Science Portal

March, 9 early in the morning the rocket Atlas 5 belonging to United Launch Alliance placed on the orbit six experimental satellites within the framework of mission Space Test Program-1 VVS the USA (USAF). The main goal is robot-satellite, intended for repairing and refueling of other satellites.
Not surprising, that main attention was turned on the mission of Orbital Express. This bright project was developed and carried out by Boeing company, together with a number of partners. The project was ordered by research agency of Pentagona (DARPA) within the framework of his program Orbital Express Space Operations Architecture.
The mission of Orbital Express — is two satellites at once, one of which (named ASTRO) is actually orbital refueler and repairer, and the second (NextSat) — tester purpose for him. A repairer weighs 952 kilograms, and his ward - 226 kilograms.
Obviously, in order that the serial models of experimental ASTRO were able to refuel satellites with an empty petrol “tank” and replace some blocks on defective space vessels, the last must be beforehand projected taking into account such repair.
During three months these vessels will conduct tests on automatic rapprochement (at least, from distance 4,35 miles and, possibly, to thousand), docking, refueling and replacement of blocks.

The American scientists think that it is necessary for the mankind to develop the effective means for the estimation of risks and potential harm from application of the nanotechnology in the nearest future.

It is the researchers’ opinion that nanotechnologies have huge potential. Now they are already applied to cosmetology, computer branch, the industry and so on. For example, Intel contemplates an opportunity of using the carbon nanotubes as conductors inside microchips instead of copper. Besides, nanotubes can underlie of an ultrastrong cable for the space lift. Nanotechnologies in the long term can find wide application in medicine, aerospace, military and other branches.

However, Andrew Maynard from Vudrou Wilson’s International centre of science considers that the researchers underestimate risks which can be connected with nanotechnologies. As Reuters informs, referring to Maynard statements, it is necessary to develop the specialized techniques which will allow estimating toxicity of nanomaterials and their influence on the environment and health of a person within the nearest three-ten years. The corresponding model should help to avoid many problems in the future.

So, the company has created pre-production models of the unusual paper of a light - yellow colour tone. Details of this invention (which will be patented) are not revealed, but it is known, that the technology is based on the makeup which changes the colour at absorption of light with the certain length of a wave. The result is the document with the low definition which, seems to be printed in violet inks.

The main thing, that this makeup comes back itself to an initial condition approximately in 16-24 hours, making a paper clean again, — or it can “be even immediately erased” by means of heating.

It is possible to return the documents printed on such paper quickly to the circulation — for the reuse. For this purpose they need to be put in the tray of the copy device where texts will gradually be dissolved until papers are not again gotten in copy device. The pre-production model of such special printer, with a printing “light” strip, also is created by the company.

The office paper which can be used many times has long-term outlook. In fact, as the statistics of last years shows, despite of the broadest expansion of computer “paperless” technologies in various branches of the economy, the consumption of usual office paper is not going to be reduced.

Japanese people have developed the unique glasses which will not give their owners to fall asleep. The drivers will certainly appreciate the vibrating glasses MyDo Bururu from the company Vision Optic. The device “has a presentiment” of the moment when the head declines. At that moment the integrated “vibrating alarm” switches on. It is impossible not to wake up of it, as the alarm will irritate the owner of the Bururu until the head fallen asleep return to a normal condition. The novelty will have different prices in the different countries, but the average cost is about four hundreds dollars.

Before creation of the program “Function of beauty” programmers from the university in Tel Aviv have interviewed 300 persons and, using the received data as the basis, have made the table of ideal proportions of a human face: the width of a nose, the length of a chin, the distance between eyes. After that the algorithm was developed, allowing making the person from a photo more beautiful by taking into account the data specified in the table. Procedure of “transformation” lasts some minutes. The computer itself decides, what should be exactly changed. In the opinion of the authors of the programme, “Function of beauty” should interest developers of graphic applications, and also plastic surgeons.

Americans invented absolutely ordinary (from the first sight) light yellow paper, which can be used for a blueprint. The spirit of the invention is in the disappearance of the text or picture from the paper after a few hours.

Brinda Dalal from the research centre of the Xerox Company in Palo – Alto (PARC) calls her “garbologist” — from English words “garbage” and “anthropologist”. She has been anxious by extremely irrational use of natural resources for example, natural paper, for a long period time.

Brinda has made a research from which she has found out that 21 % of the printed during the day documents is found in a refuse bin. A lot of papers (documents) are very often thrown away just after their appearance from a printer. And 44,5 % of the whole number of papers is “a routine business” such as “plans for today”, drafts or letters for e – mail and other writings, which lost their actuality the next day.

“We were surprised at the results, — Dalal says. — Nobody pays attention to the ephemeral information which quickly disappears from a refuse bin”. Now Dalal with the help of the chemists and Xerox Research Center of Canada has elaborated experimental prototype of the office paper which can be used many times (repeatedly).

What started out as two-way communications with police cruisers and taxicabs has morphed into one of the most popular means of communications available, despite the brief history of cell phones in the United States. From the first portable phone that was installed in a vehicle to the miniature ones than are smaller than the palm of your hand, the history of cell phones tracks the technology of radio wave communications.

In the beginning mobile phone were installed into vehicles and only those of substantial financial means could afford to have them installed. Later, they were equipped with a plug for the vehicle’s cigarette lighter and were known as bag phones and could be carried from car to car. This early step in the history of cell phones drove the industry to evolve into phone that could be carried in your pocket.

An engineer at Bell labs first came up with the idea of providing towers to carry the signals from telephones and the squares in which they were placed, called cells, required the user to remain within the cell from which the call originated or lose the signal. It was not until 1970 that the history of cell phones took another step with the invention of the call hand off system allowing a call to be transferred from cell to cell without loss of signal.

Frequencies Designated by FCC

The history of cell phones took another major step in 1982 when the Federal Communications Commission designated a frequency range for the exclusive use of cellular phones. The generation of phones at this time, were analog and extremely large and bulky. They have been likened to holding a brink to your ear but their progression to smaller units was not made until the early 1990s, when frequencies for digital cellular service as earmarked.

Part of the history of cell phones was highlighted as early as 1954 when Humphrey Bogart placed a call from the back of his limousine in the movie Sabrina as businessman Linus Larrabee. During the 1960s and 1970s, phones were used in conjunction with ham radio for wireless calls around the globe, but due to security reasons, business was not conducted on these calls.

Today’s generation of cellular phones have advanced the history of cell phones by enabling them to receive streaming video and audio and the reduced size of electronic components allow them to be used as miniature computers enabled with text applications as well as voice transmissions.