StarChase Pursuit Management System

High speed chases are known to cause more harm then good as they almost always end in devastation. In high speed chases the chances are that either the police cruiser or the criminal on the run will be the cause of an accident and that pedestrians and or the participants will be injured. This is exactly what is meant to be avoided with the introduction of the StarChase Pursuit Management System. This system which hopes to put an end to dangerous chases is mounted on the front end of the police cruiser and fires GPS transmitters that stick to targeted vehicles. The system utilizes double-barreled compressed air cannons to project the transmitter which includes a GPS device, battery and cellular radio. In order to grantee a high degree of precision, the system includes a laser target which helps police aim the shot. Once the system has been attached to the fleeing vehicle it begins to transmit real-time data to the police over a cellular network regarding the location of the vehicle.

Pros

By adding the StarChase Pursuit Management System to police vehicles the government would be ensuring that far less people would be injured in car chases every year. This system would put an end to the nightmare of destructive high speed chases. With the StarChase Pursuit Management System the police only have to keep up with the suspect long enough to deploy the tracking device. Once this is achieved they can fall back and rely on the GPS, battery and cellular radio to provide the necessary information to covertly apprehend the criminal. The laser target allows for precise shooting. This ensures that when trailing the fleeing vehicle, that their shot is accurate. Another advantage of this system is that it is not very expensive. The system itself uses relatively inexpensive items and therefore would not be an unrealistic addition to police cruisers. As well, the system is highly accurate as it employs trackers which transmits the exact position of the criminal’s vehicle in real-time over a wireless modem. This means that dispatch can view the vehicles location in real-time making it quite easy to apprehend the suspect.

Cons

There are not many disadvantages to the StarChase Pursuit Management System, but there are some aspects of the system that cause some uncertainty. One area of uncertainty is with the compressed air cannons. The system is equipped with a laser target that helps with accuracy, but it is not guaranteed. A suspect that is on the run and driving at high speed may not be as easy to tag as the company would lead you to believe. If this system is added to police cruisers it will become common knowledge that this technology exists. Therefore, fleeing vehicles would make it as hard as possible for police to tag their cars with the tracking device. This could cause the suspect to try things such as swerving and weaving through cars to avoid being tagged. It can be argued that the driving done by those avoiding a police cruiser armed with the StarChase Pursuit Management System would be even more dangerous and destructive than by one without the system.

Sources:

1. “LAPD to use GPS projectile to chase crooks.” Tagroom. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.tagroom.com/tags/starchase-pursuit-management-system/
2. Mack, Eric. “Cops Test Cannon That Fires Sticky GPS Beacons at Fleeing Cars.” Wired. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/magazine/15-10/st_gps
3. “How StarChase Works.” StarChase. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.starchase.org/howitworks.html

Metal Storm Weapons

Mike O'Dwyer is the creator of the concept for Metal Storm Weapons, which proves to be a serious advancement in weapon technology. He has invented a machine gun with the ability of firing one million plus rounds per minute. Current weapon technology only has the capacity for a single bullet in the gun barrel which uses mechanical firing pins to shoot bullets one at a time. The secret behind O'Dwyer’s rapid fire machine is the introduction of multiple rounds sitting in a single barrel simultaneously. Another feature of the gun that differs from current technology is that the only thing moving in the gun is the bullets. This is achieved by its electronically fired gun-and-launcher design. Electronic charges which are set off in different parts of the barrel fire bullets with the use of traditional gunpowder. His concept is leading the way for even further advancements in weapon technology that would allow for features such as the ability to select from different types of rounds and between lethal and non-lethal ammunition.

Pros

The metal storm weapon technology offers many benefits that separate it from current weapon technology. The first pro of the metal storm weapon is its ability to house several bullets in a single barrel. This has the obvious advantage of being able to shoot rounds at an insanely high speed, but its design proves to be even more ingenious. The design allows for the bullets father back in the barrel to push those in front which results in an increase bullet velocity. Another advantageous aspect of the metal storm gun is that there are no moving parts aside from the rounds themselves. This renders the weapons very reliable as there is little that can malfunction and it requires little maintenance. A problem with a normal gun is that it can jam. The lack of moving parts in metal storm weapons greatly decreases the risk of jamming. The electronic operation of the gun not only reduces the risk of malfunction, but also makes it easier to repair. Another advantage to the design of the weapon is its weight. Because there are fewer parts to the weapon, the weapon itself is lighter. This concept would be a huge advantage in warfare as it provides superior firepower and is lighter than conventional weapons.

