Kyle Sherer

Scientists have designed a highly-maneuverable UAV modeled on a 228-million-year-old pterodactyl. The 30-inch robotic craft would alter its wing shape to “squeeze through confined spaces, dive between buildings, travel under overpasses, land on apartment balconies, and sail along the coastline.” Read More

Proterra is presenting a prototype of its HFC35 composite body, hybrid-electric bus at the American Public Transportation Association expo in San Diego. Scheduled to start service in early 2009 in a nationwide trial, the 37-seat HFC35 contains a fuel cell hybrid-electric powertrain that emits only water, qualifying the bus as a zero-emission vehicle. However, it can also incorporate diesel, gasoline, and compressed natural gas engines. Read More

Raytheon’s KillerBee, a 10-foot wide UAV designed for surveillance and reconnaissance, has been successfully demonstrated in a simulated combat environment. A Raytheon flight operations crew delivered the 30 pound KillerBee system to a remote location using Humvees and achieved set up and launch within 45 minutes before executing the operational scenario and retrieving the aircraft with a net-recovery system. Read More

In addition to reducing the discharge of particles and nitrous oxides by 40-50% compared with a diesel-only bus, the Volvo 7700 Hybrid has 30% lower fuel consumption which the company estimates will allow bus operators to recoup the extra cost of the vehicle within seven years. Read More

The 115-gram Carl Zeiss cinemizer video glasses simulate a one-meter wide movie screen at two meters distance, and when connected to the new Nokia N96 mobile phone there's an added bonus - the TV signal from the integrated DVB-H receiver is displayed on the video eyewear without loss of quality. Read More

With the Space Shuttle scheduled to retire in 2010, alternative transport vessels will need to be developed to keep the International Space Station manned, and to keep options open for possible manned lunar missions. After three failed attempts, the SpaceX Falcon 1 has successfully achieved Earth orbit – the first privately developed liquid fuel rocket to do so. Read More

Cochlear implants, ultrasonically welded swimsuits, DustBusters, and freeze-dried food. You owe more to NASA than you think. Fifty years ago today, NASA’s employees turned up for their first day at work. One-hundred and fifty manned missions, $810.459 billion present-day dollars, and 382 kilograms of moon rocks later, the ripples from the creation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration have influenced society and the development of technology in ways we rarely detect. Kyle Sherer takes a closer look at the history and major achievements of the last half-century. Read More

The University of West Florida’s Institute of Human and Machine Cognition has released designs of biologically inspired aquatic exoskeletons – robotic suits that enhance the user’s strength and provide great advancements in speed, stealth and maneuverability, allowing the wearer them to mimic the efficient swimming styles of penguins, dolphins and turtles. Read More

Savant Systems’ ROSIE Media Dock connects compatible iPod and iPhone models with SAVANT multi-room AV systems allowing users to navigate their personal media players via a ROSIE user interface, which also displays artist, album and track information. Read More