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How Advanced Multi Axis Laser Systems are Enabling and Preparing for Next Generation Turbine Engine Requirements
The pace has quickened as the aerospace industry prepares its manufacturing processes for the new engine designs that will go into widespread use later in this decade.
Leading jet engine manufacturers all have major new engine programs underway. With an average of twenty years using the present engine designs, turbine engine manufacturers (TEM) are entering into the next twenty year cycle with an array of exciting new engine designs. Combustors are a key component for these engines requiring high temperature metals with increasingly complex shaped components containing thousands of effusion (shallow angle to the surface) cooling holes. As the next generation of engines enter into production, combustors and adjacent hot section components for these engines will require more advanced laser processes and precision equipment to handle the increased complexity of these components.
Leading aerospace manufacturers worldwide have new engine programs that require advanced laser system for creating complex cooling hole shapes and patterns. The latest multi-axis fiber laser systems developed by Prima Power Laserdyne are playing a leading role by providing new technology that is faster, more flexible and economical than earlier CO2 and Nd:YAG powered systems.
"Combustor design and manufacture in turbine engines are key to an engine's fuel efficiency, environmental footprint, and lifetime," reports Terry VanderWert, President of Prima Power Laserdyne "Cooling in earlier combustor designs was based more on combustor 'hooks' and the simple geometry of EDM holes for cooling. As the improved designs of the last 20 years were pressed into service they allowed engine components to operate at higher and higher temperatures. The newer combustors are being fabricated with proprietary thermal barrier coatings and with denser patterns of smaller diameter and advanced designs of shaped holes for more effective cooling. For these designs, aerospace engine manufacturers have seen the need for the latest laser processing technology along with precision placement of the beam on the workpiece and we are glad they have asked Prima Power Laserdyne and our product range to play a role."
Evaluating New Laser Processes And A New Direction
For over three decades, TEM's have used LASERDYNE systems for multi-axis laser processing work as these systems have continually proven to be the best technology available to process high temperature aerospace materials. By adding newer systems over the years and taking advantage of Laserdyne's willingness to upgrade their products with the latest software and hardware enhancements, these aerospace manufacturers have continually kept current with requirements. For example one manufacturer presently has generations of LASERDYNE products in production including three LASERDYNE 795 systems, the current flagship in the LASERDYNE product line, four LASERDYNE 790 systems and one LASERDYNE 890 gantry system. These systems incorporate Nd:YAG and CO2 lasers and are used for drilling and cutting the many designs of aerospace combustors including those with special coatings.
Now that is changing. Laser processing is moving in a new and exciting direction. The company headquartered in Champlin, MN is now delivering the new LASERDYNE 430 BeamDirector® (430BD) system equipped with a high power fiber laser. In the hands of the TEM and their subcontractors, these systems are being used to validate new processes as well as increase productivity on existing parts. Some of the processes are being developed in collaboration with Prima Power Laserdyne.
LASERDYNE 430BD laser system equipped with a fiber laser and a rotary table processing components for aerospace engines.
"An increasing number of LASERDYNE customers are investigating and quickly embracing the use of our approach to fiber laser technology including OEM and tier one TEM suppliers in Europe, Asia, and North America," reports Mr. Mark Barry, vice president of Prima Power Laserdyne. "One European aerospace engine manufacturer is in the process of taking delivery of our new LASERDYNE 430 BeamDirector® (430BD) laser system. This is in addition to six older Laserdyne systems it currently uses. This company supplies customers across four continents including Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Canadair, Embraer and Superjet. The new fiber laser is on a six axis system and the will provide the means to create new manufacturing processes while improving existing ones. Also, the system utilizes an entirely new manufacturing platform that makes more efficient use of floor space"
Used in many commercial aircraft such as the Airbus A318.
Laserdyne's approach combines its proprietary motion and process control with the beam quality and energy control of fiber laser. This has been shown to yield advancements in cutting, drilling and welding, reports Mr. Barry. "Not only is this combination significant for aerospace manufacturing, it is important for all industries that have the need for precision laser processing" he stated.
The system is capable of cutting, drilling and welding and has distinct advantages over older systems.
Changing Role Of Multi-Axis Laser Processing In Next Generation Engine Manufacture
"Laserdyne is not an expert in turbine engine design but we have played a part in this industry for over thirty years. Cooling holes in the next generation of engines will be even more design specific than they are in the current engine designs," reports Mr. VanderWert. "Cooling holes will be different in ways that will promote longer engine life and reduced fuel use and emissions. Current engines are very good in these critical areas now but the new engine designs will be dramatically better."
What does the new generation of processing systems with fiber lasers mean for aerospace engine manufacturers and subcontractors?
While the fiber laser allows manufacturers the ability to duplicate existing processes that have been developed on a system using a Nd:YAG laser, it also provides the capability to increase productivity and in many cases quality for these existing designs and to develop processes for new designs that could not be realized reliably or cost effectively using Nd:YAG laser processing. Here's how:
While aerospace engines in some cases are growing in size, as does the size and carrying capacity of the planes themselves, controlling the number and smaller diameter of cooling holes is an important consideration in these engines. The complex shape of these holes in irregular patterns in contoured high temperature parts can be produced more accurately at higher speeds with fiber laser systems than with older Nd:YAG systems.
Aerospace turbine engine "hot engine" components like these show examples of the complex holes increasingly required in many smaller shapes and patterns. LASERDYNE 430BD fiber laser system for the first time provides cutting, drilling and welding in a single system.
A well understood principle of laser processing is that improving the quality (divergence and energy distribution) of the beam from a given laser impacts the ability to focus the laser. This in turn influences the size and shape of "holes" that can be laser processed. The size and shape of features that can be cut, the size and shape of holes that can be drilled (laser produced holes need not be only round), and the size of geometry of welds that can be produced are all effected. Fiber laser enables shape change and miniaturization through its smaller focused beam size.
With higher average power for fiber laser, the pulses used to produce a smooth cut, drill an array of holes, or produce a seam weld by a series of overlapping pulses can be delivered at higher rates allowing higher throughput. In one case for example, cutting and trepan drilling (producing a hole by cutting the circumference) in a 3 mm thick high temperature alloy using a fiber laser is more than 3x faster than with a Nd:YAG laser.
High speed drilling on the fly of turbine engine components using LASERDYNE exclusive OFC (Optical Focus Control), BTD (Breakthrough Detection) and CylPerf programming at shallow and compound angles. A system equipped with these features meets every challenge for producing cooling holes in today's increasingly complex aerospace engines.
This higher processing speed not only provides lower cost in manufacturing existing designs, it makes possible use of fiber laser where Nd:YAG laser processing was previously uneconomical.
3D processing systems with fiber lasers are providing flexibility for laser cutting, drilling, and welding of both two and three dimensional components with little to no change over. These systems are designed with standard features (e.g. database of laser parameters for commonly processed materials) making development and setup of new processes straightforward. These latest laser systems provide advanced controls and software for consistency of manufacturing processes. Fiber lasers eliminate the need for tuning to obtain power and beam quality changes over time due to aging flashlamps. Also, these systems in many cases eliminate the need to change optics when switching between cutting and welding (skill dependent).
A "Big Swing" Toward The Latest Laser Technology
Multi-axis laser processing with fiber lasers not only provides new capability and versatility important to aerospace manufacturers, it also means that older, less reliable equipment now can be replaced with maintenance free laser systems that do more and provide the capability for higher quality work.
Cooling hole design and manufacture hold the key to aerospace engine efficiency. Next generation engines call for denser cooling hole patterns and more complex holes. These cooling holes are very small, 0.5 – 0.75 mm diameter, at acute angles to the part surface. Only next generation laser systems can efficiently and economically produce these hole patterns.
To achieve the higher levels of engine operating efficiency, one aerospace engine manufacturer said that new manufacturing processes probably will likely be adopted "across the board". For this reason, the last two years were important capital investment planning periods in which a "big swing" occurred toward this newest technology to produce the new engines. Fiber laser technology, and all the features that Laserdyne brings with it in the new LASERDYNE 795 and 430 BeamDirector fiber laser systems, will no doubt improve the laser processing landscape for decades to come.
Another aerospace engine manufacturer said they want the latest technology to manufacture combustors and other hot section components for their next generation engines. They said they didn't want to rely on 15-20 year-old equipment. So, they have begun a major examination process of what they have, what was needed and what is available that can add quality and operating efficiency to these new engine designs and processes to manufacture them.
Multiple New Laser Systems Needed
While the addition of multiple new laser systems incorporating the latest technology is anticipated, entire facilities are also a part of the planning process. Older laser systems and manufacturing approaches will be used for decades to come to produce existing designs. Aerospace manufacturers as a group are adopting an open mind to the new technology from any and all manufacturers. The analysis and planning is all encompassing and goes far beyond just the laser portion of the manufacturing process.
While industry generally looks 2 to 3 years out for planning volume and capacity, the aerospace industry goes to a lot of effort planning ten plus years, in this case, to 2024 and beyond. The planning anticipates capital needs, building facilities, equipment and technology needs and many other components associated with it. A huge swing occurs when taking a large volume of engine production and switching it over to a new design. So aerospace engine manufacturers spend a lot of time and planning resources for supporting this change. Along with this is the testing of the new processes, including Laserdyne's new technology, to ensure it is the correct technology along with everything else that contributes to the equation to support it.
Energy Saving And Space Saving Features Of The New Fiber Laser Technology
"The LASERDYNE 430BD is a true "game changer" for laser material processing at aerospace manufacturers adopting its many features," reports Mr. Barry, "Fiber laser technology is more energy efficient than earlier processes. It requires lower input power for a given level of average output power and also requires less cooling. Also important, the LASERDYNE 430BD combines tested and proven Laserdyne motion and process control capabilities in a new, smaller and more space efficient platform."
Six axis LASERDYNE 430BD system is designed for cutting, welding and drilling 2D and 3D components with up to 20 kW QCW fiber laser.
With higher velocity and acceleration using less power while improving precision and accuracy, the third generation BeamDirector® (BD3Y) used on these new systems have the exclusive LASERDYNE contouring head design with C (rotary) axis motion of 900 degrees, and D (tilt) axis motion of 300 degrees. Among its many features is a direct drive design, advanced optical encoders for improved accuracy and repeatability, higher assist gas air-flow, adjustable mirrors for easy and accurate beam alignment.
According the Mr. Barry, "Customer's new 430BD systems will use the LASERDYNE S94P control which includes a full complement of standard hardware and software features. These include Automatic Focus Control™ for capacitive part sensing, patented Optical Focus Control (OFC) for sensing of thermal barrier coated surfaces, ShapeSoft™ software for programming shaped holes, Breakthrough Detection™ for drilling clean, consistent holes with the minimum number of pulses, mapping, and numerous additional software and hardware features. This control familiar to many present LASERDYNE equipment users will also allow the customer to use programs created for different Laserdyne systems with little or no modification.
The LASERDYNE 430BD operates at speeds up to 800 inch/min in all axes (0-20 m/min) with bidirectional accuracy of 0.0005 inch (12.7 micrometer). This accuracy is throughout the system's 585 x 408 x 508 mm work envelope, making it ideal for the demanding process validation requirements and reliability concerns of aerospace customers. Accuracy of these new systems is certification to ISO 230-1:1996 and 230-2:2006 in accordance with Prima Power Laserdyne's standard accuracy and repeatability test procedures.
Laserdyne Is Ready With New Fiber Laser System Hardware, Software, Processes And Automation
Laserdyne's approach combines its proprietary motion and process control with the beam quality and energy control capability of fiber laser processing. This has been proven to yield advancements in cutting, drilling and welding, reports Mr. Barry. "Not only is this combination significant for aerospace manufacturing, it is important for all industries that take advantage of laser processing," he stated. "Many new laser system advancements, not yet announced, will add to the improvements in future aerospace engine manufacturing. Watch for them … they will be exciting!
This original story and images were authored by Prima Power Laserdyne and not for republication.
Prima Power Laserdyne is a wholly owned business unit of Prima Industrie Group.
LASERDYNE and BeamDirector are registered trademarks of Prima Power Laserdyne.
©Prima Power Laserdyne
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Estonia to become presiding country of Baltic Assembly
TALLINN - The Estonian delegation to the Baltic Assembly (BA) is going to the 38th session of the assembly in Riga on Thursday, where Estonia will become the BA presidency country for the next year.
The Baltic Assembly presidency is held on the principle of rotation.
President of the Riigikogu Henn Polluaas said that the three Baltic states were more interconnected globally than ever before.
"Our contribution to the national, regional and allied security starts with our individual awareness of the responsibility we have in developing and protecting democracy and the rule of law. When we think about our recent history, we often understand each other almost without the need for words. Our countries are free and democratic, our languages and cultures are here to stay, and we are reliable partners for our friends and allies," Polluaas said.
The president of the Riigikogu added that Baltic defense cooperation needs to be enhanced to ensure the region's security, and that the Baltic states' NATO allies should be involved therein through a larger permanent presence.
The head of the Estonian delegation to the BA Aadu Must said that traditions and mutual trust have helped the assembly to make this form of cooperation an extremely efficient means of achieving common goals.
"This cooperation has passed the test of history, strengthening our fight to restore our independence and enhancing our coordinated actions, thoughts and development plans. These traditions are still going strong," Must said.
Estonia is taking over the BA presidency from Latvia on Friday, and Aadu Must will become the president of the assembly.
"I would like to acknowledge the huge work done by the current president, Janis Vucans, who put his whole heart into it. It is a great honor to continue his work," Must said.
At the sitting of the 38th Baltic Assembly and the 25th Baltic Council on Nov. 29, the Latvian presidency is presenting its report, and discussions are held on the Rail Baltic project, development of the energy market, perspectives on hydrogen, and higher education in the Baltic states. The BA resolution and the final document of the 38th session will be passed and a joint statement of the Baltic Council of Ministers will be signed.
At the Baltic Assembly award ceremony on Thursday evening, Estonian writer Leelo Tungal will receive this year's BA prize for literature.
The Baltic Assembly is a consultative cooperation organisation of the parliaments of the three Baltic states that discusses issues of mutual interest. A 12-member delegation of the Riigikogu represents Estonia in the assembly.
Numerous fake accounts posting on Facebook pages of Estonian publications
Baltic foreign ministers discuss procurement of vaccines
Estonian govt endorses EUR 358 mln allocation for general education schools in 2021
European Commission sets out key actions for a united front to beat Covid-19
Estonian coalition negotiators: It's important to intensify cooperation with allies
Estonian parlt speaker discusses cooperation opportunities with Lithuanian counterpart
Estonian president to meet with party leaders next week to discuss political situation

