Monitoring the world with microsatellites and open source data

Planet Labs uses 149 microsatellites to monitor the pulse of our planet with daily news and imagery, stories, and tech updates. Current satellite imaging only allows us to look at various disconnected locations. Planet’s always-on, daily imagery provides a global monitoring capability never before possible. Frequent satellite imagery is often a critical component to understanding …

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Flagship researchers integrate graphene and quantum dots with CMOS technology to create an array of photodetectors, producing a high resolution image sensor. Image Credit: Fabien Vialla

Seeing The Invisible With A Graphene-CMOS Integrated Device

EU Graphene Flagship researchers from ICFO (The Institute of Photonic Sciences in Barcelona) have shown that it is possible to integrate graphene into a CMOS integrated circuit. In their paper published in the journal Nature Photonics they combine this graphene-CMOS device with quantum dots to create an array of photodetectors, producing a high resolution image …

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3D imaging with centimeter precision through walls by using Wifi signals

Scientists at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) have developed a holographic imaging process that depicts the radiation of a Wi-Fi transmitter to generate three-dimensional images of the surrounding environment. Industrial facility operators could use this to track objects as they move through the production hall. Just like peering through a window, holograms project a …

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Megapixel imaging and Spectroscopy of an exoplanet with a Solar Gravity Lens Mission

Slava Turyshev of NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory proposes to study a mission to the deep regions outside the solar system that will exploit the remarkable optical properties of the Solar Gravitational Lens (SGL) focus to effectively build an astronomical telescope capable of direct megapixel high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy of a potentially habitable exoplanet. Although theoretically …

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Casimir forces measured between silicon nanostructures

Casimir forces are of fundamental interest because they originate from quantum fluctuations of the electromagnetic field. Apart from controlling this force via the optical properties of materials a number of novel geometries have been proposed to generate repulsive and/or non-monotonic Casimir forces between bodies separated by vacuum gaps. Experimental realization of these geometries, however, is …

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24 Cities in northern China have issued air pollution red alerts and low visibility is causing flight cancellations

Heavy smog has engulfed large parts of northern China for a fourth straight day, with the environment ministry warning that some firms in the region were continuing to flout emergency restrictions and dozens of flights out of Beijing cancelled. Some power plants and chemical producers in the region had not scaled back operations in line …

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China approves $36 billion of subways and other links to reduce commutes over an area twice the size of South Korea from several hours to mostly 60 minutes or less

China has approved a 247-billion-yuan ($36-billion) railway plan to improve transport links between the capital Beijing, the port city of Tianjin, and the neighboring province of Hebei, part of plans to integrate the three areas into a mega-city. The plan will span nine projects that total 1,100 km (683 miles) in length, the country’s powerful …

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US China Trade Wars in the near term and long term

President elect Trump claimed during his campaign that he would designate China as a “currency manipulator,” imposing a 45 percent tariff on imported Chinese goods. He has also urged opposition to TPP and globalization. Experts at a seminar held by the Center of China and Globalization think opportunities can be found to improve the China-U.S. …

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Israel will equip all Merkava 4 tanks and Namer Heavy APCs with Trophy Active Protection Systems

Israel’s Ministry of Defense (IMOD) plans to continue the acquisition of Trophy active protection systems (APS), to equip every new Merkava 4 tank and Namer Heavy Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) with active protection, providing significant additional protection for every tank and APC. Each Trophy system integrates an early warning and battle management radar covering 360 …

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Combat Lasers and hybrid power for Next-Generation US Combat Vehicle

The US Army’s Next-Generation Combat Vehicle will probably run on alternate-power sources, have directed-energy weapons, advanced-composite armor and an active protection system. “There’s a solid four years of analysis that has to occur” before decisions are made on procurement requirements, said Col. William T. Nuckols, director of the Mounted Requirements Division at the Maneuver Center …

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