Archive for the 'Technology' Category
Army’s New Laser Cannon Blasts Drones Out of the Sky, Even in Fog
September 6th, 2014Runs on diesel, uses an Xbox controller. Via: Wired: Boeing is building a laser cannon for the U.S. Army, and the new weapon has now proved it will be as capable at sea as on land. The High Energy Laser Mobile Demonstrator (HEL MD)—basically a high-energy laser mounted on top of a big truck—was successfully […]
More Screens: NZ Pupils Struggling to Speak
September 6th, 2014Via: New Zealand Herald: Fewer children starting school can speak in sentences, prompting an investigation by education chiefs. Primary schools around the country have noted a decline in the spoken-language abilities of new entrants and the Ministry of Education will look into the reports. School leaders and a specialist in linguistics suspect the problem could […]
Intel’s New Mobile Chips Are Always Listening
September 6th, 2014Via: MIT Technology Review: A new line of mobile chips unveiled by Intel today makes it possible to wake up a laptop or tablet simply by saying “Hello, computer.” Once it has been awoken, the computer can operate as a voice-controlled virtual assistant. You might call out “Hello, computer, what is the weather forecast today?” […]
Nevada, Tesla Announce Gigafactory Deal
September 4th, 2014Via: USA Today: Tesla Motors and Nevada made it official on Thursday evening: the electric car company’s highly sought battery “Gigafactory” and its projected 6,500 jobs are coming to the Reno area. Mutual congratulations between the electric-car maker and Silver State officials aside, the news of the announcement event in Carson City was the huge […]
Britain: Robots Help Deliver Meals and Transport Waste and Equipment at New Hospital
September 4th, 2014Via: Western Daily Press: This is the incredible fleet of robots helping to provide food for almost 1,000 patients at a new £430 million super hospital. Southmead Hospital in Bristol has deployed a fleet of 12 automatic guided vehicles to deliver meals to its 950 patients. The droids, which start work at 10.15 every morning, […]
Red Light Camera Industry Fights Citizen Vote
September 4th, 2014Via: WTSP: Florida’s leading red light camera-provider American Traffic Solutions confirms to 10 Investigates Wednesday that it has joined the fight to prevent a citizen-backed referendum on red light cameras from ever reaching a ballot. The city is also fighting the referendum on grounds that it infringes upon city council’s power. However, the enemy of […]
Robirds
September 4th, 2014Via: Slash Gear: Unless you look really close, this robot peregrine falcon would almost look like the real thing from a distance, especially while flapping its wings high above the sky. That resemblance to a real avian predator, however faint, might just be enough to scare away other birds that would other wise ruin crops […]
Google Unveils Quantum Computing Research Initiative
September 3rd, 2014Via: Business Week: Google Inc. is broadening efforts to create its own cutting-edge computer technology, seeking to use more artificial intelligence in designs that could someday speed up its services. The company yesterday unveiled a hardware initiative to develop and build processors for its Quantum Artificial Intelligence group, which focuses on technology capable of super-fast […]
NASA Building Air Traffic Control System for Drones
September 2nd, 2014Via: The Verge: NASA is developing an air traffic control system for drones. The New York Times reports the US space agency is working on creating a management system for vehicles that fly at around 400 to 500 feet off the ground — much lower than conventional aircraft — at its Moffett Field base around […]
Nigeria Launches New Biometric ID Card – Brought to You by Mastercard
September 2nd, 2014😯 Via: ZDnet: 13 million person pilot of national identity card combines both biometric verification for state services and a prepayment wallet aimed at bringing financial services to the poorest. … Civil liberties NGO Privacy International, which has raised concerns about misuse of surveillance data in Nigeria in the past — including the arrest of […]
