Twenty-one years ago, researchers at University of Colorado put the predictions of Satyendra Nath Bose and Albert Einstein to the test, resulting in the first gaseous condensate.

Known now as a Bose-Einstein Condensate, the state of matter refers to a diluted gas of bosons, which are cooled to temperatures close to absolute zero. When exposed to this temperature, the majority of the bosons are in the lowest possible quantum state. Once in this state, the bosons show quantum qualities at the macroscopic, rather than atomic level. This behavior is known as macroscopic quantum phenomena.

June 5th, 1995 saw the birth of the very first pure Bose-Einstein Condensate. Using the diluted vapors of nearly 2,000 rubidium-87 atoms, researchers Eric Cornell, Carl Wieman, and staff cooled the atoms, using a combination of lasers and a process known as magnetic evaporative cooling.

Compared to other states of matter, the Bose-Einstein Condensate is fairly fragile. Disruptions to the surrounding environment can affect the temperature of the condensate, bringing it to a standard gaseous state. That is not to say that the Bose-Einstein condensate is too unstable for practical research, but rather that it has opened many doors into theoretical and experimental research in physical properties, and beyond.

Since its origin in the mid-1990’s, the Bose-Einstein Condensate has been used to slow light pulses to low speeds. Others are using it as a way to model black holes to study their properties, in an observable environment. Using an optical lattice, or “the interference of counter-propagating laser beams,” allows researchers to observe the Bose-Einstein condensate in less than three dimensions.

In recent years, researchers in the emerging field of atomtronics utilize the concepts of the Bose-Einstein Condensate to manipulate groups of identical atoms using lasers. Atomtronics is defined as the “creation of atomic analogues of electronic components.” In layman terms, atomtronics utilize super-cooled atoms to, theoretically, replace traditional analogues found in the electronics we use everyday. The flow of the condensate is similar to that of an electric current, priming it as a potential successor to traditional electronics.

The Boss-Einstein Condensate was initially theorized nearly a century ago. Two decades have passed since the theories were first put to the test. Today, the once-theoretical state of matter is used, often hand in hand with laser cooling, to challenge what we know about the study of physics and beyond.  While atomtronics will not be replacing our electronic devices any time soon, it is a study worth noting as many seek alternatives to our current energy consumption.

Researchers at University of California San Diego are hard at work, attempting to find a sustainable solution to growing issues surrounding the internet and data management. Data centers consume a significant amount of electricity and are currently projected to consume close to 140 billion kilowatt hours per year, in the U.S. alone.  Much of this power is converted into heat, requiring multiple backup systems. Simply, the issue is not so much that we are transmitting too much data, it is that data storage is not an efficient, renewable process.

Janelle Shane and her team of researchers at the Jacobs School of Engineering at UC San Diego are working on a possible solution: laser technology. Increasing the amount of electricity in a wire causes the wires to heat up and interfere with the processes of other wires. As the demand for faster internet, and the amount of data transmitted increases, the limits of using electricity will likely plateau.

Unless, of course, light was used instead. The researchers found that if information is transferred from place to place, via light, using fibers made of glass, more data could fit onto a strand. Since different colors of light can each transfer different information, the potential multiplies. Not to mention that fiber optic cables do not have the same interference and heat issues posed by electrical wires.

Shane and team are not just interested in a faster, more sustainable internet. The team has also looked into the benefits of fiber optics within computers, not just between them. The team is working on creating lasers thinner than human hair, designed to fit onto a computer chip. Utilizing technology that small is no easy task. Something as simple as a dust speck out of place could disrupt any chance of success. The researchers are also challenged by the size of the semiconductor; a small semiconductor means a less powerful laser.

Using fiber optic cables might be the solution, however. The glass inside the cable makes light bounce off of its sides, as it travels.  In larger scale tests, the light bounces back and forth, outside of the laser, eventually reaching its original point. Successfully shrinking this down to smaller examples would make Shane and team’s goals of fast, sustainable data transfer a reality.

