Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: Brooke on June 01, 2016, 03:21:42 AM
I didn't think there was any hardware in your smartphone that could measure radioactivity -- but this is really cool! They are using the camera like a photomultiplier detection of sorts. Nifty! Thanks for posting!
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: NatCigg on June 01, 2016, 10:41:57 AM
if a beta particle is a electron and gamma is a wave of energy. I could guess the cameras light sensors could pick up the radiation??? maybe??? a digital camera guy should know what forms of energy are detected. After-all, light is radiation.
Edit: Google is your friend. This read was a little more of a intro than i needed. http://www.astropix.com/HTML/I_ASTROP/HOW.HTM . after reading, I guess the energy (beta and gamma rays) are detected by the silicon in your phone. the signal is the used by the app to make some assumptions based on their calibration. :headscratch:
I struggle to understand how light is a particle AND a wave, but it is. Whats the difference between a electron, a beta particle, and a photon...good grief. Well, apparently they are very similar and I could imagine a photosensor reacting to radiation. :bolt:
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: Brooke on June 01, 2016, 12:44:55 PM
Beta particles are high-speed electrons. Gamma rays are photons. Alpha particles are helium nuclei. Alpha particles don't penetrate matter far. Beta particles can penetrate farther, but are still stopped in something like aluminum within a few millimeters. Gamma rays can penetrate much farther. My guess is that the camera's ability to detect radiation is limited to gamma rays.
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: Zimme83 on June 01, 2016, 01:45:04 PM
My thought also. If the camera can detect the shorter wavelengths of the gamma ray it should be possible to use it to measure radiation. Alpha and beta particles is harder to detect with a phone but they are a lot less dangerous.
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: NatCigg on June 01, 2016, 02:26:46 PM
notice. "Each photosite on a CCD or CMOS chip is composed of a light-sensitive area made of crystal silicon in a photodiode which absorbs photons and releases electrons through the photoelectric effect. The electrons are stored in a well as an electrical charge that is accumulated over the length of the exposure. The charge that is generated is proportional to the number of photons that hit the sensor.
This electric charge is then transferred and converted to an analog voltage that is amplified and then sent to an Analog to Digital Converter where it is digitized (turned into a number)."
Therefore i contrive a photon could give a false positive and a electron could give a false positive. gamma ray exciting the silicon and beta rays filling the well with electrons. not everything gets caught but the error is predictable and thus the sensor and program can be calibrated.
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: ghi on June 01, 2016, 06:50:22 PM
I've seen cool infrared photos posted on POTN photo forum. This guys posted videos sharing tips on how to convert any digital camera equiped with CMOS sensor in infrared camera. I understand this sensors can record electromagnetic radiation beside visible spectrum and the sensors is covered with an infrared filter to prevent IR messing the colors; This filter is removed for camera conversion to IR. Maybe even human eye /retina has some abilities to read certain radiation. I remember watching a video about the highest altitude space shuttle mission affected by Van Allen radiation belt ,the crew has reported seeing sparks with closed eyes .
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: Zimme83 on June 01, 2016, 07:56:50 PM
nice app.. but unless you have an ionizing chamber in your phone.. don't think it will be very accurate.. :cheers:
The guy actually calibrates different models of phones on his web site.
It's interesting watching the video of him doing some of the tests and calibrations.
He even has access to an instant-death Co-60 chamber for seeing what happens at the high end. It's quite amusing to look at the phone video from that exposure. :aok
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: Brooke on June 02, 2016, 05:08:11 PM
Here is video from the phone's perspective. You wouldn't want to be holding it. :uhoh
https://youtu.be/qJcOq5sLxPo?t=287
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: ghi on June 02, 2016, 06:04:52 PM
Ahh, Brooke I just noticed you are in WA, i read about Hanford leak getting worst. I would buy a real geiger, not this app only; I purchased a Mazur 8000, but regret I didn't get the 9000 model . This after I watched a video mentioning that that Fermi nuclear station in Monroe, Michigan(20 miles away) is storing 3 times more than Fukushima spent fuel rods in cooling pools .
Just a cool video I just watched on Mail Online, not related but interesting.
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: Brooke on June 02, 2016, 06:41:04 PM
Thanks, Ghi.
I have a RADEX RD1503+. It seems pretty decent, and costs $160 from Amazon.com.
Fortunately for me, I'm about 150 miles from Hanford, with a mountain range between me and it, and upwind by typical wind patterns. Also, Hanford is long since shut down, so there is no problem with any power loss causing bigger problems. All of their problems are a result of slow leaking of old tanks storing waste or contaminated soil, and those things operate on timescales that are long, allowing human intervention over decades (as opposed to, say, Fukushima where the response time needed to be hours or at most days).
All of the reactor buildings are "cacooned" except one (B-Reactor), through which the public can take guided tours.
