Page 50 - GCN, August/September 2018

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WishLis
Tech we hope hits the public sector
DIY rover
The Open Source Rover, developed by NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is a scaled-down version of a rover JPL uses
to explore the surface of Mars. Using 3D-printed and commercial off-the-shelf parts and JPL’s GitHub-hosted instructions, one could build a rover for less than $2,500. The project — a 2018 Government Innovation Award winner — was primarily intended as an educational outreach effort, but it is also serving as a real-world proving ground for research and development into open-source robotics.
Night vision for the masses
Most high-quality night-vision solutions are monochrome, useless in bright light and very expensive. SiOnyx, however, has developed proprietary “black silicon” that enhances infrared sensitivity and delivers high-resolution imagery at virtually all light levels. The Aurora camera, which can also be used as a monocular, offers those capabilities at a consumer price point, making real night vision a possibility on even a tight agency budget.
On-premises map stack
Mapbox’s open-source mapping and location-data platform has carved out a substantial public-sector presence with its as-a-service offerings. Now those tools are available in a box. The newest version
of the firm’s Atlas Server, released in August, can run fully air-gapped, offline or behind a firewall
— opening up new options for high-security and off-the-grid use cases.
What technologies do you think GCN readers should see? Tell us on Twitter: @GCNtech #GCNwishlist.
Image credits (clockwise): NASA, Mapbox, SiOnyx