Detect

Designer Sangli Li has created a high-tech hat that attempts to defend the wearer from unwanted actions, such as a person suddenly shouting in your ear, or leaning in too close, by using small movable fans to quickly unfold in a blocking manner.

The SmartMat is a Wi-Fi-enabled mat designed to be placed under a regular doormat to act as a pressure sensor and allow various actions to be triggered depending on who, or what, is on it.

A team of researchers from the National University of Singapore (NUS) has developed a fluorescent sensor which, when mixed with a drink containing GHB, changes color within 30 seconds, potentially alerting people soon after their drink has been tampered with.

Earth saw in the New Year with some celestial fireworks with the first asteroid to be discovered this year, 2014AA, likely having impacted the Earth between 7 pm Wednesday and 2 pm Thursday GMT. Though not a rare event, it is only the second object to be detected just prior to striking the Earth.

A University of Michigan professor has devised a method of using radar to detect concealed weapons on people in public spaces.

Researchers have developed sensors for submersibles that are based on the lateral lines of fish.

A new biosensor paper infused with carbon nanotubes has been developed that can quickly and inexpensively detect a toxin produced by algae in drinking water.

If you don’t trust that shifty-looking night supervisor at the motel or the suspicious-looking smoke detector in your room, you might consider investing in the Chinavision CVMV-J19 Spy Wi-Fi Signal and Camera Lens Detector.

The NASA LCROSS mission that was to shed more light on the presence of water on the moon looks like it has done just that with preliminary data indicating the mission successfully uncovered water in a permanently shadowed crater.

Researchers at the University of Missouri are developing software that would enable computers to perform video analysis tasks, such as alerting emergency services if a video surveillance camera detects a person falling and not getting up.

Sensors that quickly detect chemicals used to make bombs are being developed by scientists at Queen’s University Belfast. It is hoped that similar devices will also be deployed by police as roadside drug "breathalyzers".