http://english.pravda.ru/opinion/columnists/04-01-2011/116432-weather_blackbirds-0/
The falling blackbirds and weather balloon stories
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27149262/How-Smart-Dust-RFID-will-change-our-lives
EXCERPT:
EXCERPT:
But with smart dust safely inserted while the birds were feeding at sea, the biologists can now
track their movement and environment with no interference.
Cities will begin planting smart dust along roadways, where real-time traffic flow and road conditions can be monitored with pinpoint accuracy. Accidents, potholes and hazards can be detected and details transmitted in real time.
Smart dust will explore not only roads, buildings and habitats, it will explore our own bodies as
well. Dust patrols will police our blood streams, watching out for invading viruses, tracking our
temperatures, sensing unusual skin growth, tracking our blood composition. It will send signals
to home monitors that retain personal health histories, including previous ailments and
medications, and calculate appropriate courses of action to be taken before professional medical
intervention. Smart dust can even carry medication to be dispensed upon an alert.
well. Dust patrols will police our blood streams, watching out for invading viruses, tracking our
temperatures, sensing unusual skin growth, tracking our blood composition. It will send signals
to home monitors that retain personal health histories, including previous ailments and
medications, and calculate appropriate courses of action to be taken before professional medical
intervention. Smart dust can even carry medication to be dispensed upon an alert.
There are concerns, though. Privacy will become ever more fragile — if at all possible — in a
world under the watch of smart-dust eyes. And with talk of nuclear-powered batteries that would
keep dust "alive" for decades, a grave question arises for future generations who must devise safe
means of disposal for perhaps billions of aging, potentially toxic, dust components.
world under the watch of smart-dust eyes. And with talk of nuclear-powered batteries that would
keep dust "alive" for decades, a grave question arises for future generations who must devise safe
means of disposal for perhaps billions of aging, potentially toxic, dust components.
And undoubtedly, military applications will test the age-old moral dilemma over the boundaries
of humane use of emerging technology.
Dust in our future is inevitable. The question is whether we can keep it smart, safe and humane.
http://www.northjersey.com/news/business/84759412__Smart_dust__aims_to_revolu
tionize_lives.html
The PC Guy: How 'Smart Dust' will change our lives
Friday, February 19, 2010
Smart dust. Sounds like a new cleaning agent, or perhaps a "designer" drug from the Eighties.
But smart dust, emerging in an era of ever-increasing processor speeds and nanotechnological
breakthroughs, promises transformative changes in the way we live. Smart dust refers to
collections of minuscule sensors that can monitor and transmit data such as temperature,
humidity, light, location and acceleration. They can detect chemicals or gases in the air. And
eventually they will transmit sound and images as well.
But smart dust, emerging in an era of ever-increasing processor speeds and nanotechnological
breakthroughs, promises transformative changes in the way we live. Smart dust refers to
collections of minuscule sensors that can monitor and transmit data such as temperature,
humidity, light, location and acceleration. They can detect chemicals or gases in the air. And
eventually they will transmit sound and images as well.
Conceived by Dr. Kris Pister of the University of California, Berkeley, smart-dust modules range
in size from that of an iPod to about a cubic millimeter (a fifth the length of a grain of rice) in
size. Pister's idea was to embed massive numbers of what are essentially minuscule computers in
various structures and locations where they will be capable of interacting with their surroundings
in ways previously far more costly, difficult or impossible to do.
in size from that of an iPod to about a cubic millimeter (a fifth the length of a grain of rice) in
size. Pister's idea was to embed massive numbers of what are essentially minuscule computers in
various structures and locations where they will be capable of interacting with their surroundings
in ways previously far more costly, difficult or impossible to do.
We are already familiar with smart-dust-like devices: velocity-sensitive chips that detect sudden
motion and trigger airbags in autos, clothing and products with RFID chips embedded that
transmit product names and prices when scanned at department-store checkout counters.
motion and trigger airbags in autos, clothing and products with RFID chips embedded that
transmit product names and prices when scanned at department-store checkout counters.
Earlier this week, Royal Dutch Shell and Intel announced a project (whose location is not yet determined) in which up to a million smart-dust-type sensors will be scattered over a swath of land up to 25 miles wide.
Data will be fed into analytics software to pinpoint potential sources of oil, based on numerous
environmental variables, including sound waves that will help draw three-dimensional images of
underground resources. With dust, there is no need for invasive, costly and time-consuming
drilling.
environmental variables, including sound waves that will help draw three-dimensional images of
underground resources. With dust, there is no need for invasive, costly and time-consuming
drilling.
Last fall HP Labs announced a 10-year project to distribute billions of sensors globally to create,
in their words, a "central nervous system for the Earth." The system would undertake such tasks
as detecting earthquakes, tracking weather, checking pollution, warning of pathogens and
monitoring of crop growth.
in their words, a "central nervous system for the Earth." The system would undertake such tasks
as detecting earthquakes, tracking weather, checking pollution, warning of pathogens and
monitoring of crop growth.
Imagine these other scenarios:
Smart-dust components not much larger than the head of a pin will be embedded throughout the
floors and walls of an office building. Measuring the sway of high-rise buildings, the sensors will
be on the lookout for unusual stress or fractures and transmit warnings instantly. Motion- and
light-sensing detectors will detect vacant rooms and help save energy costs by shutting off
unneeded lighting. Indoor climate sensors will assess temperature and humidity and detect
numbers of people present in order to provide real-time thermostat adjustments for individual
rooms.
floors and walls of an office building. Measuring the sway of high-rise buildings, the sensors will
be on the lookout for unusual stress or fractures and transmit warnings instantly. Motion- and
light-sensing detectors will detect vacant rooms and help save energy costs by shutting off
unneeded lighting. Indoor climate sensors will assess temperature and humidity and detect
numbers of people present in order to provide real-time thermostat adjustments for individual
rooms.
Smart smoke detectors will analyze the air, detect hazardous materials, track human movement
and trigger appropriate warnings, remedies and instructions for rescuers.
In chemical plants, pipes draining toxic waste now need to be routinely inspected in a
painstakingly delicate and long process. With smart dust embedded in pipe walls, there will be
continuous monitoring instead of once- or twice-a-year inspections, and potential stress points or
leakages will be detected at inception.
painstakingly delicate and long process. With smart dust embedded in pipe walls, there will be
continuous monitoring instead of once- or twice-a-year inspections, and potential stress points or
leakages will be detected at inception.
In Maine, field biologists employed smart dust while tracking the nesting habits of Leach's
Storm-Petrels. Previously, they had no option but to reach into the birds' nests to insert
measuring instruments, frightening the birds and jeopardizing their health.
Storm-Petrels. Previously, they had no option but to reach into the birds' nests to insert
measuring instruments, frightening the birds and jeopardizing their health.
http://english.pravda.ru/russia/politics/05-01-2011/116436-west_putin-0/
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