Tracking

When it comes to keeping tabs on the location of aircraft, radar has long ruled the roost. But radar range is limited, and long-haul planes become untraceable when passing over oceans and large deserts or polar regions. By equipping orbiting satellites with instruments that listen in on ADS-B signals, scientists think that it should possible to track aircraft over the course of their entire journey, and with the launch of Proba-V, they're ready to put the idea to the test.  Read More

Attachable stands or (less affordable) devices like the WeBike make it possible to exercise both body and mind while pedaling on the spot, but those pounding away on a treadmill are pretty much limited to listening to music or zoning out in front of a TV screen to keep their minds occupied. That could change with a new system developed by researchers at Purdue University. Called ReadingMate, the system uses head-tracking technology to keep onscreen text bobbing along in unison with the runner’s eyes.  Read More

Two of the most important things that you carry with you everyday are your wallet and your smartphone. One holds your money, and the other keeps you connected with everything important in your life. While you probably keep pretty close tabs on both these pocket-sized necessities, it's not outside the realm of possibility that you might misplace one. Whether it's the wallet or the phone, the SmartWallit makes sure you find it before your next cup of coffee or text message.  Read More

A lot of parents worry when their kids first start taking the school bus by themselves. What if they’re snatched from the bus stop? What if they get off at the wrong stop? What if the bus is hijacked? Well, while the Kidtrack system can’t keep any of those things from happening, it can at least keep track of which children are on which buses, and where.  Read More

In the future, we may have autonomous robots that follow scents to track down gas leaks, rescue disaster victims trapped in debris, or perform other duties. While the algorithms that drive such robots could perhaps just be made up from scratch, scientists from the University of Tokyo are instead looking to the insect world for inspiration. To that end, they recently created a two-wheeled robot that was successfully driven by female-seeking male silkmoths.  Read More

Imagine that you’re a police officer in the midst of a riot. While you may be able to apprehend the offenders closest to you, you can see plenty of other looters and vandals who you’re just not able to get to at the moment. Well, that’s where SelectaDNA’s High Velocity DNA Tagging System would come into the picture. At the heart of the system is a gun that shoots non-lethal pellets, which contain uniquely-coded synthetic DNA.  Read More

TrackingPoint, Inc., a new precision guided rifle development company operating out of Austin, Texas, has developed breakthrough technology that claims to put jet fighter lock-and-launch technology onto a combat rifle, making sniper-level accuracy available to the average shooter.  Read More

If the number of “finding” systems cropping up lately is anything to go by, we seem to be quite a forgetful bunch. One of the latest such systems, known as StickNFind, looks to be particularly simple – just some little adhesive tags, and an app on the user’s smartphone.  Read More

As dog lovers are all too aware, man’s best friend is subject to many of the health issues which plague us humans. However, a new canine-oriented and cloud-integrated pedometer launched by Fujitsu promises to help monitor your dog’s weight and general health.  Read More