The hottest Imaging Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
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Top Technology Topics

The Surprisingly Long Life of the Vacuum Tube

Construction Physics • 27350 implied HN points • 15 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. Vacuum tubes were the foundational electronic devices before transistors, used to control electron flow for amplification and switching. They powered radios, TVs, telephone systems, and early computers and enabled things like displays, X-rays, and microwave sources.
  2. The vacuum tube was not a single gadget but a whole family of related devices — gas-discharge tubes, triodes, tetrodes, CRTs, magnetrons, klystrons, and more. Each type evolved on its own path and found different practical uses.
  3. Semiconductors replaced tubes in most everyday electronics, but many tube technologies remain essential for high-power, high-frequency, or specialized scientific work. Examples include magnetrons in microwaves, klystrons and gyrotrons in accelerators and fusion experiments, and vacuum X-ray tubes in imaging.

I Turned an ESP32 into a Thermal USB Webcam

atomic14 • 519 implied HN points • 15 Feb 26
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. An ESP32 microcontroller can be turned into a USB webcam that works as a thermal/infrared camera.
  2. The device captures infrared/thermal images instead of normal visible-light video, letting you see heat signatures.
  3. Full DIY build instructions and details are available online for anyone who wants to reproduce the project.

~70% of PHerc. 172 is now digitally unwrapped

Vesuvius Challenge • 98 implied HN points • 13 Jan 26
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. The team has digitally unwrapped about 70% of the lower region of PHerc. 172 using a new automated pipeline that's over 10× faster than fully manual methods, though humans still must fix sheet‑switch errors.
  2. The unwrapped area covers roughly 7 meters by 14 cm and gives semi‑continuous surfaces with readable ink mainly on outer wraps and fragments; the upper ~30% is too mangled to unwrap reliably and the 7.9 µm scan resolution limits legibility compared with clearer 2.4 µm rescans.
  3. Help is needed to improve surface extraction (to reduce sheet switches), strengthen ink detection in hard inner regions, and make the pipeline more scalable and user‑friendly—there's an ongoing Kaggle challenge for surface detection.

Finally—letters in Scroll 4!

Vesuvius Challenge • 64 implied HN points • 21 Dec 25
🔬 Science Imaging
  1. A new high-resolution tomographic scan (2.4 µm pixels, 78 keV, 22 cm propagation) revealed 5–6 mm letters in PHerc. 1667 that were invisible in earlier 8 µm scans.
  2. A generalist ink-detection model trained on other fragments detected letters immediately without scroll-specific labeling, suggesting the method can find ink across different scrolls.
  3. The team is retiring the First Letters and First Title prizes to focus on extracting text, and they doubled the Kaggle competition prize pool to $200,000 while preparing an updated dataset.

Stream Genomics - Cameras

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 28 Jul 25
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. Stream Genomics uses special cameras that capture changes in pixels instead of taking regular still images. This helps in detecting fast events more effectively.
  2. These cameras have higher dynamic range, meaning they can handle bright lights without losing details. They also produce less noise compared to regular cameras, which makes imaging clearer.
  3. There's still some uncertainty about how much these cameras can help in reducing noise for tasks like single molecule sequencing, but they show promise for better signal detection.
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Those 10X Patents

ASeq Newsletter • 51 implied HN points • 24 Feb 24
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. 10X Genomics has been involved in several lawsuits related to their patents in the spatial space, with most patents set to expire around April 2031.
  2. There is one patent that expires in 2036, which seems to be focused on imaging systems.
  3. If 10X Genomics continues to enforce their patents effectively, they could maintain dominance in the spatial market for the next 7 years.

Some Atto-532 In A MiSeq

ASeq Newsletter • 51 implied HN points • 15 Feb 24
🔬 Science Imaging
  1. The post discusses experimenting with Atto-532 in a MiSeq for epi-fluorescent microscopy, highlighting the process of preparing and imaging on a microscope slide.
  2. Images taken show varying brightness in different color channels, with Atto-532 matching well with the green LED used in MiSeq technology.
  3. There's an anticipation of potential dye crosstalk, with the expectation of leakage from the G dye into the T channel, suggesting Atto-532 as a good match for the G dye.

Superconductors and Such

Bzogramming • 53 implied HN points • 01 Aug 23
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. There is potential for room-temperature superconductors with simple materials like lead, phosphate, and copper.
  2. A shift back to innovation in physical technologies, like hyperspectral imaging and geometric folding algorithms, might lead to significant advancements.
  3. A reemphasis on traditional engineering fields, such as cars and rocket engines, is essential for future innovations outside of software.

The MiSeq's Cameras And The Economics of DNA Sequencers

ASeq Newsletter • 14 implied HN points • 06 Nov 23
🔬 Science Imaging
  1. DNA sequencers are expensive due to economies of scale, unlike digital cameras that benefit from mass production.
  2. Cheap DNA sequencers could greatly benefit society, but creating them poses technical and sociological challenges.
  3. The cost of components for DNA sequencers, like cameras in the MiSeq, can be broken down to see how much they contribute to the overall expensive price.

Appendixxel

Tigerfeathers! • 3 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. Satellites are like little robots that orbit Earth, collecting data and images from space. They are placed in different orbits depending on their purpose, such as communications or imaging.
  2. Building satellites involves carefully balancing many factors like weight, power, and resolution. Companies like Pixxel make their own satellites around specialized cameras to maximize their capabilities.
  3. Getting a satellite into space requires rockets and a lot of planning to ensure they reach the right orbit safely. After launch, the satellite needs to stabilize and start working correctly to send valuable data back to Earth.

AI to Interpret Your Mind

Reasons to Be Optimistic • 4 implied HN points • 21 Jul 23
🔬 Science Imaging
  1. Machine learning models can interpret human thoughts from brain scans, reconstructing images seen by individuals.
  2. Historical developments in noninvasive brain imaging, like MRI and fMRI, have paved the way for advancements in understanding the human brain.
  3. Recent progress in brain image reconstruction using technologies like transformers and diffusion models show promising potential for capturing and reconstructing multi-frame thoughts and experiences from brain scans.

NextSeq 550 Image Sensor Pinout

ASeq Newsletter • 0 implied HN points • 03 Dec 24
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. The NextSeq 550 has a specific image sensor design that is being explored in detail. Understanding its components can help improve its use.
  2. Previous experiments with LEDs and dyes have provided insights into the image sensor's capabilities. Learning from these tests can enhance the device's performance.
  3. There are various posts that contain helpful observations about the NextSeq 550's imaging and fluidic systems. These notes can serve as valuable references for users and researchers.

The High Potential of Satellites

Splitting Infinity • 0 implied HN points • 26 Sep 23
đź•ą Technology Imaging
  1. The value of industry in orbit will be enormous, with falling launch prices enabling new possibilities for Earth in areas such as communications and ecosystem management.
  2. Satellites can revolutionize communications by providing fast, ubiquitous space internet and increasing the speed and accessibility of various applications like stock exchanges and online gaming.
  3. Satellites have great potential for enhancing security through the use of cryptography, as they offer secure platforms for encryption methods like quantum cryptography and relativistic cryptography.