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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It's official: Microsoft now owns GitHub
Microsoft officially closed the acquisition of GitHub last week, but there's no danger to the 'developer first' ethos that has shaped GitHub into a hub for more than 28 million users and 85 million code repositories.
The US$7.5 billion deal brings Microsoft closer to the heart of developer communities; with new CEO Nat Friedman replacing former GitHub CEO and co-founder Chris Wanstrath.
Friedman announced the news in a GitHub blog last week, announcing that this week is his first as new CEO. "Ultimately, my job is to make GitHub better for you," he writes.
"I've spent the past few months meeting with hundreds of developers as I prepared for this role, from maintainers to startups to large businesses. The passion for GitHub is amazing—both in the areas where we excel and in the areas where you want us to do more. I've learned a lot from these conversations, and listening to our customers will be a core part of how GitHub operates as a company."
Friedman says that GitHub will continue to operate independently as a community, platform, and business. It will also retain its product philosophy.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote about the acquisition in June 2018. He stressed that the move reflects a world in which developers will be at the centre of solving the world's most pressing challenges.
"Microsoft has been a developer-focused company from the very first product we created to the platforms and tools we offer today. Building technology so that others can build technology is core to our mission to empower every person and every organisation on the planet to achieve more," Nadella wrote.
GitHub will also take into account three objectives for the future:
• Ensuring GitHub is the best place to run productive communities and teams • Making GitHub accessible to more developers around the world • Reliability, security, and performance.
First in line is GitHub users' daily experience using the platform, and an increased focus on its paper cuts project.
Nadella added that Microsoft is 'all-in' on open source technologies.
"We have been on a journey with open source, and today we are active in the open source ecosystem, we contribute to open source projects, and some of our most vibrant developer tools and frameworks are open source. When it comes to our commitment to open source, judge us by the actions we have taken in the recent past, our actions today, and in the future."
Microsoft says it will focus on three clear opportunities:
• Empowering developers at every stage of the development lifecycle • Accelerating GitHub for enterprise use • Bringing Microsoft developer tools and services to new audiences.
Do we need cybersecurity training? Phishing remains problem area
"Implementing ongoing and effective security awareness training is a necessary foundational pillar when building a strong culture of security."More
Experts discuss VMware Cloud on AWS use cases
Key issues were included ageing applications, the risk of moving inappropriate workloads to the cloud and the complexity of multi-cloud, hybrid cloud architectures.More


