The X-51A WaveRider, which is being developed and tested by Boeing, may be the next big thing in transportation. It is currently an unmanned scramjet which, if Boeing did its homework correctly, will be capable of sustained hypersonic flight in the very near future. Hypersonic flight is defined as atmospheric flight at speeds above Mach 5.5. To put things in perspective a SR-71 Blackbird, the fastest manned airplane ever, flew at speeds of up to Mach 3.2 or 2,200 mph. The WaveRider is capable of speeds up to 3,600 mph or Mach 6. This means that it can fly from Los Angeles to New York City in 45 minutes. The WaveRider attaches to the wing of a B-52 Strategic bomber and then launches at 50,000 feet. At speeds of this magnitude, powerful shockwaves buffet the scramjet and it is subjected to extreme pressure and heat. The WaveRider uses its shockwaves for lift and, if it is successful, will be the first scramjet of its kind to achieve sustained hypersonic flight.

The US military is currently funding the project and hopes to use the WaveRider to deliver long range missiles with extraordinary speed. However, some scientists suggest that the WaveRider could create a revolution in air travel similar to the conversion from propellers to jet engines. If WaveRider technology is utilized in civilian aircraft, people could travel around the world in about 7 hours. This would revolutionize transportation, although because of weight limits, it would not be an effective method for trade. The WaveRider program costs about 140 million dollars, for developement and testing, so don’t expect to hop on a scramjet to Grandma’s any time soon. Still, in a few decades this technology could be a part of everyday life. Would you be excited by civilian scramjets or do you think it’s a pipe dream that wouldn’t be successful on a commercial scale?

For those of you who are checking my speed conversions and scratching your heads, here is a little explanation. A Mach number is the ratio of an aircraft’s speed to the speed of sound, which is 761 mph at sea level. One would assume that Mach 6 would be over 4,500 mph or 6 times the speed of sound. Thus, 3,600 mph would be just below Mach 5. However, the speed of sound changes at different altitudes and also depends on heat and pressure. At 50,000 feet the WaveRider is travelling at Mach 6 but only going 3,600 mph.

So what is Windows 8? Windows 8 is an operating system developed by Microsoft that will be released in October. Every few years, Microsoft releases a new operating system that it touts as the next big thing. Sometimes it becomes the new standard, such as when Windows XP was introduced, and sometimes it flops, e.g. Windows Vista. Microsoft is currently hyping Windows 8, but is it worth an upgrade?

Windows 8 focuses heavily on social media integration and will use a new tile system similar to the Windows mobile phone interface. Windows Apps will be front and center, updating the user in real-time about social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Xbox-Live, and e-mail. It also offers some cool new features such as native USB 3.0 and Windows To Go, which will allow the user to transport Windows 8 and its data with a bootable thumb drive. While conventionally Windows has been a computer based operating system, Windows 8 is targeted at the tablet pc market as well. It will have syncing features which will allow the user to seamlessly switch between tablet and computer, or at least that’s the idea.

Microsoft is completely redoing the traditional start-menu layout and it has people worried that, while it’s great for media consumption, Windows 8 will not offer the productivity necessary for business computing. Microsoft is trying so hard to create a sleek and sexy operating system that can compete with Mac OS X that it has sacrificed productivity along the way. Technical companies, nearly exclusively, rely on Windows PCs for heavy computing because it allows for more customization and universal compatibility. On its website, Microsoft promotes Windows 8 business apps and the operating system’s ability to enhance mobile productivity. It encourages businesses to test the Windows Release Preview, a free release version which is currently available for anyone to download and try, and consider upgrading next month. However, it looks like most businesses won’t be making the transition any time soon. While it is still possible to access the traditional Windows layout, which functions exactly like Windows 7, the user must navigate through the tile interface every time he wants to run a program. The interface itself is very distracting and not conducive to productivity. Microsoft is intentionally targeting the tablet community but it may lose some of its faithful customers in the process.

Are you excited about the new Windows 8 operating system? Is it worth upgrading from Windows 7?

3D printing has rapidly expanded over the last few years as a viable option for manufacturing high-quality products at a low cost. It is probably best known for its applications in toy making, but revolutions in 3D printing may begin to have a significant impact on world economies and governments.

A 3D printer is a device that can translate a 3-dimensional computer model into a fully realized plastic object. Spools of plastic are fed into the machine, melted, and then manipulated to create a plastic replica of a 3D computer model. Currently a low end 3D printer can be purchased for roughly $500 which is far cheaper than conventional methods for creating plastic objects. It is also possible to use a 3D printer to create another 3D printer which means that in the next couple of years we may see an explosion of 3D printing. Prior to the introduction of 3D printing, production factories were the bottleneck of the manufacturing process. With limited man power and resources, products were mass produced in specific locations and then shipped out for retail. With the introduction of 3D printers, it is possible for a company or individual to publish a design file for others to download and use. Instead of mass producing products, people have the ability to manufacture products individually at home. This eliminates the need for transportation and provides a convenient way for people to create what they need.

People are also finding creative ways to utilize 3D printing. Though not yet fully functional, an initiative called defense distributed is attempted to model what they call a “wiki weapon” or completely 3D printable gun. They want to empower anyone with a 3D printer, even someone with no modeling or printing experience, to be able to produce a firearm from home. In some ways, this is a scary thought because it would allow individuals to circumvent the licensing process and create non-registered illegal weapons from home. Additionally, printed guns would be made from plastic and would not trigger metal detectors, making it easier to smuggle guns into places of high security. Michael Guslick has already modeled, printed, and tested the receiver of a Colt AR 15 hunting rifle. A receiver is so integral to the firing of a gun that it is considered a firearm and so he technically created a Title I-class weapon. A fully functional firearm is still a little ways away because the plastic currently used in 3D printers cannot withstand the force or heat of a gunshot. However, defense distributed plans to test special ammunition and make printable guns a reality in the very near future.