sensors

The most surveilled place on the planet is not Ukraine or Taiwan. You are on a Canary Island with thousands of sensors pointing to a lethal threat

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For almost three months, between September and December 2021, the island of La Palma experienced the eruption longest and most destructive of its recent history. It happened when the Tajogait volcanoand opened the earth in the Cumbre Vieja dorsal and forced the evacuation of thousands of people, buried entire neighborhoods under lava and irreversibly altered the landscape and life of the island, inaugurating a new stage in which the end of the fire did not mean the end of the volcano. The town that did not stop breathing volcano. In Puerto Naos The lava never arrived, but the volcano did, seeping under streets, garages and foundations in the form of carbon dioxide, an invisible gas that for years kept the neighborhood evacuated and turned daily life into a permanent risk equation. After the eruption of Tajogaite, the ground continued to exhale CO₂ of magmatic origin, reaching in some points extreme concentrationstypical of a lethal environment, forcing the closure of homes, businesses and beaches while residents learned that the danger no longer burned on the surface, but silently accumulated under their feet. Thousands of sensors and an experiment. They counted this week in a BBC report that has approached the enclave that the response transformed Puerto Naos into the most guarded place in the world in terms of CO₂, with more than 1,300 sensors distributed throughout homes, streets, streetlights, beaches, garages and hotels, connected to a continuous monitoring system capable of detecting any spike in real time. This deployment, driven by the CO₂ Alert projectallowed gas to stop being an unpredictable threat and become a measured, interpreted and managed phenomenon, making it possible the progressive return of the neighbors and the reopening of the urban center, always under the premise that normality here only exists as long as the data confirms that the air continues to be breathable. Living with alarms. For years, life in Puerto Naos was reorganized around the sensorswith garages permanently open for ventilation, closed basements, cordoned off areas and neighbors who learned to live with warning beeps as part of the soundscape. CO₂, denser than air, accumulated in the low points and it became visible like a diffuse waterfall in narrow courtyards, killing small animals along the way, corroding metals and remembering that the volcano was still active even though it was no longer expelling lava, molding not only the terrain but also psychology and decisions of those who refused to leave their home permanently. View of part of Puerto Naos Playa Chica, the pulse. In 2026 the problem is no longer general, but surgical: a small strip in Playa Chica and some specific garages where CO₂ continues to emerge straight from the underground through extremely porous terrain, one described by technicians as a “volcanic Gruyere cheese.” All the effort is now concentrated there, not so much to bring the town back to life (because it has already returned) but to close the last point where the volcano still sets the pace, remembering along the way that the eruption did not end when the fire ceased, but when the subsoil stopped breathing its last breath. Extract gas from the earth. The proven solution successfully by experts changes the traditional logic in these situations: instead of ventilating the buildings, the ground has been ventilated, capturing CO₂ underground and conveying it through pipes to controlled expulsion points near the sea, where the gas is quickly dispersed without danger. Not only that. Tests have shown drastic reductionsgoing from concentrations close to half a million ppm to safe levels. In other words, it has been confirmed that the method works and that the pending challenge is not a conceptual hypothesis, but a technical one, a fine adjustment to avoid load losses and guarantee that the system can operate in a stable and permanent way. Close the volcano. Puerto Naos it’s already openinhabited and functioning, but closing the volcano means turning this experiment into a complete a definitive infrastructureintegrate the extraction of CO₂ into the urban network and accept that the island will continue to be a “volcano” even when it seems calm. Perhaps for this reason, no one expects inaugurations or epic endings to what happened, just a silent moment in which Playa Chica leaves to be an exception and the air will once again be just that, demonstrating that on the island of La Palma the volcanic forces not only have shaped the earthbut also the way in which a community has learned to live, monitor and resist over it. Image | Eduardo RobainaHyperfinch In Xataka | Gran Canaria is increasingly at risk of blackouts. And he already has an idea on the table: imitate Russia in the Arctic In Xataka | The Canary Islands and Galicia have set off the Navy’s alarm bells. Russia’s ghost fleet has arrived in Spain with warships