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Connecticut Supreme Court Refuses to Release Medical Record of Notorious Serial Killer Convicted in 1917
Amy Archer-Gilligan (photo: Wikipedia)
The medical records of an early 20th century serial killer will not be released, according to the Connecticut Supreme Court.
The court ruled (pdf) that the records pertaining to Amy Archer Gilligan will remain private despite efforts by a Connecticut resident and author, Ron Robillard, to learn more about the serial killer.
Gilligan was the inspiration for the film "Arsenic and Old Lace" after she was convicted of poisoning a resident of a nursing home she ran in Windsor. She was originally charged with five murders, including that of her second husband, and may have been responsible for dozens of others.
Gilligan was confined to a Connecticut-run psychiatric hospital from 1924 until she died in 1962.
The court stopped the release of 200 pages of psychiatric, medical and dental records related to Gilligan, which would have been done by the Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services. Robillard had requested the release of those records.
"Our understanding of the broad veil of secrecy created by the psychiatrist-patient privilege also supports our conclusion that medical and dental records that are created by an inpatient mental health facility during the treatment of a patient are exempt," Justice Dennis Eveleigh wrote for the majority.
The release of medical records would set a dangerous precedent, Assistant Attorney General Jacqueline Hoell said, according to Courthouse News Service. "The impact that this would have on a patient's ability to be open and frank with their mental health providers is really important," she said. "For example a woman may not want to disclose to her psychiatrist that she had an abortion in the past and that's causing her depression or she may not want to give her psychiatrist access to past medical records . . . if she knows that these may become subject to the Freedom of Information Act."
Public interest in the records shouldn't matter, Hoell said. "Legitimate public concern—it's not equivalent to curiosity and that's essentially what we have in this case."
Arsenic Killer's Medical Records Kept Sealed (by Christine Stuart, Courthouse News Service)
True Crime Story behind Classic Comedy, 'Arsenic & Old Lace' (by Mara Bovsun, New York Daily News)
Amy Archer-Gilligan, Connecticut Eldercare Serial Killer - 1916 (The Unknown History of Misandry)
Freedom of Information Officer, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services, et al. v. Freedom of Information Commission et al. (Connecticut Supreme Court) (pdf)


