Going well beyond just being a ‘radar detecting’ device, this high-tech gizmo uses multiple strategies to identify not just speed traps with police vehicles but also warning you of red light intersection ticketing cameras.

The makers of 360 Max are so confident in their all-in-one solution they even attach a warranty to the device: if you get a ticket while using it, the company will reimburse you for your trouble.

Unlike classic radar detectors which search different frequency bans for radar signals, this gizmo stays on the lookout for overhead aircraft and ticketing cams, all while avoiding false positives (a bane of old devices). It also tells you the direction and distance of a perceived threat, letting you know where to look or what to worry about. A magnetic mount lets you quickly slip the gadget out of view when pulled over.

It does this with a combination of techniques, including AutoLearn, a self-educating system that logs frequencies and locations and assesses their threat levels. Another key to the system is its secretive database of red light cameras, derived from third-party sources. Air patrols are the trickiest since they can be out of range of the device, so for now the database contains maps of known areas of coverage.

The post Next-Gen Radar Detector Spots Cops & Stoplight Cameras first appeared on Gajitz.

Even for experienced cyclists, riding along busy stretches of roads or highways can be harrowing. There are too many drivers who don’t want to share the street with bicycles and drive aggressively; there are even more who just aren’t paying attention to their surroundings. For the brave cyclists who choose to travel on two wheels anyway, the Backtracker provides a “sixth sense” to keep them safe.

The Backtracker is a two-piece system which can tell cyclists when cars are approaching from behind. The front module fits onto the bike’s handlebar assembly and acts as a visual cue relating to what’s happening behind the cyclist. When a car is approaching, the display indicates how close it is and how quickly it is approaching. It can “see” vehicles up to 140 meters (153 yards) away.

The second module fits onto the back of the bike and contains a radar and a tail light. The two modules are connected via Bluetooth LE. As the radar detects a vehicle approaching, the tail light begins blinking rapidly to alert the driver to the cyclist’s presence. It also sends a signal to the front module alerting the cyclist to the vehicle’s presence, proximity and speed.

Both modules are charged via USB and can go for up to eight hours on a single charge. The project is raising money via the Dragon Innovation website, where a $199 pledge will get you a single Backtracker set.

The post Bike Safety System Uses Radar to Track Approaching Cars first appeared on Gajitz.

Aircraft anti-detection systems have gotten incredibly complex. So complex, in fact, that they can intercept a radar signal and send back a picture of something other than the aircraft (see the images below). Researchers at the University of Rochester in New York have figured out a better way to outsmart the outsmarters by exploiting the quantum properties of photons. Attempting to measure a photon always destroys its quantum properties, so the team posited that they could shoot polarized photons at aircraft to create images of the craft.

If an enemy were to intercept those photons and send them back in a deceptive pattern to indicate that the measured object is a different shape or in a different location, it would be immediately obvious. This is because the act of manipulating the photons would always change their delicate quantum properties. As seen in the sample images above, a manipulated image is simple to detect thanks to the high rate of polarization errors in the returned signal. The system isn’t flawless as there are still ways for very savvy adversaries to crack it – but there are also ways to fix those vulnerabilities.

The post Unjammable Aircraft Detection System Uses Quantum Imaging first appeared on Gajitz.