Scientists have developed a new technology that can read pages of a closed book, an advance that may help archaeologists look into antique books without touching them. Researchers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US, tested a prototype of the system on a stack of papers, each with one letter printed on it. The system was able to correctly identify the letters on the top nine sheets.
Using terahertz frequency which can distinguish between ink and blank paper, in ways that X-rays cannot, the system exploits the fact that between the pages of a book tiny air pockets are trapped about 20 micrometres deep. Although relatively young, researchers are working to improve the accuracy of the detectors.