Cons

The metal storm weapon is only a concept and is not in production. Therefore, there are most likely kinks that need to be worked out before it can be mass produced. The design for the gun is very impressive, but there are aspects of this design they can be viewed as downsides. The electronic makeup of the weapon may have its advantages, but it can also be the source of trouble. In a warfare scenario, soldiers would need to be trained for the use and maintenance of this device. This may be difficult however, seeing that maintenance of an electronic device would not be easy especially while in battle. As well, although there have been advancements in weapon technology over the years, weapon design has remained somewhat similar. Because of this, it is safe to assume that soldiers would not be very comfortable working on electronic equipment. This jump to electronic operation could be overwhelming. Therefore, it would not be an easy task to make soldiers compatible with such an advanced piece of technology.

Sources:

1. Taggart, Stewart. “New Gun Fires 'Laser of Lead'.” Wired. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.wired.com/politics/law/news/2001/09/46570
2. Dimare, Paul. “Metal Storm Weapons.” Popular Mechanics. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/military_law/1281426.html
3. “The Technology of Metal Storm Limited.” Metal Storm Limited. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.metalstorm.com/index.php?src=gendocs&link=The_Technology&category=Main&PHPSESSID=341f878c0ef8a36b839e96237a5f48dc

The “Surface” by Microsoft

The Microsoft Surface introduces a new interactive way to experience digital content. The Surface provides a hands-on approach that eliminates the use of both a mouse and a keyboard. With the 30 inch touch interface (not touch screen) tabletop screen, people are able use their hands to select data and move it around the screen much like the technology portrayed in the movie “Minority Report”. This new technology also permits multiple users to work on separate projects at the same time. One of the most impressive features of the Surface is its ability to interact with separate objects. With the use of infrared cameras, the Surface is literally able to see what is on the tabletop. This design is what allows the Surface to react to the touch of a finger without the use of touch screen technology. In addition to this, the cameras recognize when an object is placed on the tabletop which is shown by a ring that surrounds the base of the object. For more advanced equipment such as digital cameras and cell phones, the Surface allows for direct interaction with the use of wireless linking. With this technology one can upload and download files to and from the Surface onto such compatible digital devices without the use of any cables.

Pros

The Microsoft Surface shows serious innovation in its field and introduces a great deal of technology that has never been seen before. The interactive abilities of the Surface separate it from every other product like it. It provides multi-touch access to digital mediums such as photos, music and the web. This product redefines the relationship between people and computers. One of the most significant pros of the Surface is its ability to recognize anything that touches its surface with the use of infrared cameras. Instead of using touch screen technology, the Surface utilizes its five infrared cameras to identify anything that touches it. This new technology is a huge step that allows for the user to directly control what is on the screen. This allows users to upload and download in seconds directly from the Surface to digital devices with their own two hands. By merely dragging a photo from the screen into the ring that surrounds a device such as a blackberry, the image will be immediately transferred into the device. The Surface will be a great asset to high-end consumers such as upscale hotel chains and will prove to be an impressive addition that guests will enjoy.

Cons

Although the Microsoft Surface pioneers a new wave of interactive technology, there some downsides that take away from its impressive advancements. For one, the Surface is being priced between five and ten thousand dollars making it a very expensive toy. The Surface does offer a great deal, but its price renders it fantasy to the average consumer. Microsoft has suggested that the Surface is not only marketed for high-end commercial users. The company hopes that the Surface will make its way into homes all over the world; however, this is not a realistic goal for the near future. The capabilities and user friendly technology of the Surface would prove to be a great asset to any home, although at this price Microsoft can not expect it to excel in household sales. The size of the Surface is also an issue of concern, as the 30 inch screen is not one that would necessarily work for every room.

Sources:

1. “Microsoft Surface.” Microsoft. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.microsoft.com/surface/
2. “Microsoft Surface - Exclusive Review.” YouTube. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-9j_tYP-kzc
3. Derene, Glenn. “Microsoft Surface: Behind-the-Scenes First Look.” Popular Mechanics. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/industry/4217348.html
4. Anderson, Nate. “What lurks below Microsoft's Surface? A brief Q&A with Microsoft.” Ars Technica. September 29, 2007. Retrieved from: http://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20070530-what-lurks-below-microsofts-surface-a-qa-with-microsoft.html
5. Picture: http://seoblackhat.com/wp-content/uploads/2007/02/minority-report.jpg
6. Picture: http://technabob.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/microsoft_surface.jpg

7. Picture: http://www.generateurdenvies.com/wp-content/uploads/microsoft_surface.jpg