A satellite just used AI to make its own decisions in space — and NASA’s stoked
27 Jul
Science & Technology

A satellite just used AI to make its own decisions in space—and NASA is stoked

Posted by author-avatar
0
For the first time, a satellite has used onboard AI to autonomously decide where and when to capture a scientific image—all in under 90 seconds, with no human input. The technology, called Dynamic Targeting, was tested by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) earlier this month. It was installed aboard a briefcase-sized satellite built and operated by UK-based startup Open Cosmos and carried a machine learning processor developed by Dublin-based firm Ubotica. In the test, the satellite tilted forward to scan 500km ahead of its orbit and snapped a preview image. Ubotica’s AI quickly analysed the scene to check for cloud cover. If the skies were clear, the satellite tilted back to take a detailed photo of the surface. If clouds obscured the view, it skipped the shot—saving time, storage, and bandwidth. “If you can be smart about what...
Continue reading
Good news! Airports in Europe set to drop the most annoying rule
27 Jul
Top Stories

Good news! Airports in Europe set to drop the most annoying rule

Posted by author-avatar
0
Goodbye, 100ml Rule! European Airports Poised to Revolutionise Hand Luggage Security One of the most frustrating and hotly debated airport regulations of the past two decades—the 100 ml liquid limit in carry-on luggage—is finally set to become a thing of the past at most European airports. This welcome shift comes thanks to the progressive rollout of new-generation security scanners capable of safely examining larger liquid containers. European airports might get rid of a very important rule in the near future. Highlighted image: depositphotos.com The infamous 100ml liquid restriction was first introduced back in 2006, following revelations of a foiled liquid explosive plot that posed a serious threat to air travel. Traditional X-ray machines at the time lacked the capability to reliably detect these dangerous substances, prompting the European Union to impose strict limits on the quantity of liquids...
Continue reading
Science news this week: Wolves help restore trees in Yellowstone and the largest interstellar object ever seen
27 Jul
Science & Technology

Science news this week: Wolves help restore trees in Yellowstone and the largest interstellar object ever seen

Posted by author-avatar
0
In this week's science news, we learned that the interstellar object hurtling through our solar system is the largest of its kind ever seen, while experts pushed back on a suggestion that 3i/atlas could be alien technology.3I/ATLAS is an extremely rare comet from outside our solar system. A new controversial paper, which has not been peer reviewed, explored the idea that 3I/ATLAS could be a piece of "possibly hostile" extraterrestrial technology in disguise. However, experts told Live Science the claims were "nonsense" and "insulting." Meanwhile, in more Earthly matters, it's Shark Week. Discovery has been dishing out a week-long smorgasbord of shark-related programming every year since 1988. This time, the entertainment included a show about an unusual "black mako" hooked off the California coastwhile Live Science dove into the mystery of why sharks freeze when flipped...
Continue reading
How NASA Is Testing AI to Make Earth-Observing Satellites Smarter
27 Jul
Science & Technology

How NASA Is Testing AI to Make Earth-Observing Satellites Smarter

Posted by author-avatar
0
A technology called Dynamic Targeting could enable spacecraft to decide, autonomously and within seconds, where to best make science observations from orbit. In a recent test, NASA showed how artificial intelligence-based technology could help orbiting spacecraft provide more targeted and valuable science data. The technology enabled an Earth-observing satellite for the first time to look ahead along its orbital path, rapidly process and analyze imagery with onboard AI, and determine where to point an instrument. The whole process took less than 90 seconds, without any human involvement. Called Dynamic Targeting, the concept has been in development for more than a decade at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California. The first of a series of flight tests occurred aboard a commercial satellite in mid-July. The goal: to show the potential of Dynamic Targeting to enable orbiters to...
Continue reading
Load more posts
Loading...