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Self-healing concrete for safer, durable, and cheaper-to-maintain infrastructure
Wolverines researchers develop self-healing concrete; the concrete self-heals itself when it develops cracks; no human intervention required — only water and carbon dioxide
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U.K. government's budget proposal attracts lukewarm reaction
Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling’s budget — described by the chancellor as “the world’s first carbon budget” — offers support to U.K.’s fast-growth technology sector, but some say it is not enough; EFF’s Gilbert Toppin: “The measures are helpful though he should have gone further to make a real difference”
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General Atomics shows latest entry in Predator UAV series
With a 41-foot long fuselage and 66-foot wingspan, the Predator C Avenger is capable of flying at over 400 KTAS and can operate up to 60,000 feet
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Russia to build new-generation nuclear icebreaker by 2015
Russia is locked in legal dispute with four other countries over rights to the mineral-rich areas in an under the North pole — areas which are slowly becoming accessible as a result of global warming; to make sure it gains ready access, Russia invests a new generation of nuclear ice breakers
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Aussie company receives $250 million to prove wave power concept
Investec Bank gives West Perth-based energy developer Carnegie Corporation $250 million to demonstrate the viability of its wave technology
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F-35 project hacking case highlights need for tighter contractor security
Hackers managed to download terabytes of information about one of the Pentagon’s most prized weapons systems; experts say this latest breach highlights the need for stricter security requirements for contractor networks
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South Africa: Intelleca awarded voice biometrics contract
South African leading network operator awards Intelleca large voice recognition contract; the operator plans to implement the solution across a range of business areas in its contact center
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Colin Cummings named new ICx technologies CEO
Cummings will succeed Hans Kobler, who will continue as chairman; Kobler will go after opportunities the company sees from increased government spending; company’s detection unit suffered from delays in DHS business in the fourth quarter
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Outsourcing Winter Olympic security increases costs to RCMP
The Canadian government says the security budget for the 2010 Winter Olympics, to be held in Vancouver, is $900 million; it is five-times greater than the original $175 million budget; many Canadian and American security companies stand to benefit
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Space-based solar power coming to California
Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E), California’s largest utility company, will purchase from Solaren 200 megawatts of electricity when Solaren’s system is in place, which is expected to be 2016
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In the U.K., CCTVs replace security guards
Newcastle-based U.K. Biometric sees 10-fold increase for its CCTV cameras which can be accessed via remote devices; company says building firms are turning to the technology as a cheaper and more efficient replacement to employing overnight security guards
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U.S. 100% screening law in doubt
In 2007, Congress passed a law requiring 100% screening of U.S.-bound air cargo; in February, TSA reached the 50% screening milestone, but the agency says 100% screening is not likely anytime soon; other countries do not mind, saying unilateral U.S. moves on screening violate their sovereignty
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Airbus Military now a division of Airbus
Airbus Military, formerly a division of EADS, manufactures aircraft which are mainly used in cargo transport, search and rescue, special operations, maritime, and airlift applications
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Harris Corporation acquires Wireless Systems for $675 million in cash
The global land mobile radio (LMR) systems market is values at $9 billion a year and growing; Harris Corporation wants a bigger presence in this emergency and public safety communication market; it is set to acquire Tyco Electronics Wireless Systems, creating a leading provider of wireless communication networks in the LMR systems market
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The security of the U.S. communications network, II
A few vandals, equipped with pliers, last Thursday cut fiber-optics cables in the San Francisco Bay area, paralyzing wireless, Internet, phone, and emergency communication for more than twelve hours; what does this tell us about the vulnerability to disruption of the .S. communication network?
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The long view
Factories First: Winning the Drone War Before It Starts
Wars are won by factories before they are won on the battlefield,Martin C. Feldmann writes, noting that the United States lacks the manufacturing depth for the coming drone age. Rectifying this situation “will take far more than procurement tweaks,” Feldmann writes. “It demands a national-level, wartime-scale industrial mobilization.”
Trump Is Fast-Tracking New Coal Mines — Even When They Don’t Make Economic Sense
In Appalachian Tennessee, mines shut down and couldn’t pay their debts. Now a new one is opening under the guise of an “energy emergency.”
Smaller Nuclear Reactors Spark Renewed Interest in a Once-Shunned Energy Source
In the past two years, half the states have taken action to promote nuclear power, from creating nuclear task forces to integrating nuclear into long-term energy plans.