new technology for LIFEGUARDs Researchers at Australia's Griffith University are developing a camera-based motion detecting system that could increase the effectiveness of lifeguards in monitoring the country's many beaches. The system is designed to monitor the behaviour of beachgoers, according to a report in The Australian. It will harness images captured by web cameras set up by the national surf monitoring group Coastalwatch. 'We are trying to detect people to some level of accuracy and we are about 85 per cent [accurate],' said Steve Green, a doctoral student at the university's School of Information and Communication Technology. The system could be used to increase safety at unpatrolled beaches - lifeguards nearby could get an early warning if, for instance, bathers entered non-flagged areas. The main challenge is the low-resolution images, which makes human detection difficult in overcast conditions, but Mr Green said he hoped the system will be completed with greater accuracy in two years. microsoft delays asia launch of games console Microsoft has delayed the launch of its widely anticipated Xbox 360 games console in the Asia-Pacific region. It cited challenges in ramping up its supply to meet unprecedented global customer demand. Hong Kong and Singapore gamers will be able to get their hands on the console on March 16. The product will be launched in Australia and New Zealand a week later. The company said it remained on track to ship between 4.5 million and 5.5 million consoles worldwide by the end of June. harnessing the wind's power California-based Sky WindPower has released its latest design for Flying Electric Generator (FEG) technology, which it is pitching as a potential solution for future global energy shortages. The so-called Flying Windmills technology is designed to operate at an altitude exceeding 15,000 feet to harness the energy from high-altitude winds using light tether materials and existing rotorcraft technology. 'Just average wind conditions high above the earth in the temperate zones of the northern and southern hemispheres are sufficient to supply all the world's energy needs,' the company said. The next planned Flying Electric Generator will be rated at 240kW with rotor diameters of about 10.6 metres. The company said the device would produce twice the energy per year as a ground-based wind turbine with a rotor blade measuring 77 metres. THE ULTIMATE WARSHIP Britain?s Royal Navy launched its next-generation warship HMS Daring last week. The 7,350-tonne, 150-metre-long Daring is the first of six Type 45 destroyers expected to come into service by 2009. It is one of the most sophisticated warships ever built, boasting a $8.33 billion price tag and 14 decks that have the latest military technology. A new Principal Anti-Air Missile System (PAAMS) can trace and destroy hostile objects as small as a cricket ball travelling at three times the speed of sound over a radius of several hundred kilometres. The hi-tech entertainment systems built into every cabin will be of greater interest to the crew. Hotel facilities on board the ship include iPod docks, internet access and five-channel recreational audio.
