Technological innovation

  • New X-ray technology order of magnitude brighter

    The electron pulse enters an undulator and generates an X-ray which is reflected back into the undulator entrance by crystals and connects with the next electron bunch and again travels back along the undulator

  • GM, Carnegie Mellon collaborate on autonomous driving

    General Motors and Carnegie Mellon University have collaborated on an autonomous vehicle which was entered in DARPA 2007 Urban Challenge competition; the now commit to expanding their collaboration with the aim of accelerating the emerging field of autonomous driving

  • Intelligent binoculars

    Northrop Grumman develops binoculars which connects to scalp electrodes in the soldiers’ helmets; the electrodes record how soldiers’ brains react to various objects as they look through the goggles, then train the binoculars in what constitutes a threat

  • Canada puts brakes on electric vehicles

    There is a growing demand in environment-conscious Canada for electric cars, but the Canadian government says that the vehicles made of lightweight metals and plastics are not safe to drive on Canada’s open roads

  • Plane wings made of glass

    Researchers learn more about the atomic structure of glass, offering the possibility of constructing plane wings — and other things — with glass rather than metal, thus avoiding the danger of metal fatigue

  • First conviction under the Economic Espionage Act of 1996

    Chinese-born software engineer sentenced for stealing industrial and military secrets on behalf of the PRC; first conviction under a 1996 law for misappropriating a trade secret with the intent to benefit a foreign government

  • Genetically modified mosquitoes to fight malaria

    Malaria kills three million people around the arodl each year; current methods of combatting the disease do not work; scientists examine the potential of genetically modifies mosquitoes for stopping the killer disease

  • Investing in biodefense companies, II

    Billions of dollars are being spent on finding vaccines and treatments for possible bioterror attacks; investment analyst says that these billions of dollars in government spending notwithstanding, when considering an investment in a company doing R&D in the bioterror field, you should consider its non-terror-related biotechnology efforts, and the quality of its management team

  • New satallite images identification technology

    Researchers offer the first computerized method that can analyze a single photograph and determine where in the world the image likely was taken

  • New biofueled diesel engine developed

    U.K. company develops 100 percent-biofueled diesel engine which could help provide electricity to remote communities in the developing world; engine can run on pure biofuel with no additives — but also on a variety of vegetable oils which have not been converted to conventional biofuels

  • Universal biosensor would detect disease, bioterror attack, pollution

    A consortium of U.K. research institutions, in collaboration with a Chinese University, work on developing a universal biosensor which would help in many types of detection — from home diagnosis of disease to chemical plant monitoring, anti-bioterrorism, and pandemic outbreak

  • PG&E in 106 MW combined solar-thermal-biofuel hybrid power

    Pacific Gas and Electricity to build a combined solar-thermal-biofuel hybrid power plant in California which will deliver a total of 700 gigawatt hours (GWh) annually of renewable electricity to PG&E customers throughout northern and central parts of the state

  • iRobot to commercialize endurance record-holding undersea robot

    iRobot licenses endurance record-holder Seaglider from the University of Washington; Seaglider can operate at sea for months at a time in challenging conditions

  • New mercury detector developed

    University of Massachusetts researcher develops new mercury detector which detects minute quantities of mercury even in the presence of other metals

  • OMG helps UAVs see as human pilots do

    Northrop Grumman tests Oxford Metrics Group’s software which make UAVs “see” things the way a human pilot would