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BACKGROUND: Arkiva offers anyone an affordable digital storage solution for precious belongings, from one-of-a-kind keepsakes and records, to house plans and material possessions. Designed to keep track of the valuables you've insured, the inventory is housed on multiple protected secure serves and is untouchable should a natural disaster, theft, or accident occur, destroying important documents, photographs, or other memorabilia. Owners would have secure access to those images through a computer.
WHY IT'S NEEDED: According to the US Census Bureau, over 50% of the US population lives near a coastline or faultline that is subject to hurricane or earthquake activity. There are also risks associated with natural disasters like wildfires, mudslides, tornadoes and floods. In 2005, hurricanes alone caused over $100 billion in property damage, the costliest season on record since 1928. Such naturally occurring events, coupled with more common catastrophes like fires and thefts, reinforce the need to protect valuables before it is too late.
CANDID CAMERA: The core component of a digital scanner is a CCD array -- a collection of tiny light-sensitive diodes that convert light into electrons (electrical charge). The brighter the light that hits any given diode, the greater the electrical charge that will accumulate at that sight. A document is placed on a glass plate and the cover is closed. Then a lamp illuminates the document, and the CCD array, which is mounted on the scan head along with mirrors, lens and filter to gather and focus the reflected light. The scan head moves across the document, usually in a single pass. The end result is a full-color image, which is then transferred to a computer via interface software called a driver.
IEEE-USA contributed to the information contained in the TV portion of this report.