Kickstarter

Creator Brett Trout 3 days ago

Jeffrey, any update on the backpacks? About five weeks ago you mentioned scrambling to resolve some molding issues. I was just wondering if there was another update.

Creator Joseph C. Ellett on May 7

Marvelous, Jeffrey. Thank you. Those photos and list show that the countertop base uses very inexpensive off the shelf components, except for the stage, and I have some window glass and a glass cutter, so I'm thinking that might be an alternative.

Creator Joseph C. Ellett on May 4

Any instructions available for the countertop unit? I'd like to convert my wife's desktop model to a countertop, or build another. Thanks.

Creator Brett Trout on April 18

Great. Thanks for the update.

Creator Brett Trout on April 16

Any update on the backpack?

Creator Robert Bolling on February 22

Any word on the iPhone backpack? I've now got an iPhone5 and hope I haven't upgraded my out of running.

Creator David Gapen on February 5

Apologies. Just saw the individual due date, will keep hugging my mailbox!

Creator David Gapen on February 5

Hi! Been checking the mail for a fold up spectrometer the past few weeks, haven't received it, is there an avenueiI can use to checked if its been shipped?

Creator Rolf-Dieter Klein on January 22

perfect got it out of the custom

Creator Rolf-Dieter Klein on January 17

My 2nd reward shipping is stuck at the custom - I sent a PM - urgent need of a commercial invoice to get it out there !

Creator Planetary Paul on January 11

Just received my fold-up spectrometer! I'll have some practice separating DVD's first......

Creator Joyce Miletic on January 11

Hi, I have not recieved my $65 backpack yet, but there are posts here about sending out post kickstarter spectrometers in Feb. Did I miss a survey or something??

Creator Planetary Paul on January 4

Roger, I'll be patient a bit more (difficult ;-)......

Creator Planetary Paul on January 4

Hi All, best wishes for 2013!
Any word on delivery dates of kit to The Netherlands?
Gr, Paul.

Creator Lee Correll on December 30

Hi there! Any update on the experimental backpack, or did I miss something?

Creator Jodi Smith on December 21

Hmmm, I'm trying to assemble mine. The VHS box seems to have mutated into a conduit box -- which is ok, BUT -- the instructions say to "press the imaging slit against the hole in the box as shown", while the end of the box is curved so the slit doesn't fit tightly against the hole. The link to "http://publiclaboratory.org/wiki/spectrometry-faq"; goes to "page does not exist." "http://publiclaboratory.org/wiki/spectral-workbench-help#faq"; answers some questions, but not mine. You would think that SOMEWHERE on the Public Lab site there would be a place to post a question, but I can't find that place. So, how do I ask a question?

Creator Ixchel on December 21

Hi. I just wanted to raise an issue that's been concerning me for a while.

I understand that you are still in the process of trying to figure out how to calibrate spectra so that spectra from different people will appear the same regardless of differences in equipment. (http://publiclaboratory.org/notes/tomh/9-19-2012/intensity-calibration). However, now that you have sent out lots of spectrometers, you will soon be receiving lots and lots of additions of spectrum data to your database. This data is going to arrive before you have your intensity calibration procedure figured out. The problem is that when new data is added to the database, there is currently no record whatsoever of what kind of equipment was used to take that record.

This means that the information necessary to do an after-the-fact calibration is simply unavailable, so that once you DO finally figure out a calibration procedure, and have a way to do intensity normalization of your data for each type of equipment, there will be no way to apply that normalization retroactively to the data that you already have in the database. That uncalibrated data in the database will basically be useless, and will probably end up getting thrown away, because there is no way to know what intensity-mapping function(s) should be used to normalize it. Consequently, nobody but the person who added a spectrum to the database can measure anything else against that spectrum's data.

This problem is not necessary. All you need to do to fix it is to ensure that when someone adds each new spectrum to the database, that they also at the same time record some details about their equipment. In particular, the type of camera/CCD they were using (defines brightness=f(wavelength, intensity)), the type of diffraction grating they were using (possibly having absorption lines from whatever type of plastic it uses, which will suppress some part of the spectrum?), and any other relevant settings (exposure levels? exposure time?) that would affect the CCD's record of the light intensity at some or all wavelengths, and how that maps to actual light levels. Stating something about the horizontal resolution (1 pixel=10nm or whatever) and the slit size and distance might possibly be a good idea also, in case someone wants to later run a deconvolution algorithm (a sharpening filter) on the data to try to remove some of the blur from the slit width.

