Blogs
DoD cancels “participation trophy” for drone pilots
April 16, 2013 4:03 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsThe DoD has finally backed down. And I applaud their decision. Following months of negative feedback, the DoD has officially scuttled the Distinguished Warfare Medal. The DWM — intended for drone operators — would’ve ranked ahead of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart (two combat decorations) in the order of precedence.
Why the government should ban cellphones while driving
April 16, 2013 10:28 am | by Kasey Panetta, Managing Editor | CommentsThis term “nanny state” is an interesting one. It’s a term people throw out when they feel the government is infringing on their right to do something stupid. Frankly, if people could be trusted to police themselves, we wouldn’t have any laws at all.
Low-cost IQ modulation with true-form waveform generators
April 15, 2013 1:37 pm | by Joan Mercade, Arbitrary Resources, S.L | CommentsDigitally modulated signals fill space and travel through almost every wired and optical network. Today, almost all wireless services use a plethora of complex carrier modulation schemes. The continuous improvement in modulation technologies and components and advances in error-correction codes have increased channel capacity close to the fundamental limit as set by the Shannon-Hartley theorem.
We all need Google Fiber
April 15, 2013 1:16 pm | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsAlmost a year ago, Google launched its first broadband internet network, Google Fiber, in Kansas City (the Kansas and Missouri versions both), with speeds that severely overshadowed currently-available cable and DSL providers for a fraction of the cost. Consumers were able to sign up for 1 gigabit download speeds for a mere $70 a month.
Computers are the new Freud of dreams
April 15, 2013 9:25 am | by Stephanie Carmichael, Contributor | CommentsWe use computers for just about everything: communicating, avoiding long lines at the mall, and even ordering pizza. Thanks to new research, their presence is extending beyond our waking lives. It might sound like something out of science fiction, but scientists have discovered a way to use computers to read people’s minds.
Can you effectively burn calories by drinking cold water?
April 15, 2013 1:39 am | by Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog | CommentsNeil deGrasse Tyson stated on Twitter: Wanna lose 1200 Calories a month? Drink a liter of ice water a day. You burn the energy just raising the water to body temp. What if your body is trying to cool down? … Continue reading →
Silicon Valley has nothing on manufacturing
April 12, 2013 5:45 pm | by David Mantey, Executive Editor, PD&D | CommentsManufacturing floors don’t have Lego stations and pool tables — and yes, OSHA may take issue with throwing empty cans from the mini bar into the same bin as the scrap metal from the lathe, but that doesn’t mean that the industry has any fewer engineers flocking to it.
Iran invents “time machine,” beats Doc Brown to the punch
April 12, 2013 10:23 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsFrom the same folks who brought you the flying clown car comes this: An Iranian scientist claims to have invented a time machine. No, really. I cannot make this stuff up. Ali Razeghi registered "The Aryayek Time Traveling Machine" with the state-run Center for Strategic Inventions. He claims it can "predict five to eight years of the future life of any individual, with 98 percent accuracy"....
Building A Better Bed Bug Trap Using Bean Leaves
April 11, 2013 8:03 pm | by Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog | CommentsBuilding A Better Bed Bug Trap An old folk remedy involving hairy bean leaves strewn around the bedroom may have a new life as a modern bed bug trap, according to new research from the University of California, Irvine and … Continue reading →
The nanny state should loosen its grip on cell phones
April 11, 2013 3:24 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsWe’ve written a lot on ECN about automotive safety and its intersection with cutting-edge technology. Texting, Facebooking, and web surfing pose an existential concern for distracted drivers (not to mention pilots, train conductors, and boat captains), but the nanny state has really overreached on this one: A California court recently found a motorist guilty of distracted driving for checking a map on his iPhone.
Legos on the plant floor?
April 11, 2013 2:25 pm | by Joel Hans, Managing Editor, Manufacturing.net | CommentsWe’ve all probably heard about the incredible perks that Silicon Valley technology companies give their employees. According to a recent AP story, that includes some superfluous perks that sound like they belong more at home in a daycare facility than a multinational technology firm.
Who’s the fool? – Profound discoveries or elaborate pranks
April 11, 2013 9:44 am | by Chris Fox, Associate Editor, PD&D | CommentsWe all know the old adage that surrounds the first day of April. We’ve all taken part in or fallen victim to an April Fools prank at some point. In the contemporary realm, April Fools has taken on an entirely different persona. April 1 used to be a day where the bully in school could yell out the hallmark and get away with tripping you in the hallway (kind of)....
The freedom to be an entrepreneur
April 10, 2013 10:06 am | by Mike Rainone, Co-Founder of PCDworks | CommentsIf you have ever read this column, you know that I am a student of risk. All of New Product Development (NPD) is about risk on a corporate level. However, entrepreneurial risk is related in the sense that corporations both large and small, from start-ups to behemoths, are faced with risk, and the social systems in which they exist plays a large role in determining how that risk plays out.
Star Wars on the high seas: Navy plans to deploy shipboard laser by 2014
April 9, 2013 3:35 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | CommentsSome bad news for Sci-Fi fans: The Navy’s new shipboard laser system, Laser Weapon System (LaWS), won't shoot spiffy beams of light of the sort used to kill stormtroopers, Cylons, and Klingons. But it will fire a focused infrared laser that can down drones, disable small boats, and — in the future — engage missiles and enemy jets.
The creepiest robot yet
April 9, 2013 2:28 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Managing Editor | CommentsThere is an interesting inverse phenomenon involved in creating humanoid robots: The more lifelike they are, the creepier they become. It’s not something that makes complete sense if you think about it. Theoretically, as robots become more human-like, they should begin to blend more into society and become less weird.
