Famed military maverick mad science outfit DARPA has launched a new bid to keep America's tech edge sufficiently sanguinary. This time the killer boffins want nothing less than an accurate computer simulation of a living humanoid brain - which they may use for purposes benign or sinister.
Sunday, April 26, 2009
Little Black Box Streams HD Content Like a Flash Flood
Practically every device in my house (save for the counter-top fryer) doubles as a media streamer, blasting movies, music or even photos from one side of the house to some screen on the other. The SageTV HD Theater is different, though: It's smaller, cheaper, quieter and in some ways more versatile than most media streaming appliances. At roughly 7 inches wide and 6 inches deep, the HD Theater is smaller than a teacup poodle in a trash compactor. In fact, it's so small that it might even have trouble standing up to its own remote, if the two ever came to blows. Once the HD Theater was patched into my 42-inch plasma, it became clear that it's really two devices in one. Its first function is as an extender for viewing media stored on a computer. Like the HD100 Media Extender reviewed last year, the crux of this function is SageTV's included DVR software. Getting the software installed and converting my favorite home theater PC into a de facto media server was a cinch. Surfing through my networked media was easy enough using SageTV's plain (but customizable) interface, and even full 1080p playback was both brisk and clear. Also, since the HD Theater supports a ton of audio and video formats, it had no problems even when I threw it some tough file formats (MKV anyone?).
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Self-healing concrete
A concrete material developed at the University of Michigan has the ability to heal itself when it cracks. Its developers claim that just a handful of rainy days would be enough to mend a damaged bridge made of the new substance. The new material heals itself because it has been designed to bend and crack in narrow hairlines rather than break and split in wide gaps, as traditional concrete does.
Stronger silk
Spider silk is tougher and lighter than steel - German scientists have added tiny amounts of metal to spider silk to make it even stronger and more elastic.
The technique could lead to the development of super-tough textiles, surgical thread or artificial tissues such as bones or tendons, the researchers claim.
To make the silk, the researchers borrowed a trick from nature with the goal of further enhancing its properties.
Small Satellites Provide Low-Cost Entree
Satellite reconnaissance that delivers timely intelligence and strategic communications has become an essential part of national security for many nations, providing early warning of hostile attacks and extending command and control throughout areas of operation.
Most nations, particularly small countries, lack the resources, technology and money to create and maintain constellations of orbiting satellites. Smaller, less-costly satellites weighing 500 kg. (1,100 lb.) or less are emerging as practical options. In recent years, large countries, including the U.S. (see p. 36), as well as small ones have recognized the benefits of these platforms.
Heavy Artillery Testing in The Netherlands
In March, a select group of customers and decision-makers reported to TNO (the Dutch Institute for Applied Scientific Research) in Ypenburg (the Netherlands).
They had taken up the invitation from TenCate Advanced Armour to attend a test of protective solutions, in which the heavy artillery was deployed. The result was impressive and the meeting a success.
The US Navy’s Dual Band Radars
The US Navy’s newest light cruiser and aircraft carrier designs offer a wide array of new technologies. One is the Dual-Band Radar (DBR) system, which can be scaled up or down for installation in the new DDG-1000 Zumwalt Class “destroyers”, and the CVN-21 Gerald R. Ford Class aircraft carriers.
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