-
Military robotics moves forward
The trend toward autonomous military systems is about to reach a new — and important — phase: machines that do not only aim and shoot, but which also make the decision when and at what target to shoot
-
-
German high-tech sector holds up
Turnover in German-made IT, telecommunications, and digital consumer electronics will hold steady at about €145 billion — still, the German high-tech industry would perform worse than the global high-tech sector as a whole, which is expected to boost sales about 3 percent to €2.416 trillion
-
-
British government to boost investment in science
Gordon Brown: “Science alone gives us hope” that we can eliminate poverty, tackle climate change, and mitigate the impact of disease around the world
-
-
DARPA awards Lockheed nano-copter contract
Both the military and law enforcement are interested in tiny helicopters — 8 grams in weight and the size of a coin — for intelligence missions inside buildings; three years ago Lockheed had a development program for such a device, and it now comes back to it
-
-
San Diego State builds radiation detection system
New Immersive Visualization Center on the campus of San Diego State collaborates with the university’s Homeland Security Program to build, and then demonstrate, gamma radiation detection perimeter system
-
-
New building design withstands earthquake simulation
Wolverines researchers used steel fiber-reinforced concrete to develop a better kind of coupling beam that requires less reinforcement and is easier to construct
-
-
Super-strength gear competition heats up
Berkeley Bionics-Lockheed Martin team challenges the Sarco-Raytheon team for the super solider suit of the future; suit will allow soldiers the wearer to carry up to 200 pounds without much effort — and sprint up to 10 miles per hour in short bursts
-
-
New software allows laptops to talk back boldly to laptop thieves
Your laptop has been stolen? New software allows you to tell those thieves exactly — and when we say exactly, we mean exactly — what you think of them; software also helps police locate the stolen computer
-
-
Intelligence, law enforcement face another hurdle: encrypted VoIP
The intelligence community and law enforcement already are concerned about the difficult they have eavesdropping in Skype communications; a U.K. start-up is going to make life more difficult for them by encryption VoIP communications and concealing more conversations
-
-
Strong future for independent research
Despite the current economic downturn, independent research organizations remain optimistic; many areas of research and development — chief among them energy security, energy conversion, and defense — already see bipartisan support for increased funding
-
-
Random antenna arrays boost emergency communications
When first responders rush to a disaster scene, they are often met with large amount of rubble; the vast amount of metal and steel-reinforced concrete in buildings and rubble often interferes with or blocks radio signals; a new antenna array solves this problem
-
-
New facial, gait recognition software to be integrated in CCTVs
BAE Systems and OmniPerception work on developing a gait and facial behavior recognition to be integrated into street corner CCTVs; it will make identifying known criminals easier
-
-
Dire climate scenario: Mass migrations and war
Lord Nicholas Stern, the eminent economist, says severe climate shifts and sea-level rises would “transform where people can live”: “People would move on a massive scale. Hundreds of millions, probably billions of people would have to move if you talk about 4-, 5-, 6-degree increases” (7 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit)
-
-
Lab-on-a-chip detects pollutants, disease, and biological weapons
Researchers develop nano-sized laboratory, complete with a microscopic workbench, to measure water quality in real time; breakthrough will help keep water safe from pollution and bioterrorist threats
-
-
TSA wants to screen your baggage -- emotional baggage, that is
To improve on X-ray and millimeter-wave scanning and go beyond group profiling, some suggest screening passengers for hostile intentions
-
The long view
Nuclear Has Changed. Will the U.S. Change with It?
Fueled by artificial intelligence, cloud service providers, and ambitious new climate regulations, U.S. demand for carbon-free electricity is on the rise. In response, analysts and lawmakers are taking a fresh look at a controversial energy source: nuclear power.
Huge Areas May Face Possibly Fatal Heat Waves if Warming Continues
A new assessment warns that if Earth’s average temperature reaches 2 degrees C over the preindustrial average, widespread areas may become too hot during extreme heat events for many people to survive without artificial cooling.
Exploring the New Nuclear Energy Landscape
In the last few years, the U.S. has seen a resurgence of interest in nuclear energy and its potential for helping meet the nation’s growing demands for clean electricity and energy security. Meanwhile, nuclear energy technologies themselves have advanced, opening up new possibilities for their use.