Super-speedy light detector gives x-ray machines a run for their money

It’s very tough to find light beyond certain frequencies. If you want to see elusive terahertz waves, for example, you have to get a system that’s either really slow or needs to be kept at a temperature near absolute zero — not exactly practical. The University of Maryland’s scientists have a better way, however. They’ve developed a graphene-based detector that not only works at room temperature, but should be over a million times faster than previous tech. The very nature of graphene is what makes it work so well; since the material doesn’t absorb the heat from incoming light, you can use it as a sensor without having to keep it chilly or otherwise jump through hoops to get an accurate reading.

A very fast, very flexible detector like this could be useful for more than just scientific discoveries, like identifying chemicals. The researchers believe it could come in handy for extra-speedy communications and night vision beyond simple infrared, for a start. The breakthrough could be especially vital in medicine — unlike x-rays, you can see what’s between bones and skin, potentially catching problems that would otherwise go unnoticed. It’ll likely be a long while before you’re standing in front of a graphene scanner in the hospital, but the concept is no longer all that outlandish.

[Image credit: AP Photo/Gero Breloer]

Filed under: Science

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Source: Phys.org

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Mobile networks push back on national roaming plans

In a perfect world, mobile operators would pool all of their network resources to allow Britons to make calls in the remotest parts of the country. The government wants to make it happen, but operators aren’t so keen on the idea. According to the Financial Times, Ed Vaizey, the UK’s digital czar, sent letters to carriers in an attempt to reach an accord over “national roaming” plans, but mobile bosses rejected the idea because it gave them nothing in return and they couldn’t implement a solution by the start of next year. It shouldn’t come as a surprise: the carriers voiced their opposition when Culture Secretary Sajid Javid first mooted the idea, suggesting it would slow network expansions and could see extra costs passed on to bill payers. The government could bully carriers into playing ball by using existing legislation, but for now it’s putting the ball in their court. They’ll now have to come up with their own ways to rid the country of “not spots”, or possibly face having their hand forced.

[Image credit: webmink, Flickr]

Filed under: Cellphones, Wireless, Mobile

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Source: Financial Times

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Airlines are getting better at spotting and dodging bad weather

Turbulence hasn’t gone away, but apparently we experience a lot less of it now than we did a decade ago. The New York Times is reporting that as airlines upgrade their weather systems from telex to tablets, pilots’ ability to avoid choppy sky has vastly improved. As well as this, better satellite imaging and weather forecasting has enabled airlines to cut the amount of weather-based delays from 50 percent in 2003 to 36 percent in 2013. In addition, Delta and American Airlines have now outfitted some of their craft with sensors that automatically transmit data to dispatches, keeping subsequent flights out of trouble. The report goes on to say that we’re also on the cusp of another big weather resolution, since high-power imaging satellites, due to commence operation in 2016, will massively increase an airline’s ability to predict when airports will get shut down – and hopefully, save future generations from trying to catch some sleep on those nasty-ass chairs at Philadelphia airport.

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: The New York Times

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Robocouch takes students to class without all of that exercise nonsense

There’s a different kind of two-seater roaming the sidewalks of the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia: a motorized couch. Thanks to the efforts of a few engineering students, what started as a joke amongst friends is now a Xbox gamepad-controlled robotic sofa. Under the cushions, there’s an electric scooter motor and an armrest-mounted Raspberry Pi to wrangle the vehicle’s four independent wheels. All told, it took a group of nine students a year to get the kinks worked out of the mechanical, software and assembly systems. “We were thinking about making a fridge robotic, too, so you could call it over,” said co-creator Will Andrew. One thing’s for sure: they’d certainly improve gameday lounging.

Filed under: Misc, Transportation

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Source: UNSW Australia

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The Big Picture: Infrared satellite images reveal the true extent of a forest fire

DigitalGlobe’s recently launched high-res imaging satellite isn’t just in orbit for the sake of creating pretty pictures; it can also uncover things that you might never see at all. As proof, the company has posted before-and-after imagery of a California forest fire that shows off the advantages of WorldView-3’s shortwave infrared sensor, which can easily see past clouds and smoke. Suffice it to say that the sensor’s effect is dramatic — areas that would have been completely obscured are suddenly in plain sight, revealing both the perimeter of the blaze and its intensity. The hope is that firefighters will use overhead shots like these to pinpoint areas where they’re needed most, saving people and whole regions. It could be a while before emergency teams are pulling up satellite views at a moment’s notice, but it won’t be surprising if aircraft-based fire recon eventually becomes obsolete.

Filed under: Science

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Source: DigitalGlobe

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