Ballistics Recovery Parachute

 

It’s a toss up on what the coolest recent invention has been for civil aviation. Its either the GPS or the recovery parachute. Most people know what a GPS is and might have even look forward to using one however a recovery parachute is something that you don’t want to use unless you are in quite a fix. What is it you might ask? Well, its a device that mounts onto a light aircraft that will fire a parachute out of a mortar mounted on your plane. Why would anyone want to do that? Well, the idea is that if you stall, your engine quits, or even if the pilot has a heart attack the ‘chute will arrest the forward motion of the plane and gently land you on the ground safely. So far the system has saved 184 lives. Thats quite an impressive record. It’s too bad you can’t mount one on a commercial jet (the device would be about half the size of the jet !) but you can use it on small aircraft and even ultralights.

[via Flight Nest]

 Ballistics Recovery Parachute

Schlieren Shock Wave Photos


For years I have been fascinated by shock wave photos (Schlieren effect). This is an outstanding article on how new techniques are helping scientists understand the dynamics of everything from explosives to how materials are processed.

[via Netorama] 

American Scientist Online – High-speed Imaging of Shock Waves, Explosions and Gunshots

More Japanese Robots

 

This is worth reading. The integration of robots into society is best seen in Japan. I don’t know exactly what the cause is but whatever it is, it could be the way of the future.

Kiyomori surely catches people’s eyes but is it something worthwhile to talk about when there are already other humanoid robots that can stand on two feet?

we make money not art: Whatever You Imagine, Including Kiyomori

What the Heck Are Nudibranchs?


 

 

A cousin of the snail, the ‘Nudibranchs’ (means ‘naked gills’) is a member of the mollusk family and is one of the most beautiful creatures that I’ve seen. It’s like your looking at a moving abstract painting. Found anywhere in the sea from under rocks in tide pools to right out of the reef, I’m going to keep an eye out for them on my next visit to the beach.

[via neatorama] 

Nudibranchs of the Sunshine Coast Australia – Gary Cobb and David Mullins

Nano-Size Battery to be Implanted In Eyes

Micro Eye Battery

I’m sure that this is years away from being used in people but the idea is pretty neat. Nano sized electrical cells that could power things in a person like an artificial retina, replacement cochlea, maybe even pacemakers. Maybe this could also serve as a way to correct vision like LASIK or radial keratotomy by flexing a liquid lens implanted in the eye. Something like that could be a new lease on vision for cataract sufferers.

[via Medgadget] 

Sandia researchers to model nano-size battery to be implanted in eye to power artificial retina