A driverless car (also autonomous/autopilot/auto-drive car) refers to a car that does not need human intervention to function. The first driverless car achieved a maximum speed of 20 miles-per-hour and was built by Tsukuba Mechanical Engineering Laboratory in 1977. The Mercedes Benz robot van built during the 1980s achieved a full speed of 60 miles-per-hour using vision guidance. Subsequent projects like VaMP, the S-Class Mercedes-Benz, Demo I, II and III of DARPA and VITA-2 were able to achieve higher speeds and accuracy using saccadic computer vision, transputers and other advanced Read More

Pharming is a process whereby plants and animals are genetically modified to become carriers of genes that stimulate the production of substances that have useful pharmaceutical applications. Thus, the term pharming is actually a play on the words pharmaceuticals and farming. To explain the process in simple terms, a foreign gene is introduced into the carrier plant or animal (the gene is foreign because it is not naturally occurring in the host's system). After the intervention, the animal or the plant, as the case maybe, becomes the factory of the Read More

Decision engines refer to software that can be programmed to make decisions based on a number of indentifiable factors. They have been around since at least 1965 when the IBM 360 and other, more powerful computer systems made it possible and practical to develop large-scale Management Information Systems which processed data (usually from accounting and transaction systems) and provided managers with periodic, structured reports that were useful for planning and decision-making. By the late 1960s, mathematical modeling of decision support systems (DSS) or management decision systems became practical. In 1971, Read More

A vibration dampener is any material that is designed to absorb vibration. People come in contact with vibration dampeners on a daily basis. Some examples are carpeting, foam, rubber, and grass. Vibration dampeners are exceptionally useful in situations where heavy machinery is repeatedly colliding with itself or another surface, especially a floor. Vibration dampeners can be used in both industrial and commercial applications and can be made in various sizes, thickness, and absorption rates in order to fit any situation. How a Vibration Dampener Works Vibration dampeners can be made Read More

Rail guns are weapons that use electrical current instead of gunpowder to propel their projectiles. A projectile is any object thrust into accelerated motion with the influence of force. Projectiles in motion can be propelled by pushes, pulls or, in some cases, both push and pull. The armaments and weapons industry's continuous development has had a great role in the scientific quest for the perfect object propulsion. One technology has been very promising through the years and has shown time and again to be the future of weapons manufacture: the Read More

Permittivity of free space or vacuum permittivity refers to the interaction between electricity and force as well as the effects of space on electrons. In a purely theoretical sense, permittivity of free space refers to a vacuum’s ability to maintain the bonding effects of individual electrons. Permittivity of free space allows the size and intensity of an electric or magnetic field to be measured within a vacuum.   How Permittivity of Free Space Works Permittivity of free space can be seen as a constant in theoretical physics and can be Read More

Blizzards are severe storms which are marked by extremely low temperatures, high-speed winds and substantial snowfall. They are formed when a region of high atmospheric pressure, termed as a ridge, interacts with a region of low atmospheric pressure. As a result of this, a phenomenon known as advection takes place, in which there is a rush of air from the high pressure region to the low pressure region. The visibility is reduced to less than a quarter of a mile. Three factors necessary for blizzards to form Air below freezing Read More

Magnetometers are scientific instruments that measure the direction and strength of magnetic fields in the device’s location. They are used on Earth as well as in space exploration missions due to the magnetic fields’ significant variations based on the nature of the environment, interaction of charged particles from the sun, and the magnetosphere. Why are Magnetometers Used? Magnetometers not only measure a magnetic field’s local strength, they also determine their own direction and orientation. A magnetometer’s design is often tweaked to match the specific device quality that is most important Read More

The Parts of an X-Ray Machine There are three main parts of an x-ray machine. The first is the x-ray tube. This is responsible for the creation of x-rays. Therefore, without this functioning properly, there would be little chance for the x-ray to work in the right way. It generates enough x-rays so that when they are sent toward the body, they are able to read what the doctor needs. The next element is the high voltage power source. This is important because there are a lot of components that Read More

Solar garden lights have been on the market for almost two decades. Although they are still more expensive than wired garden lights, the price has significantly reduced, making solar garden lights an option that many homeowners now consider for adding light to their yards or decks. This is possible as long as the location gets enough sunlight during the day to charge the lights. These lights not only save money on the electric bill, but they generate and store their own power when not in use. What Components Are in Read More