Scientists Develop Mini Robots That Fly In A Swarm

Scientists have developed robots that are able to “dock” with each other and fly together in a swarm.

Using infrared beams, the drones can find each other’s location and connect with one another using magnets.

The vehicles, or quadrocopters, have fixed propellers that help them lift up in the air, but the resulting flight is erratic and uncontrolled.

However, once they are joined with other quadrocopters, the robots evolve into a sophisticated multi-propeller system capable of coordinated flight.

Each helicopter uses its own motor, computer and sensors.

Each vehicle is also equipped with a mini-propeller duct system for flying, along with little wheels underneath to allow them to crawl around the ground and find each other.

When joined together, the group can keep itself level by using altitude sensors in each robot that speaks to one another using infrared to make sure the flight is even.

Source: redorbit

Car, smartphone tech collide at Novi conference

Automakers are racing to keep up with technologies that have allowed drivers to bring their phone conversations, text messages and digital maps into their cars.

But technology that adds features yet diminishes distraction took center stage today at Detroit Telematics, now in its 10th year, in Novi.

The conference, which continues Wednesday, has seen attendance jump 25% compared with last year, to 1,000 attendees.

At the event, Google Maps announced new partnerships with GM and Ford to pair its mapping service with turn-by-turn directions. New apps tailored for the car are on the way with the goal of limiting distractions for things like calls and scrolling through music.

“Infotainment nowadays will help you sell cars,” said Phil Magney, vice president of the automotive practice at technology research firm iSuppli. “…It’s a must-have”

At the same time, John Ulczycki, of the National Safety Council, says hands-free devices aren’t making driving safer because conversation still occupies a drivers’ mind. If it is easier to make a call while driving, Ulczycki asked, “will people engage in that risky behavior more often?”

The industry, he said, needs more research on the subject.

Source: freep

Laser Sensor Can See Explosives’ Vapor Trails Even at Extremely Low Concentrations

Detecting explosives, whether they’re tucked into the roadside rubbish on a narrow street in Helmand Province or stashed in someone’s undergarments at the airport, can be difficult to do. But UK researchers have developed a potent new tool for sniffing out combustible contraband by creating a novel laser mechanism that can sense explosive molecules at concentrations below 10 parts per billion.

The new sensor tech relies on “pumping” a specific type of plastic called polyfluorene with photons. When polyfluorene is bombarded with light, it emits laser light. Molecules given off by TNT and similar explosives often present in improvised bombs react with that “plastic laser,” interfering with the light it emits to a detectable degree. That interference suggests the presence of explosives in the very near vicinity.

Source: popsci

Ethanol Automotive Fuel Earthtalk

Ethanol automotive fuel, biofuel, alternative energy and flex fuel vehicles are words we all hear often, but what do they really mean and how do they fit into our future? Dear EarthTalk: Where does ethanol as an automobile fuel fit into the alternative energy mix? Is it better for the environment than gasoline?

Ethanol—a biofuel derived from corn and other feedstocks—is already playing a major role in helping to reduce emissions from many of the traditional gasoline-powered cars on the road today. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, nearly half of all the gasoline sold in the U.S. contains up to 10 percent ethanol, which not only boosts octane but also helps meet federally mandated air quality requirements. By promoting more complete fuel combustion, this small amount of ethanol mixed into gasoline reduces exhaust emissions of carbon monoxide—a regulated pollutant linked to smog, acid rain, global warming and other environmental problems—by as much as 30 percent compared with pure gasoline.

Source: carjunky

Carbon Nanotube Sensors Developed for Stress and Strain Detection in Airplanes, Automobiles, Buildings, Bridges And Other Structures

Rice University (Houston, TX) earned U.S. Patent 7,730,547 for sensor devices made of carbon nanotubes that are capable of detecting displacement, impact, stress, and strain in materials as well as methods of manufacturing the sensors. Exemplary uses for such sensors include stress and strain detection in airplanes, spacecraft, automobiles, buildings, bridges, dams, gaskets and other structures.

Carbon nanotube sensing elements can be incorporated into airplane wings (or other parts of the airplane) to serve as indicators of potential structural failure. Carbon nanotube sensors can be potentially useful in detecting damage after lightning strikes an aircraft.

Source: beforeitsnews

Cypress Envirosystems Congratulates Genentech on Progressive Manufacturing Award For Innovative Energy-Saving Solution

Cypress Envirosystems, a subsidiary of Cypress Semiconductor congratulates Genentech on winning a 2010 Progressive Manufacturing Award from Managing Automation magazine for an innovative energy-saving solution with technology from Cypress Envirosystems.

The scope of the project included reducing steam losses on Genentech’s campus and implementing predictive maintenance strategies for the steam traps and research equipment on campus including critical freezers which hold biological samples. It also included an effort to monitor the equipment health of emergency generators. The project implemented wireless monitoring to achieve energy savings and reduce costs through predictive maintenance. The financial goal was to achieve a payback of less than two years.

Source: Cypress

A future full of touchscreens? It’s all in the software

Touchscreens are more than just a cool way to interface with a device. They allow designers to create highly dynamic, configurable, personalizable controls for a device, which means designers can optimize the device controls in software to suit the needs of any particular application or use scenario. Yes, designers now have a virtually open canvas to create customized user interfaces. As an end-user, I certainly appreciate the design economy and usability benefits of dynamic user interfaces. For example, when my touchscreen phone is running its music player application, a customized set of control elements appears on the screen. The custom UI is optimized to provide information about each control and only show the control that can be used at any given time. This is in stark contrast to hardware-based controls, in which users are forever trying to figure out what each button does in a given application (or if that button even does anything at all).

Source: venturebeat

Bluetooth technology to help track travel times

Whoever thought that talking on a cell phone while driving would be considered a public service?

But that will be the case in one respect starting within the next few weeks on the Eisenhower Expressway, where travel times have soared since a resurfacing project began this spring between Thorndale Avenue in the western suburbs and the Circle Interchange near downtown Chicago.

To generate travel-time information on the torn-up highway, the state has hired a Wisconsin company to monitor signals sent from motorists using Bluetooth-enabled personal electronic devices such as hands-free headsets for cell phones, wireless headphones and computer peripherals.

Each device has a unique identification marker that will be tracked anonymously at various points on the Eisenhower to determine travel times and pinpoint areas of congestion, according to the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Source: chicagotribune

First wave of LED bulbs nears the marketplace

The prospects of replacing today’s inefficient incandescent light bulbs with long-lasting, low-power LEDs are getting brighter.

Beginning in January 2012, federal law will require that light bulbs, or lamps as the industry calls them, will need to be 30 percent more efficient than current incandescent bulbs. Standard incandescent lamps will most likely not be able to meet those requirements. LED makers hope their bulbs will.

The LED bulbs use 20 percent of the power of a current incandescent bulb and last up to 25,000 hours, compared with 2,000 hours for a standard bulbs and 8,000 for a compact fluorescent. That’s 17 years if the bulb is on four hours a day.

Source: Economy

A robot that stands in for you at meetings you can’t make

Here’s a newfangled tech toy that’ll turn heads in the office.

Today, Anybots introduced QB, a robotic stand-in for employees unable to attend meetings.

The 35-pound robotic unit, which is remote controlled via a WiFi network, includes a high-resolution video camera for its operator to see through. It comes with eight hours of battery life.

The unit, which is expandable from 32 inches to 5-foot-9, is available in the fall for $15,000.

Source: usatoday