Blogs
Older CFLs Interfere with Cable TV Equipment
April 13, 2010 7:52 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsPhillips Electronics has admitted that early CFL models can interfere with cable TV equipment. When CFLs first turn on, their flickering affects the infra-red sensors on remote control receivers. This causes TVs to randomly turn on and off and switch channels.
The Industry Needs Bus Bars
April 13, 2010 6:52 am | by Ken Brandmier, director of new product development, Custom Electronics | Blogs | CommentsThe fundamental purpose of a bus bar, like a wire or cable, is to connect two or more points of a circuit. However, bus bars offer many other advantages over conventional cables.
Navy upholds ban on flash media
April 9, 2010 5:53 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsTo follow up on an earlier story, the US Navy has maintained the ban on flash media. Notwithstanding the official “lifting” of the ban, Navy officials consider flash media too risky. Sailors who violate the policy could have their account access terminated for 30 days.
Solar-powered craft aims for perpetual flight
April 8, 2010 6:03 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe solar-powered Impulse HB-SIA completed its maiden voyage on Wednesday. The 90-minute flight reached an altitude of 5,500 feet, over a mile above the Swiss countryside, with an average speed of 44 mph (70 kph). This is the first step towards an ambitious goal: travel around the world by 2012.
Will the United States lose its air supremacy?
April 2, 2010 9:26 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe announcement of Russia’s newest fifth-generation fighter, the Sukhoi PAK FA, stunned the world. To put it succinctly, the “Future Frontline Aircraft System” is a game-changer. Its closest rival is the F-22 Raptor, and yet production on the United States’ premier air-superiority fighter has been scrapped in favor of the F-35. Are we repeating the mistakes of the past?
Sony removes PS3 Linux support
April 1, 2010 6:59 am | by Andrew Maiman | Blogs | CommentsSo, even if you haven’t heard the latest news regarding Sony and the PlayStation 3 it will come as no surprise that they’re up to their anti-consumer practices once again. According to a blog entry on the official Sony web site, they have released a new firmware version (3.21) todayThis new “update” removes the ‘Other OS’ feature that is present on older PS3s...
Lockheed Martin tests precision-guided missile system
March 31, 2010 9:56 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsLockheed Martin has successfully tested a tri-mode seeker for its Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) system. The advent of “Fourth Generation Warfare” has put renewed emphasis on reducing collateral damage. Thus, precision weapons systems have taken on prime importance.
GAO Finds Incompetence and Fraud in EPA Energy Star Program
March 30, 2010 3:43 am | by by Susan Kraemer, cleantechnica.com | Blogs | CommentsWhile much of the Energy Star program is sound, and has led to real quantifiable energy savings over time, over the last four years, alarm bells have been sounding on the increasingly lax certification process.
College to Save Money by Switching Fonts
March 26, 2010 11:28 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | News | CommentsThe University of Wisconsin-Green Bay plans to cut costs by switching their default e-mail font. Poor Arial, the latest victim of the recession. In an economic climate like this, even fonts aren’t safe. Since Century Gothic purportedly uses 30% less ink than Arial, this would save money when students print e-mails.
DARPA fields small arms detection system for helos
March 25, 2010 7:39 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is developing a system that will assist helicopter crews in pinpointing the source of small arms fire. HALTT uses advanced acoustic detection and data processing to “exploit the supersonic shock wave produced by a bullet in flight.” In other words, it would detect the “snap,” “hiss,” or “crack” of a bullet.
UK military incorporates Virtual Reality Parachute Trainers
March 24, 2010 10:34 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe UK’s Ministry of Defence has purchased Virtual Reality Parachute Trainers (VRPT) for the Parachute Training School at RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire. The contract with Gloucestershire-based Pennant Training Systems Limited is for the design, manufacture, and installation of eight Virtual Trainers.
Army goes “green” with electric vehicles
March 23, 2010 8:17 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsFort Sam Houston received 20 Neighborhood Electric Vehicles (NEVs) in January as part of a larger plan to replace petroleum-based DoD vehicles with more “energy-efficient” transportation. The Army plans on replacing up to 28,000 gas-powered ground support vehicles with electric vehicles at more than 155 Army installations worldwide.
