ll have to wait for a few years to have such a cell phone display, after Epson sets things up.

Seiko Epson is famous for developing innovative products based on new technologies, such as the world's first and smallest digital printer, the world's first digital quartz watch with a six-digit LCD, world's first hand-held computer, world's first television-watch with an active-matrix LCD, world's first liquid crystal pocket color TV, and many other amazing products.

While display makers are struggling to bring 3D images to your screens and other visionaries are trying to convince us that holographic displays are the way to go, the guys over at MIT now claim that they have discovered a way in which to display 6D images. Wait, I thought the 4th dimension can really be taken into consideration by displays (time is only relevant to displays when it comes to responsiveness). But 6 dimensions? Are the MIT guys using strings in their new displays?

Not quite. MIT researchers recently demoed a super realistic "passive 6-D reflectance field display" that not only looks great, but also respond to stimuli, like lighting conditions. It seems no electronic components are needed for these displays to work properly. The images will be able to change over time as lighting conditions change. The displays will respond to changes in viewpoint, but will be closer to holograms rather than lenticular images.

Responsible for the 6-D project is Ramesh Raskar, who together with his MIT colleagues created the display using only a series of lenses and screens. A working prototype will be presented at this year’s SIGGRAPH conference.

Check out this MIT page and be sure to watch the demo clip that explains how the whole thing works.

The demo system that will be presented at SYGRAPH will only feature a low resolution array. Larger images won’t be feasible in less than 10 years from now, as MIT scientists claim.

LaCie is primarily known for quality portable hard drives and displays, but I guess the Franco-American company is looking to diversify its product lineup and are now offering a minimalistic two-piece speaker system.

As far as appearance goes, the speakers could resemble the air ventilation outlets sitting atop of modern skyscrapers. According to Everything USB, the surface of each of the 2" drivers has a rather rough finish. The bottom of each speaker is fitted with a rubber ring to keep it in place. The black-and-white scheme will go nicely with most laptops.

Being USB-powered, these speakers won’t require any AC adapter. However, you need to have them connected to your laptop through a USB port if you want to hear anything coming from them. LaCie also has a FireWire version, but it might prove to be too much for many notebooks, as it requires a 6W FireWire port that is quite rare on mainstream notebooks, (only MacBooks and a select few other models come standard with this connector).

LaCie offers the USB speaker system for only $59.99 while the FireWire is available $99.99. Presumably, the price difference is based on the higher output power of the FireWire connector.