Tech posts and images
Apr. 11th, 2008 01:35 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
dracodraconisHow common is intelligent life in the universe? - An interesting article on Space.com explores the likelihood of our encountering other intelligent life.
Make my condoms green - Brazil, one of the world's largest single buyer of condoms in the world, plans to make their own using rubber harvested from trees in the rain forest. The approach is expected to create new jobs for people living in the Amazonian jungle, as well as help preserve the rain forest and reduce the cost of importing products that can be produced more cheaply locally. The government currently gives away free condoms to fight the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, much to the dismay of the Roman Catholic Church.
Depression a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease - US researchers report that people with recurrent symptoms of depression are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those who show no recurrent symptoms of depression.
Cars can be tracked using tire pressure gauge - A Tire Pressure Monitoring System uses uniquely-identifiable radio transmitters on each tire to broadcast to the current tire pressure to a sensor in the car. Some people are concerned that the car can be tracked by tracking the wireless signal generated by the tire because each sensor emits a unique ID so that it can be differentiated from both other tires in the car and other tires on other cars. Found on Slashdot.
Movement sensors less invasive for tracking office workers - Researchers at the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories have demonstrated that people can be accurately tracked in an office setting using a distributed array of low-cost motion sensors. The propose that tracking people in this way is more effective than traditional approaches using CCTV and is better at maintaining people's privacy. The system may have application in determining how people behave during emergencies so that escape procedures and mechanisms can be improved. Found on Slashdot.
Make my condoms green - Brazil, one of the world's largest single buyer of condoms in the world, plans to make their own using rubber harvested from trees in the rain forest. The approach is expected to create new jobs for people living in the Amazonian jungle, as well as help preserve the rain forest and reduce the cost of importing products that can be produced more cheaply locally. The government currently gives away free condoms to fight the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, much to the dismay of the Roman Catholic Church.
Depression a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease - US researchers report that people with recurrent symptoms of depression are at increased risk of developing Alzheimer's disease than those who show no recurrent symptoms of depression.
Cars can be tracked using tire pressure gauge - A Tire Pressure Monitoring System uses uniquely-identifiable radio transmitters on each tire to broadcast to the current tire pressure to a sensor in the car. Some people are concerned that the car can be tracked by tracking the wireless signal generated by the tire because each sensor emits a unique ID so that it can be differentiated from both other tires in the car and other tires on other cars. Found on Slashdot.
Movement sensors less invasive for tracking office workers - Researchers at the Mitsubishi Electric Research Laboratories have demonstrated that people can be accurately tracked in an office setting using a distributed array of low-cost motion sensors. The propose that tracking people in this way is more effective than traditional approaches using CCTV and is better at maintaining people's privacy. The system may have application in determining how people behave during emergencies so that escape procedures and mechanisms can be improved. Found on Slashdot.
 Another National Park is proposed for the NWT. The territory currently has a greater fraction of it's land area devoted to protected land than any other province or territory in Canada. Found on Rick Mercer's blog. |
 1.3 megapixel spy glasses lets you take photos of what you are currently looking at. Found on Warren Ellis's blog. (Be warned that some of what he posts may not be worksafe.) |
 New CO2 map shows the "hotspots" of CO2 emission in the United States to a resolution of 10 kilometres. |
 The frog featured here has no lungs. Instead, it has evolved to respire entirely through its skin. This is the first such creature ever found. |
 The G-Dog, expected out in Japan for $1000(US) some time in July. Found on grinding.be. |
 Tooth tattoos. Found on grinding.be. |
 ULTra car personal transit system, soon to be employed at Heathrow airport. Found on io9. |
 No, this is not a rocket-powered train, but a Soyez capsule being taken to the launchpad. Found on io9. |
 Debris currently in low Earth orbit (LEO). Of 6000 satellites placed in orbit, only 800 are operational. Some have returned to Earth, but many are still up there. Found on Slashdot. |
 The bottom image is a road surface at below 1 degree Celsius, resulting in the specially-designed varnish turning pink. at warmer temperatures, the paint remains white as shown in the top image. Scientists hope to use this varnish to warn drivers when the road temperature has fallen low enough that there is a risk of ice formation, or to let road maintenance workers know when the roads should be salted. More work is required before this product is ready for manufacture. |