Update Jan 2020: collected results are now online at ePSdata, which supersedes the previous OSF pages. This now includes DOIs for each dataset from Zenodo, and post-processing with the new python version of ePSproc.
An OSF project, collecting photoionization calculations (ePolyScat), and notes, is now available. This will be an ongoing resource for researchers in photoelectron spectroscopy, interferometry and related areas, and is part of our Open Science initiative.
Heterogeneous computing, holds many opportunities for simulation and data analysis applications in the physical sciences. On the desktop, massively parallel calculations are now possible with the use of GPUs. We are currently exploring the capabilities of Nvidia’s CUDA platform on multi-GPU machines, and application to new and existing applications. This project is closely related to our AR/VR project.
The image above shows AntonJr, a dual-CPU (Xeon E5-2680), triple-GPU (GeForce 1080Ti), water-cooled machine.
A little more progress for our Direct Ion Detection project: the images above and below show some developments of our VIRP chamber (for rapid vacuum instrument prototyping), showing v2.0 of the charged particle spectrometer stack (following a rebuild) with some of the in vacuo wiring attached. Time-lapse build footage to follow! This configuration will allow us to perform experiments with direct ion detection, and optimise the methodologies and technologies.
Update: time-lapse build footage is now online.
For further background details, see:
A new detector for mass spectrometry: Direct detection of low energy ions using a multi-pixel photon counter
Edward S. Wilman, Sara H. Gardiner, Andrei Nomerotski, Renato Turchetta, Mark Brouard and Claire Vallance
Rev. Sci. Instrum. 83, 013304 (2012).
Improved direct detection of low-energy ions using a multipixel photon counter coupled with a novel scintillator
Winter, King, Brouard & Vallance
International Journal of Mass Spectrometry, 397–398, 27–31 (2016)
The Lytro digital camera introduces a Shack-Hartmann configuration into a digital SLR camera. Why? For “lightfield” (wavefront) imaging, allowing for depth information in the captured data. While this kind of thing has long been used for scientific instruments, in particular for laser beam measurements, the Lytro camera brings this capability (and the not insignificant post-processing know-how and hardware required) to photography in the visible. For rather more detailed information, check out the PhD thesis of Ren Ng, the founder of Lytro.
Here’s a demo image of our VIRP chamber, note that mousing around the image and clicking allows one to change the focus of the image, and the imaging plane. Mouse wheel to zoom. It’s going to be an excellent tool for scientific imaging!
* Banner image from Lytro.com.
The hololens is here! Welcome to week 2 of the future, with augmented/mixed reality.
This week, a bit of basic 3D data visualization as we begin to explore the power of the Hololens…
Some additional notes:
The hololens is here! Welcome to week 1 of the future, with augmented/mixed reality. Ultimately there are going to be some amazing scientific uses for this new tool – e.g. basic HUD in the lab, multi-dimensional data visualization, 3D design with real-world interaction and interactive collaboration etc. etc. – but first, we need to learn the tool, understand it, and develop methods.
Here’s a very brief demo of the spatial mapping capabilities of the Hololens (development edition), in a relatively cluttered environment, visualized using the LSrD application. It’s impressive, and was even better in real life!