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Australia rolls out AI cameras to spot drivers using their phones
Phone use while driving remains a problem in many parts of the world, in no small part due to the difficulty of enforcing laws. How do you catch someone in the act? Australian police might not have that problem. The New South Wales government has started using the first cameras that can automatically detect when drivers are using their phones. The system uses AI to review photos for telltale signs of phone use, with human reviewing the flagged images to prevent any false positives. There will be both fixed and trailer-mounted cameras on hand to spot distracted motorists.
iPads help Aussie police issue traffic tickets
If you get stopped for a traffic violation near Sydney, Australia, don't be surprised to see the officer pull out an iPad mini. According to the Australian tech site Delimiter, the New South Wales police force has adopted the iPads as part of a four-week trial. The devices are running an app called "Mobile Notices," developed by Gridstone. It will help traffic officers retrieve driver history, photos, vehicle specifics and license information from police computer systems. The 4G/WiFi-ready iPads are locked down and can be wiped if any unauthorized access is attempted. If a citation is issued, the driver can opt to receive a PDF of the ticket via email or text, delivered right then and there (provided that the officer is within range of a compatible network). Lembit Pikkat, director of Grindstone, notes that no information gathered by the remote officers is stored on their iPads. Instead, it's all sent to the central police database for secure storage. "If the trial is a success and the app fully deployed, it will give NSW Police the opportunity to spend more time on frontline policing and less on administrative tasks back at the station -- which will have a positive impact on both road safety and officer effectiveness," according to Superintendent Karen McCarthy. The idea for Mobile Notices was proposed and developed in part by frontline officers. Apple's profile of the Redlands Police Department is an example of the device's increasing popularity among law enforcement. In some cases, it has replaced the wired terminals in police cars, and has given other officers an electronic version of the Miranda warning to use during an arrest.
First light wave quantum teleportation achieved, opens door to ultra fast data transmission
Mark this day, folks, because the brainiacs have finally made a breakthrough in quantum teleportation: a team of scientists from Australia and Japan have successfully transferred a complex set of quantum data in light form. You see, previously researchers had struggled with slow performance or loss of information, but with full transmission integrity achieved -- as in blocks of qubits being destroyed in one place but instantaneously resurrected in another, without affecting their superpositions -- we're now one huge step closer to secure, high-speed quantum communication. Needless to say, this will also be a big boost for the development of powerful quantum computing, and combine that with a more bedroom friendly version of the above teleporter, we'll eventually have ourselves the best LAN party ever.
Laser pointers banned in New South Wales after rash of attacks on pilots
Here's a tip: you should probably leave that handy-dandy laser pointer at home when heading off to vacation in New South Wales. As of today, the Australian state has placed high-powered hand lasers, including the infamous "star pointers," on the list of prohibited weapons, and anyone caught carrying such a device without a permit could face up to 14 years in the slammer. The move comes after an outbreak of laser pointer attacks on airplane pilots, which have left them temporarily blinded and could have caused some pretty catastrophic consequences. Looks like those Aussie kids will have to find some other gizmos to carry out their high school hijinks, huh?[Via Switched]
