We've written about the sci-fi sounding Army's Future Combat System before, but the Army's just demonstrated a successful test of one of its components: the Quick Kill vehicle defence system. Check it out: the Raytheon system uses an electronically-scanned radar array to detect an incoming anti-tank rocket-propelled grenade, then vertically launches a countermeasure missile that blows the round to smithereens in mid-flight, saving the RPG's intended target. It's a very simple test setup, and, of course the real system will have to deal with complications like vehicles in motion, but it's an important first step. And it goes boom. [Danger Room]

Read More »

When I first came across this photo I thought it was a new classified starfighter being tested by the Navy and Boeing Phantom Works in a secret underground anechoic chamber in the Moon. Then I realised it had the shape of something closer to Earth: It looked like an F-18 but it is not. It's an EA-18G Growler, a variant of the F/A-18F Super Hornet Block II that is not designed to kill kill faster faster, but for airborne electronic attacks.

Read More »

Technically speaking, you have better navigational capability in your car than the entire airline industry. Why? Because they are still relying on an antiquated WWII era traffic network that often takes aircraft on zigzagging routes towards radar beacons—costing carriers billions of dollars in wasted fuel each year. To make matters worse, the plan to upgrade the system has been stuck in the planning stages for more than a decade thanks to funding issues an the complexity of such a switchover.

Read More »

You know how you have that friend--for simplicity's sake, we'll call him Aaron Froucho--that you're never quite sure is gay or straight? What better way to answer the question for all eternity than with a US$14 keychain? The thing has three readouts, "gay," "straight" and "maybe," so if you get "maybe," keep asking until it decides one way or the other. Or, if you're feeling lonely, just go with it. Aaron will. [Play via Nerd Approved]

Read More »

The Laser Star is new to the States, but it's already made a name for itself in Europe as a cheap, effective way to jam police speed trap lasers. These demonstrations from Laser Jammer Tests show why. No fewer than four police-issue laser detectors were foiled by the Laser Star without so much as a hiccup. Regardless of your views on this kind of tech, it's still amazingly cool how the Audi S4 in the videos is effectively invisible to the laser detectors. And when you aren't fighting the man, Laser Star's sensors help park the car too. Personally, I can't wait to get one and recreate my favourite Vin Diesel scenes from The Fast and the Furious.

Read More »

We've been following the story of Shaun Malone, the California teen who was clocked by an officer doing 62MPH (100KPH) in a 45MPH (72KPH) zone, and was issued a ticket for US$190. He took the ticket to trial and lost, as the state brought in a GPS expert via affidavit who said that the units weren't that accurate. The teen appealed, however, and the same expert revised his testimony on the stand, saying the device was accurate to within 1MPH (1.6KPH). The device in question had the capability of emailing the teen's parents if he ever went above 70MPH (112KPH), and also logged all other speeds. These logs were used and the judge found enough reason to throw out the original conviction, and will rule in October on the matter that may have far-reaching effects. The real question now is why did the trooper's radar gun think the speed was 33% faster than it actually was? [Ars]

Read More »

European engineers are now testing a new security system for side-collision accidents, which uses radar and cameras to predict an accident 230 milliseconds before it happens. The computer then activates a bar that bridges both sides of the car to transfer part of the impact energy from one side to the other. The results are impressive, and it could mean the difference between life and death.

Read More »

A German inventor has developed a paint called AR 1 that can hide a vehicle from radar, and most importantly, "all militarily relevant frequencies." How it works is unclear, though one test researcher proposes it's either by reflecting radar waves in a pattern so they cancel on another out, or by utilising microscopic magnets to absorb radar radiation. And no, it won't get you out of speeding tickets.

Read More »

Ford is going to introduce two new traffic alert systems in their 2009 cars: the Cross Traffic Alert and the Blind Spot Monitoring System, which will alert drivers of potential collision targets using radar technology. With these new gadgets, instead of having to check the mirror and ignore any cars coming from behind before changing lane, drivers would be able to check a red light that will warn about any incoming vehicles, even if they are hiding in the blind spot. And then, ignore them and change lanes. Example: my radar is saying that there's a press release after the jump.

Read More »

Hey look: no one throws a ball as fast as Mr. T! And I don't need no mitt to catch a ball, but you weaker guys need to take care and wear protection. Combine those two things and you can tell how fast someone throws a ball at you with this Glove Radar. You need to know the speed to within 1 MPH from 20 to 120 MPH (32kph to 193kph)? You can. 120 MPH? That's fast man. Fast. Kinda aeroplane fast. Damn, you ain't getting me in one of those things! Be calm Mr. T ... think of baseball, Mr. T, think of softball.

Read More »