3D CRIME: There's a crime scene, with all kinds of evidence, and investigators tromping around in the middle of it potentially creating problems. At the Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands researchers are working on an augmented reality system to capture and mark images of a crime scene for later study back in the lab. First an investigator wears a head-mounted display that sends 3D video to a laptop in a backpack. They use hand gestures to overlay markers, for example pointing out a blood spatter. The system stores a 3D model of the scene, complete with overlay markers. That can't be real — we haven't seen it on TV yet. New Scientist has details.
THE SHINING: Need a bit more light? The 4Sevens XM18 'flashlight' will surely exceed all your needs. With around 35 lithium batteries and 18 LED components it produces 15,000 lumens — enough to light up your whole neighbourhood. Just don't point it up at the sky. More info here, and some video 4Sevens.
A SHOT IN THE PARK: Engineers at the Sandia National Laboratories in the USA have created a bullet that can navigate for up to 2km at twice the speed of sound to reach its target. The bullets are about 10 cm long and have an optical sensor in the tip. The shooter shines a laser beam on a far-off target. Actuators inside the bullet respond to data from the sensor to steer it with tiny fins. The guidance means that even with cross-winds or changes in air density the bullets can be accurate to within a few centimetres. Moral of the story: if you're a target, don't stand still. Details at Wired.
MIND YOUR LANGUAGE: Spy movies prove to us that passwords can be hacked and fingerprint or retina scanners can be foiled. So how can we actually authenticate ourselves when security requires it? DARPA are exploring the idea that we all interact with our technology in unique ways, because we all think slightly differently. These cognitive fingerprints could also show whether the person who started a computer session is the same one continuing to work with it. Metrics could include keystrokes, eye tracking on the page and the specific language someone uses. Who would have thought it — our misuse of apostrophes could finally come in handy. Network World has more.
SENSITIVE PARKING: The SFPark program in San Francisco aims to help drivers find car parks, so reducing traffic congestion, accidents and pollution. A magnetic sensor is embedded in the ground beneath each parking spot and sends its data to a central management system. Drivers use a website or smart-phone app to see real-time data about where spots are free and how much they cost. That real-time data is
also useful for city planners. Give it up; take the bus. More at Technology Review.