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It’s like the iPod of portable quantum physics labs. Elegant and beautiful! So what in the world does someone study to learn to design something like that? Co

It’s like the iPod of portable quantum physics labs. Elegant and beautiful! So what in the world does someone study to learn to design something like that? Computer Engineering with a PhD in experimental physics?

zmgsabst 4y ago
Not to diminish what is an excellent piece of engineering, because this is (seemingly) a very well designed product. But none of this is that innovative — anyone familiar with optical tables would be able to conceive of “optical table, but safe plug and play”. [1] To actually productize that vision: - product/mechanical engineer for the case + fittings - someone with a undergrad in optics, preferably familiar with laser tables - an SDE familiar with embedded systems - an EE familiar with embedded systems [1] For people who may not be familiar with optical systems, many labs use plates like these onto which standard components are placed: https://eksmaoptics.com/opto-mechanical-components/optical-tables-700/honeycomb-breadboards-704-705-707-712/ https://eksmaoptics.com/opto-mechanical-components/optical-t... And in use: https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/731030 https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/731030
- guenthert 4y ago
  I think this is much more than an optical breadboard. The trick with the periscope is IMHO neat and allows for clean separation of the user's experiment from the invariant photon generator/detector part. Turning on the guide beam with a touch of a button is magic to anyone who had to labor on an optical table. This might allow for set-up, alignment and conduction of an experiment within the short time allotted in educational settings, which would be quite a challenge using less smart constituents.
t_mann 4y ago
Maybe it's better to think of it as a team product. That being said, I'm sure there are people who could build something like that on their own by combining the right classes in a good engineering school.

zmgsabst 4y ago

Not to diminish what is an excellent piece of engineering, because this is (seemingly) a very well designed product. But none of this is that innovative — anyone familiar with optical tables would be able to conceive of “optical table, but safe plug and play”. [1] To actually productize that vision: - product/mechanical engineer for the case + fittings - someone with a undergrad in optics, preferably familiar with laser tables - an SDE familiar with embedded systems - an EE familiar with embedded systems [1] For people who may not be familiar with optical systems, many labs use plates like these onto which standard components are placed: https://eksmaoptics.com/opto-mechanical-components/optical-tables-700/honeycomb-breadboards-704-705-707-712/ https://eksmaoptics.com/opto-mechanical-components/optical-t... And in use: https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/731030 https://www.eurekalert.org/multimedia/731030

guenthert 4y ago
I think this is much more than an optical breadboard. The trick with the periscope is IMHO neat and allows for clean separation of the user's experiment from the invariant photon generator/detector part. Turning on the guide beam with a touch of a button is magic to anyone who had to labor on an optical table. This might allow for set-up, alignment and conduction of an experiment within the short time allotted in educational settings, which would be quite a challenge using less smart constituents.

t_mann 4y ago

Maybe it's better to think of it as a team product. That being said, I'm sure there are people who could build something like that on their own by combining the right classes in a good engineering school.