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The beauty is the journey.
By Ricky Derisz April 1, 2022
What comes to mind when you think of wealth? Dollar signs? A photoshoot-ready home in a highly-polished suburb? Frequent trips to exotic locations and five-star dining? Or maybe the symbol of wealth for you is a freshly-valeted Ferrari, with bright red paint you can see your reflection in, leather seats, and an exhaust mistaken for the turbo-charged thunder of a jet engine.
It was a red Ferrari that mesmerized a 27-year-old struggling salesman one day in the early 80s, in a parking lot outside of San Francisco General Hospital. As the salesman was walking by, the car pulled up to the curb. Stirred by what he saw, he decided to approach the car's owner, who was dressed to impress in a tailor-fit suit.
Instinctually the salesman approached the man with two questions: "What do you do, and how do you do it?" Those two questions sparked a chain of events that led to the salesman's rapid rise in fortune, a bestselling memoir, a Hollywood film about his life, millions in the bank, and his own Ferrari. Not any Ferrari. A Ferrari once owned by sporting legend Michael Jordan.
Before the wealth and success, though, the salesman spent a year homeless on the streets of San Francisco, with his toddler son, moving between homeless shelters, park benches, and public toilets. Does the story sound familiar? The movie is The Pursuit of Happyness. And the man behind the story is Chris Gardner.
Despite his rags to riches tale, money isn't everything for Gardner. Years after the film's conclusion, Gardner turned away from riches, and away the successful business he'd developed. After 30 years in the finance industry, a heartbreaking loss led him to take his own advice — to pursue his own version of happiness. And to inspire others to dream.
A Fatherly Bond
Will Smith has only starred in two biographies. In 2001 he played the legendary boxer Muhammad Ali. Five years later, in 2006, he was playing Chris Gardner. Coincidentally, these portrayals earned Smith his only two Oscar nominations, both for Best Actor, in 2002 and 2007. In an interview with AALBC, Smith explained his reasons for choosing the role:
"I saw the 20-20 piece [on ABC-TV ] on Chris' life, and the power of the story blew me away. There was a look in his eyes, a confidence, and a strength, after having traveled that journey. He personified the American Dream. It felt to me that the reason that America has been successful in this world is based on the idea that Gardner is possible."
Part of the attraction to Gardner's story was the American Dream, combined with his unwavering care for his son, his desire to never give up. It's hard to imagine Smith acting opposite anyone other than his real-life son, Jayden. The pair's natural love and care shines through the screen. But Smith had to fight for Jayden to be cast, due to concerns of nepotism by executives involved in the movie.
To compensate for the conflict of interest, Jayden, who was six-years-old at the time, had to audition nine times. When the studio asked for a 10th audition, the film's director, Gabriele Muccino, put his foot down. He told producers he was "emotionally incapable" of making the film without Jayden in the role. It was a fight worthy of the character Smith was playing.
To understand the fatherly bond, you have to look back in time. Gardner's upbringing was one of violence and uncertainty. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 1954, he never knew his own father. He was raised in poverty by his mother, Bettye Jean, and his stepfather, who was physically abusive.
Making a vow to be the father he never had, he was committed to providing for his children and being present. His daughter Jacintha was born in 1985, after the events in the movie. Christopher Gardner Jr. was only two-years-old during the spell of homelessness.
(Matt Giroux / Getty)
Gardner, whose daughter had to convince him Smith was up to the task of portraying him by reminding him he played Ali, worked closely with the actor through the production and filming process. The pair enjoyed strong chemistry, which shows in Smith's portrayal. Mirroring Gardner's love for his son, Smith said:
"Jaden and I got to spend every single day, 10 or 12 hours a day, together, working on this film and it became clear that whatever you have to offer financially doesn't matter. Whatever situation you are in, it doesn't matter. You have to be there. You have to be with your child. To be able to spend that many hours a day together, our bond took off in a way that I never imagined."
Although Gardner went on to earn his fortune — his current-day worth is estimated to be around $60 million — it was never his true motivation. His pursuit of happiness was something money couldn't buy.
Ironically, it would be years until Gardner took his own advice and turned his back on the finance industry to follow his passion.
Pursuit of Happyness to Happily Ever After?
When capturing someone's life story into a film lasting a few hours, what do you include? What do you leave out? Feel-good stories often end at a moment of triumph, celebration, or redemption. Stories can't go on forever, they have to end. The credits have to roll, the audience has to return to their lives. In the Pursuit of Happyness, the happily ever after ending packages the uncertainty of life into a neat conclusion.
The immortalized story zooms in on a few years in Gardner's life. Over two hours, we see his journey from struggling salesman, single father, homeless and broke, attempting to earn a job at a top stockbroker firm, Dean Witter Reynolds — an opportunity offered by a man in the red Ferrari, Jay Twistle (Brian Howe), who was a successful stockbroker.
Before his opportunity to change career, Gardner attempts to sell medical equipment, which he'd gambled his life savings on. Growing debt and pressure to provide for his family led to the breakdown of his marriage, and eventually, his wife leaves with his son. Gardner tells his wife to return him, which he does. That's when his financial situation escalates.
Unable to pay for rent, he's told to leave his apartment in a week's time. The day before his internship interview, Gardner is arrested for unpaid parking fines and has to stay in prison overnight. He sprints from his cell to his interview, arriving in a vest and trainers, covered in paint from last-minute apartment renovations.
Yet he charms the panel and lands the internship, only to find out it's unpaid. Dedicated to making a better life for himself, Gardner agrees. He moves to a nearby motel with his son, where he is soon kicked out for unpaid rent, leaving him on the streets. The most poignant moment comes as he and Chris Jr. spend a night sleeping rough in a public toilet.
Through spells in soup kitchens and homeless shelters, Gardner keeps his homelessness secret from his colleagues, doing all he can to earn enough to impress enough to be offered a full-time role. Against all odds, Gardner makes it through his internship whilst struggling to look after his son and keep his life together.
As the film approaches the conclusion, the fateful day arrives. In an emotional scene, Gardner is called into the office and offered a full-time position. With tears in his eyes, he walks the streets in disbelief, picks up his son, and walks into the sunset, as the real-life Gardner walks by.
The uncertainty of life, packaged into a neat conclusion, and Gardner is set up for financial security and happiness. His first step was affording an apartment and a roof over his head, already a leap from sleeping in public toilets and homeless shelters. In 1987 Gardner founded his own firm, Gardner Rich. He became a multimillionaire. But this wasn't happily ever after.
Life goes on, after moments of triumph, celebration, redemption. Events in Gardner's life once the credits rolled would make for an equally-compelling sequel. His biggest challenge, greatest loss, and most heroic chapter was yet to come.
The 'Y' in happyness
Pursuit of Happyness is noticeable for its deliberate misspelling of the famous phrase from the United States Declaration of Independence. Gardner's inspiration came from a daycare center he sent his son to, as shown in the film. But the meaning stretches back to a 1776 essay by a biracial man, Lemuel Haynes, who argued blacks and whites were created equal.
Gardner has added his own meaning, too. The Y is about "you" — finding your unique happiness, in whatever way that looks. With that comes the responsibility to work for it, to understand what you want, and make it happen, not to rely on others, or chance. Asked in 2009 if he was happy, Gardner responded:
"I am healthy. As a single parent, with a lot of help, I've raised two children that have become very special young people. And I'm doing work that reflects my values. That makes me happy. And you'll notice I did not mention movies or money. Money is the least significant aspect of wealth."
Certain facts in the movie deviated from real life. The internship paid a salary of $1,000 per month, which he spent on daycare for Chris Jr. The man in the Ferrari was Bob Bridges, not Jay Twistle. He sold various medical equipment and didn't invest his life's savings. Most importantly, his onscreen wife, Linda (played by Thandiwe Newton) is a combination of two women: Sherry Dyson, Gardner's ex-wife, who he was married to between 1977 and 1987, and Jackie Medina, the mother of his two children.
This creative retelling meant that another woman, Holly, wasn't shown in the film. Yet she was the person Garnder calls "the love of my life." And it was Holly who catalyzed his change of direction. "You can lose a house, get a new house. Lose a job, get a new job. But when you lose the person that you love more than life… that's irreplaceable," Gardner told Goalcast in an exclusive interview.
The romance started unexpectedly, on what appeared to be a normal day. "I'm on the stationary bike, and suddenly the most incredibly beautiful woman I've ever seen in my life walked into the gym. She's got no makeup. She's drenched in sweat from head to toe," he said. But the attraction was far beyond physical. "It wasn't what she looked like — it was what I saw and felt," he added.
Overcome by a desire to get to know her, Gardner followed the same instinct and courage that encouraged him to ask the man in the red Ferrari. Whilst that question led to his ultimate fortune, Gardner's question to Holly led to another kind of wealth. He approached her and asked her out. "She could have said no. She could have said, I'm in a relationship. She could have said, I'm not interested. I had to know. And I'm glad I did."
In 2012, six years after the release of Pursuit of Happyness and 20 years after they met, Holly died at the age of 55. "I will never forget waking up one morning. Holly would always bring me a cup of coffee to bed. She said, 'I have to tell you something. I'm losing my vision.' And it wasn't the words but how she said them that made me sit up on the bed." His fear was founded. Holly had an inoperable brain tumor.
After initial denial, Gardner faced up to another level of suffering and hardship. "It has given me a new perspective on what it means to struggle. I had overcome every obstacle achieved, every goal, slayed every dragon. I had done everything that I was supposed to do in that business, started at the absolute bottom, scratched, fought, crawled, and worked to the absolute top."
"I could have continued to sit at that desk and chase some more stocks. Chase some more bonds. Chase some more deals… I could have done that, but when Holly was diagnosed, it changed everything." Over the next four years, Gardner was Holly's prime carer, which he calls an honor. Despite the struggle, the pair experienced moments of joy, love, and intimacy. It led to a profound change in his life.
Still working tirelessly at his successful company (his work ethic is symbolized by the fact he wears two watches), Holly's nearness to death led to a re-prioritizing of values. "She kept asking me the same question," Gardner told Goalcast. "'Now that we can see how truly short life can be, what are you going to do with the rest of your life?'"
A Change of Direction For Chris Gardner
Before her first session of chemotherapy, Holly had a stroke and fell into a coma for months. One evening at the hospital, Gardner whispered words of reassurance in her ear. "I leaned down and I said to her 'baby, if you want to let go, if you want to stop fighting, I'm okay, I'm gonna be okay,'". After months of being motionless, Holly's leg moved. Her foot caressed his arm. She died the next day.
There was no going back. Although highly successful and enjoying his work, at the deepest level, Gardner wasn't fulfilled. He quit his job the day she died. "I had to start taking some of my own advice," he said. "I had written about it for a very long time, that if you're doing something that you're not totally committed to, that you're not totally passionate about, you're compromising yourself every day." Turning his back on bonds, Gardner chose a new mission — to help others in their own pursuit of happiness.
He started a new career as a motivational speaker and author, traveling all across the world for 200 days per year. Prior to the pandemic of 2020, Gardner was regularly speaking to crowds of thousands. "So many people around the world are now having their own pursuit of happiness moments and experiences," he says. "Part of my journey right now is to empower others as they begin and continue to take these baby steps on the journey to their dreams."
Since Pursuit of Happyness was released in 2006, Gardner has written two more books. In 2009 he released Start Where You Are, a book filled with life lessons in how to follow a similar path of moving from the impossible to the possible, aptly answering the two questions he asked all those years ago: "what do you do, and how can I do it?"
In 2021, Gardner released his third book, Permission to Dream, inspired by Holly's death. In an attempt to answer the question, "what will you do with the time you have left?" Gardner shares the true fable of an adventure with his nine-year-old granddaughter, Brooke, and in turn how he worked on giving himself permission to dream.
In between the change of career and writing, Gardner never forgot his roots and his spell of homelessness. He helped fund a $50 million project for low-income housing and job opportunities in the very same place he spent time on the streets with his son. He regularly donates clothes and shoes, and spends time volunteering in homeless shelters.
This Part is Called: The Hero
All stories have to end, but you can't help but feel Hollywood's depiction of Gardner's life ended prematurely. The credits roll, but Gardner didn't stop being an inspiration. Hollywood got to see the Chris Gardner who could overcome all obstacles, to transform rags to riches. But if the chapter after the film's events had its own title — from building his empire, caring for Holly, and choosing to change his life direction to help others — it would be "the hero."
Chris Gardner might have been immortalized for his rags to riches story. But more than anything, Gardner epitomizes a winner's mindset. A man pursuing purpose, not profit. Gardner faced more tragedy and turmoil after the "happily ever after" his story depicted. But despite trying times, his approach to life continues to be an inspiration. Gardner is a man of value and determination, two things money can't buy.
Perhaps that's a criticism of the movie — it captures the love he has for his son, but it emphasizes money, and success, as true wealth. Gardner sees money as the least important aspect of wealth, a perspective that only increased after Holly's death. "I no longer connect net worth and self-worth," he says. "What you do doesn't determine who you are."
Gardner's life changed that day in the parking lot, in ways he couldn't have imagined. All it took was the courage to ask a stranger two questions, to follow his instinct. Asking a question in the gym led to 20 years of love and companionship with his wife, Holly. What questions can you ask, and where will they lead you?
What opportunities are waiting for you? How can you make your own luck? How can you live a life of value, purpose, and the type of wealth that comes from within?
"You can make money, you can lose money. You can't make time. How much time you got left in your life? Don't nobody know," Gardner says. A man humbled by the raw reality of life, and what he terms "spiritual genetics" passed on by his mother, Gardner oozes as much wisdom as he does charisma. "There is no exit ramp for happiness," he reflects. "There's no exit ramp for peace, tranquility, beauty, all those things sometimes are on this road."
In Permission to Dream, Gardner shares his idea of Atomic Time— the desire to make every minute meaningful. With time the most precious commodity, how do you choose to use it? Go after opportunities, don't look for exit ramps, stay the course. But don't forget that the most important part of the pursuit is to occasionally slow down, pause, reflect, and take in the scenery, enjoy atomic time.
"Sometimes," Gardner says, "the beauty is the journey."
Looking at Chris Gardner's journey, it's hard not to agree.
Ricky Derisz
Author exploring the soul of self-development, the mystery of existence, and the heartful path to maximising the human potential. Get your free copy of my book, Mindsets for Mindfulness, for practical guidance to overcome the ego on the journey of growth. More at MindThatEgo.com
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A newly published patent application shows that Apple has been working on ways to combine the fingerprint verification technology it acquired in July 2012 with NFC — and may also be eyeing a variation of NFC that uses "body coupled communications".
The "Electronic device with shared near field communications and sensor structures" patent application, filed in February 2013, describes a sensor built into the home button of a mobile phone that combines both fingerprint biometrics and NFC functionality.
It also suggests alternative locations for the sensor and ways in which NFC could be used to provide wireless docking and short range communications capabilities for a range of application scenarios as well as what seems like a form of NFC using the human body as a transmission medium.
The sensor may be a touch sensor that uses the conductive structure to form a capacitive touch sensor electrode or may be a fingerprint sensor that uses the conductive structure with a fingerprint electrode array to handle fingerprint sensor signals. Near field communications circuitry may be included in an electronic device.
When operated in a sensor mode, the sensor circuitry may use the conductive structure to gather a fingerprint or other sensor data. When operated in near field communications mode, the near field communications circuitry can use the conductive structure to transmit and receive capacitively coupled or inductively coupled near field communications signals.
"When it is desired to use transceiver circuitry 24 for near field communications, structures 22 in button 19 may be used in transmitting and/or receiving near field communications," the patent application adds — suggesting that NFC could be enabled and disabled via the home button, to maximise battery life and require explicit authorisation by the user for any NFC interaction.
This opens up a scenario where an iPhone user might push the home button on her device and then simply touch another device to complete a circuit and allow data to pass between the two machines, using her body as the conduit.
Most recently, this concept has been developed by US firm Microchip Technology. The company's BodyCom technology is activated by capacitively coupling to the human body and enables bidirectional communications between a centralized controller and one or more wireless units.
Exactly what new technologies the next iPhone will include won't be known until Apple reveals the widely expected iPhone 5S on 10 September. That said, a key advantage of Authentec's fingerprint sensor technology is its deep integration with NFC.
The latest leaked images, meanwhile, suggest that a new home button construction, compatible with the concepts outlined in the patent application, will be included in the next edition of the iPhone. Detailed images of the components of the home button have also been published by Australian site SonnyDickson.com.