LEGO was one of the last refuges of analog play. You have just opened the door to sensors, lights and sound in your bricks

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LEGO has flirted with electronics before, but its most stable promise was always something else: that the classic brick needed nothing to become anything. For decades, this principle maintained an almost intact refuge from the digitalization of children’s play, without screens or sensors, with imagination as the only driving force. That is why the step that the company has just taken is not minor. Introducing motion, light and sound detection into the brick itself strikes at the heart of the system. The announcement occurred at CES 2026, in Las Vegas, where LEGO officially presented its new SMART Play System. The company explained that it is a platform that introduces new electronic components into its construction system so that the creations react with lights and sounds in response to movement and interaction. It was not presented as a prototype, but as a product with a launch date and with a platform vocation. The system, by pieces. The SMART Play System is based on three elements that work together. The core is the so-called SMART Brick, a 2×4 brick that acts as a response center. Around it, the SMART Tags come into play, pieces that indicate to the brick what type of object or scenario it represents, and the SMART Minifigures, figures capable of activating different behaviors. LEGO insists that they are not independent accessories, but parts of the same system designed to fit with the rest of the traditional pieces. Sensors, lights and sound. Unlike previous approaches based on recognizable modules, here the electronics live within the brick itself. The SMART Brick integrates motion detection using an accelerometer, lights capable of reacting to the environment and a sound system that is activated according to physical interaction. There are no external screens or controls – it’s all down to how you turn, pan or tap the build. In its official description, LEGO also talks about a color recognition scanner and a game engine that generates reactions with lights and sounds. The CES demos show a birthday cake capable of recognizing when its candles go out and reacting with an audible celebration, as well as a helicopter that responds to movement with flight effects and changes behavior when turning or falling. In these cases, the interaction does not start from a button or a screen, but from a physical gesture. Release date. The commercial deployment of the system already has a first date set. The premiere will arrive in the United States in March, with a set based on Star Wars as the spearhead. The choice does not seem accidental: starting with such a recognizable license allows you to immediately show the possibilities of the system and see how it fits into real use before taking new steps. It’s not the first time. Although the SMART Play System introduces electronics to a place hitherto untouchable, LEGO has been exploring hybrid formulas for years. From robotics kits with sensors, like LEGO Mindstormsuntil augmented reality experiencesthe company has been testing how to combine physical construction and digital responses. The difference now is one of focus: the technology stops being a recognizable addition and becomes integrated into the language of the parts system itself. What some experts say. The announcement has not been received with unanimous enthusiasm. Josh Golin, CEO of Fairplay Group, warned the BBC that Smart Bricks “undermine what was once great about Legos” by shifting initiative from the child to the sensors. Along the same lines, Professor Andrew Manches, from the University of Edinburgh, recalled that the historical value of the brand has been in “the freedom to create, recreate and adapt simple blocks to create infinite stories.”, and warned that technology can condition how it is played if it is not designed carefully. Faced with these criticisms, LEGO defends that technology does not replace physical play, but rather expands it. Julia Goldin, head of product and marketing, explained to the British media that they do not see the digital world as a threat, but as an opportunity to “expand physical play and physical construction.” An important nuance. The SMART Play System does not mean that all LEGO sets will incorporate electronics from now on. For now, the company has presented a concrete proposal, with a first launch without announcing an immediate expansion to the rest of its catalog. What path this technology will have and in what lines it will end up appearing is something that is not yet defined. For now, this is a limited deployment that will serve to test how far this approach fits within the traditional game system. Images | LEGO In Xataka | What happened to Technicolor: evolution and death of the company that changed cinema and was overwhelmed by its ambition

Domotizing with sensors seemed good idea. After several days of testing, Ana has discovered what almost no one tells

