ClipsToNote

Cockroaches offer inspiration for running robots

2009-12-31T14:38:00.002+01:00

Cockroaches Offer Inspiration for Running Robots

Researchers at Oregon State University are using studies of guinea hens and other animals such as cockroaches to learn more about the mechanics of their running ability, with the goal of developing robots that can run easily over rough terrain. (Credit: Image courtesy of Oregon State University)

clipped from www.treehugger.com

Scientists Look to Cockroaches as Biomimicry Solution for Super Powered Running Robots

It's generally agreed that cockroaches are a feat of evolution, and they certainly move incredibly well on their six legs. Which is why researchers at Oregon State University are using them as a source of inspiration for the world's first legged robot to be able to run easily over rough terrain. But it isn't just the capability of getting over rocky areas or moving quickly that scientists want to mimic - it's also a cockroach's brainless ability to zip from here to there that the researchers are after.

clipped from abcnews.go.com

"Cockroaches are just amazingly stable and robust when they are running," engineering professor John Schmitt of Oregon State University said in a telephone interview. Schmitt, along with many other researchers, is trying to figure out how the cockroach can zip over a maze of blocks, some three times the height of its hips, and never miss a step.

Transparentius road view system

2009-12-26T19:55:00.002+01:00

clipped from motorcrave.com

MotorCrave

Transparentius Concept Lets You See Through the Truck Ahead of You

The simple but smart Transparentius design places a camera system on the front of the truck, which captures images that are projected onto the rear. The drivers in back are able to see what’s beyond the truck without craning their necks out the window.

clipped from www.artlebedev.com

Transparentius road view transmitting system (concept)

clipped from www.artlebedev.com

The video signal is delivered from the camera mounted in the head of the truck to the back door panels through a projector.

Transparentius would make driving easier and safer both during the day and at night.

Self-Cleaning Windows

2009-12-25T10:44:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

New Nano-Material Paves Way for Self-Washing Solar Panels and Windows

clipped from www.dailytech.com

Researchers from Tel Aviv University (TAU) have made a discovery that may one day lead to more efficient batteries, solar panels and windows that clean themselves. The researchers grew a forest
of nanosize peptides in the range of 100 nanometers. The so-called peptide forests are able to repel dust and water and have the potential for a very effective self-cleaning coating for windows and solar panels.

clipped from www.telavivuniv.org

clipped from www.nano.org.uk

Novel Coating Gives Self-Cleaning Windows

TAU's new nano-material may revolutionize solar panels and batteries too

TAU's nanosized "forest of peptides" can be used as the basis for self-cleaning windows and more efficient batteries.

"This is beautiful and protean research," says Adler-Abramovich, a Ph.D. candidate. "It began as an attempt to find a new cure for Alzheimer's disease. To our surprise, it also had implications for electric cars, solar energy and construction."

The Neato Robotics XV11 Vacuum Cleaner

2009-12-24T15:29:00.003+01:00

clipped from www.geeky-gadgets.com

Neato Robotics XV11 Robot Vacuum Cleaner

Neato Robotics have launched a new robot vacuum cleaner, the neato XV11, which is designed to raise the bar for automated floor cleaning.

The Neato XV11 features a Room Positioning System (RPS) that uses lasers to map put your room and it is designed to avoid the majority of obstacles.

clipped from www.neatorobotics.com

Press Release

NEATO ROBOTICS FREES PEOPLE FROM HOUSEHOLD CHORES WITH LAUNCH OF SMART, POWERFUL ROBOT VACUUM CLEANER

The Neato XV-11 is world's first robotic vacuum system with Neato RPSTechnology^TM so it can intelligently map and methodically clean all types of floors
Mountain View, CA - December 16, 2009 - Neato Robotics^TM, a Silicon Valley startup pioneering new products to free people from household chores, today introduced a new home robot vacuum cleaner that raises the bar for automated floor cleaning. The Neato XV-11 all-floor vacuum system is the first mass-market consumer robot to offer Room Positioning System (RPS) Technology^TM that uses laser vision to map your entire floor space and avoids most obstacles that other robots can only detect by impact.

