Safety and Security
Research shows how earthquakes can impact fire safety in buildings
March 11, 2013 4:32 pm | News | Comments
Damage to building structural elements, elevators, stairs, and fire protection systems caused by the shaking from a major earthquake can play a critical role in the spread of fire and hamper the ability of occupants to evacuate, and impede fire departments in their emergency response operations. These are among the conclusions of a groundbreaking study of post-earthquake building fire performance conducted in 2012 at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).
Sandia Labs hosts annual Robot Rodeo
June 19, 2013 12:46 am | News | Comments
This week, Sandia National Laboratories is hosting the seventh annual Western National...
Researchers reveal next-generation emergency response technology
June 13, 2013 5:07 pm | News | Comments
Americans are accustomed to calling 9-1-1 to get help in an emergency. A research team...
Firefighting robot paints 3-D thermal imaging picture for rescuers
June 6, 2013 8:58 am | News | Comments
Engineers in California have developed new image processing techniques for rapid...
Sensory helmet could mean firefighters are not left in the dark
March 29, 2013 1:38 pm | News | CommentsA specially-adapted “tactile helmet”, developed by researchers at the University of Sheffield, could provide fire-fighters operating in challenging conditions with vital clues about their surroundings. The helmet is fitted with a number of ultrasound sensors that are used to detect the distances between the helmet and nearby walls or other obstacles. These signals are transmitted to vibration pads that are attached to the inside of the helmet, touching the wearer's forehead.
Experts: North Korea training teams of “cyber warriors”
March 24, 2013 4:55 pm | by Youkyung Lee, AP Technology Writer | News | CommentsMalware shut down 32,000 computers and servers at three major South Korean TV networks and three banks last Wednesday, disrupting communications and banking businesses, officials said. Investigators have yet to pinpoint the culprit, but the focus remains fixed on North Korea, where South Korean security experts say Pyongyang has been training a team of computer-savvy "cyber warriors" as cyberspace becomes a fertile battleground in the standoff between the two Koreas.
NIST tests underscore hazards of green laser pointers
March 20, 2013 3:08 pm | News | CommentsUsing a low-cost apparatus designed to quickly and accurately measure the properties of handheld laser devices, NIST researchers tested 122 laser pointers and found that nearly 90% of green pointers and about 44% of red pointers tested were out of compliance with federal safety regulations. Often, these pointers emitted more visible power than allowed by law
Cyberwar manual lays down rules for online attacks
March 20, 2013 10:01 am | by Raphael Satter, Associated Press | News | CommentsEven cyberwar has rules, and one group of experts is putting out a manual to prove it. Their handbook, the Tallinn Manual, due to be published later this week, applies the practice of international law to the world of electronic warfare in an effort to show how hospitals, civilians and neutral nations can be protected in an information-age fight.
Researchers find German-made spyware across globe
March 13, 2013 5:28 pm | by Raphael Satter, Associated Press | News | CommentsA Canadian research center said Wednesday that it had identified 25 different countries that host servers linked to FinFisher, a Trojan horse program which can dodge anti-virus protections to steal data, log keystrokes, eavesdrop on Skype calls, and turn microphones and webcams into live surveillance devices. This finding doesn't necessarily mean those countries' governments are using FinFisher, but it is an indication of the spyware's reach.
Infrared digital holography lets firefighters see through flames
February 27, 2013 12:18 pm | News | CommentsFirefighters can see through smoke using current infrared (IR) camera technology. However, such instruments are blinded by the intense infrared radiation emitted by flames, which overwhelm the sensitive detectors and limit their use in the field. By employing a specialized lens-free technique, researchers in Italy have created an IR digital holography system that is able to cope with the flood of radiation from an environment filled with flames as well as smoke.
Detecting tunnels using seismic waves not as simple as it sounds
December 10, 2012 1:09 pm | News | CommentsTunnels are often used to smuggle people and illicit goods between the border of the U.S. and Mexico. Researchers have attempted to use seismic waves to find these shallow tunnels, but current methods often miss them because of what is called the “halo effect”, in which fracturing and other geological anomalies create diffuse boundaries that hide open areas. A two-year study has shed light on this phenomenon and may lead to better results.
Many home couches contain potentially toxic flame retardants
November 28, 2012 12:28 pm | News | CommentsScientists are reporting an increasing use of flame retardants in the main gathering spot for adults, children and family pets in the home—the couch. In recent study, Heather Stapleton and colleagues describe the first efforts to detect and identify the flame retardants applied to the foam inside couches found in millions of family rooms and living rooms across the U.S.
Games may help train analysts to overcome bias
November 13, 2012 10:52 am | News | CommentsAnalytic exercises conducted by researchers at Raytheon that used scenario-based games showed that some of the participants displayed anchoring and confirmation biases as they tried to determine responsibility and motivations for insurgent attacks in the scenario. This game-playing approach may help intelligence analysts identify biases that can cloud decision-making and problem-solving during life or death situations.
Official backs studying quake risks at nuke plants
November 9, 2012 4:51 pm | by Ray Henry, Associated Press | News | CommentsIn March, the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission instructed power companies to re-evaluate the seismic and flooding hazards that their power plants face. Recent earthquakes in the eastern U.S., coupled with evidence of the results of the 2011 earthquake in Japan, have highlighted the importance of this effort in order to implement new design measures.
Safety Eyewear
November 7, 2012 3:27 pm | Product Releases | CommentsHoneywell Safety Products has recently unveiled Uvex Pheos safety eyewear, a versatile new style that combines streamlined styling with technologically advanced materials to deliver high-performance protection. It features a Dura-streme coating and duo-spherical lens design.
Study reveals impact of public DNS services
October 26, 2012 9:31 am | News | CommentsA new study by Northwestern University researchers has revealed that public domain name services (DNS) could actually slow down users’ web-surfing experience. As a result, researchers have developed a solution to help avoid such an impact: a tool called “namehelp” that could speed web performance by 40%.
Study: Common flame retardant is an endocrine disruptor
October 25, 2012 9:19 am | News | CommentsFiremaster 550 is made up of four principal component chemicals and is used in polyurethane foam in a wide variety of products, ranging from mattresses to infant nursing pillows. It was developed to replace a class of fire retardants being phased out of use because of concerns regarding their safety.
