Important Innovations

New Device to Cut Vehicle Noise Pollution Source:  Stock image of Paris at Night Paris Without Noise Pollution This new, innovative technology targets noise pollution from very loud sounding vehicles - motorcycles, cars and trucks.  The system is being tested in Paris and is installed on lampposts.  It identifies noisy vehicles, pinpoints their location and automatically tickets them.  Interestingly, the new device was created by engineers at Bruitparif, the city's noise pollution agency. The agency says with this device, the charge of noise pollution from revving your engines is not disputable.  They've nailed it. New Technology to Cut Noise Pollution The system uses four microphones to locate and triangulate where the vehicle loud noise pollution is coming from.  The sound reconfiguration is then linked to police CCTV camera footage to pinpoint the noisemaker.  A ticket is then automatically issued to the noise offender.  The city of P...

Tracks Up to 12 Miles Source:  KAUST Potential for Personal Security, Health, Drones, Self-Driving Cars A tiny, low cost radar developed by an international team of scientists offers better navigation.  Developers in Saudi Arabia and Finland say it could serve as an avoidance system for unmanned drones and self-driving cars.  It could also be used as part of navigation systems for the visually impaired. They add it has potential for personal security and health care applications. KAUST and VTT The new radar device was created by researchers at the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia and VTT Technical Research Center in Finland.  The device weights less than 150g and is powered by a 5V battery.  The team says it provides detailed information on the size, distance and speed of moving objects.  The tracking range is up to 12 miles.  Current radar are large and bulky. They tend to lose key detail informatio...

New, Low Altitude Radar Innovation Capable of Tracking Widespread Drone Use Source:  Raytheon Skylar Rollout of Widespread Drone Deliveries Enabled Raytheon Corporation, the US defense contractor, has developed a low altitude, radar system capable of tracking flying vehicles below 3200 feet. It's an innovation breakthrough for the drone aviation industry.  For drones to be able to deliver on their potential, we have to be able to track the small, low flying vehicles, 24/7. Enter Raytheon's Skylar Raytheon's new, low power radar is known as Skylar.  It's a compact unit that's less than one meter square.  It scans for objects using a radar system similar to that in modern fighter jets. Top Innovation - Potential Use This system has been cited as a top innovation in 2018.  Here's Raytheon vision of how it could be deployed.  Networks of these units on cell towers, hills and on buildings.  They say that would be far cheaper and far more effe...