clipped from www.youtube.com

clipped from www.pcmag.com

Neato Robot Vacuum Has Roomba in its Sights

Ever since iRobot introduced its first robot vacuum, the well-received and sometimes parodied Roomba, other companies have tried to recreate that consumer magic.
Most have been cheap knock-offs, lacking even the mast basic robotic intelligence, and bidding to cut into the 2.5 million units iRobot has sold. The XV11 from Neato Robotics, Inc., may be different.
The XV11 is the first commercial robot vacuum to employ lasers and SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping, the same technology used by some vehicles in the DARPA Grand Challenge vehicles to build a complete map of the room before it vacuums.

clipped from www.youtube.com

Virtual Fireplaces

2009-12-16T14:57:00.001+01:00

Clipped from: Wilber Fireplace

Wilber Fireplace

Clipped from: YouTube - Christmas Fireplace

Christmas Fireplace

Clipped from: YouTube - Fireplace on a rainy day HD 1280 x 720

Fireplace on a rainy day

Clipped from: YouTube - The Fireplace Video - Widescreen HQ - HD Download Available!

The Fireplace Video - Widescreen HQ

Clipped from: YouTube - Virtual Fireplace

Virtual Fireplace

Clipped from: YouTube - VIDEO FIREPLACE (THE ORIGINAL)

VIDEO FIREPLACE (THE ORIGINAL)

PiixL PC mounts behind TV,

2009-12-15T20:16:00.002+01:00

clipped from apcmag.com

piixL unveils super-thin HTPC designed to hang behind your TV

The device is a very thin and very odd looking HTPC that is designed to hang on the back of your TV. The machine is only 30mm thick and claims to be the world's thinnest "full powered" PC ever designed. The company packs some impressive hardware inside that thin machine too with a Blu-ray player on tap, four USB ports, flash memory reader, and an ejectable 2.5-inch external hard drive for storage.

clipped from www.geek.com

Piixl’s EdgeCenter 3770 is the smallest and most powerful media center yet

clipped from www.piixl.com

Ultra-thin, all aluminium VTX™ chassis (pat. pend.)

The Unique EdgeBay features instant access to Blu-Ray/DVD reader/writer, 4 USB 2.0 ports, universal Flash memory card reader and even an ejectable 2.5" USB external Hard Disk Drive for large files transfers, all at the edge of your Flat TV screen!

VESA FDMI compatible VTX™ chassis : Fit any flat TV, adjust to any screen width and hides behind it!

Cirrus Vision SF50 Personal Jet.

2009-12-07T15:10:00.002+01:00

clipped from cirrusaircraft.com

clipped from www.worth.com

OBJECT OF DESIRE: Cirrus Vision SF50

The Vision SF50 is Cirrus' latest VLJ, or very light jet -- a segment of the private aviation market that is growing rapidly as businesses seek to cut costs and carbon emissions. VLJs are single-pilot planes that weigh less than 10,000 pounds and typically fly at low altitudes, most often for trips ranging from 300 to 600 miles.

clipped from www.lussorian.com

Revolutionary Vision SF50 Personal Jet

Cirrus Aircraft announced a maximum initial price of $1.39 million for its single-engine Vision Personal Jet. Looking at it you can see why. What a stunning aircraft - it has A-list written all over it.

This price will be for a Vision Jet delivered in a well equipped configuration

clipped from news.cirrusaircraft.com

clipped from cirrusaircraft.com

GALLERY
MULTIMEDIA
EVENTS
SPECIFICATIONS
PHILOSOPHY
THE DREAM
POSITION RESERVATION
NEWS

clipped from www.youtube.com

Cirrus Vision SF-50 cockpit in FSX

Twoddler: Twittering Toddlers

2009-12-05T20:47:00.002+01:00

clipped from blogs.zdnet.com

Toddlers on Twitter via The Twoddler?

clipped from www.geeksugar.com

The Twoddler: A Bit Much, Don't You Think?