1st Linslade Scout Group – Scouting in Linslade since 1921…..
Scouts is about fun, challenges and adventure! 1st Linslade Scout Group are part of the UK's biggest mixed youth organisation. We change lives by offering young people fun and challenging activities, unique experiences, everyday adventure and the chance to help others so that we make a positive impact in communities.
Our volunteer leaders help local children and young adults reach their full potential. Scouts develop skills including teamwork, time management, leadership, initiative, planning, communication, self-motivation, cultural awareness and commitment.
We also have an Explorer unit partnered with our Group that meets at our headquarters in Mowbray Drive.
2018 Thursday Troop F1 RC Cars champs Izzy and Chloe conquered all to win this years remote control car championships this week. They had the fastest times on the laps and the drag races. Well done – Girl Power!
If you would like to contact 1st Linslade Scout Group, please send us a message using the form below. Our Group Scout Leader will get back to you as soon as possible.


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Don't let a college weed-out class ruin your…
Don't let a college weed-out class ruin your career plans
By Arianne Cohen/rate.com |
I once knew a girl who read medical memoirs from age 8. She eventually headed off to college as a pre-med student, where she encountered Chemistry, which she hated. She suffered through, earning a hard-won B. Then, facing two semesters of Organic Chemistry, she concluded that the ensuing decade of medical training would be similar. She dropped off the track.
That girl was me, and I was unaware that I'd simply been weeded out by, well, weed-out classes. As the name suggests, these courses end a study trajectory for many students. Weed-outs are typically foundational courses with high enrollments in which many students earn D's and F's, or withdraw — known in the field as a verb, "DFWing."
The classes are usually among the first coursework that a student may encounter, such as college algebra, calculus or writing, though some appear a few semesters down the line. Introductory courses also commonly serve as weed-outs, says Drew Koch, president of the Gardner Institute, an organization that improves collegiate teaching and learning, and also tracks weed-outs.
Weed-outs derail promising students from their fields of interest, and a disproportionate number of those derailed students are low income, first-generation or students of color, many of whom graduated from under-resourced high schools. A low grade can have rippling negative effects on these populations. For example, students receiving federal aid such as Pell Grants can find their funding threatened due to unsatisfactory academic progress, even if they withdraw rather than flunk. And it can derail promising careers.
The problem is endemic. At highly selective schools, DFW rates can be under 10%, and at schools that accept all applicants, as high as 50% to 60%.
"What most surprised me was how consistent the findings are across institutions and across different types of STEM majors," said Marissa Thompson, a postdoctoral fellow in education policy at the University of Michigan Ford School of Public Policy whose work tracking weed-outs finds that a low first-year grade in a STEM class commonly discourages students from the major.
Weed-outs are everywhere in higher education, and Koch and Thompson have some advice for the next time you face one:
Identify whether it's a weed-out. Ask if the class is graded on a curve, and what the DFW rates are by family income, race and ethnicity. Curves typically benefit students of privilege. A great question for admissions night: What does your school do to ensure that students master content in foundational courses, so that they are not just weed-outs?
"If they can't tell you, then they're not really about student success," Koch said.
Access all available support. The thing about weed-outs is that you just need to survive the course. You can do this! Koch suggests looking for academic advisers, peer study groups and upperclassmen who previously passed. Some classes hold specific sections geared toward extra instruction, or offer extra supplemental tutoring. If you cannot attend — a common scenario for students with jobs — ask a college adviser about alternatives.
Go to office hours. This is your shining moment to meet the professor and teaching assistants.
Above all, know that you should not base your career path decision around one to two terrible courses.
— Rate.com/Tribune News Service
Arianne Cohen/rate.com
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Say you have a craving for cake--red velvet cake. You could always opt to make this totally un-sinful, yet equally yummy, red velvet smoothie. And, it's vegan.
Makes four cups*This combination with strawberries, beets, and goji berries was something that came to me while running by Lake Michigan one morning. I was trying to figure out what vegetable would complement the bright red of the strawberries. I happened to have beets in the fridge already, so it made total sense. And what I created was a delicious and healthy smoothie that even my kids love.
Blend all the ingredients together until smooth, preferably in a powerful blender, such as a Vitamix. Serve immediately and enjoy getting your fruit and veggies in one shot! I do refrigerate leftovers, but they tend to only keep for about a day.
P.S. More healthy snack ideas, and chocolate-yogurt snack cakes!


