US Army Research Laboratory
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Army scientists juice battery voltage, hike life up to 30 percent
With the modern US soldier turning into a walking gadget, the army has some heavy reasons to lower battery weights. Its own scientists might have the answer, claiming 30 percent energy density jumps could happen using additives they developed. Those "sacrificial agent" materials would bond with electrodes to allow five volts instead of the four they've been stuck on, permitting a "quantum leap" in efficiency and weight. We'll have to see if that'll come to pass, but given the sheer volume of tech that soldiers are strapping on these days, it couldn't be too soon. To see a video of how it works, zap past the break.
Army spy blimp to launch within weeks: 300 feet long, $500 million, 'multi-intelligent'
It can't go faster than 34MPH and it's already a year late for its planned deployment in Afghanistan, but Northrop Grumman's Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle (LEMV) is now set for its maiden flight. The test run is scheduled for sometime between June 6th and 10th over Lakehurst, New Jersey, whose residents ought to be forewarned that it is not a solar eclipse or a Death Star, but simply a helium-filled pilotless reconnaissance and communications airship that happens to be the size of a football field. After floating around for a while, the giant dirigible is expected to journey south to Florida, where it'll be fitted to a custom-built gondola that will carry the bulk of its equipment, and by which time her enemies hopefully won't have come into possession of an air force.
Self-healing polymer serves up quick fixes under UV rays (video)
As many self-healing polymers as we've seen roll across our screens, we never really tire of them -- chalk it up to our unending quest for perfection, but we like our gadgets devoid of nicks and scratches. Lucky for us, a team of scientists that shares our need for clean has produced a material that fixes its imperfections in a mere 60 seconds when exposed to UV light. The typically rigid material basically melts down when exposed to rays of a specific wavelength, allowing it to fill in any nicks or dings. When the light is lifted, the polymer goes back to its original form, and voila -- the surface is like new. Its creators say the material could be used on everything from cars to dining room tables, but we've already come up with laundry list of devices that could do with a truly scratch resistant surface. Video of the stuff in action after the break.