Answering Twitter's new question; "What's happening?" could lead to enough answers on its own, but now a team in Belgium has developed a way for babies to use Twitter. The Twoddler is just a prototype for now, but it combines a popular kids' crib toy with the social networking service. When the baby performs different actions, they're recorded via Twitter.

clipped from research.edm.uhasselt.be

Twoddler: Twittering Toddlers

clipped from research.edm.uhasselt.be

Twoddler Application

The twoddler application is basically a Fisher Price Activity Center enhanced with pictures of family members and friends, and an Arduino board inside. All activities are captured by sensors connected to the Arduino board and are processed in two different ways:
activities are translated into Twitter messages and posted on the toddler's personal Twitter account
activities are send to another Activity Center and will generate effects (e.g. colored lights that blink) on your friends activity center

clipped from vimeo.com

Intel's Light Peak Technology

2009-12-03T18:21:00.002+01:00

clipped from techresearch.intel.com

Light Peak Technology

Light Peak Overview

Light Peak is the code-name for a new high-speed optical cable technology designed to connect your electronic devices to each other. Light Peak delivers high bandwidth starting at 10Gb/s with the potential ability to scale to 100Gb/s over the next decade. At 10Gb/s, you could transfer a full-length Blu-Ray movie in less than 30 seconds. Optical technology also allows for smaller connectors and longer, thinner, and more flexible cables than currently possible. Light Peak also has the ability to run multiple protocols simultaneously over a single cable, enabling the technology to connect devices such as peripherals, workstations, displays, disk drives, docking stations, and more.

clipped from news.cnet.com

The Light Peak technology sends signals with infrared light over optical fibers.

This prototype PC has the Light Peak controller and optical connector that sends signals down a single white optical cable.

clipped from www.youtube.com

Intel Light Peak Demo @ IDF 2009

Widetronix long life batteries

2009-11-29T14:03:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.technologyreview.com

A 25-Year Battery

Nuclear power: The package inside this prototype betavoltaic battery contains layers of silicon carbide and metal foil embedded with the radioactive isotope tritium. When high-energy electrons emitted by the decay of tritium hit the silicon carbide, it produces an electrical current that exits the cell through the metal pins. Such batteries are designed to last 25 years.
Credit: Widetronix

clipped from www.widetronix.com

Widetronix designs and builds low
power, long life batteries for
microelectronics.

clipped from www.widetronix.com

Widetronix batteries will replace traditional lithium batteries in several biological implants including devices used in neurological stimulators and cardiac rhythm management

Widetronix is working with the Department of Defense's prime contractors to incorporate its batteries in key government security systems.

Widetronix is exploring opportunities to incorporate its battery technology in active RFID tags and remote sensing devices.

Kohjinsha - Dual-Display Netbook

2009-11-28T13:57:00.002+01:00

clipped from jp.kohjinsha.com

clipped from www.youtube.com

Kohjinsha - Dual-Display Netbook : DigInfo

DigInfo - http://www.diginfo.tv

KOHJINSHA
Dual Display PC

Related Links :
- http://jp.kohjinsha.com/
- http://www.ceatec.com/2009/... (CEATEC JAPAN 2009)

clipped from www.engadget.com

Kohjinsha's dual-screen DZ Series laptop now for sale

Remember IBM's ThinkPad 701 with the butterfly keyboard? This isn't it, it's better... conceptually anyway. Instead of two halves of a keyboard magically jigsawing themselves together, Kohjinsha achieves a similar result with its DZ-series using a pair of 10.1-inch TFT displays with 1,024 x 600 pixel resolution (each) packed into an otherwise svelte 1.02 x 8.26 x 0.74~1.65 inches / 4.09 pounds (1.84 kg) portable.

Toyota's Driving Simulator

2009-11-26T21:08:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.telegraph.co.uk

Toyota's £30 million driving simulator review

Forget the latest video games – this is the most realistic driving recreation that ordinary money can't buy.

clipped from www.toyota.co.jp

Toyota Develops World-class Driving Simulator
Real-as-possible Environment to Aid Development of Active Safety Technology

Tokyo — TOYOTA MOTOR CORPORATION (TMC) announced today that it has developed a world-class driving simulator for effectively analyzing the driving characteristics of average drivers to aid in the development and verification of traffic accident-reducing active safety technology.

clipped from www.youtube.com

clipped from www.motortrend.com

Toyota's driving simulator: Not all fun and games

clipped from image.motortrend.com

clipped from www.motortrend.com

clipped from www.techradar.com

The system features a real car inside a 7.1m-diameter dome with a 360-degree screen on its interior surface, onto which video that mimics real-world driving is projected. The whole lot is then placed on a computer-controlled platform that shifts on hydraulics to simulate the feeling of driving.

Mood Chair

2009-11-24T15:43:00.002+01:00

clipped from pipeline.gnr8.biz

A limited edition, interactive chair from UK studio Aether & Hemera.

