Battery Backup to Mains Electric Grid

Image from National Geographic

Around the United States battery backups are being installed at strategic points on the power network. These power packs are in testing the testing stage of a plan to provide back up power in case of  power shutdowns .

The packs will also be used to store over produced energy where the power companies are producing to much energy.and  will be use at peak demand instead of firing up coal powered station thus reducing the impact on the environment.

Read more  National Geograpfic    The Guardian

Car to be Fitted with Emergency Call Systems

From April 2018 all cars must have fitted a e-call device that automatically calls a control room when the cars are involved in an accident. The EU law encompassing all car and light commercial vehicles  was passed today (Tuesday April 2015) and could be extended to Busses and Lorries  in 3 years.

Full story Reuters

Another Star Trek Device Bought to Life

Another SI Fi piece of equipment looks like it could come into being, MIT have developed a system for monitoring heart beats remotely using wireless technology.
   The device uses the rebound from radio waves to measure the rise and fall of a humans chest and the heart beat is then extrapolated from there. The system has proved to be 99% accurate against current practices,

Source   MIT News
 

Russia Builds Mobile Nuclear Reactor to Power Artic City

Russia is in the process of building a mobile nuclear power plant on board a ship to power any artic 'City'
Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that the ship will be built by 2016 and assembly has already begun. The unit is in fact a nuclear reactor that can be connected to the shore via power cables.

Source  TASS

Norway FM Broadcasts to Stop in 2017

Norway will make the switch to DAB radio only in 2017, all the country's FM transmitters will be switched of  leaving only DAB content. The move is expected to save the Norwegian government around  £17  Million  a year.
   It is hoped that enough work has been done to retain listeners on  DAM when it is switched off and not loose them to on-line services such as Spotify and Last FM.

A New Meaning to Toughened Glass

The Prince of Wales the new Queen Elizabeth class Aircraft carrier has 2 meter window in its tower. The glass made from the worlds toughest glass and will withstand the hit from a helicopters spinning rotor blade.
   The bridge will now make its way to Rosyth to be fitted to other segments of the ship.

Russia Pledge 15$ million to EXoMars Mission

         The Proton -M rocket that is set to launch the ExoMars Gas Orbiter.

Russia has been given the Exomars Gas Orbiter a boost with the promise  of $15 million to prepare for the mission.  The Exomars mission is a Joint venture between ESA and Roscosmos and is scheduled to map gasses on Mars in October 2016