‘Project Eyes’ tackles pirate fishing with satellites and algorithms

Illegal fishing causes permanent environmental destruction and economic losses of up to $23 billion a year, largely because it’s so easy to get away with it in unpatrolled waters. But UK scientists are fighting back with Project Eyes on the Seas, a joint operation from from the Pew Charitable Trusts and the UK Satellite Applications Catapult. Unlike Google’s Global Fishing Watch, the new effort won’t just rely on data from ships’ on-board transponders. It’ll also use satellite radar, which can spot larger vessels even if their transponders are turned off or “spoofed.”

All the data will be analyzed by the Project Eyes’ algorithms, which will look for unusual ship movements and compare them to sea conditions and estimated fishing spots. For instance, if two vessels come together at a certain speed, the system will guess that they’re exchanging catch, a common method to avoid getting caught. Once suspicious activity is found, the system will alert the watch room in Oxfordshire, UK, which will in turn notify local enforcement.

The goal is to eventually “transform the current very expensive and patchy system… into a (far more cost effective) global system,” according to the group. Project Eyes will be launched in the seas around Chile, Palaus and the UK Overseas Territories to start, and expand to more countries and regional fishery programs over the next few years. However, the key immediate goal is no less than to “safeguard some of the planet’s last remaining near-pristine marine habitats.”

[Image credit: Getty Images]

Filed under: Science

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Via: BBC

Source: Catapult Org

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Scientists successfully implant self-destructing nanobots into live mice

We’ve seen nanobots do some neat stuff so far (aquatic dance routines immediately come to mind), but them administering drugs inside a living organism’s been the stuff of scientists’ dreams. Researchers at the University of California San Diego, however, recently made it a reality by successfully administering acid-powered, zinc-based, self-destructing micromotors inside living mice. The ultra-tiny ‘bots measured in at 20 micrometers long, roughly a human hair’s width, and are tough enough to survive the harsh gastrointestinal environment autonomously. What’s more, they destroy themselves without leaving any traces of harmful chemicals behind and being self-propelled apparently was a factor in “greatly improved” tissue penetration and drug retention. As the BBC points out, this would make them great for treating maladies like peptic ulcers and other stomach disorders.

The Triton scientists admit that there’s still a long way to go before we see this tech outside of the lab, but say that this represents a critical first step to getting there. In the meantime, we’re just wondering if Dennis Quaid and Martin Short aware that Innerspace​ is now one step closer to reality.

[Image credit: Getty Images]

Filed under: Robots, Science, Alt

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Via: Slashdot

Source: ACS

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BMW and Volkswagen team-up creates 100 fast-charge stations for EVs

Electric vehicle charging spots are nowhere near as prolific as their gas counterparts, but automakers are trying to do what they can so you’d buy their emission-free vehicles. BMW and Volkswagen, for instance, will install 100 fast-charging stations by ChargePoint along the east and west coasts to form “corridors” of roads where drivers can access one every 50 miles or so. Each station is expected to have two 50 kW DC or 24 kW DC fast chargers, which are certainly welcome, as these speedy machines are only available in 120 spots among the 20,000 ChargePoint locations across the US. The best thing about them is that they can juice up an EV for up to 80 percent in just 20 to 30 minutes, depending on which type you’re using.

Also, unlike Tesla’s Supercharger network (made up of 358 stations) that uses proprietary technology only compatible with its own cars, these ChargePoint chargers work with “nearly all electric vehicles on the road,” according to The New York Times. You will have to pay to use them, whereas Superchargers are free, but we’re sure you’d rather spend money than drive wondering if your car’s battery can last all the way to your destination. Unfortunately, NYT didn’t have an exact list of compatible vehicles, but they definitely include BMW’s and Volkswagen’s newest EVs: the i3 and the e-Golf. The companies plan to open up the new charging spots along the routes visualized below as soon as the end of 2015.

[Image credit: DDOTDC/Flickr]

Filed under: Transportation

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Source: CNET, The New York Times, ChargePoint

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