The Mood Chair is a piece of interactive furniture that changes color in response to the colors that its sensors perceive from the environment and the users.

This interactive furniture technically consists of partially translucent units, with LEDs, embedded micro-chips and appropriate sensors.

clipped from www.axisweb.org

Aether & Hemera

'Mood Chair ' Interactive Lighting Furniture, responding to environment and people.

clipped from www.youtube.com

clipped from www.aether-hemera.com

Aether & Hemera are the ancient Greek god and goddess of brighter upper air and daylight. Aether is Claudio, the new media architect; Hemera is Gloria, the lighting artist. Aether & Hemera is interdisciplinary collaboration to research the aesthetic challenges of light and its power to trigger emotions and response, creating a sense of identity or setting a mood.

Hemera

Aether

clipped from www.aether-hemera.com

Mood lighting

The aim of our research is to develop a series of products in which light can be used to add new dimensions to colour, dynamics and interactivity.

Mood chair

Heart-bit Lamp

Silver Lining in a Box

RoboBuilder Xmas Dance Routine

2009-11-23T22:23:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.youtube.com

It's never too early to start the xmas marketing campaign, and RoboBuilder is an attractive and affordable hobby robot kit.
http://www.plasticpals.com
http://www.robobuilder.net/...

clipped from www.robobuilder.net

RoboBuilder is a highly advanced DIY robotic KIT designed for robotizen’s value of Education and Entertainment. Any user can enjoy designing and building robots simply by plugging block-type
robotic actuator modules. Various robotic platforms are designable with user’s creative ideas and skills. You can download fancy robotic motion files from Internet and play HUNO, DINO, DOGY the three Standard Robot Platforms.

clipped from www.robobuilder.net

Blobo the squeezable game controller

2009-11-22T16:58:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.engadget.com

Finland unleashes Blobo, the squeezable, all-too-cheerful game controller, on an unsuspecting world

Blobo is a squeezable game controller roughly the size and shape of a golf ball that communicates with your PC or phone via Bluetooth. Currently available in a package with "six sporty fun and fit" games, it'll keep tabs on you as you run, jump, dribble, or karate chop your lonely nights away -- in the comfort of your own living room or wood panel rec room.

clipped from www.interactiondesign.se

Blobo

It connects via Bluetooth, is rechargeable and it measures following things: magnetic field, air pressure, spin, movement and acceleration, force of squeeze, steps and calorie burn. It’s 55euros with 6 games, so pretty cheap. The SDK is available for Windows, Symbian S60 and Java 2 ME (phones).

clipped from nexus404.com

Blobo Gaming Console Unveiled in Finland [Looks Like a Ball; Acts Like a Wii & Wiimote]

clipped from www.youtube.com

Blobo from Ball-it!

clipped from www.youtube.com

Ball-it demo

Litl's Web-Based Netbook

2009-11-17T20:02:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.geeky-gadgets.com

The Litl Webbook

A company called Litl has launched a new netbook called the The Litl Webbook, although the design is slightly different than the standard netbooks that have been available, as it can be used as a standard netbook or the screen can be flipped over and it can be used as a TV device with an optional remote.

clipped from www.wired.com

New Netbook Twists to Fit in the Living Room

Under the hood, the Webbook doesn’t have much to brag about. The device has a 1.6 GHz Atom processor, 1 GB RAM, 2 GB flash memory, a camera, Wi-Fi connectivity, a USB port, two infrared ports and a HDMI port. Clearly it is intended as a clould computing device, one where you don’t store much locally on your hard disk but use it to access files or photos already on the internet.

clipped from www.crunchgear.com

Exclusive video of the Litl Webbook

clipped from litl.com

litl webbook

easy to use

intuitive interface

maintenance free

versatile

every room in the house

something for everyone

more fun

photos

sharing

big just got huge

channels

essays

philosophy

software

hardware

Roombas do Pac-Man

2009-11-10T21:54:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.engadget.com

Autonomous Roombas do Pac-Man right (video)

clipped from pacman.elstonj.com

home

hardware

photos

software

videos

clipped from store.irobot.com

iRobot Create®
Programmable Robot

The mobile robot platform for educators and developers.

clipped from pacman.elstonj.com

This is a video of Roomba Pac-Man in action. A few clarifications:

The red tape on the floor is simply so the user can visualize the map in the real world. The robots are unaware of the tape, and are rather constrained by a virtual boundary embedded in their programming.

