You probably all know this but...

[laserblazer]

... I just did this in a classroom and the teacher thought it was magic.

 

If a piece of equipment isn't responding to the remote, point the remote into your camera lens and press a button. The camera sensor can see IR light.

[jamesb]

Works great as a quick and dirty test of fibre connections as well.

[CAM]

Works on my phone's camera! Thanks!

[jamesb]

It'll work on any digital camera - unlike us they're sensitive to infrared light, and show it as bright white on a display.

 

Actually we're sensitive to infrared/ultraviolet too, but the lens of our eyes screens them out.

[pete]

If you've any old digital cameras /webcams lying around that have been superseded, remove the IR filter and donate them + bottle of coke/opaque beverage to the physics dept as demo kit.

[eejit]

Very cool - did not know that.

Thanks!

[Pyroman]

If you've any old digital cameras /webcams lying around that have been superseded, remove the IR filter and donate them + bottle of coke/opaque beverage to the physics dept as demo kit.

 

Go on you'll have to explain this.

[pete]

Go on you'll have to explain this.

 

You can see / take pictures through the coke using modified camera + infrared light from the sun. Works for lots of things that are opaque until you can "see" in infrared.

 

Logitech webcams (older ones) used to be very easy to mod. Old Fuji still cameras (horrible grey ancient things) work, but more fiddly.

[plexer]

I think the camera will be able to see through the bottle of coke.

 

Ben

[SYNACK]

I think the camera will be able to see through the bottle of coke.

 

Ben

 

Yes thats right but you need to be careful with that demo as if the camera CCD is able to detect and process NIR (near infra-redred light) then it can actually see through some cloths which can be a tad troublemaking in any environment let alone a school. You can also use this technique to see through spilled ink on paper which is quite cool.

[pete]

Yes thats right but you need to be careful with that demo as if the camera CCD is able to detect and process NIR (near infra-redred light) then it can actually see through some cloths which can be a tad troublemaking in any environment let alone a school.

 

Yeah, we assume the Physics Dept a) know how it works, b) are aware of the potential implications. As opposed to (say) the Art Dept who could also use it (IR Photography), but wouldn't necessarily be aware of the implications. YMMV.

[somabc]

Wait you have invented a camera that talks naked pictures of people wearing clothes!? We'll all be RICH, RICH I TELL YOU!

[Pyroman]

Wait you have invented a camera that talks naked pictures of people wearing clothes!? We'll all be RICH, RICH I TELL YOU!

 

Lmao i was just thinking the same thing! Does that really work then through clothes? Scary!

[SYNACK]

Here is a good site explaining it with a few examples and the hack to make a low end one with a webcam.

 

Make an Infra Red Camera - Naked Scientists Kitchen Science 2008

[MK-2]

Lmao i was just thinking the same thing! Does that really work then through clothes? Scary!

 

yep it really works

[maniac]

If you've any old digital cameras /webcams lying around that have been superseded, remove the IR filter and donate them + bottle of coke/opaque beverage to the physics dept as demo kit.

 

Works even better if you put a visible light filter in place of the IR filter, you then get an IR only webcam. You can make a visible light filter from the magnetic surface of a floppy disc believe it or not, as that lets IR light through but blocks visible light. Another common visible light filter is a fully exposed piece of colour film (that's been developed) which to our eyes will look opaque, but that also lets IR light through. I made an IR webcam by doing this and amazed people with the seeing through coke trick. It will also make an LCD monitor with an image on appear completely black from certain angles, will see through some clothes or dramatically change the colour of them (black t-shirts look much paler for instance) and a few other interesting things.