RIEM News LogoRIEM News

Articles tagged with "laser-technology"

  • Video: China’s missile defense-style mosquito zapping laser kills 30 bugs per second

    A Chinese company has developed a laser-based mosquito-killing device called Photon Matrix, which reportedly can eliminate up to 30 mosquitoes per second. Utilizing advanced LiDAR technology, the device identifies and targets mosquitoes by detecting their size, angle, and location within three milliseconds, then fires a low-powered laser to neutralize them. Designed to be safe for humans and pets, Photon Matrix scans a 90-degree area and avoids firing if larger objects are detected nearby. The basic version has a range of about 3 meters, while the pro version extends to 6 meters, with prices starting at $468 and $668 respectively on Indiegogo, where the crowdfunding campaign has already met its initial goal. Photon Matrix aims to address the global health threat posed by mosquitoes, which transmit diseases like Malaria, Dengue, Chikungunya, and Encephalitis, causing millions of cases and over 100,000 deaths annually. The device is compact, waterproof, and can be powered by portable power

    laser-technologymosquito-controlLiDARenergy-efficient-devicespest-managementoutdoor-gadgetssmart-defense-system
  • Turkey’s new airborne laser zaps heat-seeking missile in first test

    Turkey’s defense firm Aselsan has successfully tested its YILDIRIM-100 Directed Infrared Countermeasure (DIRCM) system, designed to detect, track, and neutralize infrared-guided air-to-air and surface-to-air missiles using high-energy, multi-band laser beams. The live-fire trials demonstrated the system’s autonomous capability to identify incoming missile threats and disrupt their seeker heads, forcing missiles off course before impact. The YILDIRIM-100 offers 360-degree hemispherical coverage, can engage multiple simultaneous threats, and features a twin-head turret with fast-tracking sensors and a high-power laser. It integrates with ultraviolet and infrared missile warning systems, boasts low power consumption, reduced size and weight, and an open architecture compatible with NATO standards, making it suitable for both new and legacy aircraft in high-threat environments. Aselsan is also developing an advanced variant, the YILDIRIM-300, tailored for Turkey’s fifth-generation KAAN fighter jet, which is expected to enter

    energylaser-technologydirected-infrared-countermeasuremissile-defensemilitary-technologyairborne-systemshigh-energy-lasers
  • US Army develops 50kW laser-mounted tank to zap drones 5 miles away

    The US Army has successfully demonstrated a 50-kilowatt (kW) class solid-state laser mounted on a Stryker A1 8×8 armored vehicle, known as the DE M-SHORAD “Guardian” system, during a live-fire exercise at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. This Directed Energy Maneuver-Short-Range Air Defense system integrates high-energy laser technology with traditional kinetic air-defense assets to counter aerial threats such as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), rotary-wing aircraft, and incoming rockets or artillery shells. The laser’s precision thermal effects, guided by advanced electro-optical/infrared sensors and Ku-band radar, enable autonomous target tracking and rapid engagement up to five miles away, marking the Army’s first operational deployment of a mobile high-energy laser weapon. The exercise, led by the 4th Battalion, 60th Air Defense Artillery Regiment and the Army Rapid Capabilities and Critical Technologies Office (RCCTO), focused on integrating the laser system into existing

    energydirected-energy-weaponslaser-technologymilitary-technologyunmanned-aerial-systemsbattery-technologydefense-systems
  • Laser breakthrough for ultra-intense pulses advance nuclear fusion

    Scientists from the University of Oxford and Ludwig-Maximilian University of Munich have developed a novel technique called RAVEN (Real-time Acquisition of Vectorial Electromagnetic Near-fields) to measure the complete profile of ultra-intense laser pulses in a single shot. Tested on Germany’s ATLAS-3000 petawatt-class laser, RAVEN captures distortions and wave shifts in real-time, enabling immediate fine-tuning of the laser system. Unlike previous methods that required hundreds of firings to build a full picture, RAVEN provides a comprehensive spatio-temporal characterization—including shape, timing, and alignment—from just one image, offering unprecedented insights into laser-matter interactions. The technique works by splitting the laser beam, analyzing its color changes over time, and separating light based on polarization through a crystal, with a grid of micro-lenses capturing the pulse’s wavefront structure. This data is then reconstructed by a neural network to reveal the pulse’s detailed profile instantly. This real-time feedback

    energylaser-technologynuclear-fusionultra-intense-lasersreal-time-measurementphysics-researchhigh-power-systems
  • Secret SONGBOW: World-first 400kW laser from US to fry drones in blink

    The US Navy has initiated the highly classified SONGBOW program to develop a groundbreaking 400-kilowatt laser weapon system capable of destroying drones, missiles, and other aerial threats mid-air. The Department of Defense awarded a $29.9 million contract to Coherent Aerospace & Defense to design, integrate, and test this advanced directed-energy subsystem for deployment on naval vessels and potentially land platforms. The system will combine multiple 50-kilowatt laser modules into a single, high-powered beam with precision beam control, enabling higher power output without sacrificing accuracy or beam quality. This represents a significant advancement compared to existing naval laser systems, which typically operate between 30 and 100 kilowatts. The SONGBOW laser aims to enhance the Navy’s layered defense strategy by providing a rapid, cost-effective response to evolving threats such as drone swarms and hypersonic missiles, which can overwhelm traditional missile defenses like the Aegis Combat System. Coherent Aerospace & Defense, experienced in high-energy lasers and

    energydirected-energy-weaponslaser-technologymilitary-technologydefense-systemshigh-power-lasersfiber-lasers
  • New laser crystals boost quantum tech and cut rare earth reliance

    materialslaser-technologyquantum-computingrare-earth-elementsoptical-materialsfiber-opticsenvironmental-monitoring
  • DARPA beams 800 watts laser power over record breaking 5.3 miles

    energywireless-power-transmissionlaser-technologyDARPAmilitary-applicationsphotovoltaic-cellsoptical-power-beaming
  • ZEUS: US facility fires world’s most powerful laser at 2 petawatts

    energylaser-technologymaterials-sciencequantum-physicsplasma-sciencescientific-discoveryhigh-field-science
  • World’s fastest quantum switch built by US team for ultra-fast AI

    materialsquantum-computinggrapheneultrafast-computingAI-hardwaretransistorslaser-technology
  • US’ laser-powered nuclear fusion achieves new net-positive energy records: Report

    energynuclear-fusionlaser-technologypower-generationinertial-confinementenergy-yieldcontrolled-fusion
  • Laser-powered fusion experiment more than doubles its power output

    energyfusionnuclear-energypower-outputlaser-technologyinertial-confinementclimate-technology