8 scientific breakthroughs straight from the movies

From: http://theweek.com/

"Star Wars"-style holograms? Fabric that mimics Harry Potter's invisibility cloak? Some of the most implausible sci-fi concepts are becoming a reality

In "Inception," a rogue scientist (Leonardo DiCaprio) controls other people's dreams. In real life, a new high-tech sleep mask promises to let you control your own dreams. Photo: Screen shot/ inceptionmovie.warnerbros.com

Hollywood has long been obsessed with ahead-of-the-curve technology — flying cars, time machines, self-lacing sneakers. In certain cases, however, science is catching up, creating functional versions of Hollywood's most futuristic ideas. Here, 8 once-merely-cinematic innovations that are being developed for real life:

1. A 3D hologram (Princess Leia hairdo not included)
It's been more than 30 years since a stunted 3D hologram version of Princess Leia implored Obi Wan Kenobi to help her in George Lucas' original Star Wars. Now University of Arizona researchers claim they're close to creating a similar effect using 16 cameras to record the original "message" from different angles. Once the data is sent to a 3D holographic printing system, lasers "write" the images on a photosensitive polymer screen.

2. An invisibility cloak worthy of Hogwarts
In H.G. Wells' The Invisible Man, a scientist learned how to prevent his body from absorbing or reflecting light. In both fiction and on film, young wizard Harry Potter stumbles upon a cloak that can do the same thing. Now, British scientists have invented a material called "Meta-flex" that interrupts and channels the flow of light so that, theoretically, an object covered with Meta-flex could not be detected by the naked eye.

3. A Spotless Mind-like memory eraser?
In Michel Gondry's 2004 movie Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, a man (Jim Carrey) is able to erase the memory of his ex-girlfriend (Kate Winslet) using a fictional process the film describes as "technically... brain damage." Now, a team of neurologists at Johns Hopkins University have found a way to remove a certain protein "responsible for recalling fear" from the brains of mice. Lead researcher Dr. Richard L. Huganir tells The Daily Mail that the technique may, one day, be "applicable for the treatment of... post-traumatic stress syndrome associated with war, rape or other traumatic events."

4. "Precrime" detection in the style of Minority Report
Steven Spielberg's Minority Report (2002) offered a vision of life in 2054 in which law enforcers could arrest people for crimes they had not yet committed. In a real-life twist, Florida's Department of Juvenile Justice is using IBM predictive analytics software to identify teen offenders who are likely to commit more crimes. Teens who are judged high-risk are steered into intervention or rehabilitation programs — a better fate than that of Minority Report's would-be criminals, who were put into a deep freeze.

5. A real-life Iron Man suit
In the blockbuster Iron Man franchise, industrialist Tony Stark (Robert Downey, Jr.) dons dizzyingly high-tech armor and manages to end every war on the planet. Seemingly inspired, defense contractor Raytheon has developed an exoskeleton suit that it claims will let soldiers lift 200-lb. weights several hundred times without tiring, punch through three-inch blocks of wood, and walk up stairs — if not as nimbly as the acrobatic Iron Man.

6. "Beam me up, Scotty": The first step
Teleportation, a staple of sci-fi films since 1958's The Fly, was popularized by the original "Star Trek" TV series. According to Trek lore, the teleporter will not be invented until the 22nd century — but a team of scientists at the University of Vienna managed to send data through thin air using "quantum teleportation" as early as 2007. "Data," of course, is hardly comparable to a human (or Vulcan) body. True "Trek"-style teleportation remains a theory.

7. An Inception machine? You must be dreaming
In last summer's sci-fi blockbuster Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio and friends are able to enter a dreamer's subconscious to steal corporate secrets. While science is not quite there yet, a device that allegedly allows you to control your own dream is already on the market. The NovaDreamer sleep mask stimulates "lucid dreaming," a state in which the sleeper is aware he is dreaming and can exert control over the dream. The mask was developed by psychophysiologist Stephen LaBerge, who says it can help cure sufferers of nightmares.

8. Back to the Future's self-lacing sneakers
In 1989's Back to the Future Part II, Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) time-travels to 2015 and gets his hands on a pair of self-tightening shoes with "power laces." Watch out: Nike has patented a comparable design and hopes to release its futuristic shoes in time for the movie's 26th anniversary in 2015. Sadly, no one has yet patented a hoverboard.

Apple files patent for camera hidden behind display

By Zach Spear

We've already seen the iSight indicator light "disappear" behind the bezel of Apple's MacBook and iMac computers. A recently published patent application could make the iSight itself not only disappear, but move to the middle of the screen. MacBooks, iMacs, and even iPhones and iPod touches could take advantage of the new technology.

Submitted in July 2007, the filing details plans for a camera mounted behind a display that could capture an image "while the display elements are in an inactive state (in which the display elements are darkened and at least partially transparent)."

According to the document, a similar, additional system could involve two or more cameras, with software combining the two images into one. Video would also be possible by cycling the display "between the active state and the inactive state repeatedly."

However, this doesn't necessarily mean a 'dark spot' would appear on the screen during photos, or even start flashing during video capture.

"In some embodiments, the mechanism is configured to substantially minimize the period of time in the inactive state to reduce the appearance of flicker of the display screen."

The filing explains how today's built-in cameras require a user to look away from the lens in order to see his or her video conferencing participants.

"Constantly looking back and forth between the display screen and the camera ... can be distracting and make the conversation seem awkward and unnatural."

This would appear to improve upon a similar June 2004 filing that involved many tiny image sensors wedged between LCD cells, and software to stitch together all of the smaller pieces.

In an image attached to the application, a cross-section diagram illustrates a focused "image-capturing mechanism" aimed at a user through the screen.

Another presents a MacBook with no iSight lens on the top bezel (and apparently being used by a President Bush lookalike).

While rumors have already circulated for some time of what might best be called "iChat AV Mobile" for the iPhone, this proposed patent seems to confirm the very real possibility of such a feature for the iPhone, iPod touch, and even other devices.

"The display screen is coupled to a laptop computer, a desktop computer, a cellular phone, a personal digital assistant (PDA), an electronic organizer, a media player, an advertisement-generation mechanism, a security mechanism, an automated teller machine (ATM), an instrument console or control panel, or another electronic device."

Other recently published Apple patent filings include one for an improved laptop display housing that integrates the familiar illuminated Apple logo behind the screen. Another describes a stiffening plate for a laptop's palm rest that would help save weight by making it possible, for example, to replace heavily metal-reinforced Superdrive housings with aluminum housings.

Apple has also devised a way to simplify the architecture within its iPhone and iPod touch devices, which currently need three chips just to interpret the touch sensor. A new single chip design would be better equipped to lessen electrical interference and further improve touch screen response.

One last filing seeks to improve the efficiency and consistency of LED-lit displays.