Really Rocket Science

I'm picturing a sky filled with flying robots. Believe me, I'm not being paranoid here. I know I keep going on and on and on about them, but they seem to be everywhere lately. Everyone's using them for something, and building better versions of them every day.

Remember that competition in Europe? Remember that European robotics contest back in May, that featured flying robots (a/k/a UAVs)? Turns out there was one that took place stateside back in July, in Fort Benning, GA: the International Aerial Robotics Competition.

More UAV posting. Have you ever watched a movie or even a television commercial and asked "How'd they get that shot?" I know I have, and I usually find myself wondering just how they maneuvered a helicopter to get that shot. Until now I thought that maybe it was due some pilots with very steady hands. Now it turns out there aren't any pilots at all.

Companies like 1 Advanced Technologies employ UAVs (those flying robots that haunt my dreams) to get some of the best shots in film and television. But some of these shots would be impossible with a helicopter. (Where's the wind?) That's where this little thing comes in.

This is one I couldn't quite believe, especially after World Jump Day, but apparently the Finns have come up with a special day for every frustrated mobile phone user who's ever wanted to toss the darn thing.

Ever heard of the Mobile Phone Throwing World Championship? It was held in Finland this weekend. Old phones were supplied for contestants who were allowed to pick which kind of phone they wanted to throw.

The men's winner threw his phone 292 feet. The women's winner tossed her phone 167 feet, a new world record according to the organizers. She said she has tossed a cell phone a time or two before.

I don't mean to go on about those flying robots. You know, the ones with the tentacles? In Europe? Yeah, those. I don't mean to go on about them, but they always seem to be in the news.

This time they're going by a different name: Stratellites. And they're taking up a new function: wi-fi.

Bob Jones has a lofty idea for improving communications around the world: Strategically float robotic airships above Earth as an alternative to unsightly telecom towers on the ground and expensive satellites in space.

Jones, a former NASA manager, envisions a fleet of unmanned "Stratellites" hovering in the atmosphere and blanketing large swaths of territory with wireless access for high-speed data and voice communications.

...Jones believes his solar-powered, helium-filled Stratellites _ so named because they would hang in the stratosphere -- could replace unsightly cell towers and cost less than satellites. Because of the airship's altitude according to Jones, its radio equipment can cover an area the size of Texas.

Cell towers are hampered by line-of-sight limitations and limited range. Geostationary satellites suffer from the quarter-second it takes a signal to travel out 22,300 miles and back -- insignificant in one-way TV transmissions, but terrible for two-way Internet computer communications.

The idea bubbled up and popped around the same time as the dot.com bust, yet it may be an idea whose time has come again. If so, Jones might want to consider some alternative fuels for getting his stratellites aloft.

Earlier this month I was somewhat obsessively following the story of China's space program and U.S. concerns about a looming "Sputnik moment" with China. Well, it looks like using "Sputnik" and China in the same breath may be appropriate as China teams up with Russia for a mission to Mars.

China and Russia are planning a joint mission to Mars that will not only bring samples back to earth but also land on one of the red planet's tiny moons, a Chinese space scientist here has said.

Ye Peijian, a leading scientist with the Chinese Research Institute of Space Technology, made the announcement at an ongoing forum on China's space technology development.

Ye said Russia will launch the spacecraft in 2009 and it will carry China-made survey equipment. It will collect samples on Mars and the planet's nearest moon.

Sun Laiyan, administrator of the China National Space Administration said last month at an international space conference that China is actively planning its deep space exploration over the next five years, focusing on lunar and Mars exploration.

"We will encourage other countries to take part in space science programs initiated by China, and Chinese scientists will participate in international space science programs," Sun said.

The lunar mission definitely jibes with previous reports of China's space-related ambitions. And the invitation for other countries to take part might bode well for similar U.S. ambitions, in light of China's earlier invitation to a NASA official to visit the country next month, and check out their space program.

But it sounds like the Russians are already on board. So does this qualify as a "Sputnik Moment" yet?

I gotta admit, there are times when I'm just not feeling the DIY vibe. One of them is when I have a satellite dish that needs installing. The last couple of times I've moved, I've had someone some an install the dish for me, but apparently there are some folks out there who just want to do it themselves. And I salute them. After all, better them than me.

They may just be better at it than I am. Or more creative. I'm just a "bolt-it-to-the-side-of-the-house-and-call-it-a-day" kind of guy. Who knew there's a better way to do it? Well, some people do.

