It’s that time of year again! No, I’m not talking about Jolly ‘Ol Saint Nick, mistletoe, or trees with stars on top. ‘Tis the season for giving, but also for spoiling ourselves with the latest gadgets, gizmos, toys, and entertainment. We’re never too old to experience the joy of opening presents! And geeks can be […]
Air Force taps Space Micro to develop software defined radio for satellites
Space Micro Inc. has been awarded $100,000 by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to develop a software-defined radio system for military satellites. The Phase I Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract is to develop space communications hardware that interfaces with existing systems and is resistant to radiation. Software defined radios typically have problems in […]
Pack mule robot could aid soldiers, marines
The military is constantly seeking the right balance between preparedness and maneuverability. Theoretically, we could turn foot soldiers into walking arsenals with nearly-impenetrable armor, but they wouldn’t be very mobile. Boston Dynamics may have a solution—they’re developing a quadruped pack mule ‘bot for the military. Funded by DARPA and the US Marines Corps, the LS3 […]
IBM to provide cloud computing solution for Air Force
The Air Force has enlisted “Big Blue” itself, IBM, to develop a worldwide cloud computing infrastructure. The architecture would encompass nine major commands, nearly 100 bases, and 700,000 active military personnel around the world. Essentially, “cloud computing” refers to software applications and other functions that are “rented” online rather than hosted on company servers. As […]
The future of motion-sensing technology
“Science Fiction is more than just popular; it is also incredibly influential, to an extent that is often surprising. Time and again, science fiction makes its presence felt in real-world technology, war, and politics.” – P.W. Singer, “Wired for War” Among its many virtues, Sci-Fi is very good at predicting real-world technology. From Star Trek, […]
Russian Space Agency considers Armageddon-like mission
The Russian Space Agency is considering a plan that evokes the 1998 disaster flick, Armageddon. The head of the agency, Anatoly Perminov, mentioned that Russia is assessing a mission to Apophis, a 270-meter (885-foot) asteroid with the potential to cause serious damage. The difference between Hollywood and real life is that Apophis stands minimal chance […]
40 Years Later, The Final Frontier Ain’t What it Used to Be
“I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the Earth.” – President John F. Kennedy May 25, 1961 40 years ago, Neil Armstrong emerged from the […]
CES 2009 Day 3 + Recap
I closed out International CES 2009 by visiting L-com and Luminous Devices, and by taking a quick stroll through the North, Central, and South Halls again (“quick” being a relative term). Overall, CES 2009 didn’t exhibit much innovation, at least anything groundbreaking. Sixense has some potential. I’ll have to keep my eye on that. Energizer’s Zinc Air […]
CES 2009 Day 2
I had appointments with Energizer and Analog Devices today, and Samsung gave us a “booth tour.” Samsung wasn’t being pretentious when they called it a “tour.” Believe me, the booth looks like a small house, and must have cost a fortune. Energizer gave me a demo of their new Zinc Air Primatic Battery, which I’ll feature in a future Efficiency […]
CES 2009 Day 1
So far, the big themes this year seem to be Green Technology and 3D. 3D Technology has been around for decades, mainly as a gimmick in movie theaters, but it may finally have come of age. Most of the major manufacturers have 3D tech on display, and filmmaker James Cameron (Titanic) is partnering with Panasonic […]
