I think my brain is full....

So for the past couple of days we have been hitting the training hard. The problem is that we can learn all about it...But we can't touch it! The tools that we have are for R&D and tool time is pretty limited. We are fighting for time with the engineers that are trying to make the tool operate better.

The equipment is very precise. Resolution of movement is down to less than a micron! That's one millionth of a meter! A red blood cell is about 7 micron wide! We will be measuring things in the nano meter range. That's a billionth of a meter! This thing is basically an over grown microscope with cameras and lasers that are very sensitive. Everything is mounted on a 4 ton granite block that floats on air shocks to minimize any induced or outside vibration. Quite a sight to see!

The equipment is very new and so is the training. Everyone is still trying to figure out what is going on. That in turn has caused mental overload. We are trying to learn how it works as well as how it is being changed. Not being able to crawl around the thing and check it out is tough too. Theory can only get ya so far....Then ya have to look at it and play with it.

One interesting thing is that the stage floats on "air bearings". Air is used to allow everything to float as it moves. The whole stage is made by Aerotech then sent here for installation into the tool. If ya click on the site...Check out where they are built!

So far everything has been very interesting. Everything is computer based. VERY computer based. The tool will pull in 1 terabyte of data during a single read. A single terabyte would let you take about 200,000 pictures on a 10 mega pixel camera. This is done with 64 quad core computers in a server system...that's like having 256 computers tied together! Geek central!!!! Wait...The computer racks are water cooled! That ups the geek factor!!!

This thing is going to take a lot of time to get comfortable with. It's a lot different from what I am used to. The lasers are interesting. We have to wear glasses that block out the laser light wavelength which is kind of funny. We have to see the light to calibrate the laser. If you have your glasses on for the calibration...You can't see the light! Talk about a catch 22!

Guess I should get back to it!

We are planning on a trip to the pier to the north as well as a trip to Jerusalem this weekend. I will update the blog and pics as soon as I can.

Talk to ya later!!!!