For example, can you spot the dish in this picture?

Of all the cool robot contraptions I've seen and blogged about lately, I haven't come across one that sound like something I can actually use in my every day life. Until now, that is. That's in part because I have a secret phobia: runaway shopping cart. When we go shopping on weekends, I fear a runway shopping (or one hastily abandoned, rather than being put away) cart will "ding" the car, or that ours will slip out of control.

But now that some University of Florida Students have invented a kind of Smart Cart, I may finally be able to shop for groceries without fear.

It looks almost like any other shopping cart, except sensors let it follow the shopper around the supermarket and slow down when needed so items can be placed in it. And it never crashes into anyone's heels.

"The immediate thing that jumped to my mind was all those times as a kid when my sister would accidentally hit me with a cart," said its inventor, Gregory Garcia. "It seems like the public would really want this, since everybody shops."

Sounds like a good idea to me. So I gotta respectfully disagree that the Smart Cart is a sign that we've become irredeemably lazy. (If you ask me, the advent of the Segway and the self-flushing toilet long since heralded that human reality.) It just means I no longer have to fear runaway shopping carts.

All I need now is map of the grocery store and I'm all set.

That was quick. Just days ago Sebadoh brought news that Pluto might be on its way out of the solar system, at least as far as being considered an actual planet is concerned. Now it looks like Pluto may get some company and keep its out at the far end of the solar system

The tally of planets in our solar system would jump instantly to a dozen under a highly controversial new definition proposed by the International Astronomical Union.

Eventually, there would be hundreds of planets, as more round objects are found beyond Neptune.

The proposal, which sources tell Space.com is gaining broad support, tries to plug a big gap in astronomy textbooks, which have never had a formal definition for the word "planet." It addresses discoveries of Pluto-sized worlds that have in recent years pitched astronomers into heated debates over terminology.

• The asteroid Ceres, which is round, would be recast as a dwarf planet in the new scheme.
• Pluto would remain a planet, and its moon Charon would be reclassified as a planet. Both would be called "plutons," however, to distinguish them from the eight "classical" planets.
• A far-out Pluto-sized object known as 2003 UB313, currently nicknamed Xena, would also be called a pluton.

It's not a popular idea, but it's an interesting one. Should someone start a contest for the best mnemonic for the new solar system? "Mary Very Easily Makes C_____ Jam Saturday Unless No Plums C_____ X_____"?

I've been following the trend of mobile companies offering GPS tracking to families for a while now, starting with Sprint's announcement of its service back in April, and Verizon's launch of its "chaperone service." Now it looks like competition is heating up in that market, as I just came across the first announcement I've seen of a company getting out of the business. Disney is dropping its mobile tracking service.

Disney has shelved plans to launch a mobile virtual network operator in the U.K., saying the market is in flux.

The media giant had been planning to launch its family friendly mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) this year, piggybacking on wireless provider O2's network. Now Disney has changed its mind, putting the plan on ice indefinitely.

A Disney spokeswoman said the decision had been made as a result of "the rapidly changing competitive environment."

"Retail distribution outlets in particular have consolidated in recent weeks, which has impacted our distribution opportunities," she added.

Apparently, Disney's experience with market saturation in the U.S. influenced its decision in the UK. But the company is keeping an eye on the market, and may revisit offering its tracking service to customers in the UK.

I haven't listened to the radio regularly in years, but I've spent a bit of time lately covering the goings-on in the world of satellite radio, including the latest lawsuit-inducing players. I haven't yet been convinced to replace my trusty iPod with such a set-up. That is until I saw a couple of items that caught my eye with the ability to deliver music via wifi.

Gizmodo has a tantalizing review (including video) of the new personal communicator from Sony, which (among other things) let's users wirelessly stream music to other users in the area if there's a wifi hotspot nearby.

Compared to most Sony gear we've seen over the past few years, the mylo is a breath of fresh air. The media player does MPEG-4, digital audio, and pictures. But it also has a WiFi connection and a QWERTY keyboard, for chatting on Google Talk and Yahoo Messenger (No AIM support, sorry.) Wait, wait, wait! It also works as a wireless Skype phone! And it has an Opera browser. And it can wirelessly stream music to other mylo owners in the area, ala iTunes. Without cellular connectivity, its not going to best a Hiptop, but we love the open standard support. Full Stats and a video review after the jump.

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