Boston authorities have once again put their hair-trigger reactions on display for the world today in a case involving an MIT student and bad fashion choices. In a situation eerily similar to the Aqua Teen Hunger Force debacle, Star Simpson (the student in question) was placed under arrest at gunpoint (submachine gunpoint, that is) at Boston's Logan airport because of an "art project" she was wearing. Simpson, who was at the airport to meet her boyfriend, was sporting a black sweatshirt with a circuit board and flashing LEDs attached... and was inexplicably holding Play-Doh. Authorities mistook the combination for some type of explosive device. Maj. Scott Pare, the airport's commanding officer said, "I'm shocked and appalled that somebody would wear this type of device to an airport," and then lovingly added, "She's lucky to be in a cell as opposed to the morgue." Here's our suggestion to authorities next time: just ask, "What's up with the bad art?"

While Siemens HQ is probably still dusting itself from last year's invasion, that's not stopping the whole show 'round those parts, as the firm is introducing a new form of emergency communication with its AySystem. By utilizing worldwide GSM / GRPS networks (and optionally, GPS), the pocketable device can be tracked, modified, and used as a channel of communication between a caregiver and patient, parent and child, boss and subordinate, or any other useful combination of individuals. Essentially, the Ay token is given to the person who needs monitored, and the other party can adjust various "thresholds" such as motion (or the lack thereof), temperature, and sound, and if that limit is surpassed (i.e. a patient stops moving), the token will sound an alarm whilst simultaneously texting / calling a user-selected individual. Moreover, it can be remotely controlled and tweaked via a web-based interface, and users can add "SnapOns" such as GPS receivers and cameras to extend its functionality even futher. Thankfully, the platform in which the device runs on is entirely Java-based, which should please those looking to code their own programs to take full advantage of what's being offered. As of now, we're not exactly sure how much this fancy panic button will end up costing, but it is slated to be made available "via mobile carriers or through pre-paid plans" in the not too distant future.

[Via Gizmag]

If you thought the 12-gauge shotgun-wielding AutoCopter was bad news, imagine one of the little menaces in the hands of a terrorist and strapped with several pounds of explosives -- or worse, biological, chemical, or radiological payloads. Several experts are warning that we are nearly defenseless against such attacks, even though terrorists have already shown a propensity for using such tactics in the Middle East and South America, and are known to have purchased so-called "drone" airplanes capable of high-precision navigation even over long distances. One scenario that is particularly disturbing involves a fleet of drones or robotic helicopters launched from an off-shore freighter, sent en masse to attack a large gathering like a sporting event where stampeding from panic would likely cause more deaths than the bombs themselves. The Pentagon is supposedly working on an drone-killing drone of its own, called Peregrine, that would patrol the skies and intercept any hostile aircraft -- but the main problem seems to be finding, not destroying these things, and you'd need a whole lot of Peregrines to cover every potential target in the US.

[Via Phys Org]