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U.S. military increasingly interested in diretced energy
Directed-energy weapons were initially conceived as a possible defense against ballistic missiles; now they are being developed for tactical military applications — and law enforcement
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Atomic-level data storage theoretically possible
In a major breakthrough, IBM researchers show that it should be possible to use individual atoms, or groups of atoms, to store data or act as a transistor; insight to lead to incredibly tiny chips, storage devices, sensors —and to applications yet to be imagined
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U.K. cabs to be equipped with CCTVs
A taxi company in Peterborough had an idea: Why not install a CCTV on the dashboard to record everything in and around the can, so if something untoward happens, there is a record
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Two companies partner on public-safety computer-aided dispatch
The technology of dispatching law enforcement quickly to disaster zones is a growing business, and two specialists will market their solutions jointly to U.S. localities
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Terrorism threatens Indian economy
Deteriorating internal security conditions in India — one expert says “India is one of the most under-policed states in the world” —offer lucrative opportunities for homeland security companies
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Shoes-on shoe inspection system comes to U.S.
IDO Security introcues a high-speed shoes-on portable footwear weapons detection system
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Scientists gain better understanding of physics behind invisibility cloaks
Perfect invisibility cloaks are difficult to achieve, but for many military, law enforcement, and civilian uses, imperfect cloaks may do; one intriguing use of cloaks: Making cities more beautiful by hiding ugly industrial facilities for aesthetic reasons
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Power amplifier to enhance electronic warfare capabilities
BAE and partners will develop a 160-watt solid-state, gallium nitride (GaN) power amplifier for communications, electronic warfare, and radar applications
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U.S. redesigns currency to add security
$776 billion in U.S. currency —70 percent of which in $100 bills — is in circulation, two-thirds of which is held overseas; to make counterfeiting more difficult, a new security thread is approved for the bill
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New tire deflating device obviates need for police car chases
Car-chasing a fleeing criminal at high speeds is dangerous to the police and to innocent bystanders; a Wisconsin company, with help from NASA, designs a “throwable” tire deflating device allowing law enforcement to force fleeing car to stop without giving chase
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U.S. product imports exceeded exports for the first time in 2002
NSF: “The comparative advantage held by U.S. advanced technology producers has narrowed considerably in a matter of a few short years”; U.S. loses ground to China
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New protective clothing options for U.K. school-bound kids
Back to school: U.K. clothing manufactures offer school uniforms with embedded satellite tracking devices — and stab-proof t-shirts, hooded tops, and school blazers
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Cumbersome federal acquisition rules an obstacle to IT flexibility
Cumbersome acquisition rules designed for building weapons systems and computing platforms are hampering adoption of rapidly evolving information technology networks
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High-school team wins dancing robot competition
Israeli students shine at international robotics dancing competition; RobCup, the Japanese organization behind the competiton, aims to foster artificial intelligence and robotics research
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Poultry farmers protest DHS rules over propane tanks
DHS rules that propane gas is a “chemical of interest” — and, under the stipulations of the new chemical plant safety law, hundreds of thousands of U.S. poultry farmers must now register with the agency
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The long view
Technology Evolves the Tactics: Preparing for the Rise of Terrorist AI Harms
Terrorist groups, like the societies they emerge from, adapt to new technologies. As AI capabilities evolve, so too do the tactics of extremist actors. While the full effects may take years to observe, as the technologies continue to develop, we are starting to see them directly alter extremism tradecraft.
Bookshelf: A Tale of American Lawyers and Chinese Engineers
The U.S. and China have fundamental differences, a new book argues. China would be an “engineering state” whereas the U.S. is a “lawyerly society.” Most Chinese Communist Party leaders have been engineers focused on building mega projects such as highways, bridges, fast trains. and airports. In recent decades the U.S. has become a “lawyerly society” as the country’s elite, dominated by lawyers, focused on procedure and process rather than getting things done.
Europe’s Banks Quietly Mobilize for Economic Warfare
For years, banks treated defense as a reputational issue, as well as an environmental, social and governance risk, often lumping it with tobacco or fossil fuels as something to be managed at arm’s length. That era is ending. Russia’s war in Ukraine, China’s coercive trade tactics and the United States’ pressure on Europe to shoulder more of its defense burden have exposed the limits of moralistic restraint. Financial mobilization is the new norm.
A New Generation of Industries Emerges in Texas as Feds Push to Mine More Rare Minerals
The U.S. doesn’t produce the minerals and metals needed for renewable energy, microchips or military technology. Major oil companies are drilling in East Texas again, but not for oil. This time, they’re after lithium for batteries and other rare elements.
U.S. and Australia Deepen Critical-Minerals Engagement to Counter China
Engagement between Australia and the United States on critical minerals has matured from technical cooperation into a strategic partnership, aligning resource security with clean energy and defense priorities.
Bookshelf: Critical Mineral Dilemmas
Whoever controls the production and processing of lithium, copper and other critical minerals could dominate the 21st century economy, much as producers of fossil fuels defined the 20th century, writes Ernest Scheyder in a new book.