Developing a helicopter that would investigate nuclear disasters

Mar 4 | News

Students at Virginia Tech’s Unmanned Systems Laboratory are perfecting an autonomous helicopter they hope will never be used for its intended purpose. Roughly six feet long and weighing 200 pounds, the re-engineered aircraft is designed to fly into American cities blasted by a nuclear weapon or dirty bomb.

Robot dives into danger to retrieve 3-D images

Feb 22 | News

Built by university students in Missouri, the tractor-tread-equipped robot relies on an infrared camera and LIDAR technology to relay photographs of tight interior spaces like buildings or caves. Suitable for hunting terrorists or structural damage, the robots weighs about 200 pounds and costs $25,000. Future versions will likely get lighter and smaller.

MIT wins DARPA balloon hunt in just hours

12/7/2009 | News

The effort to correctly identify the location of 10 red balloons distributed around the United States attracted 4,300 teams vying for a $40,000 prize. The search tools were not sensors or satellite imagery, however. Social networking was the tool, and MIT found the most efficient solution on Sunday, called “recursive incentive structure”.

New algorithms for computerized surveillance

12/2/2009 | News

A recent AFOSR-funded technology should enable the Air Force to achieve advances in object and target detection technology by using sophisticated algebraic theories called groups, rings and fields. Better detection methods will allow for effective reviewing of photographic, video and radar images to facilitate military planning and order of battle.  

Military Apps Drive Simulation Tools

6/15/2005 | Featured Articles

Battle simulations, in some form or another, have long been practiced. Their humble, yet important beginning can be traced back to as early as 1,000 B.C. and the creation of Wei Hai—a strategy-based game invented by Art of War author Sun Tzu—which used simple colored stones to depict armies and their movements. During this time, a four-sided board game from India, Chaturanga, used a roll of the dice to determine each player’s next maneuver.

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Much ado about next to nothing

Mar 15

The recent review of the past 10 years of the National Nanotechnology Initiative--as presented by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology--suggested the rise of nanomanufacturing as the near future of nanotechnology. But the actual proposed funding reflects a cautious approach, even about nanotech in general.

Lunar tires, space MRSA, and resonating microfluidics

Mar 5

I typically attend the annual Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy each year in pursuit of specific coverage. This year, I sought out candidates for coverage in a vacuum technology article, and pulled together some instruments for a spectroscopy guide. But as busy as that kept me, it wasn’t all mass spectrometers and vacuum pumps on the show floor.  

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NuGard Coating Ashburn Hill

Jan 7

NuGard First Response Protective Clothing are lightweight coveralls, jackets, and pants that provide protection from heat and flame while keeping the wearers body temperature constant.

Multi-Touch Music Maker

Jan 7

Professor David Wessel shows his multi-touch interface that uses computer technologies that allow him to experiment with fine controls to "caress" the instrument.