Cut the bananas into even-sized chunks and place them in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the bananas to prevent browning. Sift the self-rising flour, rice flour, cornstarch, and cinnamon into a mixing bowl. Gradually stir in the water to make a thin batter.
Heat the oil in a preheated wok until smoking, then reduce the heat slightly. Place a piece of banana on the end of a fork and carefully dip it into the batter, draining off any excess. Repeat with the remaining banana pieces.
Sprinkle the light brown sugar on to a large plate. Carefully place the banana pieces in the oil and cook for 2-3 minutes, until golden. Remove the banana pieces from the oil with a slotted spoon and roll them in the sugar. Transfer the battered bananas to serving bowls and serve immediately with cream or ice cream.
COOK'S TIP: Rice flour can be bought from whole food health stores or from Chinese supermarkets.


text:
"Africa: We don't serve, admit Nigerians, says racist Chinese restaurant in the heart of Lagos">
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Africa: We don't serve, admit Nigerians, says racist Chinese restaurant in the heart of Lagos
March 20, 2019 Friday Nwosu Leave a comment
Nigerians are not allowed to enter or order food at a racist Chinese restaurant called Shi Shi in Lagos, The PUNCH has reported.
The PUNCH reporter visited the restaurant to find out the claims made by some Nigerians on social media.
The restaurant is located on 21B, Emina Crescent, Off Toyin Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
Respondents on a social media post about the restaurant say only Chinese are allowed entry, though findings showed that Nigerians and other Blacks are allowed patronage if they are accompanied by a Chinese.
When our correspondent visited the restaurant on Tuesday, he was accosted by a guard in Army combat camouflage and prevented from entering the restaurant.
"Who are you looking for?" the guard, a Nigerian, asked.
When our correspondent responded that he wanted to order a Chinese cuisine, the guard said our correspondent was not permitted to enter.
The guard also quickly escorted our correspondent out of the premises, saying he was only following instructions.
It was gathered that the restaurant operates from 11am to 10pm daily.
When The PUNCH Correspondent sought to speak with the manager of the restaurant, he was told the manager was not around.
A restaurant official, who declined to give his name, said, "The manager is not around.
"Since you've dropped your card, I can assure you that he will call you to respond to your questions."
Lagos defends restaurant
The Lagos State Government, on Tuesday, cleared the Chinese restaurant accused by some Nigerians of racism, even as yet another Nigerian, who was barred from entering the restaurant, spoke to The PUNCH.
The Lagos State Government's position, made known via a Press statement issued by the Commissioner for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Steve Ayorinde, said that findings by its officers sent to "investigate the veracity of the claim" showed that the allegations were false.
"The two officers who went there on Monday did so incognito, and found the allegations to be false.
"The officers were served without any questions or discrimination. They also took photographs without being noticed.
"Our officers also observed that the restaurant had a number of Nigerians working inside there and did similarly observe that pepper soup, a Nigerian delicacy, is also on the menu.
"More importantly, the restaurant has been registered with the Lagos State Ministry of Tourism Arts and Culture since 2016, as required by law."
The ministry which regulates eateries, restaurants, hotels, and other hospitality facilities in Lagos promised to conduct further investigations.
However, findings by our newspaper, which is standing by its report, showed that the restaurant relaxed its obnoxious racist policy after the initial outrage on social media on Sunday.
After our report on Monday, the restaurant threw open its doors to the public.
One of the workers of the company who spoke to our reporter after he was turned back, had admitted that the restaurant took notice of the outrage on social media on Sunday.
A director of the company, Niyi Adegbite, who spoke to our Correspondent on Monday, also refuted the allegations of discrimination but added that the restaurant had two sections: One of the sections is open to the general public, while the other is strictly for Chinese.
According to Adegbite, "The restaurant is divided into two sections.
There is one open to the public and there is one called Hot Pot.
"The Hot Pot is where you enter and cook on your own. All the ingredients are made available. But it's only for Chinese nationals.
"Maybe it's this one that some people tried entering and were disallowed and is now causing the outcry."
Joshua Jenom Gidin, who said he was denied entry along with five of his friends last Saturday, said it all seemed like a joke at first when he was told that Blacks would not be let in.
Gidin, who is a journalist with Pulse TV in Lagos, said, "When we got to the gate, we saw some pretty Chinese girls going inside and we even laughed with them.
"When we attempted to go in, they refused to allow us in because we were Black.
"I first thought it was a joke, but when the guards repeated it almost five times, I knew they were serious.
"In order not to cause a scene, we left the place; but I made sure that I scored them low on Google reviews and let the whole world know that they are racists.
"I am sure it was after the negative reviews online and the condemnation on social media that they quickly decided to change their racist policy."
Obianuju Uba, whose experience was published in one of our earlier reports, found it strange that the government could rush to defend the restaurant.
Uba said, "We know what we witnessed. The government cannot tell us otherwise. Why would I be making spurious allegations against a restaurant?
"If the guards had told us that the restaurant was a members-only establishment, we would have understood and left. But we were told that we would not be allowed in because we are Black. That is truly what happened.
"So, I was confused because I had never experienced such in my life.
"I was shocked that a Nigerian — and not a Chinese — was used as the security guard. The guard even spoke with a Yoruba accent, so I was sure that he was a Nigerian.
"I was pissed off and left, and I walked away while my friends continued to argue with him."
Blessing Ukeje, a computer programmer who was part of a group that was turned back on Saturday, reiterated that she had visited the restaurant along with four other friends around 8pm on Saturday and that they were turned back because they were Africans.
Ukeje said, "When we were about to enter, a guard asked what we came for and we responded that we were there for Karaoke.
"He told us that they didn't have a Karaoke bar, but his colleague said they have, and that anyone who wants to enter must enter with Chinese people.
"He said Blacks are not allowed. He said the Blacks that come must come with Chinese people.
"We were all shocked because, even when we travel, we never see such.
"So, I asked him again if he was sure and he said that was the management policy.
"I actually thought I was dreaming. I asked him if he was okay with it as a Black man and he said nothing.
"While we were standing there, we saw Chinese people going in. Two Chinese ladies and two Chinese guys went in. It was after our experience that we decided to expose these people."
When asked if she was denied entry because of the way they were dressed, Ukeje said, "I was coming from a wedding and I was well dressed. Those people had no excuse for turning us back.
Also speaking with The PUNCH, Akpan Aniefiok, who was barred from entering the restaurant along with his friends, lambasted the state government for defending the restaurant.
Aniefiok, who is a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, said he and his friends visited many fun spots on the same day without issue.
He said they had no reason to tell lies or unjustly malign anyone's business.
The final year student said, "We visited three lounges on that fateful day. Why would we unjustly tell lies against the Chinese restaurant? What do we stand to benefit from such?
"What happened on that day was that the security guard told us that we would not be allowed inside because we are Black and that he was following orders."
By Jesusegun Alagbe and Eniola Akinkuotu, Abuja
Source: punchng.com
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Customer experience is the predominant driver of business success. Your products and services need to be great – that's a given – but longevity is about much more than that. What matters right there in the moment and in the longer-term, is how customers feel about the experience that you give them.
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Цифровият фотоапарат е вид фотоапарат, в който изображението не се регистрира от фотографски филм, а от електронен сензор – CCD или CMOS матрица. Матрицата се състои от милиони независими един от друг светлочувствителни елементи – пиксели. Всеки пиксел преобразува попадналата върху него светлина в електричен заряд. Генерираните от матрицата електрични заряди се насочват към процесора. Процесорът на фотоапарата генерира от множеството електрични заряди едно цифрово изображение, което се съхранява в електронната памет на фотоапарата. Различните фотоапарати създават и съхраняват изображенията в различен електронен формат – най-често JPEG. Електронното изображение може да се прехвърли на компютър, да се обработи с фотообработващи програми и да се разпечата на фотографска хартия, или да се визуализира чрез други електронни устройства – телевизор, монитор, мобилен телефон.

Видове цифрови фотоапарати

Цифрови огледално-рефлексни апарати (D-SLR)
Цифровите огледално-рефлексни апарати () имат подвижно огледало, което насочва светлината от обектива към пентапризма или система от огледала, които я препращат към визьора. Така фотографът получава възможността да види през визьора на апарата конкретния образ, който ще достигне матрицата, а не умалено копие, както при цифровите фотоапарати, които не са огледално-рефлексни. Когато се натисне спусъкът на фотоапарата, огледалото се завърта и светлината се насочва към матрицата. Съвременните D-SLR апарати от висок клас имат режим Live View, който позволява на дисплея да се визуализира реалният образ, който предстои да се фиксира върху матрицата.

Хибридни фотоапарати
Хибридните фотоапарати са кръстоска между компактните апарати и D-SLR апаратите, комбиниращи предимства и на двата вида. Представлява компактен по размерите си фотоапарат, но с предимства подобни на сменяемия обектив. Основното предимство на хибридните фотоапарати е липсата на вградено в корпуса огледало. Така те запазват малкия си размер, но въпреки това предоставят функции, подобни на огледало-рефлексните фотоапарати. За разлика от D-SLR апаратите, фотографът не получава възможност да види истинския конкретен обект, но получава възможно най-близкото до реално изображение: видеозапис на обекта, прожектиран на миниатюрен LCD екран. Някои по-нови модели разполагат освен с електронен дисплей и с допълнителен електронен визьор, който улеснява работата и позволява на фотографа да види реалното изображение. Разделителната способност на хибридните фотоапарати варира от 10 МР до 26 МР. Много от тях разполагат със сравнително големи сензори, което позволява по-добро качество на изображението при по-висока чувствителност.