As more and more internet service providers move in the direction of fiber optic internet, the implementation of lasers to transmit data could quickly become a matter of “When?” rather than “How?” If the past can serve as any example, the amount of data transferred is only going to increase, and with that, demands for faster speeds will also be on the rise. Should Shane and team’s research prove successful, we will likely see a brighter technological future, brought to you by laser technology.

Most people would agree that cell phone use during a performance or concert can be incredibly distracting. Violators of cell phone policies are asked to silence or turn off their devices, and in some cases, asked to leave the venue. In China, however, some theaters have adopted a policy that uses lasers to “shame” theatergoers into putting their phones away.

According to The New York Times, Shanghai Grand Theater, Beijing’s National Center for the Performing Arts, and others are opting to use red or green laser pointers to point out cell phone users. The beam is aimed directly at the screen until the user puts the device away. Rather than having an usher approach a cell phone user mid-show, which is often more distracting than the phone itself, the laser serves as a silent indicator of poor theater-going etiquette.

The decision has received mixed responses from theatergoers and performers alike. Some fear that seeing the laser light in a crowded room is too reminiscent of the laser sight on a gun. Others prefer the small beams of light to the large, glowing distraction of a mobile device, but do express concerns about the lights being a much bigger distraction, in minimalist performances. Shows in which the audience is itching to take a photo of the performance have been likened to coordinated laser light shows; often a dramatic juxtaposition to the style of performance underway.

In China, however, laser pointers have been utilized in theater settings to curb poor audience behavior, for quite some time. Compared to the United States and Europe, the average age of attendees is much younger, correlating to a decrease in standard theater etiquette. The laser pointers, coupled with cell phone jamming technology, are just a few of the ways theaters are attempting to improve the show-going experience, for all audience members. While safety is a concern, the lasers are not pointed directly at any audience member or performer, reducing the chance of injury.

More than a few theater owners feel that utilizing the laser pointers is the best way to handle a consistent issue, and hope for a day where “laser shaming” is no longer necessary.

When it comes to manufacturing within the lumber industry, companies are always looking for the best equipment around. The oldest known wooden constructions in the world were found by German archeologists in the Greater Leipzig region of Germany. It was discovered that these four Neolithic wells were created by the Linear Pottery Company and date back to nearly 7,000 years. These findings were led by a research team with members from the Institute of Forest Growth of the University of Freiburg and were published in the scientific research journal PLoS ONE. They were later recorded as being the oldest known timber constructions in the world.

Kraus Schoenberg’s woodland children nursery uses timber in a way that greatly differs from the use of those that were discovered in the Greater Leipzig region. Located in an Ohlstedt neighborhood among a forested area of Hamburg, DE, this nursery’s construction enables all those inside to remain in full view of others while simultaneously emphasizing a relationship with nature.

Even though these two uses of lumber greatly differ, they both hold one similar characteristic: they both use a natural product as a means to serve one distinct purpose. The terms timber and lumber refer to the various lengths of wood that are used as construction materials for building and architecture purposes. One company that is extremely familiar with the process of cutting and sorting timber is Pantron Automation, Inc. Pantron Automation caters to those within the field of manufacturing and lumber through their stylistically equipped Pantron Photoelectric Sensors.

The Pantron Photoelectric Sensors are products of the German manufacturer, Pantron Instruments, and can be use for multiple purposes. For example, these sensors have “photo eyes” which have the ability to detect different sized boards. These sensors can further detect when and if a board is loaded properly before it even enters a machine. Another useful characteristic of these sensors is that they can detect the ends of boards so that another one can be loaded right after the exit of the previous in a timely manner. These photoelectric sensors are also designed with 60,000 LUX immunity to sunlight while ignoring extraneous light sources.

This year’s LME conference will be held from April 26 – 27, 2016 at the Cobb Galleria Centre in Atlanta, GA. Key features include: the memorable Laser Technology Showcase, the Ask the Expert booth, and various Networking Opportunities. Other major opportunities include the ability to connect with suppliers who can help you to benefit by using lasers in your manufacturing.

Pantron Automation, Inc. will be exhibiting at LME 2016.