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New laser technology developed by EPFL and IBM

Scientists at EPFL and IBM have developed a new type of laser using lithium niobate, enabling precise distance measurements in LiDAR applications. The hybrid integrated tunable laser offers low frequency noise and fast wavelength tuning.

Apple iPhone 17 Pro

Apple iPhone 17 Pro delivers top performance and advanced cameras for field documentation, data collection, and secure research communications.

New technique maps large-scale impacts of fire-induced permafrost thaw in Alaska

A new technique maps the effects of fire-induced permafrost thaw in Alaska, revealing widespread topographic change and vegetation shifts. The study used a machine learning-based approach to quantify thaw settlement across 3 million acres of land, with results showing a significant loss of evergreen forest and shrubland encroachment.

Compact, non-mechanical 3D lidar system could make autonomous driving safer

Researchers developed a new non-mechanical 3D lidar system that combines scanning and flash illumination using a chip-based light source, enabling safe navigation in dynamic environments. The system can measure the distance of poorly reflective objects and track their motion, making autonomous driving safer.

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter

GQ GMC-500Plus Geiger Counter logs beta, gamma, and X-ray levels for environmental monitoring, training labs, and safety demonstrations.

LiDAR technology could improve safety features in vehicles

Researchers from Utah State University have developed a new LiDAR system that improves the response time of commercial vehicles and detects movement without flaws. The technology can differentiate between stagnant and moving objects, see in the dark, and recognize potential collisions in real-time.

Optical coating approach prevents fogging and unwanted reflections

A new optical coating system combines antifogging and antireflective properties, enhancing the performance of lidar systems and cameras. The technology, developed by Fraunhofer Institute for Applied Optics and Precision Engineering, has been tested in laboratory tests and has shown promising results.

Toward standardized tests for assessing lidars in autonomous vehicles

The three-year effort aims to establish a widely accepted protocol for comparing lidar performance. The first year's tests evaluated range, accuracy, and precision of eight automotive-grade lidars using a survey-grade reference. Results showed the distribution of measured values was not Gaussian, with significant errors in some cases.

High-performance visible-light lasers that fit on a fingertip

Researchers at Columbia Engineering's Lipson Nanophotonics Group create tunable and narrow-linewidth chip-scale lasers emitting light of different colors, including green, blue, and violet. These inexpensive lasers have the smallest footprint and shortest wavelength of any tunable and narrow-linewidth integrated laser emitting visible ...

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB

SAMSUNG T9 Portable SSD 2TB transfers large imagery and model outputs quickly between field laptops, lab workstations, and secure archives.

The drone that could save bats from the terror of wind turbine blades

A new study uses drone-mounted technology to deter bats from flying into wind turbines, reducing fatalities by 40% and allowing turbines to operate efficiently. The device transmits ultrasonic signals and lights to warn bats of danger, leading them to fly over the turbine and out of harm's way.

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station

Davis Instruments Vantage Pro2 Weather Station offers research-grade local weather data for networked stations, campuses, and community observatories.

New lidar technique could help robotic vehicles land safely on Mars

Researchers developed a new lidar technique using 3D flash lidar combined with super-resolution algorithm for hazard avoidance during landing. The technique improved the precision and safety of robotic vehicles on Mars, enabling them to navigate through challenging environments.

Photonics chip allows light amplification

A new study developed a traveling-wave amplifier based on a photonic integrated circuit operating in the continuous regime, providing 7 dB net gain on-chip and 2 dB net gain fiber-to-fiber. This achievement enables unlimited application areas for LiDAR and other optical sensing applications.

Intelligent drones to make wind turbines far more efficient

A new research project at Aarhus University aims to develop intelligent drones that can detect ice on turbine blades, optimizing energy production and expanding market opportunities. The project has the potential to reduce energy losses by up to 80% and enable wind farms to operate in colder climates.

All solid-state LiDAR sensor that sees 360°

A team of researchers from Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) has created a fixed LiDAR sensor that can see objects in all directions. The new sensor uses a metasurface to expand its viewing angle, allowing for 360° recognition and three-dimensional imaging.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro)

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (M4 Pro) powers local ML workloads, large datasets, and multi-display analysis for field and lab teams.