France obtains micro UAVs
March 22, 2010 6:43 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsThe French Special Forces Command is now equipped with an unspecified number of Skylark 1 and Wasp Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). The French Armament Procurement Agency (Direction générale de l'armement, DGA) made the handoff on March 8th...
Check out the Femto Forum Plugfest at CTIA
March 22, 2010 4:00 am | by Rupert Baines, picoChip, www.picochip.com | Blogs | CommentsAlthough common in the data-communications industry, plugfests are less familiar to those of us who work in mobile communications.
Indian Army develops chili grenade
March 19, 2010 10:06 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsNow here’s some news tailor-made for a Friday: the Indian Army is developing a “chili grenade.” Packed with bhut jolokia peppers (aka the world’s hottest chili pepper), these special grenades will be used as non-lethal munition. Check your calendars, folks. It isn’t April 1st yet.
Energy 102 - Heat Engines
March 18, 2010 5:38 am | Blogs | CommentsThere is no question the overwhelming majority of ‘mechanical’ energy utilized in this country has as its source the output of Heat Engines, i.e. devices that convert stored solar energy in fossil fuels to ‘mechanical work’.
Do gamers make better soldiers?
March 17, 2010 5:54 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsFindings by the Office of Naval Research indicate that video games improve overall perceptual and cognitive abilities. While nothing new—the claim is nearly as old as Pac-Man, the irregular warfare we face today makes it more relevant than ever. Since Pong, video games have been castigated for everything from school truancy, to school shootings, to even global warming.
On Mobile Broadband and Spectrum Availability
March 16, 2010 5:25 am | Blogs | CommentsI’ve recently read Peter Rysavy’s excellent analysis on the demand for mobile broadband and spectrum availability; the report is very interesting & well worth reading.
Model-Based Design Creates Configurable, Space-Qualified Digital Channelizer
March 12, 2010 8:56 am | by Bradford Watson, Staff Engineer, Advanced Algorithm Development Group at Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company | Blogs | CommentsMany commercial communications satellites are limited to fixed band plans that assign a bandwidth to users even if they are not actively employing it, an inefficient use of communications capacity. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company developed a dual-stage, satellite-based channelizer (also known as a bent pipe transponder) that can move bandwidth on demand between users and locations.
Travel Charger Handles Every Contingency
March 12, 2010 8:17 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsPowertraveller has released the ultimate travel charger for on-the-go professionals, outdoorsmen, and techies alike—the powermonkey-eXplorer. With three charging methods, international adapters, and tips for nearly every portable electronic device, you’ll never be somewhere without power.
Army to hit one million unmanned flight hours
March 10, 2010 12:30 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsTraditionally pegged as a ground force, the Army is approaching an historic milestone: one million flight hours for its Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). According to COL Christopher Carlile, director, U.S. Army Unmanned Aircraft Systems Center of Excellence, the Army will hit one million UAS flight hours some time next month.
Video games and the military: Engaging the “tech generation”
March 9, 2010 9:10 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Blogs | CommentsFor good or ill, the military is often indistinguishable from a large corporation. While “employees” must conform to the company’s modus operandi, the company must engage its employees on their terms. In this day and age, that means technology. Thus, the military increasingly relies on video games and computers to recruit and train its “employees.”
Tinker’s Toolbox - Session Recap
March 8, 2010 5:16 am | Podcasts | CommentsThis TTB conversation included participants from National Instruments and FCI. Topics covered included a recap of previous discussion and the nature of the toolbox discussion in the context of engineering needs for disasters like Haiti.
US ITC Hands Seagate Patent Win
March 8, 2010 4:36 am | by Charles Schill, Steptoe & Johnson | Blogs | CommentsThe US ITC handed Seagate a big win by issuing its final determination on a major patent case, finding no violation of Section 337 by Seagate’s computer hard drives or the integrated circuits used in its products supplied by LSI.
Energy 101 - The Basics
March 8, 2010 4:23 am | Blogs | CommentsSince there is a great worldwide debate going on about “energy”, some of the debate participants need to refresh their memories, or in some cases, learn something about the basic ‘Energy Laws’ (EL), associated with it’s utilization and conversion from one form to another.
