Mysterious News Briefly January 12, 2021
The construction industry is finding it difficult to match the strength of ancient Roman concrete so researchers at Lancaster University in the UK are trying carrots as a binder to improve cement hydration and make today’s concrete stronger. If only adding carrots would make the concrete see potholes better and call for repairs before we hit them.
Sad and scary news from the San Diego Zoo where eight gorillas have tested positive for the coronavirus the first known cases among such primates in the United States and possibly the world. Zoo workers have been taking precautions and are safe, as are the Southern Masked Weavers, the Masked Lapwings and the Hermit Crabs.
Risk-reduction testing will achieve critical design maturity by January 2022.
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control has received another contract modification from DARPA for work on the Operational Fires (OpFires) Integrated Weapon System Phase 3 programme.
The company will conduct risk-reduction testing to achieve ‘system-level critical design maturity’ by January 2022, the DoD announced on 8 January.
DARPA awarded the original $31.9 million contract to Lockheed Martin in January 2020, followed by a $7.45 million modification six months later.
OpFires Integrated Weapon System Phase 3 is intended to enable capabilities for a mobile, ground-launched tactical weapon delivery system capable of carrying various payloads.
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New DARPA Project to Make Eyeglasses-size Night Vision Goggles Our Bureau 3676
Night Vision Goggles (US Army)
DARPA has announced an Enhanced Night Vision in eyeglass form (ENVision) program to create lightweight Night Vision Glasses (NVG)s that offer a wide field of view (FOV) across multiple infrared (IR) spectrum bands without needing separate optics for each IR band.
The goal is to enable night vision through fog, dust, and other obscurants as well as provide thermal vision – all via a single flat lens. The ENVision will substitute current NVGs known to cause neck strain due to the weight of the optics in them besides restricting the FOV to a mere 40-degree.