Comments on: Pen size Polonium detector http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/ Fresh hacks every day Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:04:52 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 By: Corey http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30018 Corey Fri, 30 Nov 2007 15:09:51 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30018 This is very obvious, but you may too do it. This is very obvious, but you may too do it.

]]> By: bgugi http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30017 bgugi Fri, 30 Nov 2007 01:24:15 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30017 to 9 and 10<br><br>that was what i was thinking about originally, however i thought that the software would end up being too complex, as i think it would be easier to program something to read button events than to interpret video, i don't know, i do not program. the other thing is that this will probably require much less compensation for bias, making the numbers more truly random to 9 and 10

that was what i was thinking about originally, however i thought that the software would end up being too complex, as i think it would be easier to program something to read button events than to interpret video, i don’t know, i do not program. the other thing is that this will probably require much less compensation for bias, making the numbers more truly random

]]> By: jimmys http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30016 jimmys Thu, 29 Nov 2007 10:23:35 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30016 #6: thanks. I've got some copper and alum tubing but no brass right now.<br><br>#8,9: here's one from last year <a href="http://www.hackaday.com/2006/06/25/alpha-radiation-visualizer/" rel="nofollow">http://www.hackaday.com/2006/06/25/alpha-radiation-visualizer/</a> #6: thanks. I’ve got some copper and alum tubing but no brass right now.

#8,9: here’s one from last year http://www.hackaday.com/2006/06/25/alpha-radiation-visualizer/

]]> By: larry sanchez http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30015 larry sanchez Thu, 29 Nov 2007 08:38:34 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30015 Another (radioactive), and probably easier random number generator uses a webcam and a Alpha Radiation source(such as that out of a household smoke alarm). The source needs to be infront of the camera, in a completely dark environment, e.g. a lead box. As Alpha particles hit the CCD they create small pulses of what the camera thinks is light. These fall in a completely random fashion- all you need is software to count where these pulses happen - and there's your random number generator! I remember seeing this on the web ages ago..dono where though<br><br>As for #7 Try googling Alexander Litvinenko.... Another (radioactive), and probably easier random number generator uses a webcam and a Alpha Radiation source(such as that out of a household smoke alarm). The source needs to be infront of the camera, in a completely dark environment, e.g. a lead box. As Alpha particles hit the CCD they create small pulses of what the camera thinks is light. These fall in a completely random fashion- all you need is software to count where these pulses happen – and there’s your random number generator! I remember seeing this on the web ages ago..dono where though

As for #7 Try googling Alexander Litvinenko….

]]> By: bgugi http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30014 bgugi Thu, 29 Nov 2007 07:47:07 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30014 okay, so i will say it now... i become randomly obsessed with one thing or another as time progresses: now it is the "true" random number generator, and this seems wonderful.<br><br>Here is my hodgepodge of an idea:<br>first you build one of the ones higher on the page, then you connect the voltage meter to a transistor (to turn it into a button-like signal) which is then connected to the circuit from an old joystick (in place of a button) (the joystick is used as a computer interface without all kinds of fancy circuits and ic's to program and etc. (this also seems to add a bit of f'up proof (i.e. wont fry your computer)<br><br>you then hook it up to a computer, write a simple program to interpret the clicks of the joystick button as events, and basically do it like hotbits <a href="http://www.fourmilab.ch/hotbits/" rel="nofollow">http://www.fourmilab.ch/hotbits/</a><br><br>or am i just a raving fool? okay, so i will say it now… i become randomly obsessed with one thing or another as time progresses: now it is the “true” random number generator, and this seems wonderful.

Here is my hodgepodge of an idea:
first you build one of the ones higher on the page, then you connect the voltage meter to a transistor (to turn it into a button-like signal) which is then connected to the circuit from an old joystick (in place of a button) (the joystick is used as a computer interface without all kinds of fancy circuits and ic’s to program and etc. (this also seems to add a bit of f’up proof (i.e. wont fry your computer)

you then hook it up to a computer, write a simple program to interpret the clicks of the joystick button as events, and basically do it like hotbits http://www.fourmilab.ch/hotbits/

or am i just a raving fool?

]]> By: Crash http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30013 Crash Thu, 29 Nov 2007 07:29:05 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30013 What the hell is polonium and why does it matter? What the hell is polonium and why does it matter?

]]> By: cartufer http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30012 cartufer Thu, 29 Nov 2007 05:32:23 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30012 jimmys, the purpose of the copper screen is to block rf, the purpose of the tube is to be a conductive ground, so just keep it metal and fairly conductive jimmys, the purpose of the copper screen is to block rf, the purpose of the tube is to be a conductive ground, so just keep it metal and fairly conductive

]]> By: jimmys http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30011 jimmys Wed, 28 Nov 2007 23:52:50 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30011 <br>I can't think of any TSA or taser questions so I'll ask one about the detector project.<br><br>The article specifies using a brass tube with a copper nail probe and copper mesh screen as the ion chamber.<br><br>The author 'suggests' the screen be copper but how critical is the probe/canister material? I can’t think of any TSA or taser questions so I’ll ask one about the detector project.

The article specifies using a brass tube with a copper nail probe and copper mesh screen as the ion chamber.

The author ’suggests’ the screen be copper but how critical is the probe/canister material?

]]> By: srilyk http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30010 srilyk Wed, 28 Nov 2007 20:16:30 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30010 Me:"Honest! It's just a Polonium detector!"<br>TSA Official: "TURN AROUND NOW!"<br>Me: I don't understand!<br>TSA Official: <br>Me: "AUUUUUGGGGGGRRRH!"<br>TSA Official: <br><br>Okay, well maybe the taser thing is a bit far.<br><br>Actually TSA searched me because I had wires and CDs near eachother. Oh noes! They might copy themselves, causing the RIAA to send a tactical nuke to destroy the nearest 50' to "neutralize the threat" of copyright infringement! Me:”Honest! It’s just a Polonium detector!”
TSA Official: “TURN AROUND NOW!”
Me: I don’t understand!
TSA Official:
Me: “AUUUUUGGGGGGRRRH!”
TSA Official:

Okay, well maybe the taser thing is a bit far.

Actually TSA searched me because I had wires and CDs near eachother. Oh noes! They might copy themselves, causing the RIAA to send a tactical nuke to destroy the nearest 50′ to “neutralize the threat” of copyright infringement!

]]> By: Wolf http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30009 Wolf Wed, 28 Nov 2007 18:16:10 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30009 To #2<br><br>maybe, but judging by that guy that was almost arrested for having a minty boost in his carry on, I don't even want to know what security would do if they found one of these To #2

maybe, but judging by that guy that was almost arrested for having a minty boost in his carry on, I don’t even want to know what security would do if they found one of these

]]> By: andrew http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30008 andrew Wed, 28 Nov 2007 15:51:34 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30008 haha, well, probably. as long as it doesn't contain organic material, it won't appear on the x-ray machine as being hazardous. if you keep it in a carry-on bag they probably won't notice. haha, well, probably. as long as it doesn’t contain organic material, it won’t appear on the x-ray machine as being hazardous. if you keep it in a carry-on bag they probably won’t notice.

]]> By: jose lope http://hackaday.com/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/comment-page-1/#comment-30007 jose lope Wed, 28 Nov 2007 08:04:49 +0000 http://hackaday.iheartcashews.com:8181/2007/11/27/pen-size-polonium-detector/#comment-30007 hmmm.. I wonder if you could get this through airport security... hmmm.. I wonder if you could get this through airport security…

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