Coming Soon - Real Working Tricorder

Oh such exciting news! Scientists at the University of California have created a device they are calling a "Universal Detector", but which in effect is a Tricorder (aka Star Trek Tricorder). As Gizmodo put it, "the facts of the matter are clear: You'll be able to point this thing at other things and figure out what they're made of". The idea uses a thin layer of metal drilled with nanoscale holes, laid onto the surface being tested. When the perforated plate is zapped with laser light, the surface plasmons that form emit light with a frequency related to the materials touching the plate. A sensitive light detector is needed to measure the frequency of light given off. The team, led by Kevin Tetz and members of the Ultrafast and Nanoscale Optics Group at the University of California, says the devices will be small and portable. They will work on a range of substances, from bacteria to explosives, and run on low power (green Tricorders!)