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What can go wrong when you try to domote the kitchen and bathroom … even little by little? Well, many things, as you will discover In this new installment of ‘Domotize or die in the attempt’. Ana has proposed to move forward with her connected house, but what seemed a more or less simple installation of sensors It ends up becoming a succession of failed tests, network errors, double -sided tape and various frustrations. In this episode, the goal is clear: protect the water leak house and automate bath lighting, but the process will not be precisely fluid. Nor short. Not simple. Before entering flour, the first logistic obstacle had to be overcome: shipping. One of the packages with the essential sensors had been lost, which kept the entire process in pause. “It seemed that today’s video was not going to arrive, but finally the package appeared,” says Ana, resigned but relieved. With everything already at home, the installation starts: water sensors at key points such as sink or dishwasher, and a first attempt to leave the presence detection system ready in the bathroom ready. What follows, of course, is not a manual installation. Tape, tests and patience: Home automation is taking pace The first sensors to settle were those of water leaks, and the kitchen was the test field. Ana located the three most critical points: sink, dishwasher and washing machine. He prepared to make tests in real conditions. The result was a constant strip and loosen between theory and practice. “It has taken a little more than I expected”, Says after seeing how the sensor does not react instantly to contact with water. From there, homemade adjustments begin. Place the device as centered as possible, trust that it does not move with the passage of the aspirating robot and wait for the time, the time comes, it really works. Everything pointed out that the Valve Controller would be the perfect brooch: a system that, when detecting a leak, would automatically close the passage key. It made sense, it was well thought out and seemed to fit the logic of the rest of the sensors. But when trying to install it, the thing was twisted. Ana discovers that, despite having the pipes in sight, there is not enough space to place the device. “My joy in a well,” summarizes, with a mixture of rage and resignation. The concept was ideal, the impossible execution. It will touch it back. After the reverse with the valve controller, Ana focuses on the other great objective of the episode: install a LED strip behind the bathroom mirror and accompany it with a presence sensor that activates the light automatically at night. It sounds simple, but only in theory. You have to look for the exact placemake sure that you do not activate with cats, find free plugs, and deal with an app that does not want to collaborate. “Ok, great. It’s a bit slow, but it works,” he says when, finally, he gets everything to react … although not quite as he expected. From there, it is time to test, move the sensor, adjust settings and fight with home automation. Will you get it ready? That is another story. After so much effort, Ana manages to launch her night lighting routine in the bathroom. The sensor detects the movement and lights the LED strip … although not always with the desired speed or precision. Sometimes it takes, sometimes it is activated for no reason. “It works, I would tell you that between 85 and 90 % well,” he acknowledges. It is not perfect, but functional enough to keep it installed. Will it end by polishing the failures? Is it enough when they return from the trip? In the video we see how everything has evolved. With part of the system already underway, Ana begins to think about what is coming: a trip, plants, cats … and the terrace, which stays as a pending task for the next chapter. In the next episode we will see how the house prepares for be outwith automatic irrigation system. At the moment, there is something that is still unresolved: the happy water key controller. “I thank you infinite to leave me a comment to see if I can solve it,” he says, leaving the door open to someone having the answer she has not found. And yes, if you want to see how all this ends, The full video awaits you on the Xataka YouTube channel. Images | Xataka In Xataka | The supreme clarifies all doubts about placing gunshot with camera at home. It all depends on whether they record and where it points

The US Navy wants to modernize its F/A-18 with sensors that cost 16 million each. They do not resist 40 hours without failing

