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A hand-held device has been developed that can locate people who are buried by rubble during earthquakes. The US Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers have been training with the Life Locator from UltraVision Security Systems in North Salem, New Hampshire, which uses a type of radar known as ultrawideband. By analysing reflected waves, it can detect the chest movement of people who are alive and breathing even through 4.5 metres of rubble.

If you start to fall asleep at the wheel, your car could soon warn you. Japanese firm Denso is developing a system that…

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