Thurs-Demo: The Next One Posted on Friday Because I Was Busy Thursday

This isn't a trend, but I seem to be rather busy on Thursdays. So much so that yesterday's demo didn't happen. Perhaps I'll describe what I was up to at some later point.

Today, however, I took advantage of the light output from an iPad. Many computing devices that have an LCD type screen emit polarized light. It's why I rarely wear sunglasses when I'm out taking pictures - the polarized glasses cut out too much - sometimes all - of the light from the review screen on the back. Wearing polarized sunglasses and looking at a computer can also be tricky.

But stick the iPad behind a transparent, isotropic material and then slap a polarized filter in front of the camera and you have an instant stress-field viewer. I redid the shot of a small cap gun charge through gelatin, but this time the only light was coming from an iPad.


This turned out much better than I had hoped. First, I didn't have a lot of light to work with. Second, many computer screens will produce scan lines because the screen is "refreshing" at some frequency (it's why video of older phosphor screen monitors "flicker"). But the iPad sent out a nice steady light (I made a blank white slide in keynote and just had that as the display).

Now I think I need to get my hands on some of those old fashioned 4"x4" rock thin sections and try photographing them...

The bleeding edge?

I sit here, in my office, typing this post on an iPad. Not quite the same as a computer, but not too bad for my typing style and speed. A little slower, and the extra keys like numbers and symbols aren't exactly where I'd like them to be. We got one last year to test them for labs and lectures. It's still "not quite there yet"as far as using it seamlessly in the classroom, but I think the newest version announced today gets these things a little closer to the mark.

What I'd really like is a tablet that has all my geologic maps loaded up so I can add map data in the field, draft strat columns and make field sketches. Although I would have a hard time giving up my write-in-the-rain pen and paper system.

This is a test

This is a test of the iPad. Very interesting. Will have some time this summer to test it's applicability in the lab and classroom.