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: Meatwad on June 02, 2016, 07:50:05 PM
While looking at Geiger counters, I found these. Scroll to the answered questions sections, its a goldmine
"Question: If I opt for air mail does it get delivered by Amazone Prime Air or CIA drones? Answer: No sir, just give us your coordinate and we will deliver it via intercontinental missile in less than an hour, guaranteed speed. " :rofl
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: NatCigg on June 04, 2016, 09:47:36 AM
If I opt for air mail does it get delivered by Amazone Prime Air or CIA drones? Answer: No sir, just give us your coordinate and we will deliver it via intercontinental missile in less than an hour, guaranteed speed. By Deleted on August 23, 2014 See more answers (3)
275 votes
Question: Ive got a Ant hill I want to remove.... is there sufficient quantity to build a working 1-1000th scale Fatman replica to nuke the little buggers? Answer: Your ant hill problem is unusual but the solution you propose is common. When working with uranium on a nuclear device, you want to hold off on the enrichment process until you spin down large enough quantities of heavy water (deuterium) to react. I recommend starting with ocean water and spinning it down in a DIY centrifuge controlled by an Arduino, but pool water will work also. Aluminum tubes can be obtained at Home Depot but there's a better chance that the size you need can be purchased from a scrap yard or on Ebay. Best of luck with your ant hill problem. Also, make sure that constructing and detonating a nuclear weapon does not violate any local laws or ordinances. Some towns are very strict on this. see less By B123 on March 23, 2014 See more answers (19)
140 votes
Question: Will this take me back to the future in my DeLorean? Answer: No. Your DeLorean uses a standard GE General Purpose Waste Disposal FUSION Reactor. U238 is not a fusible material, and thus will just clog up the intake, rendering your reactor useless. I recommend ordinary H20 for the reactor, and place the canister of U238 in your pocket, where it will best serve the interests of the human race by improving the gene pool. see less By ogod on January 25, 2014 See more answers (4)
92 votes
Question: I want to turn my pet iguana into a 400 foot tall kaiju with radioactive breath. How many should I buy? Answer: 2 should do the trick. 3 is overkill. Literally. He'll die if you use 3.
And this is the first page. :rofl
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: ghi on June 04, 2016, 11:22:17 AM
Just a couple more useful applications working via phone cam; Qr barcode scanner;it's free has the option to generate barcodes also. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.geekslab.qrbarcodescanner.pro&hl=en
Tiny scanner (free) turns photos in pdf, very easy to work; i use it daily saves me lots of $$ in faxes; https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appxy.tinyscanner&hl=en
I'm low tech,maybe you guys know more and care to share :x ; :salute
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: DaveBB on June 04, 2016, 12:41:25 PM
As an inspector, I've worked with various types of nuclear material. Mainly the isotopes Cobalt-60 and Iridium-192. I've also worked at a uranium refinement chemical plant.
The way in which radioactive material in the U.S. is handled is downright criminally negligent. I have yet to see any place handle it with the respect it deserves. Fortunately, isotopes like Iridium-192 have a half-life of about 75 days. Other isotopes are much longer. Most of these nuclear chemical plants (part of the processing to make nuclear fuel rods) are located on major water ways.
I've been contaminated twice with Uranium-235. It was at one of these rinky dink uranium enrichment plants located on a major river system.
Anyhow, with the significant consequence that comes from nuclear contamination, it is my humble opinion that the U.S. is not responsible enough to use nuclear power yet. We need to stick to coal and oil which is more forgiving, even with the toxic fly ash and occasional massive oil spill.
Title: Re: This app turns any smartphone into a geiger radioactivity counter
Post by: ghi on June 09, 2016, 07:33:20 PM
Anyhow, with the significant consequence that comes from nuclear contamination, it is my humble opinion that the U.S. is not responsible enough to use nuclear power yet. We need to stick to coal and oil which is more forgiving, even with the toxic fly ash and occasional massive oil spill.
You are right but is not in US only, this ticking bombs don't worth the risk; it's in human nature to make mistakes, ancient latins saying comes in my blurry mind; "Errare humanum est "; one mistake in this business can turn an entire country uninhabitable for 1000s of years. I remember this article last month, if Germany can do this the rest of the world should follow, we have the technology already, but won't happen; Germany PAYS people to use electricity: Excess energy created by wind and solar power meant consumers made a profit as prices were driven so low they went NEGATIVE (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3584461/Germany-PAYS-people-use-electricity-Excess-energy-created-wind-solar-power-meant-consumers-profit-prices-driven-low-went-NEGATIVE.html)
Fukushima, after 5 years, they are removing all the contaminated top soil, loading millions bags;
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5D9eRfQDfY
This place in India is still radioactive, has the highest rate of birth defects and cancers, 8-12000 years after atomic warfare. Ancient City Found in India, Irradiated from Atomic Blast (http://veda.wikidot.com/ancient-city-found-in-india-irradiated-from-atomic-blast) We've been riding horses for 1000s of years and all of the sudden this explosive awakening, scientific revolution over past 200 years. Interesting, most of the discoveries we make are used for weapons and destruction, maybe this is the natural cycle of evolution rise and fall ,ending in self-destruction. This stories about ancient atomic warfare blows my mind. :bhead :bhead