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There are more modern, more expensive, newer fighters. He F-35for example, with his futuristic cabin and his advanced stealth. Or the F-22 Raptorless young, but so well known that you barely need a presentation. Even the future F-47. But while that happens, a good part of the United States aerial muscle continues to rest on the shoulders of a veteran: the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. A plane that began to fly in 1995 and that, with constant updates, it is still the versatile hunting par excellence of the Navy. The challenge is to keep it up. And for that, added added. One of them is the IrST Block IIan infrared search and monitoring system designed by Lockheed Martin. It is integrated into a modified central deposit and Cuesta, According to the latest GAO report16.6 million dollars per unit. Its function is to detect threats from long distances without the need to turn on the radar, which allows the pilot to “see without being seen.” A key tool against poachers, long -range drones and environments with intense electronic warfare. In theory, a tactical jump. In practice, for the moment, a problem While IrST Block II has already been tested in real operations, and its capabilities are well documented, it has a serious obstacle: reliability. According to the same GAO report, the system fails, on average, Every 14 hours of flight. The minimum required by the Navy is 40. That is, the sensor does not endure even half of the time that should suffer a critical failure. And this is making its large -scale deployment difficult. During the operational tests carried out between April and September 2024, the IRST Block II showed unstable behavior. According to a Dot & e reportthe system suffered unexpected flights in full flight, software blockages and hardware failures that, in many cases, required direct assistance of engineers from Lockheed Martin. The marine maintenance crew could not solve them alone. The failures are not limited to software. In 2023, a previous GAO report warned that between 20 % and 30 % of the manufactured components did not comply with the technical specifications. They identified themselves Microelectronics problemsthe cooling system and the general assembly of the Pod. Although some of these deficiencies have been corrected, but many others persist, as we have just seen above. The schedule of the program has been deteriorating year after year. The decision to go to production in full cadence was scheduled for early 2025, but was postponed. And that has consequences. The Irst Block II is not just a punctual improvement: it is an essential piece within the effort to keep the Super Hornet competitive against more modern rivals such as China and Russia. The ironic thing is that while the navy still hopes to trust its star sensor, the American Air Force has already integrated similar systems in its F-15 and F-16. In Western Europe, Eurofight Typhoon also incorporates a similar solution. Apparently, operating from an aircraft carrier implies other conditions, and that is complicating things for the US Navy. United States | DOWRY | Lockheed Martin In Xataka | We prepare to say goodbye to Windows 10, but part of the US Air Control still works with disks and Windows 95

Create your own camera sensors

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Huawei has been obsessed for years to achieve full technological independence. He succeeded with his chips, is close to achieving it with his software, and already Face to giants like Nvidia To stop depending not only on the United States, but also on Taiwan. The last information that comes from China speaks of a new plan drawn by Huawei. One in which camera sensors, historically provided by giants such as Sony or Samsung, will also be their own land. Own sensor. We read in Weibo Thanks to Digital Chat Station, one of China’s most reliable filters, the new Huawei plan to lead the photographic career. The company is working on two sensors, one of one inch and another with 1/3 ”size, with resolutions of 50 megapixels. Both sensors have technology Ryybsomething that makes them different from all the proposals that are currently in the market. Ains, the Huawei P30 Pro. But Huawei already had Ryyb. Yes, but not of your own manufacture. Huawei has modified sensors provided by other manufacturers to change its RGGB structure. What does all this mean? RGB is a color model that represents the colors by combining three basic components: red (red), green (Green) and blue (blue). It is important to understand how they work. The filter Red (r) Let the red light and blue blocks pass. The filter Green (g) Let the green light pass. The filter Blue (b) Let blue light pass. This system is based on the way in which the human eye perceives colors, since our visual receptors (cones) are sensitive to these three wavelengths. A normal sensor (RGGB) simply has more green pixels, because the human eye in most sensitive to green. Why Ryyb. If the industry has been moving in the RGGB for years, why bet on the RYYB (Red, Yellow, Yellow, Blue)? Replacing green pixels with yellow means that, according to Huawei, sensors can capture much more light. The yellow is a mixture of red and green, so basically fulfills the function of green, with a pixel that lets in more luminosity. The filter Red (r) Let the red light and blue blocks pass. The filter Yellow (y) Let Green and Red Pass The filter Blue (b) Let blue light pass. The main problem is that these types of sensors require more processed, since green is not pure and has to be rebuilt by software. It is not something that has worried Huawei too much in recent years, since the results are spectacular. Ready for Mate 80. The leaks do not speak in the long term. These sensors would be ready for the arrival of the Huawei Mate 80, Telephone whose launch is scheduled this year. This telephone, above the pure family, would be an entire technological muscle exhibition, in which processor, camera sensors and manufacturing would be 100% national. One more milestone to the collection. With the Huawei Mate 70 chip, the Chinese giant achieved a new milestone: his first 100% national manufacturing chip. If you manage to manufacture your own camera sensors, you will get another trophy to add an extensive list. GPUS for Iaone of the best electric car chargers, The first triple folding in the world either Complete independence in software. Huawei is building its own parallel realityin a context of Revenue record and with a flattering future in sight despite the numerous obstacles it faces. Image | Xataka In Xataka | Best Mobile Huawei (2025). Which to buy and recommended models based on budget, tastes and quality price