The "dots" on the floor are pieces of paper the the Pac-Man Roomba must vacuum up to complete the map.

The ghosts actually autonomously search for Pac-Man, and when they get close enough to "sense" Pac-Man, chase him according to a set of probabalistic rules.

The human controller cannot force the Pac-Man to cross any boundaries, it will only allow inputs in valid directions.

This video demonstrates the capability of the onboard controllers to follow a operator specified waypoint plan.

clipped from pacman.elstonj.com

Hardware

Airbag Defense

2009-11-09T11:47:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.youtube.com

SCI Air Bag Armor

Developed by Survival Consultants International, this new armor system uses lightweight airbags that depoy when the flash of a roadside bomb blast reaches the vehicle. The system absrobs the cuncussion and some shrapnel.

clipped from www.popsci.com

Armored Airbags to Protect Vehicles from RPGs and Roadside Bombs

Airbags could prevent RPGs from exploding and neutralize the blast of improvised explosives

clipped from defensetech.org

Airbag Defense

The key to Dave’s airbag protection that differs from Textron’s is that it detects the IED blast light, which arrives at the vehicle well before the blast does and gives the system time to deploy the airbags before the blast reaches the vehicle. I know that Israeli and some US so-called “active protection” systems use radar to detect the object coming towards it, but with Dave’s system, the detection is projectile agnostic since it detects the light of detonation (or launch?) and deploys at the speed of light (with fiber optics).

Babies cry in their mother tongue

2009-11-06T19:52:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.timesonline.co.uk

Study shows unborn babies cry in their mother tongue

Now research carried out in Germany suggests that babies develop a capacity
for language much earlier than was previously thought. “Our study shows the
importance of crying for seeding language development,” said Professor
Kathleen Wermke, who led the research at the University of Würzburg.

clipped from www.livescience.com

Prenatal exposure

Prenatal exposure to language was known to influence newborns. For
instance, past research showed they preferred their mother's voice over
those of others.

Imitating Mom

The way babies imitate melody patterns relies just on a command over
their voiceboxes they had before birth, instead of the more advanced
control of their vocal tracts they need for vowel sounds. As such, they
can begin mimicking their mothers "at that early age," said researcher
Kathleen Wermke, a medical anthropologist at the University of Würzburg
in Germany.

clipped from scienceblogs.com

clipped from www.cell.com

Newborns' Cry Melody Is Shaped by Their Native Language

Attacks of the Giant Jellyfish

2009-11-04T20:00:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.youtube.com

clipped from www.timesonline.co.uk

Japanese fishing industry stung by plague of giant jellyfish

They poison fish, sting humans and even attack nuclear power stations. They
are 6ft wide, up to 440lb in weight, and they are pink, slimy and repellent.
They sound like rubber monsters from a Godzilla film, but they are Echizen
kurage, or Nomura’s jellyfish, an authentic horror of the deep about to
launch its latest assault on Japan.

clipped from news.nationalgeographic.com

July 29, 2009--Eat your heart out, Godzilla. A massive menace from the sea seems poised to invade Japan anew this summer, experts predict.

clipped from www.youtube.com

GOOD: Attack of the Giant Jellyfish!

clipped from www.telegraph.co.uk

Japanese fishing trawler sunk by giant jellyfish

The crew of the fishing boat was thrown into the sea when the vessel capsized, but the three men were rescued by another trawler, according to the Mainichi newspaper. The local Coast Guard office reported that the weather was clear and the sea was calm at the time of the accident.

clipped from www.youtube.com

Man Attacked by Giant Jellyfish!!!

Floating Cities

2009-11-02T20:19:00.002+01:00

clipped from greeninc.blogs.nytimes.com

As Sea Levels Rise, Dutch See Floating Cities

Delft University of Technology A Dutch design firm imagines floating cities as a response to climate change.

The Dutch have long been known for innovative ways of managing water in flood-prone regions.

