Miniature police shoulder drones

Photo: U.S. Patent And Trademark Office

Amazon was just granted a patent for miniature police shoulder drones. The device perched on an officer’s shoulder above a clip-on radio microphone would be voice activated and could detect “distress” commands, among other things, essentially providing a second set of ears and eyes not just for the officer, but for a central system monitoring data coming from the drone.

Depending on how the drone is outfitted, it could find vehicles in a large parking lot, run license plates, monitor dangerous situations, gather remote video and audio, detect fires using a thermal imaging camera, or even identify people with facial-recognition software, according to the filings.

What makes the tiny size possible is that its processor may not be installed on the drone itself, but remotely mounted, potentially on its shoulder docking station.

Photo: U.S. Patent And Trademark Office

Sources:

• Amazon nets patent for mini police drones
• Amazon tech could be used in police drones

Eye exam device detects drivers under the influence of drugs

Human eye. Photo by Sarah Illes. CC-BY-SA 3.0

The portable device, that looks like a set of virtual reality glasses, can test for both drugs, including cannabis, LSD, cocaine and other drugs, as well as alcohol. It monitors and measures pupil’s response to light and moving objects. The behavior of eyes, and in particular pupils, changes after using those kinds of substances.

Source: A twist on automated eye exam technology could help take impaired drivers off the road

Bird strategies for mid-air collision avoidance potentially applicable for machines

Birds in flight. Photo by José Manuel Arrazate. CC-BY-SA 3.0

Investigation of how birds avoid mid-air collisions during head-on encounters reveals two simple strategies for collision avoidance: each bird veers to its right and each bird changes its altitude relative to the other bird according to a preset preference. Both strategies suggest simple rules by which collisions can be avoided in head-on encounters by two agents. The findings are potentially applicable to the design of guidance algorithms for automated collision avoidance on aircraft.

Source: Strategies for Pre-Emptive Mid-Air Collision Avoidance in Budgerigars