The MMS mission by NASA just set the Guinness World Record for the highest altitude GPS signal fix

Image: NASA.

By tech2 News Staff /  07 Nov 2016 , 14:05

The Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) by NASA now holds the Guinness world record for the highest altitude fix of a GPS signal. The fix was taken from a height of 43,500 miles (70006 kilometres) above the surface of the Earth.

Next year, the MMS will enter phase two of its mission, when it is expected to set a new world record, from at least twice the altitude of the current record.

The MMS spacecraft fly in a tetrahedral formation. Image: NASA.

The MMS is a flock of four satellites in a tight formation that are in an extremely elliptical orbit around the Earth. The mission holds another record for being the closest flying spacecraft in a formation, with a distance of only four and a half miles (roughly seven kilometres) between two satellites.  At their closest approach to Earth, the four satellites move at a blistering 22,000 miles per hour, which is also the fastest known use of a GPS receiver.

The four satellites are flying in a pyramid shaped formation to study a phenomenon in the magnetosphere of the Earth, known as magnetic reconnection. The phenomenon occurs due to the interaction between the magnetic fields of the Earth and the Sun.

The satellites use GPS tracking to stay in formation and obtain high resolution, three dimensional observations. The precise GPS coordinates are required for the sensitive, position and orbital calculations.

Nike+ Run Club update brings Apple Music integration, GPS for Apple Watch 2

By tech2 News Staff /  28 Oct 2016 , 13:52

Just as the Apple Watch Nike+ is all set to hit stores, Nike+ Run Club for iPhone and Apple Watch gets a notable update. The version 5.1 brings some bug fixes along with features such as Apple Music integration and support for GPS.

For Apple Music subscribers, Nike+ Run Club will completely support streaming playlists from the Nike app on iPhone. The new update also brings full support for watchOS 3.1 along with support for built-in GPS on Apple Watch Series 2. A subscriber can sync it to Apple Watch for offline playback too.

“Previously, the app was a bit on the basic side and wouldn’t map your runs when you ran without the iPhone,” points out 9To5Mac. Several features are said to be watchOS 3-specific including Siri to start, pause and end the run,  audio readouts from Watch speaker, and so on.

The changes include a redesigned summary screen, some easy sharing. “All runs will sync to Apple’s Health app, and that run settings will stay in place after updates,” Apple Insider said.

The Apple Watch Nike+ is similar to the Series 2 models, but features Run Club, extra watchfaces, along with a improved version of the Sport Band.

Nike+ Run Club is available for free from the App Store. For running enthusiasts, the water resistant Apple Watch Nike+ will be available in India starting today. Apple Watch Nike+ will be available in 38 mm at Rs 32,900 and 42mm at Rs 34,900 from Nike.com, select Nike retail stores, select Apple Authorised Resellers and select specialty stores.

How tech can help seniors 'age in place,' save money, and be independent

At the Louisville Innovation Summit, health and tech experts explored how big data, artificial intelligence, and the Internet of Things are helping older adults stay healthy and independent.

By Hope Reese | October 10, 2016, 11:57 AM PST

Laurie Orlov, principal analyst, aging in place, for Technology Watch, spoke at the Louisville Innovation Summit.


"Aging care is one of the most aggressive industries in innovation," said Keisha Deonarine, economic development manager for the city of Louisville, Kentucky. Deonarine, speaking at the third annual Louisville Innovation Summiton Monday, hit on a key point: The rise of big data, IoT, and AI have enormous implications for the improvement of the US healthcare system.

It's a system ripe for innovation—already this year, $6.5 billion has been invested in digital health startups.

And it's an industry with critical implications for seniors. In the US, there are 46 million people over the age of 65, and 20 million over the age of 75, saidindustry analyst and former CIO, Laurie Orlov. Where do they all live? Almost half (46%) of women over 75, live alone.

So how can we use technology to help those at home live well? It's becoming a "crisis," said Orlov. According to a 2013 AARP report, the caregiver gap is growing, and by 2030, there will be a 4:1 ratio of caregivers to older adults—a drop from today's 7:1 ratio.

And a major obstacle is that the assisted care industry is still private, said Orlov, and many aging Boomers don't have the funds to cover assisted living.



The telehealth market, which Orlov said is "hot, hot, hot," will grow to $1.9 billion by

Apple iPhone 7 now available in 30 more countries

  

After a stupendous response from 28 countries in the first phase beginning from September 16, Apple’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will now be available in additional 30 countries, starting from Saturday.

Today’s launch includes the following countries: Andorra, Bahrain, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Greece, Greenland, Guernsey, Hungary, Iceland, Isle of Man, Jersey, Kosovo, Kuwait, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Maldives, Malta, Monaco, Poland, Qatar, Romania, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Slovakia and Slovenia.

iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will be launched in India on October 7. Apple also launched its new “Apple Watch Series 2”, “Apple Watch Edition” and updated Series 1 models in 20 additional countries on Saturday. The new “Apple Watch Series 2 Hermes” was also launched for the first time in 18 countries on Saturday.

Apple enthusiasts are known to swarm company stores and form long queues in the hours before any big launch and the scene at its stores in 28 countries in the first phase was no different on September 16. Coming in silver, gold, rose gold and the new black finish (jet black), iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus will be available in 32GB, 128GB and 256GB models, starting at Rs 60,000, in India.

iPhone 7 features breakthrough new camera systems, the best battery life ever in an iPhone and water and dust resistance. “Apple Watch Series 2”, the ultimate device for a healthy life, offers water resistance at 50 metre, GPS, two-times-brighter display, dual-core processor and watchOS 3.

Starting at $369, the ‘Apple Watch Series 2’ will be water resistant to 50 metres and the speaker will literally repel the water like a piston.

The device will have a dual core processor with GPU that is up to two times faster. Since Navratri — an auspicious time for shopping — begins on October 1 and with Diwali falling on October 30, this is a strategic time for Apple to register super iPhone 7 sales in India.

IANS