Tech digest

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.

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.

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