So perhaps it is not surprising that designers in the Netherlands are envisioning floating cities that would make parts of low-lying nations habitable amid dramatically rising sea levels and storm surges linked to climate change.

clipped from www.deltasync.nl

About | Publicity | News | Career | Contact | Nederlands

clipped from www.deltasync.nl

Floating City

Floating City is a concept for sustainable, innovative urbanization in a densely occupied delta area. It is a climate robust solution for urban development. In contrast to conventional urbanization, the Floating City can cope with water level fluctuations. Thus, it is a city without flood risk. In this project special attention was paid to themes of sustainability and mobility.

clipped from www.youtube.com

TU Delft floating city delta-sync

Junk food can be addictive

2009-10-30T13:13:00.002+01:00

clipped from current.com

Junk Food as Addictive as Heroin - Rats Say

clipped from dsc.discovery.com

Binging Rats Get Hooked on Junk Food

Oct. 21, 2009 -- Junk food elicits addictive behavior in rats similar to the behaviors of rats addicted to heroin, a new study finds. Pleasure centers in the brains of rats addicted to high-fat, high-calorie diets became less responsive as the binging wore on, making the rats consume more and more food. The results, presented October 20 at the Society for Neuroscience's annual meeting, may help explain the changes in the brain that lead people to overeat.

clipped from www.telegraph.co.uk

Junk food as 'addictive as drugs'

Eating junk food can be addictive

clipped from www.express.co.uk

JUNK FOOD 'AS BAD AS HEROIN'

clipped from www.mnn.com

Junk food junkies

Chowing down on junk food makes rats act like heroin addicts.

clipped from www.scripps.edu

Paul Kenny

Concrete Mushrooms

2009-10-29T18:16:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.inhabitat.com

Concrete Mushrooms: Transforming Abandoned Bunkers Into Eco Hostels

There are reportedly over 750,000 abandoned concrete bunkers scattered throughout Albania, remnants of Communist dictator Enver Hoxha and his policies of paranoid xenophobia. Now graduate students Gyler Mydyti & Elian Stefa have developed a plan called Concrete Mushrooms that would ‘invert the meaning’ of these structures by turning them into a network of habitable eco-hostels, cafés, gift shops and more.

clipped from blog.concrete-mushrooms.com

The Project

“Concrete Mushrooms” is a project initiated as an idea for research by two Albanian graduate students at Politecnico di Milano, and the purpose was to emphasize the appreciable assets of Albania such as bunkers which are vast in number and across all the rich and beautiful landscape of Albania.

clipped from www.cafebabel.co.uk

Albania: polit-tourism between coves and concrete beach bunkers

clipped from www.youtube.com

clipped from blog.concrete-mushrooms.com

The Documentary

While the documentary is being worked on, please enjoy the trailer!

clipped from blog.concrete-mushrooms.com

Pictures:

PETMAN Boston Dynamics Walking Robot

2009-10-28T13:02:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.bostondynamics.com

PETMAN - BigDog gets a Big Brother

clipped from www.youtube.com

PETMAN Prototype

Biped robot that balances dynamically using a human-like walking motion. It is a close relative to BigDog, sharing elements of the mechanical design and control.

clipped from singularityhub.com

With Petman’s ability to withstand a a decent kick or hit from the side while walking it is clear that robots are now capable of balance and control that nearly matches a human on flat terrain. In the next decade we can expect bipedal humanoid robots to conquer more than flat terrain, and also to bump up their speed to full out running. Robots that not only match, but exceed human ability to walk and run in your lifetime? Yes – that is assuming you have another 10, maybe 20 years ahead of you!

clipped from www.geek.com

PETMAN has been developed for use by the US Army to help test chemical protection clothing. It performs realistic human-like heel-toe walking at up to 3.2mph and is capable of being pushed without falling over. It can also crawl and do a range of other movements soldiers may perform so as to ensure testing covers the full range of scenarios for the suits.

Reusable Rocket Plane

2009-10-26T12:37:00.002+01:00

clipped from www.msnbc.msn.com

Reusable rocket plane soars in test flight

Prototype craft built to showcase proprietary advanced launch technologies

A reusable rocket plane has made a successful test flight from New Mexico's Spaceport America — a prototype craft built to showcase proprietary advanced launch technologies.
The small unpiloted vehicle soared into New Mexico skies on Oct. 10, making use of launch services provided by UP Aerospace of Denver, Colo.

clipped from www.space.com

Voorhees said that the purpose of the test flights is to take a look at tackling the ground and launch operations for responsive space needs. That includes advancing leaner, less-costly, and more rapid launch-to-space capabilities.

The craft is a prototype, Voorhees said, a demonstration and data-gathering experiment. "We're trying to understand various technologies of systems and how they play together," he added.