Military & Defense News

  1. Everybody Loves LiDAR 10/27/2023

    LiDAR – is there anything it can’t do? Invented in the 1960s on the heels of the invention of the laser, LiDAR became commercially viable in the late 1980s. Today, it’s omnipresent, allowing us to do things we’ve never seen before in ways we never imagined.

  2. I'm Going As A Nobel Prize Winner For Halloween 10/20/2023

    This year’s batch of Nobel Laureates all seem to be fine scientists, researchers, authors, and leaders who don’t seem to have anything to do with Halloween. But don’t worry, we found some past award winners who do!

  3. Visualizing Combustion Dynamics: NASA And High-Speed Cameras 10/17/2023

    Combustion is a chemical process in which a substance reacts with oxygen to give off heat. Burning a candle, a fire in a fireplace, pressing the gas pedal … these are a few everyday examples of the result of combustion, all of which happen faster than the eye can see. NASA, however, can precisely and accurately study combustion through the use of high-speed cameras.

  4. Using IR At The Border To Fight … The Canadian Cartel? 10/12/2023

    Infrared is used at the border for surveillance, detecting people or vehicles crossing the border, and detecting disguises at security checkpoints. Could it have helped take down the Maple Mafia?

  5. Nuclear Dreams: The Race To Build Project Orion 9/6/2023

    ​Project Orion was a conceptual design for a spacecraft propulsion system that was developed during the late 1950s and early 1960s. Ambitious and innovative, the project's goal was to develop a spacecraft capable of carrying humans to distant destinations – including Mars and beyond – using nuclear explosions for propulsion.

  6. Improving The Military's Use Of Night Vision 8/24/2023

    The use of night vision devices by the military first started in 1939. Numerous technological advances have been made since then, to the point we may soon see contact lenses provide the same advantages without the bulkiness of cumbersome headgear.

  7. The Cobots Are Coming! The Cobots Are Coming! 8/7/2023

    Using 2D or 3D vision to guide robots can improve flexibility and lower costs in various industrial applications. With the rise of collaborative robots, also known as cobots, there are now more opportunities to integrate machine vision into the work environment.

  8. LASER World Of Photonics Celebrates 50 Years Of Laser 6/7/2023

    Fifty years ago, LASER 73 brought together about 100 exhibitors to marvel at all photonics had to offer. Now, tens of thousands are flocking to Munich to attend LASER World of PHOTONICS, one of photonics’ leading trade fairs.

  9. How Quantum Technologies Will Help The U.S. Military Keep Its Edge 6/2/2023

    Emerging disruptive technologies are revolutionizing all industries, including defense. One of these technologies – quantum – is at the forefront of this revolution and it promises to keep militaries that harness its power one step ahead of those that don’t.

  10. NSF Invests In Photonics Innovation 5/23/2023

    ​The Advancing Photonics Technologies collaboration is one of more than 40 teams across the nation selected to receive one of the first-ever NSF Engines Development Awards, which provide up to two years of funding toward the planning of a multistate initiative to create economic, societal, and technological opportunities for their regions.