• U.S. government eyes University of Maine's bridge technology

    Researchers at the University of Maine developed a “bridge-in-a-backpack” technology — so called because of its light weight and the portability of its components; the bridge uses carbon-fiber tubes that are inflated, shaped into arches, and infused with resin before being moved into place

  • "Active cloak" protects buildings from earthquakes

    Researchers say real objects could be cloaked by active cloaking — which means the technology uses devices that actively generate electromagnetic fields rather than being composed of “metamaterials” (exotic metallic substances) that passively shield objects from passing electromagnetic waves

  • Georgia cat awarded online high school diploma

    A Macon, Georgia-based cat won a GED from Jefferson High School Online; all the cat needed to do to earn her sheepskin was answer fourteen questions — but it could nit have been too difficult: each question offers four possible answers, and you have four tries — with hints — to get each of them correct; there is no time limit

  • Teenager passes grueling "getting on bus" test

    A 15-year old Briton was surprised to be awarded “Using Public Transport (Unit 1)” certificate; it turned out he had successfully met the challenge by catching a bus while on a summer outdoor activities scheme at the city of Bury

  • Tiny Nano Air Vehicle (NAV) to help in in-door surveillance

    California company develops tiny UAV (10 gram, a 7.5-centimeter wingspan) that hovers and climbs with flapping wings; the NAV can explore caves and other hiding places, relaying GPS data and images to base

  • NASA short on funds to keep up with killer asteroids

    NASA is charged with seeking out nearly all the asteroids that threaten Earth; trouble is, it does not have the money to do the job

  • Competition for U.S. Marines' supply robocopter down to two

    The U.S. Marines are looking for unmanned supply helicopters that can deliver ten tons of supplies across distances of 150 miles in 24 hours; they also have to be able to hover at high altitudes (say, up in the Hindu Kush mountains)

  • Making software safer

    More and more security systems in aircraft and motor vehicles rely on software for their operation; Aussie researchers develop away to make sure such software is safe

  • "Point-and-toss" UAV in field demonstration

    Florida-based IATech used the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International’s biannual field demonstration to show its point-and-toss UAV: the unit measures 3 feet across and is thrown like a paper airplane; it costs only about $25,000

  • All-titanium campus bridge show way for defense industry

    University of Akron, Defense Metals Technology Center co-sponsor design contest for titanium pedestrian bridge on university’s campus; titanium is a strong, lightweight, virtually corrosion-proof (but expensive) metal; a high-profile venture demonstrating titanium’s feasibility in commercial infrastructure projects could spark greater demand and open new markets for titanium
    ‘Avant-garde’ all-titanium span could spur other projects - and cut Pentagon’s costs

  • TSA conducting scanning tech evaluation

    TSA tests both millimeter wave and backscatter imaging technologies to address privacy concerns; the aim is to reduce concerns about privacy while strengthening the ability to detect metallic and non-metallic threats

  • University of Detroit Mercy receives cyber security research contract

    The aim of the $551,500 federal contract is to develop and disseminate the knowledge necessary to ensure that the software that enables America’s business and critical infrastructure is safe and secure

  • phd 4 u: British researcher receives first ever doctor of texting

    Texts are much more about maintaining and building relationships rather than passing on raw facts; as such they tend to include a lot of information which is irrelevant but entertaining

  • Israel equips its tanks with anti-missile systems

    During the summer 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah, twenty-two Israeli Merkava tanks were damaged by Russian Kornet anti-tank guided missiles fired by Hezbollah fighters; the Israeli military determined that most of the missile hits could have been averted if the tanks had been equipped with available anti-missile systems

  • DARPA acquires British hi-tech fabric vehicle armor

    U.K. company Amsafe developed hi-tech cloth which protects vehicles from RPGs and other rockets; DARPA, which has been trying for a long time to develop similar material under the RPGnets program, decides to order test quantities of the U.K. material