Lifeboat Foundation

I would have never written the requirements for Starship.

In science fiction, holograms are used for anything from basic communications to advanced military weaponry. In the real world, 3D holographic displays have yet to break through to everyday products and devices. That’s because creating holograms that look real and have significant fidelity requires laser emitters or other advanced pieces of optical equipment. This situation has stymied commercial development, as these components are complex and expensive.

More recently, research scientists were able to create realistic 3D holographic images without lasers by using a white chip-on-board light-emitting diode. Unfortunately, that method required two spatial light modulators to control the wave fronts of the emitted light, adding a prohibitive amount of complexity and cost.

Now, those same scientists say they have created a simpler, more cost-effective way to create realistic-looking 3D holographic displays using only one spatial light modulator and new software algorithms. The result is a simpler and cheaper method for creating holograms that an everyday technology like a smartphone screen can emit.

As computer vision (CV) systems become increasingly power and memory intensive, they become unsuitable for high-speed and resource deficit edge applications — such as hypersonic missile tracking and autonomous navigation — because of size, weight, and power constraints.

At the University of Pittsburgh, engineers are ushering in the next generation of computer vision systems by using neuromorphic engineering to reinvent visual processing systems with a biological inspiration — human vision.

Rajkumar Kubendran, assistant professor in Pitt’s Swanson School of Engineering and senior member at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), received a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for his research on energy-efficient and data-efficient neuromorphic systems. Neuromorphic engineering is a promising frontier that will introduce the next generation of CV systems by reducing the number of operations through event-based computation in a biology-inspired framework.

A supersonic drone that will be propelled by a revolutionary new engine has taken to the skies for the first time. When Venus Aerospace’s aircraft does go supersonic on a later date, it will be powered by a Rotating Detonation Rocket Engine (RDRE).

Supersonic drones may sound like something bleeding edge, but they’re surprisingly old hat as a basic concept. As far back as the early 1950s, the US Air Force was fielding remote-controlled supersonic jets for targets to test air defenses, as platforms for reconnaissance in dangerous areas, or as weapons armed with conventional or nuclear warheads.

Continue reading “Video: Supersonic drone flies with revolutionary detonation engine” »

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A team of researchers from China, who are originally engaged in hypersonic missile development, have developed a mechanical sensor that can boost the safety on the country’s high-speed rail network.

As per an article in the South China Morning Post, the scientists have proposed using a high-sensitivity technology to paint a complete picture of every turn of the train’s wheels.

Chinese researchers have allegedly developed a new, powerful Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) using technology found in electric vehicles.

The catapult can launch a 30-tonne projectile from 0 to 230 feet/s (0 to 70 m/s) in around 2.1 seconds.

Continue reading “China’s new EV-based catapult can fire a 30-ton plane in 2.1 seconds” »

Mr. Xia further noted the expanding utility of unmanned technologies across various domains, including aerial, maritime, underwater, and terrestrial operations, underscoring their revolutionary impact on future military engagements.

“A drone costing just a few thousand dollars can effectively neutralize an advanced tank worth over 5 million dollars,” Mr. Xia said, illustrating a remarkable disparity in warfare economics.

Drones’ ease of manufacture, low detection and radar interception rates, and precision targeting via satellite data further accentuate their tactical viability. Importantly, drones facilitate offensive operations without compromising soldier safety, marking a significant evolution in how military objectives are pursued.

In the mid-1990’s, MEMS emerged in industrial manufacturing in a major way and MEMS components began appearing in numerous commercial products and applications including force sensors used to control brake deployment in vehicles, blood pressure sensors, inkjet printer heads, miniature analytical instruments, fiber-optic network components, air-and spacecraft control and of course military applications like surveillance and munitions guidance.