For instance, if I were to take a sample with the foldable spectrometer and my iPhone, I could annotate it (by choosing from a pre-populated drop-down list?) that it is a first-generation iPhone 4 (and hence uses the type of CCDs that those contain), and that the DVD I am using is the one that you supplied with the foldable spectrometers (with whatever absorption spectrum those are known to have due to the type of plastic they are made of), and the exposure and shutter speed that were used. (Hopefully there will either be a way to suppress auto-exposure and auto-shutter-speed to ensure that results are consistent when taking the photo regardless of light levels, or a way to compensate for those factors after the image is taken.) Conversely, if I were to take a sample with my new desktop spectrometer, I should record that I am using the default SYBA webcam you supplied with them, etc. etc.

If this hardware information is kept in the database, in a machine-understandable form (i.e. not letting people type whatever they want, but forcing them to choose from a limited set of known values when possible), then the data in the database can be retroactively calibrated/normalized. Someone else can later go through the database and use an "iphone 4" normalization function, with appropriate parameters for exposure and shutter length, to transform my first set of data into a normalized form, and can use an "SYBA webcam" normalization function to do the same for the second set of data, and would hopefully find two nearly-identical spectra even though two different pieces of hardware were used to gather it.

Please note that this is somewhat of an urgent issue, since people will rapidly begin adding large amounts of data to the database. Without a solution for this, the GIGO principle ("garbage in -> garbage out") will ensure that most attempts to do mathematical analysis on the data within the database will produce very poor results, since samples from different people will have "noise" due to their differing equipment, and there will be no way to mathematically eliminate that noise.

Creator Paul Slusser on December 19

I received my $35 spectrometer kit and I must say that I am very impressed by the hack! Lots of fun! My first goal is to work out a simple compatible sample/ light holder because this is the most needed thing with the present design. Very happy about the choice to go with conduit, should make the hacked sample holder easier to attach to it. I will be sure to share it when I have something workable. Simply amazed by the quality of data/dollar!

Creator Juan Levy on November 28

Jeffrey: A bit confused here.
You write "At the $65 reward tier, some of you added in $10 to receive a smartphone spectrometer attachment which we are preparing to ship. For those who did not, we're still running on time with the "experimental backpack" for an estimated delivery in February."
(a) I dont remember seeing any mention of this $10 add nor a description of the smartphone attachment as different and distinct from the "backpack". Please clarify.
(b) once you clarify and if we, at the $65 level, want this attachment (different than the "backpack"), can we still do it?
Also, by what method will you be shipping? If via US Postal Service then P.O. Box shipping addresses work (preferred, in my case), otherwise need to use street address.
Thanks!

Creator Brian Holme on November 16, 2012

any way to still order the usb kit?

Creator Jodi Smith on October 29, 2012

When can we expect to be contacted about shipping information? (My spam filter sometimes removes messages from Kickstarter, and won't let me change the settings, so I always worry that I will miss something important.)

Creator Edmond Quah on October 25, 2012

For the countertop model, can it use 230V 50hz power? If not i think i need a voltage converter?

Creator Stuart Williams on October 5, 2012

thanks heaps for making spectral workbench available and for developing it. I've made my own spectrometer following the instructions but the key for me was the software. I intend to use it for educational use and I see lots of prospects here. Compared to the many hundreds of dollars for an off the shelf machine, this is just way to cool for words. thankyou, thankyou, thankyou, you are also awesome. stu

Creator Lauri Dahl on October 4, 2012

Honestly, I have no idea what to do with a spectrometer or why I would need one but it just sounds like a cool project so that is why I became a backer. Good luck!

Creator David Nichols on October 4, 2012

Woot! Stretch goal met!

Creator Ken Clarke on October 3, 2012

Thanks David.

Creator David Nichols on October 3, 2012

Ken: The iOS version is a go. Check out Jeffrey's update for more details: http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/jywarren/public-lab-diy-spectrometry-kit/posts/303773

Creator Erin C on October 3, 2012

Hello Jeffrey! This is a very exciting project and I can't wait to see how it progresses. I wish I could back more than just $35 but I'll tell my nerdy friends about it. This project should excite all scientists and researchers. Best of luck!

Creator Ken Clarke on October 2, 2012

Hi Jeffrey,

I just backed at the $65 level, in the hopes that and iPhone version is in the works now (since there are 450+ backers at the combined $65 and $100 levels). Could you clarify, is the iPhone version definately coming?

Also, I work in remote sensing, and this is an awesome idea, and you are awesome.

Creator Edmond Quah on October 1, 2012

Thanks for your answer!