laser

A new open-source tool called DEDA (Tracking Dots Extraction, Decoding and Anonymisation Toolkit) has been released, allowing users to extract, decode and remove the yellow tracking dots that many colour laser printers secretly print on documents. The dots can identify the printer's serial number and print timestamp, raising privacy concerns. The toolkit's release has drawn attention from people interested in document forensics and anonymity.

A snake-shaped robot is now patrolling 10-kilovolt power lines in Kunming, in southwest China. Developed by the Kunming Power Supply Bureau of China Southern Power Grid, the robot navigates obstacles autonomously and uses infrared, thermal imaging, and laser sensors to detect potential faults on the lines, reducing the need for workers to inspect high-voltage equipment manually.

Researchers have developed a new X-ray technique that allows them to observe, in real time, how quantum materials respond when hit by laser pulses. The method offers a direct window into ultrafast changes in these materials, which could advance research into next-generation electronics and quantum technologies. Details of the advance were announced by the research team behind the technique.

A physicist has proposed that laser light could transfer energy to a gravitational wave, a concept that would open a new way of interacting with ripples in spacetime. The idea, outlined in recent reporting, suggests beams of light might add energy to gravitational waves as they pass, though it remains a theoretical proposal rather than a demonstrated result. Physicists are weighing whether such an exchange could ever be tested experimentally.

DEDA, an open-source toolkit for extracting, decoding and anonymising yellow tracking dots that colour laser printers secretly print on documents, has been released on GitHub by researchers at TU Dresden. The tool lets anyone read the hidden identifying information embedded in printed pages and remove it, raising fresh concerns about printer surveillance and document privacy.

Startup CScale is arguing that AI data centers at gigawatt scale can keep operating even when optical lasers fail, a claim about resilience in the interconnects linking massive AI computing fleets. The bet targets one of the practical engineering worries facing companies building enormous AI factories, where component failures multiply as campuses grow. Details on funding, partners or deployments remain unclear.

The Department of War has funded a project to beam solar power from space, according to a news report. Space-based solar power involves collecting energy in orbit and transmitting it to Earth, typically via microwave or laser beams. Interest in the technology has grown as militaries and energy companies look for reliable, continuous renewable power, since orbiting collectors avoid clouds and nighttime losses. Details about the specific contractor, funding amount and timeline were not provided.

Hackaday has published a feature on upgrading a benchtop laser for megawatt power, exploring how hobbyist-grade equipment can be pushed far beyond its original design limits. The piece walks through the engineering challenges involved, and hardware and science enthusiasts are sharing it among themselves as an example of ambitious amateur laser work.

A laser-equipped robot vacuum is being offered at close to 50% off as part of Amazon's October Prime Day sales event. The discount, reported by VICE, highlights how popular robot vacuums have become during major shopping events, with shoppers hunting for big savings on smart home cleaning gadgets during the limited-time sale.

A startup is planning an orbital demonstration of technology that uses lasers to transmit sunlight as power to satellites. The concept aims to let spacecraft draw energy from lasers rather than relying only on solar panels or onboard batteries, potentially extending mission life and reducing mass. Details about the company, timeline and funding remain limited, but the announcement has drawn interest as space-based power transmission moves closer to real-world testing.

A Nature retrospective revisits the 1966 Nobel Prize in Physics, awarded to Alfred Kastler for the discovery and development of optical methods for studying atomic spectra, work known as optical pumping. The piece highlights how the achievement rested on collaboration across laboratories and laid foundations for later developments in atomic physics and laser science.

Cowboy Space is being talked about for a plan combining solar energy, satellites and laser technology in what is described as a moonshot mission. The idea points to beaming solar power collected in space back to Earth using lasers, an ambitious concept in the energy sector. Coverage in energy-focused media is drawing attention to the company's goals, though few concrete technical or financial details have been made public so far.

Researchers report a laser that keeps its frequency locked without any active control system, relying instead on an internal self-stabilising mechanism. The development could simplify precision lasers used in clocks, sensing and communications, where keeping a beam stable normally requires constant electronic feedback. The result is drawing attention among science enthusiasts for how much hardware it removes from a traditionally fussy setup.

Space startup Foundational has exited stealth mode with £8.2 million in funding to scale its laser-based satellite tracking technology. The company aims to improve how satellites are monitored and tracked from the ground using optical laser systems rather than traditional radio methods. The funding round and coming out of stealth mark the startup's public debut in the growing space technology sector.

Acupuncture Today examines whether light therapy can improve blood zeta potential, a measure of the electrical charge on red blood cells that influences how they cluster and flow. The article adds to ongoing debate in alternative and integrative medicine circles about whether low-level light or laser treatments can measurably change blood properties and circulation.

The most powerful laser in the United States has secured funding for another five years, extending its operation for research in physics and related fields. The announcement is being reported in science and technology outlets, though details of the funding amount and institution were not specified in the available coverage.

The US National Science Foundation is moving forward with a plan to build what would be the world's most powerful laser, a project that UC Irvine researchers are involved in advancing. The facility would push the frontiers of high-intensity laser science, enabling experiments in fundamental physics that are currently beyond reach. Details on timeline and funding remain limited.

nLIGHT, Inc., a laser technology company traded on NASDAQ under the ticker LASR, is seeing increased attention on its stock price, news coverage and trading history. Investors are checking quotes and recent developments around the company, though no specific announcement or price movement is confirmed. The interest appears tied to general market monitoring of the laser and photonics sector.

nLIGHT, Inc., a laser technology company trading under the ticker LASR, is drawing attention as investors check its stock price, quote and trading history on Yahoo Finance. No specific company announcement or price move is attached to the current interest, so the exact trigger remains unstated in available coverage.

A Kane County intersection has been equipped with new LiDAR technology, according to a report from Kane County Connects. The system uses laser-based sensing to monitor traffic at the junction. Details on the exact location, cost, and intended benefits of the deployment were not provided, but the move reflects growing interest in sensor-based traffic management among local governments.

Law firm Seyfarth Shaw has hired a lawyer from Glaser Weil, adding strength in real estate and entertainment in its Los Angeles office. The lateral move, reported by Law360, reflects continued competition among major firms for attorneys who can serve clients at the intersection of property and entertainment in the LA market.

Volantis has raised $88 million in new funding to apply laser technology used in iPhone manufacturing to AI chip production. The round suggests investor interest in optical techniques that could speed up or improve semiconductor processes for artificial intelligence workloads. Details on the investors and the company's exact technology remain limited, but the deal adds to the wave of capital flowing into chip-focused startups.

A report says US military personnel are directing laser weapon systems in the Strait of Hormuz using Xbox-style game controllers. The setup highlights how consumer gaming hardware is being adapted for military use, lowering training barriers for operators of advanced directed-energy systems deployed in one of the world's most sensitive shipping lanes.