Here’s a fun tiny story that ought to excite your Freedom Bone. It seems an 18-year-old was recently pulled over for speeding, with police claiming that the lad was 17 mph north of the speed limit. An on-board GPS unit disagrees. Yup, the kid had a GPS device(an RMT Rover, seen here) in his automobile […]

Here’s a fun little story that ought to excite your Freedom Bone. It seems an 18-year-old was recently pulled over for speeding, with police claiming that the lad was 17 mph north of the speed limit. An on-board GPS unit disagrees. Yup, the kid had a GPS device(an RMT Rover, seen here) in his automobile at the time , and its data indicates that he was doing the 45 mph speed limit all the way to his destination.

A police-produced expert claimed that such GPS devices are accurate within a couple of meters and within 1 mph. That certainly seems accurate enough to drag out this case for a tiny while longer, as both sides argue over who’s technology is more accurate, the radar gun or the GPS device.

And yes, the case will drag on, at least through October, when the judge in the trial hears expert testimony from another GPS expert, presumably Ted the GPS Expert.

Via [crunchgear]

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Scientists are using the power of the web to track and find real disease outbreaks. Each hour, HealthMap, an infectious disease-tracking website, feeds off of news, public health list serves, and the World Health Organization’s on the internet pages to survey the spread of infections. With help from Google, the program has identified 95 percent of all disease outbreaks, sometimes days before the WHO or international disease control agencies can announce them.

Most recently, HealthMap detected the salmonella outbreak in the U.S., which has sickened over 1,000 people, long before the Center for Disease Control announced that it was happening. By alerting officials and physicians to the most likely diseases in their area, the internet tool could help make health care much more efficient and precise. [Discovery]

Via [Gizmodo]

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Over the past three years, according to the Washington Post, the Air Force has asked to pull $16.2 million from counter-terrorism funds to build “comfort capsules,” sealed rooms installed in large military planes decked out with beds, a couch, 37-inch flat-screen monitor, and other amenities “to reflect the rank of the senior leaders using the capsule.” The Project on Government Oversight says that these capsules actually have “no special communications or work abilities beyond those already available for top officials.” And yes, they already have two high-end add-ons for top brass, as well 100 special VIP planes. But they don’t have swiveling leather chairs custom-designed by top generals.

Just how special are these chairs? It’s specified that that they have to swivel so that “the longitudinal axis of the seat is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the aircraft” no matter which direction they’re facing in. And they’ve gotta have Air Force blue leather and seat belts. Not brown, according to emails. Changing the seat color only cost $68,240.

Originally, ten of these capsules were ordered, but it’s been cut to three, plus four Senior Leader Intransit Pallets with those awesome chairs. So, in all, it’ll only cost $7.6 million. That might seem like a lot, but realize that, in the words of Gen. Robert H. McMahon, the Air Force’s deputy chief of staff for logistics, they’re trying to “create an environment that whoever was riding in that would be proud of” and that the “the people of the United States” would be proud of too.

I really don’t comprehend why Congress twice told them not use counter-terrorism funds. Those very awesome chairs make me proud to be an American, which means the terrorists fail. [Washington Post via Slashdot]

Via [Gizmodo]

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Not quite… How are those gas prices treating you? Thought so. Good news, though, as plug-in hybrid automobiles aren’t too far away. In fact, if you’re keen to wait only 18 months, you could soon be driving out of your local dealership while thumbing your nose at Massive Oil. Massive Oil is Evil, remember. Automobiles like the […]

Not quite…

How are those gas prices treating you? Thought so. Good news, though, as plug-in hybrid cars aren’t too far away. In fact, if you’re keen to wait only 18 months, you could soon be driving out of your local dealership while thumbing your nose at Large Oil. Big Oil is Evil, remember.

Vehicles like the Chevrolet Volt, which is due for release in 2010, run on both electricity and gasoline. They’ll get something like 40 miles per charge, and then a gasoline engine takes over at 80-100 mpg. That’s to get you to the next charge station.

Such automobiles are expected to hit “critical mass” at around 2015. That’s when car manufacturers are expected to be cranking them out full bore.

Or, you can wait till the new, affordable Tesla comes out. At the very least, Tesla has a proven track record, and its cars don’t look like toys.

Via [crunchgear]

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European researchers are developing a software that’ll give robots the power to learn when a person is sad, happy or angry. The Feelix Growing project is putting together simple robots that can detect different parameters—facial expressions, voice and proximity—to determine emotional says. The aim of the project is to develop a robot that can serve humans with special needs, such as the ill and the elderly. Using adaptable neural networks, the robot can learn the correct way to respond to people’s emotions from experience.

For instance, if someone shows fear, the robot can learn to change its behavior to appear less threatening. If someone seems happy, the robot can make a mental (or, I guess, digital) note of what brought on that response. And if someone seems upset and lonely, the robot can give her a pat on the back, offer her a stiff drink and say “Elaine, you deserved someone better than that dickwad anyhow.”

I, for one, welcome our new emotionally adept overlords. [Physorg]

Via [Gizmodo]

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Newly minted Emperor of AMD Land Dirk Meyer promised at his coronation last night that we’ll more hear about AMD’s low-cost, low-power chippie and their plans to take on Atom in November. He didn’t mention the chip’s name, which is rumored to be Bobcat. (They’re a fan of large kitty names too.) But at least we know it’s coming, like, for sures. [Reg Hardware]

Via [Gizmodo]

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