Researchers demonstrate chemically sensitive lidar method

Researchers have developed a chemically sensitive lidar method that can map and identify the composition of environments, augmenting human interactions and industrial processes. The new technique resolves chemical information by detecting sub-nanometer surface deformations due to photothermal absorption.

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2)

DJI Air 3 (RC-N2) captures 4K mapping passes and environmental surveys with dual cameras, long flight time, and omnidirectional obstacle sensing.

Tunable single-mode lasing on a high-Q resonator

The researchers achieved ultranarrow linewidths and wavelength tunability in the lithium niobate microlaser, enabling applications like lidar and metrology. The single-mode lasing is realized through simultaneous excitation of high-Q polygon modes at both pump and laser wavelengths.

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer

Creality K1 Max 3D Printer rapidly prototypes brackets, adapters, and fixtures for instruments and classroom demonstrations at large build volume.

Early urbanism found in the Amazon

Archaeologists have discovered two remarkably large sites of 147 hectares and 315 hectares in a dense four-tiered settlement system using LIDAR technology. The largest site is as large as Bonn was in the 17th century, with modifications indicating a reasonable increase in population.

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars

Nikon Monarch 5 8x42 Binoculars deliver bright, sharp views for wildlife surveys, eclipse chases, and quick star-field scans at dark sites.

How eye imaging technology could help robots and cars see better

Developers are integrating optical coherence tomography (OCT) machines into sensor packages to create fast and accurate LiDAR systems. These advancements enable robots and cars to see the world in a more natural and safe manner, improving interaction with humans.

Stanford engineers enable simple cameras to see in 3D

Researchers at Stanford University have developed a new approach to enable standard image sensors to capture light in three dimensions. The system uses acoustic resonance and piezoelectric properties of lithium niobate to modulate light, allowing for high-performance lidar capabilities in compact devices.

Warning: Objects in driverless car sensors may be closer than they appear

Researchers at Duke University have demonstrated a new attack strategy that can deceive industry-standard autonomous vehicle sensors into believing nearby objects are closer or further than they appear. This vulnerability highlights the need for additional redundancy and data sharing between vehicles to protect against such attacks.

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope

AmScope B120C-5M Compound Microscope supports teaching labs and QA checks with LED illumination, mechanical stage, and included 5MP camera.

Tiny switches give solid-state LiDAR record resolution

A new type of high-resolution LiDAR chip has been developed by the University of California, Berkeley, which could lead to a new generation of powerful, low-cost 3D sensors. The chip uses a focal plane switch array (FPSA) and achieves a resolution of 16,384 pixels.

A new amplifying technique for weak and noisy signals

Researchers at INRS developed a method to amplify weak optical signals while reducing noise content using the Talbot self-imaging effect. This technique has potential applications in various fields like telecommunications, bioimaging, and remote sensing.

SUTD sets its sights on chalcogenide nanostructured displays

Researchers from SUTD and A*STAR IMRE demonstrate the use of chalcogenide nanostructures to reversibly tune Mie resonances in the visible spectrum, paving the way for high resolution colour displays. The technology relies on phase change materials, including antimony trisulphide nanoparticles.

COVID-19 mobile robot could detect and tackle social distancing breaches

A new COVID-19 mobile robot detects social distancing breaches in crowds and encourages people to move apart using a novel system that employs Deep Reinforcement Learning and Frozone algorithm. The robot also incorporates a thermal camera for contact-tracing efforts, ensuring privacy protection and de-identification.

Meta Quest 3 512GB

Meta Quest 3 512GB enables immersive mission planning, terrain rehearsal, and interactive STEM demos with high-resolution mixed-reality experiences.

They'll lead the robots out

Researchers at Nicolaus Copernicus University developed an algorithm to help robots avoid dead ends by predicting obstacles and using augmented reality. This innovation significantly improves the efficiency of mobile robots.

​​More than ceremonial, ancient Chaco Canyon was home, new study says

Ancestral puebloans in Chaco Canyon thrived for over a millennium through indigenous agriculture and water irrigation, but their activities led to environmental degradation. The researchers found significant changes in the local woodlands beginning around 600 B.C., contributing to severe erosion and cropland deterioration.

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter

Fluke 87V Industrial Digital Multimeter is a trusted meter for precise measurements during instrument integration, repairs, and field diagnostics.

