Terahertz Trailblazing by Advanced Photonix (API) is the leading story/ trend of 2010

What an exciting year in the continuing emergence of THz, as a scientifically, and commercially viable technology! This blog, has also evolved from a "lark"  which was  put together by me,  simply to try to bring attention  and greater public awareness to this amazing virgin technology.  THz's development is increasing at a geometric pace, in private and public laboratories, while this blog now attracts, 50-100+ visitors from all over the world, each day because of the worldwide excitement for THz's development.

As I noted at the outset, in starting this blog, I am an unlikely candidate for such a role, because I have no real scientific, engineering, computer, or blogging experience. Many times, that lack of knowledge has shown through, but  I believe the quality of the blog, has improved over the last year, as reflected by a number of comments I have received both publically, and privately.

 So today, at year's end, and after a hundred posts,  I thought it would be fun to post my picks for the 5 top- trends, stories, and/or advances I observed here this year, albeit from a layman's perspective. (Please share your thoughts, comments and disagreements about my selections-Also please note, that it's no secret that I am a long-time investor in Advanced Photonix, (API) but I believe the selection of API, as this year's trailblazer for the development of THz, would be shared by most objective observers).

HERE ARE MY TOP 5 BLOG ARTICLES/TRENDS AND/ OR ADVANCES FOR 2010.

1. Advanced Photonix, starts and ends 2010, with multiple contracts, cutting-edge developments and is the clear leader in the commercial development of THz, heading into 2011.
On January 7th, 2010, this blog posted the first article of the new year announcing a 3 million dollar SBIR contract with the USAF, to develop a THz, quality control system for use on the F-35 fighter jet.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/01/advanced-photonix-wins-3-million-dollar.html
The article for the first time,  also discussed the development of a hand-held scanner, to be used as a plug-in device for the T-Ray 4000, forecasting an application which would play a prominent role, in a series of later contract announcements.

On January 11th, 2010, Advanced Photonix unveiled it's  hand-held THz scanning application,  on Detroit Television as a candidate to address airport security issues highlighted by the efforts of Umar Farouk Abdulmut to use the chemical PETN, (which could not be detected either by backscatter or x-ray security devices at airports) to blow up an airplane.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/01/advanced-photonix-featured-in-detroit.html

On June 30th, 2010, Advanced Photonix, announced that the THz contract for use on the F-35, had been finalized and noted the contract would provide the foundation for future systems, and revenue over the next decade. API also noted additional sales to NASA,  a radome scanning system to Hill AFB, and continuing pilot trial testing of the T-Ray 4000, on the factory floors of two  prospective  commercial users.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/06/advanced-photonix-announces-major.html

On August 12th, 2010, Advanced Photonix announced the sale of the T-Ray 4000, to the C2RMF, at the Louvre for a variety of uses in art restoration.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/08/advanced-photonix-sells-t-4000-to.html

On Novermber 5th, 2010, Advanced Photonix announced that the Transportation Security Administration, (TSA), had agreed to fund IQT, to contract with API, to develop a low cost anomaly device, in the form of a hand-held device or wand to be used for "multiple systems" intended to scan persons without the need for timely imaging or "pat-downs".

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/11/advanced-photonix-to-engineer-low-cost.html

The November 5th  contract announcement was followed in "quick succession", by contracts dated November 11th, and December 9th, the first with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the second with NASA.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/11/another-contract-win-for-advanced.html

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/12/picometrix-advanced-photonix-subsidary_98.html

Each of these contracts reflect divergent governmental agencies funding the development of smaller, more  powerful, THz units for use in diverse applications and areas, all making use of the T-Ray 4000, as the neuxus or starting point for development. One may reasonably surmise that the research being conducted will be synergistic and complementary, with each advance in one program leading to improvements in the others.


These contracts were followed  in the last few weeks by yet another announcement of a new  affilation with NASA, in computed tomoography at the Glenn Research facility.

http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/12/terahertz-computed-tomography-studies.html

Year ends close leaves many of us in the API community awaiting news of the first commercial sale of the T-Ray 4000, to a  private, commercial OEM.  "Any day" is the unofficial word of when this will occur.

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2. Readers of this blog helped me select the number two  story of the year which was the announcement by Bridge12 that it awas awarded an SBIR  contract for development of the first commercial application of Dynamic Nuclear Polarization,  (DNP), which will have a number of uses for THz especially in the medical imaging area.  This was the most viewed story of the year.
http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/12/bridge12-awarded-first-sbir-grant-for.html

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3.  Dr. Daniel  Mittleman shared his insights on this blog, helping to refute wide-spread blogging found on the net, claiming  that THz damages DNA.
http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/12/dr-mittleman-at-rice-university.html
It's my number 3 story on this blog, having been picked up and rerun on the  well-known, Virtual Journal of Thz Science & Technology
http://thznetwork.net/index.php/archives/1140

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4. My pick for the single most interesting story of the year goes to the THz developments  at the Rensselaer institute.
http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/07/someone-may-soon-be-able-to-tell-what.html

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5. For the investor I thought the news release regarding the affiliation of T-Ray Science and Teraview to be the 5th most significant story of the year.
http://terahertztechnology.blogspot.com/2010/07/t-ray-science-signs-sub-licensing.html

These are my picks for this year. Thanks for reading and please share your comments about the most significant story & your viewpoint.