do you guys think this pocket infrared spectrometer will be good?

[brainhulk]

I'm thinking of buying it when it comes out

http://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-t...ctrometer-tells-chemical-makeup-foods/#!HGAjv

The device, which Consumer Physics has launched a Kickstarter project for, would allow users to scan practically anything –foods, drinks, pills, plants, and more– and get detailed information on the object’s chemical makeup in just a few seconds.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Yes, yes I do.

 

[lxskllr]

Interesting, but I don't like how it relies on outside services to work. I'd rather it did everything from the phone or computer.

 

[mrjminer]

Is that a spectrometer in your pocket or..

 

[Paperdoc]

Interesting, but I don't like how it relies on outside services to work. I'd rather it did everything from the phone or computer.

That might be nice. But consider what needs to be done. The IR spectrum must be compared to a huge database of spectra of known compounds to identify which of them is present. There will be MANY such matching compounds. Then some calculation has to be done to estimate the relative amounts of each of the identified compounds. All this is well beyond the capability of a small hand-held device, or even of a good smartphone. It makes sense to have it done at a remote site with powerful computing resources and huge database storage and search ability. If it all works as advertised, it is quite amazing that it can be done for any reasonable price.

 

[lxskllr]

That might be nice. But consider what needs to be done. The IR spectrum must be compared to a huge database of spectra of known compounds to identify which of them is present. There will be MANY such matching compounds. Then some calculation has to be done to estimate the relative amounts of each of the identified compounds. All this is well beyond the capability of a small hand-held device, or even of a good smartphone. It makes sense to have it done at a remote site with powerful computing resources and huge database storage and search ability. If it all works as advertised, it is quite amazing that it can be done for any reasonable price.

Maybe. I don't know much about it, but if I could fit a database into a few GBs, and have it take a couple minutes longer to compute on my own device, I'd rather do that.

 

[brainhulk]

Some say the results will be meaningless without professional interpretation. Naaaaa...ill just google it. Gimme my goddam spectrometer now

(Don't you hate it when you have to take an opposing view that contradicts your elitist self from another thread? Dammit)

 

[Imp]

It's a nice idea and will be useful for smart people...

Most people probably wouldn't understand the results, but the people who do will probably start posting guides online. Then someone will make an app and dumb it down and all will be happy. Good idea for opening up information.

 

[Mark R]

Signal-to-noise ratio for this type of spectroscopy is very bad.

Proper spectrometers use lasers in the many hundreds of mW and scan times of minutes, and require light proof chambers to prevent contamination by ambient light. They also need large (inches diameter) optical components to optimise light capture, and resolution.

It seems utterly preposterous that a handheld keyring type device would produce any useful information for analysis of a pure substance, let alone a foodstuff or similar product. Any utility will likely be in answering very vague questions about things which have very strong IR characteristics (e.g. CO2 detection).

 

[uclaLabrat]

IR spec really doesn't give you a whole lot of structure information anyway