Technology Briefs - March 11-17
The Latest Headlines:
Emergency Crews Seen Unprepared to Communicate During Disasters
Police and fire departments in major U.S. cities, including Washington and New York, are ill-prepared to communicate with one another because of a shortage in radio airspace, the Wall Street Journal said Monday.Due to a shortage of spectrum, the scientific name for radio bandwidth, emergency radio broadcasts may block each other out and prevent transmissions in case of a major disaster or terrorist attack, the Journal said.
Some wireless communication companies, like Nextel Communications Inc., are lobbying the government to open up the 800-megahertz band of spectrum for use, the Journal said. Congress is also looking at freeing up the 700-megahertz band for use.
Delphi Debuts New Engine Component
Delphi Corp. said Monday that it plans to start selling its new smart remote actuator in the first quarter of 2004.The actuator, designed to help diesel engine makers meet increasingly stringent emissions standards for nitrogen oxide and improve fuel economy, will be part of a line of turbo chargers for the diesel engine market.
The turbo system will allow drivers to add or subtract power based on road or load conditions, the company said. The system will also contribute to shorter engine warm-up periods and can be used to re-calculate exhaust gas and reduce nitrogen oxide emissions. Transport Topics
(Click here for the full press release.)