Concordia researchers develop a new model to assess for flood hazards

A new methodology creates a watershed-scale flood model based on LiDAR data, providing precise elevation readings and riverbed depth information. The system can predict flood conditions and provide warnings to area residents, making it applicable to large rivers and smaller streams.

How robots can tell how clean is ‘clean’

SUTD researchers develop sensor that assigns dirt score to areas based on visual and tactile analysis, allowing for more efficient exploration of complex spaces. The sensor is integrated with a smart algorithm that directs the robot to focus on areas with high dirt probability.

Modern activities follow the contours of ancient Teotihuacan

A lidar mapping study of ancient Teotihuacan shows that the city's engineers reshaped the landscape for construction, rerouted rivers to align with astronomical significance, and identified hundreds of previously unknown architectural features. The study confirms how these modifications continue to influence modern activities in the area.

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4)

Apple iPad Pro 11-inch (M4) runs demanding GIS, imaging, and annotation workflows on the go for surveys, briefings, and lab notebooks.

Remote sensing and machine learning reveal Archaic shell rings

A team of researchers used remote sensing data and deep machine learning to identify hundreds of new shell ring sites in the southeastern US. The study provides a better understanding of how people lived in the area and offers a way to locate undiscovered shell rings.

Machine learning and lidar: New tools for the tackle box

Researchers applied supervised machine learning to lidar data from fishery surveys, automating the identification process in regions with a strong possibility of harboring fish. The technique decreased manual inspection in datasets from Yellowstone Lake and Gulf of Mexico studies by 61.14% and 26.8%, respectively.

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C)

Anker Laptop Power Bank 25,000mAh (Triple 100W USB-C) keeps Macs, tablets, and meters powered during extended observing runs and remote surveys.

Large measurement campaign in the Atlantic starts

A large measurement campaign has started in the Atlantic, using a TROPOS lidar on Cabo Verde to study atmospheric conditions and support the ESA wind satellite Aeolus. The campaign aims to improve weather forecasts and understand cloud and aerosol behavior in the tropics.

Atmospheric metal layers appear with surprising regularity

Twice a day, a faint layer of metals sinks down through the atmosphere at 90 miles high above Boulder, Colorado. The discovery provides a window into the high-altitude region where interactions between the sun, earth, and magnetic field can create conditions for surface life to thrive.

A LiDAR device the size of a finger available

Researchers at Pohang University of Science & Technology (POSTECH) have developed a revolutionary LiDAR device the size of a finger using nanophotonics-based technology. The device can be used in autonomous vehicles, intelligent robots, drones, and augmented reality platforms.

Archaeologists pinpoint population for the Greater Angkor region

A new study using airborne lidar sensing and machine-learning algorithms estimates that the Greater Angkor region was home to 700,000-900,000 people. The findings provide valuable insights into the region's population dynamics and its relevance to understanding urbanization in the face of climate change.

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) tracks health metrics and safety alerts during long observing sessions, fieldwork, and remote expeditions.

3D holographic head-up display could improve road safety

Researchers developed a 3D holographic head-up display using LiDAR data to create ultra-high-definition holographic representations of road objects, alerting drivers to potential hazards without distraction. The technology has shown promising results in early tests, suggesting it could be a valuable addition to existing safety measures.

See further: Scientists achieve single-photon imaging over 200km

Researchers developed a new noise-suppression technique that reduces noise photon counts by at least 50 times, enabling accurate 3D imaging up to 201.5 km with single-photon sensitivity. The technique is achieved through optimized transceiver optics and coating the telescope for high transmission.

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach

Garmin GPSMAP 67i with inReach provides rugged GNSS navigation, satellite messaging, and SOS for backcountry geology and climate field teams.

Loss of soil in US Corn Belt

The US Corn Belt has lost around 35% of its organic-rich A-horizon soil through agricultural erosion, leading to a 6% decline in crop yields and $2.8 billion annual economic losses.

CAREER awardee investigates quantum's 'sweet spot'

Boulat Bash demonstrates how quantum methods can substantially increase reliable information sending over covert channels. By applying quantum resources to sensing, he identifies the 'sweet spot' where high noise and low power levels are beneficial for covert operations.