Transform smartphones sensors into an antimatter chamber

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One of the reasons why Antimatter is so interesting Not only for particle physicists, but also for the people to whom we are passionate about science, is that the tools we have They still do not allow us to understand what role he played in The origin of the universe. However, the enigma does not end here; Nor do we know what laws govern the faint line that delimits the imbalance between matter and antimatter in the cosmos. Before moving forward, we are worth stopping for a time to briefly review what antimatter is and what makes it so peculiar. Actually, it is nothing more than a form of matter constituted by antiparticles, which are particles with the same mass and spin as the particles with which we are familiar, but with opposite electric charge. In this way the antiparticle of the electron is the positron or antielectron. And the proton antiparticle is the antiproton. The antimatter has a surprising property: when they come into direct contact with the matter, both are annihilated, releasing a large amount of energy in the form of high-energy photons, as well as other possible particle-antiparticle pairs. It is currently being studied in much of the research centers specialized in physics of most important particles in the world in the hope that knowing it better helps us understand some of the mysteries of the cosmos that remain out of our reach. The AEGIS experiment demonstrates how ingenious particles are physicists The sensors of the cameras of our mobile phones are very valuable when it comes to unraveling the mysteries of the antimatter. This a priori statement may seem strange, but it is reliable. And is that a team of researchers from the Technical University of Munich (Germany) who works side by side with scientists from the Cern (European Organization for Nuclear Research) has designed an experiment that, precisely, resorts to this strategy. It’s called aegis (Antimatter Experiment: Gravity, Interferometry, Spectroscopy or ‘Antimatter experiment: gravity, interferometry, spectroscopy’) and is extraordinarily ingenious. AEGIS uses modified sensors of mobile phone photo camera to identify the points where antimatter and matter are annihilated In the cover photography of this article we can see what the device they have built. Broadly the purpose of this experiment is to study the interaction between gravity and antihydrogen, which is a form of antimatter, to verify if the latter behaves before gravity in the same way as ordinary matter. As we can deduce from its name, it resorts to interferometry and spectroscopy techniques to carry out its objective, but the most surprising thing is that the detector uses modified sensors of camera photo cameras to identify in real time the points in which the antimatter and the subject are annihilated. “For AEGIS to work properly we need a detector with an incredibly high spatial resolution. And the smartphones camera sensors have pixels of less than 1 micrometer,” Francesco Guatieri explainedmain investigator of the experiment. “We have integrated 60 camera sensors in our detector, which allows you to reach a resolution of 3,840 megapixels, the largest amount of pixels of any image detector to date.” It is spectacular. Let us trust that Aegis fulfills its mission and these scientists manage to understand a little better how the interaction between antimatter and gravity is. Image | Cern More information | Cern In Xataka | CERN physicists believed that symmetry between quarks up and down is broken. Is much more than they expected

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