Примери за цифрови, безогледални камери:
 Canon EOS M
 Fujifilm X
 Nikon 1
 Pentax Q
 Samsung NX

Устройство на цифровите фотоапарати

Матрица

Броят пиксели, които е способен да заснеме фотоапаратът, е в пряка зависимост от броя на активните елементи на матрицата. Матрицата е сложен полупроводников елемент, съставен от
множество светлочувствителни елементи, изградени от фотодиоди. Тези елементи са групирани и разположени по определен начин, така че да образуват матрица с възможност за адресируем достъп до всеки активен елемент от нея.

Обикновено количеството на елементите върху матрицата е по-голямо от необходимото за заснемане на максимално голямото възможно за даден апарат изображение, тъй като не всички елементи от матрицата се използват. Например цифровият фотоапарат "Canon Powershot A5 Zoom" позволява да се снимат изображения с разделителна способност 1024x768 px, което дава общ брой от 768 432 пиксела. Производителят оповестява бройката на елементи на матрицата за дадения модел, равна на 810 000. Обикновено разликата между "работния" и общия брой пиксели за един апарат е в рамките на 5%.

Тъй като технологията, по която се произвеждат матриците, е все още далече от съвършенството, практически невъзможно е да се произведе елемент със 100% работещи клетки, така че всяка матрица има известно количество "мъртви" клетки. Освен това обикновено изображението предназначено за заснемане, се фокусира по такъв начин върху матрицата, че да попадне в средата ѝ, оставяйки разстояние до нейните граници. Разбира се, когато се снима изображение с по-ниска разделителна способност от максимално възможната, това води до намаляване на размера на проектирания върху матрицата участък. Отделно от всичко това, известно количество пиксели се използва в някои модели и за калибриране на чувствителността на сензора.

В голяма част от матриците се използват микроскопични лещи, разположени над всеки пиксел от матрицата и служещи за фокусиране и насочване на фотоните точно към определен участък от пикселния елемент, поради разлика в чувствителността на различните зони. Фотоните след това се поглъщат и генерират свободни токоносители във фотодиода, който се разполага непосредствено под микролупата в светлочувствителната област, а самата област запазва електрическия заряд на принципа на кондензатора. За да може матрицата да съхрани следващата снимка, тя периодично се инициализира (изчиства) с честота няколко десетки пъти в секунда.

Производителите на матрици използват и различни конструкции от филтри, пропускащи светлина с определена дължина на вълната (т.е. определен цвят). Най-често използваната при това технология е Bayer Pattern, която се характеризира с това, че зелените филтри са двойно повече от червените и сините. Освен това червените, зелени и сини филтри са шахматно разположени, така че няма два едноцветни филтъра един до друг, което намалява вероятността от появата на цветови дефекти и взаимното влияние на съседни пиксели.

Тъй като човешкото око е по-чувствително към светлина с дължина на вълната, съответстваща на зеления цвят, двойно по-големият брой зелени пиксели подобрява възприеманата от човешкото око цветна картина. Съотношението на цветовите съставки на видеосигнала е подобно и яркостта "Y" е равна на 0.59G+0.30R+0.11B, при което субективно възприеманото от човешкото око изображение е с по-висока яркост, контраст и естествен цвят. Отделно от всичко казано дотук, производителите на цифрови апарати вграждат в изделията си микропрограми, изпълняващи различни алгоритми за подобряване и допълнителна обработка на изображенията с цел подобряване на проектираното върху матрицата изображение.

CCD матрица
CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) матрицата се състои от фотодетектори, чиито брой е определящ за разделителната способност на изображението. Тя се определя пряко от броя на чувствителните елементи, изграждащи CCD матрицата и следователно е от първостепенно значение за качеството на изображението. Оптическата система фокусира изображението, така то се проектира върху CCD сензора и след това се записва върху съответния носител на информация.

Пикселът е най-малкия елемент от едно изображение и е най-удобно да се използва за описване на възможностите на матрицата и за пресмятания, т.е. ако фотоапаратът може да заснеме изображение с разделителна способност 1280x960 пиксела, това дава общ брой на пиксели от матрицата равен на 1 228 800. Повечето цифрови апарати от нисък и среден клас съдържат една CCD матрица. Съвременните цифрови фотоапарати от по-висок клас използват по три отделни сензора за RGB-съставките на входящия сигнал.

Най-разпространените CCD матрици, използвани в компактните фотоапарати от любителския клас, са с размер на диагонала съответно 1/2.7", 1/2.5", 1/1.8" и 2/3".

Потребителят трябва да се интересува какъв е размерът на матрицата при покупка на цифров фотоапарат. При съвременните CCD чипове 1/2.5" е добър размер за 3 – 4 Mpx, 1/1.8" за 5 – 6 Mpx, а 2/3" за 7 – 8 Mpx.

CMOS матрица
CMOS (Complementary Metal-Oxide Semi-conductor) матрица – някои модели все още използват CMOS сензори. CMOS матриците притежават по-високи нива на шума и по-ниска чувствителност, в резултат от което се получават снимки с по-ниско качество. За сметка на това CMOS сензорите са по-евтини и използват значително по-малко енергия при работата си, което увеличава живота на батериите. Има и изключения, при които производителите, чрез специален хардуер и софтуер компенсират недостатъците на CMOS матриците, но това е рядкост.

Разделителна способност на матрицата
Разделителната способност на цифровото изображение се определя като броя на пикселите, от които то се състои. Схематично можем да опишем сензора като милиони елементи, които при досег със светлина генерират електрически заряд. Този импулс впоследствие се превръща в картина и след преминаване през система от филтри се записва като снимка. Съвременните фотоапарати използват CCD или CMOS матрица. CMOS сензорите са въведени в цифровата фотография. Те са по-евтини за производство и по принцип се предполага, че осигуряват по-ниско качество на изображението от CCD. Последното твърдение може да се оспорва, защото професионалните огледално-рефлексни модели на Canon например са оборудвани със сензор CMOS, а качеството на снимките не отстъпва на еквивалентните модели на Nikon, използващи CCD матрица. При избор на удобен фотоапарат обаче рядко някой се интересува от технологията на матрицата, защото нещо друго привлича веднага погледа – стойността за мегапикселите. Един от най-ефикасните начини за съблазняване на купувача е предлагането на все по-големи резолюции (разделителни способности). Стандартът при компактните апарати в това отношение се повишава изключително бързо. Той беше 8 – 10 Mpx, но на пазара излязоха модели с 15, 20 дори 25 Mpx.

Повечето производители маркират върху моделите си максималният брой пиксели, които фотоапаратът записва в паметта си. Този размер обаче може да бъде по-голям от максималния брой пиксели, формирани от оптиката на устройството. Увеличението се получава чрез процес на интерполация на изображението.

Памет

Външни карти памет
Най-често собствената памет на цифровите фотоапарати е ограничена и затова се налага използването на външна памет, на която да бъдат запаметявани направените снимки, особено когато става въпрос за голям брой. Например при 16 MB вградена памет, е възможно записването на не повече от 10 – 12 снимки с разделителна способност 2048х1536 пиксела.
 COMPACT FLASH (CF) – този тип памет са избрали за повечето от моделите си цифрови апарати производители като Kodak, Nikon, Hewlett-Packard, Canon. Отличават се със здрава конструкция (дебелината им е около 3 мм), освен това имат вградена логическа схема, ускоряваща процесите на запис/четене на данни и някои от тях имат интегрирана буферна памет. Един от най-големите производители на 'compact flash' карти, фирмата SanDisk, вече предлага на пазара 512 MB модули, като в процес на разработване са 1 и 2 GB модули.
 SMART MEDIA (SM) – подобни на картите за фонокартни апарати (от типа Bulfon или Mobika), дори са още по-тънки и с по-малък размер. Производството им е по-евтино, но за сметка на тяхната по-слаба конструкция и на това, че изводите им са директно на повърхността и са достъпни за докосване и въздействие на статично електричество, изискват по-специално отношение, за да се избегне повреждането им. Максималният за момента обем на тези карти е 128 MB, който позволява върху нея да се запишат до 16 снимки с висока разделителна способност във формат TIFF (без компресия). Този тип карти се използват например в апаратите на Olympus.
 COMPACT FLASH TYPE 2 – позволява още по-големи обеми от по-малкия си роднина – 'compact flash', но се отличава и с по-големи размери, което се отразява върху размерите на целия цифров апарат. Твърдият диск на IBM – Micro Drive използва точно този формат, което дава възможност на потребителя да избира между наличните 340 MB и 1 GB твъри дискове във формат CF Type 2, които обаче не са от най-евтините.

