future weapons

NanoPen: Low-Power, and Light-Actuated Patterning of Nanoparticles

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Nanoletters Journal: NanoPen: Dynamic, Low-Power, and Light-Actuated Patterning of Nanoparticles (H/t Brett Coalson) We introduce NanoPen, a novel technique for low optical power intensity, flexible, real-time reconfigurable, and large-scale light-actuated patterning of single or multiple nanoparticles, such as metallic spherical nanocrystals, and one-dimensional nanostructures, such as carbon nanotubes. NanoPen is capable of dynamically patterning nanoparticles …

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Optical Quantum Computing and a Complete Methods Set for Scalable Ion Trap Quantum Information Processing

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1. New Scientist reports that the codebreaking quantum computer algorithm (shors algorithm for factoring) has been run on a silicon chip. Journal Science abstract: Shor’s Quantum Factoring Algorithm on a Photonic Chip Shor’s quantum factoring algorithm finds the prime factors of a large number exponentially faster than any other known method, a task that lies …

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McKinsey Suggests Plan For China Economy to Shift to 50% Household Consumption

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Shifting China’s economy towards services would do much more than strengthening the social safety net as a way to boost the miserly share of consumption in GDP, McKinsey Global Institute (MGI) said on Friday. The 74 page report is here in pdf form and requires a free registration to view it. “If You’ve Got It, …

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Carnival of Space 114

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Cheap Astronomy has the Carnival of Space 114. Nextbigfuture provided articles on the space elevator games [delayed 4+ weeks] and new developments in carbon nanotube technology required to build space elevators. Weird warp talks about the Technological singularity, computers and brain computer interfaces. Centauri Dreams takes another look at extraterrestrial life and puctuated evolution. Check …

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Space elevator Games Delayed at Least 4 Weeks

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The helicopter flight was not successful in maintaining constant tension or position for hanging the 1 kilometer long tether for the space elevator games. This resulted in a safety device dropping the line – which means we’ll have to do this yet again, until we get it right, and so the games cannot proceed as …

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Aubrey de Grey Interview by Sander Olson

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Aubrey de Grey: Founder of Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence (SENS) is a 25-year long research strategy, currently underway, to develop a regenerative medical procedure to periodically repair all the age-related damage in the human body, thereby maintaining a youth-like state indefinitely Question: Tell us about the SENS foundation. What …

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Powersat Space Based Solar Power Plans and Patent

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PowerSat Corporation estimates they can make 2500 megawatts of space based solar power plants for roughly $3-4 Billion. PowerSat is anticipating being able to transmit power to commercial customers in 10-12 years. Launching a powersat is very similar to launching a communications satellite, and uses the same technology and equipment. Where PowerSat’s satellites differ is …

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Magplane Technology for Freight and People

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Photos of one of the freight Maglev project in China.Linear Synchronous Motor Module. Shown with cover plate on the right. (January 2009) Completed capsule set for the Baotou demonstration system on the left. (October 2008) This is a follow up to the article on China’s pilot use of this technology for transporting coal. These are …

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Precise Semiconductor Nanowire Placement Through Dielectrophoresis

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University of California, San Diego researchers demonstrated the ability to precisely control the alignment and placement of large numbers of InAs nanowires from solution onto very narrow, prepatterned electrodes using dielectrophoresis. An understanding of dielectrophoretic behavior associated with such electrode geometries is essential to development of approaches for assembly of intricate nanowire systems. The influence …

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International Conference on Robotics and Automation 2009

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IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA 2009) in Kobe, Japan, is presenting many interesting robots. [H/T Sander Olson] A rapid pole climbing robot from the University of Pennsylvania. Robot-Assisted Rapid Prototyping for Ice Structures Video of ice sculpting robot at this link McGill University researchers are currently developing experimental robotic systems for building …

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Dr Richard Nebel: We Will Know if IEC Fusion Will Work Within 24 Months

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This site has an interview of Dr Richard Nebel who is leading the IEC/Bussard Fusion project. Dr. Nebel commented: I believe we will know the answer for the Polywell [commercial nuclear fusion viability] in ~ 1.5-2 years. I haven’t looked at MSimons design, but I know he has a lot of good ideas. We’ll probably …

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