Scientists demonstrate, for the time, a solid-state “MASER” capable of operating at room temperature, paving the way for its widespread adoption – as reported today in the journal Nature. MASER stands for Microwave Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. Devices based on this process (and known by the same acronym) were developed by scientists more […]
Applications
Who needs a license? Self-driving cars coming our way
(Reuters) – It’s been more than half a century since some of the first concept cars boasting self-driving features were presented to the world and they’re still not on the roads. But many auto executives say the industry is on the cusp of welcoming vehicles that make the idea of keeping both hands on the […]
FCC clears T-Mobile LTE tests on federal spectrum
The FCC is allowing T-Mobile USA to move forward with tests of an LTE service that would share spectrum with federal users in the 1755-1780 MHz band. The Commission’s approval today clears the way for the first tests gauging the impact of spectrum sharing in the band between commercial providers and incumbent government users such […]
Studies seek better understanding and treatment of depression
AUGUSTA, Ga. – Connecting the dots between two molecules whose levels are decreased in depression and increased by current antidepressants could yield new therapies, researchers say. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that enables brain cells to communicate and brain-derived neurotropic factor, or BDNF, is a brain-nourishing molecule that also aids connectivity. Popular antidepressants such as Prozac, […]
FCC, DOJ approval rumored for Verizon AWS deal
The government is said to be set to approve Verizon Wireless’ $3.9 billion purchase of AWS spectrum from four cable operators. Clearance from the FCC and Justice Department may come “in the coming weeks,” The Wall Street Journal reported late yesterday, citing unnamed sources with inside knowledge of the issue. The rumor is one of […]
Telcos lose broadband subs for 1st time
Phone companies are losing the high-speed Internet game. In the second quarter, the landline phone industry lost broadband subscribers for the first time, as cable companies continued to pile on new household and small business customers, thanks to the higher speeds they offer in most areas. The flow of subscribers from phone companies to cable […]
Closing in on the border between primordial plasma and ordinary matter
Energy scan at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider reveals first hints of phase boundary UPTON, NY – Scientists taking advantage of the versatility and new capabilities of the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC), an atom smasher at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory, have observed first glimpses of a possible boundary separating ordinary […]
JDSU to buy GenComm
JDSU said it will acquire GenComm, a South Korean company that makes some of JDSU’s wireless test and measurement products through an OEM agreement. The company did not reveal the purchase price. Revenue from GenComm products was more than $7.5 million of JDSU’s Communications Test and Measurement business segment revenue in fiscal year 2012. In […]
UC research promises quiet cars — even when hitting unexpected bumps in the road
All noise is not necessarily equal – especially when it comes to sound minimization in automobiles. For instance, automakers have long used sound-absorbing materials (passive control) in the design of cars in order to minimize engine noise and the “routine” noise of tires traveling on smooth pavement at a consistent speed. However, a means to […]
Hesse petitions FCC chief on PCS spectrum
Sprint CEO Dan Hesse is pushing the head of the FCC to move forward with a long-delayed auction of H-block and J-block PCS spectrum. Hesse spoke with FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski by phone last week about the issue, according to ex parte documents made public on Monday. The executive “encouraged the Commission to conclude the […]