Батерии за цифров фотоапарат

Фотоапаратът може да използва един или няколко типа батерии, но обикновено става въпрос за специализирани (различни от обикновените АА) AA 1,5 V или презареждаеми Li-ion. Li-ion батерия е много по-добра от никел-метал-хибридната (NiMH). И двата типа позволяват презареждане и са по-добри от алкалните батерии. От своя страна алкалната батерия за цифров фотоапарат е по-добра от нормалната алкална батерия. Немислимо е поставянето на обикновени батерии във фотоапарата, защото те се изтощават изключително бързо. И тъй като всеки фотоапарат е различен (въпреки че моделите от една марка в повечето случаи използват един и същ тип батерии), важно е да се знае продължителността на живот на батерията на конкретния фотоапарат или броят на снимките, които може да се направят с дадена батерия.

Дисплей на цифровия фотоапарат

Всички цифрови фотоапарати имат LCD дисплей с размери от 1,8 до 3,5" по диагонал. Дисплеят позволява приближаване и увеличаване на картината. По-голям LCD (около 5 см) означава от друга страна по-голям фотоапарат и по-голяма консумация от батерията. Обикновено размерът на дисплея се колебае между 1.5" и 2.5" в зависимост от модела. По-големият дисплей дава повече удобства. По-лесно се фокусира, ако фотоапаратът разполага с ръчен фокус, и по-лесно се работи при преглеждане и редакция на снимките. В същото време е добре да се знае, че големият дисплей при дълга работа отделя повече топлина и повишава нивото на шум в снимките. В това отношение най-добър е въртящият се дисплей, който е отделен от тялото на фотоапарата и топлинното му излъчване не оказва влияние на CCD матрицата. Той има много по-важна функция – осигурява удобство при снимането, като дава възможност на фотографа да снима лесно и бързо от различни гледни точки и дори да снима незабелязано от околните. Важно е антирефлексното (противоотразителното) покритие на дисплея да е добро, за да може той да се използва пълноценно и при силна слънчева светлина. Много зле изглеждат снимките при пряка слънчева светлина, зърнести при слаба осветеност или с малък обзорен ъгъл. Ако той е твърде тъмен или малък, едва ли човек ще е в състояние да вижда снимките си в него, докато е на плажа например. Някои устройства също така притежават и визьор, с който по-удобно се насочва апарата към обекта. Понякога обаче, колкото и да е добро антирефлексното покритие, не е достатъчно, за да бъде компенсирана напълно разликата в яркостта на дисплея и околната светлина. Тогава е най-добре да се ползва визьорът на фотоапарата. Обикновено този визьор е оптичен и само при моделите с голямо увеличение е електронен и представлява малък LCD дисплей в корпуса на апарата, който се наблюдава с увеличителен визьор.

Аксесоари

Сенник (Lens Hood)
Целта на сенника е да предпазва навлизането на преки слънчеви лъчи върху челната леща на обектива. Има сенници с форма на пресечен конус, има и такива с форма наподобяваща на чашка на лале. Монтира се на външния край на обектива, където могат да се закрепят и други аксесоари (филтри, адаптери). В зависимост от това какво е фокусното разстояние на обектива се определят дължината и предният диаметър на конуса. За телеобективите е по-подходящ сенник, който е по-дълъг и по-тесен. Това се дължи на стеснения зрителен ъгъл. Докато при широкоъгълните обективи, сенника е къс и с широк преден диаметър на конуса.

Настройки на фотоапарата

Оптично и цифрово увеличение (Optical and Digital Zoom – ODZ)
 Оптично увеличение – има реална промяна на размера на обектите в снимката, без от това да страда качеството ѝ. Позволява приближаване или отдалечаване на обектите, без физически да се променя позицията, от която се снима. Оптичното увеличение се постига единствено от обектива. За доброто качество на снимките влияние оказва единствено оптичното увеличение. При избор трябва да е поне тройно (3х) оптично увеличение.
 Цифрово увеличение – интерполирано цифрово увеличение, при което липсващите пиксели просто се дорисуват от апарата по специално определен алгоритъм, заложен във фотоапарата, като при това реално се снижава качеството на снимката. С увеличението обаче трябва да се внимава – ако е над 3x е добре да се разполага с "бърз" обектив или оптична стабилизация, за да не се получат размазани снимки.

Стабилизатор на изображението (Antishake)
Голяма част от съвременните фотоапарати вече притежават стабилизатор на изображението, който работи при снимане или като функция, която може да се включва и изключва. Тя е много полезна в ситуации, когато не може да се постигне приемлив контраст на изображението, например при слабо осветление. Едно от неудобствата на стабилизатора на изображението е, че потребителят не може да го използва заедно с някой от сценичните режими. Апаратите от нисък клас използват софтуер, за да направят по-контрастно изображението на снимката. По-функционалните устройства, включително SLR апаратите използват един или два начина – оптична стабилизация на изображението (елемент от обектива компенсира трептенето в даден момент) или сензор за движение, чрез който матрицата на фотоапарата се измества, за да компенсира вибрациите.

Оптичен стабилизатор (Image Stabilizer – IS)
При снимане с голямо оптично увеличение дори и най-малко потрепване на ръката води до разваляне на фокуса и резултатът е снимки с лошо качество и размазани обекти. Оптичният стабилизатор чрез специална система регистрира всяко трепване на апарата и подава сигнал към специален елемент, който компенсира вибрациите. За апарати с голямо оптично увеличение OIS е задължителен за получаване на качествени снимки.

Баланс на бялото (White Balance – WB)
Всеки цифров фотоапарат трябва да намери относителна точка, представляваща бял цвят. На базата на нея, апаратът изчислява всички останали цветове, оформящи изображението. Ако например имаме халогенна светлина в стаята, то една бяла стена би изглеждала почти в жълто, а всъщност тя е бяла. Така ако фотоапаратът "знае", че на практика стената е бяла, ще компенсира всички останали цветове и изображението ще бъде напълно точно. Повечето цифрови фотоапарати са снабдени с автоматична система за бял баланс. Но въпреки това понякога снимките се развалят, особено в случаите, когато в сцената доминира един цвят, да кажем зелено, или просто липсва реален бял цвят. Ето защо в много от фотоапаратите е внедрена система за ръчен бял баланс. Преди дадена снимка, вие можете да фокусирате върху дадено пространство в сцената и да посочите на фотоапарата, че това е действителен бял цвят.

Прехвърляне на изображението

Свързване с компютър
Съществуват различни методи за свързване на цифровия фотоапарат с компютър и почти всички устройства са оборудвани със софтуер, който го позволява. По-често използвани са:
 USB – Става все по-често използваният интерфейс за връзка на камерата и компютъра. Отличаващ се с достатъчно висока скорост на трансфер (над 10 MB/sec), USB изход е сглобен на почти всяко дъно без изключение, произведено през последните години, всички съвременни операционни системи го поддържат, и всичко това върви към по-бързия USB 2.0, който позволява още по-високи скорости.
 RS-232 (COM-порт) – Повечето по-стари модели апарати, особено от ниския ценови диапазон, използват този интерфейс за връзка с компютъра. За целта се използва кабел, свързващ апарата с извода "com" на дънната платка на компютъра, който го има в 99,9% от новите и по-стари компютри. Недостатък на този широко разпространен интерфейс е ниската скорост на трансфер – до 115 Kbps, което може да доведе до голяма загуба на време при източването на съдържанието на памет дори и с 8 MB обем.
 IEEE 1394 FireWire – Интерфейсът позволява скорости на трансфер от порядъка на десетки Mbps, "горещо" включване на устройства и вероятно има голямо бъдеще, преди безжичните интерфейси да излязат на преден план. Единственият текущ недостатък е необходимостта от интерфейсна карта, цените на които постоянно падат и са на нивото на един евтин SCSI адаптер.
 Инфрачервена връзка – Доста бавен интерфейс, но в замяна на това, неизискващ кабели.

Източници

Изобретения в САЩ
Камери

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