For those not familiar with the Dead Sea Scrolls, they are the only known surviving copies of Biblical documents made before 100 AD. So, it’d be nice to try and preserve them in any way possible. What better way to insure its longevity than the immortal internet? Now, not only is the oldest Hebrew record of the Old Testament discovered to date, it’s now the first ever to be put on public display on the Internet.

“The project will involve the documentation of all of the thousands of Dead Sea Scrolls fragments belonging to about 900 manuscripts, and placing them in an Internet databank that will be available to the public,” the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) said.

On top of that, infrared and color imaging scientists will help improve the quality and restore worn down fragments that have broken off from the original piece. Let’s hear it for the preservation of the Jewish faith. Thanks JDate! Erm… I mean, thanks Israel Antiquities Authority!

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Air guitar is a big thing but an even bigger musical hit is on the horizon. Omer Yosha has created an interesting, elegant interface that uses infrared sensors to control music applications he’s calling AirPiano. Similar in concept to the theremin but with many more advancements, the AirPiano allows any untalented schmuck to wiggle his fingers above the board to make sound.

This is done by a virtual matrix of keys and faders above the board, each assigned with MIDI messages and ready to be triggered at the whim of the user.  Once those MIDI messages have been triggered it then relays the positioning of your fingers to a computer via USB, where the preprogrammed AirPiano software converts it into sound, or if you’re talented, music.

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When the term “data beaming” was coined, people can’t help but to think that there’s an actual beam between 2 devices that travels and carries the data across. In actual fact this does not happen unless you wear infrared-enabled night spectacles. This morning National (Matsushita) demonstrated the new Visible Light Communications technology (VLC) at the International Lighting Fair.

As the name suggests, instead of using invisible EM wave, visible light is now used to transfer data. The best part about this is that the data projector can also act as an indoor lighting source. You can identify the reception area visually, stand right below the light source and your PDA would start downloading files.

We do not have the exact data for the maximum speed of data transfer, but the VLC Consortium claimed that it is comparable to that on optical fiber (i.e. very fast). The organization also hopes to finalize the standard soon, and apply that to exhibitions (stand close to the display counter to download press release) as well as hospitals. As opposed to WiFi, the VLC would not interfere with pacemakers and other medical equipments. Kudos. — Sam Chan

Lighting Fair 2007 Report [Impress]