Weather Radar Goes Miniature

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Posted by michael on Tuesday September 30, 2003 @06:03AM from the button-up-your-overcoat dept.

quackking writes "As reported today in the Boston Globe, the NSF has committed at least $17M to build out a new network of miniature (at least in comparison with today's monsters) weather radars. This is to radar what Beowulf clusters are to the mainframe; the scientists at U Mass Amherst project that eventually a weather radar node will be deployable for under $20K! Now to figure out how to get real-time access to this mesh of sensors and create a really cool screensaver..."

11 of 167 comments (clear)

oh my god... by cdsparrow · 2003-09-30 06:04 · Score: 0, Funny

here come the beowulf cluster jokes...
1. Re:oh my god... by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-30 06:09 · Score: 1, Funny
  
  Imagine a Beowulf cluster of these jokes!
  
  Links to Jokes are all around us!
Heh... by Anonymous Coward · 2003-09-30 06:07 · Score: 1, Funny

I, for one, welcome our new miniature weather radar systems.
Imagine by Sir+Haxalot · 2003-09-30 06:09 · Score: 1, Funny

not having loads of Beowulf jokes for once?

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I have over 70 freaks, do you?
bad karma day by Mulletproof · 2003-09-30 06:11 · Score: 2, Funny

"to build out a new network of miniature (at least in comparison with today's monsters) weather radars"

But can you mod linux onto it? Failing that; In Soviet Russia, the weather radar miniturizes YOU.

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You need a FREE iPod Nano
Really cool!? by antic · 2003-09-30 06:19 · Score: 4, Funny

Err, if you want a really cool screensaver, look out a window -- wind effects, sky, clouds -- all in real-time. Amazing, and not $17m!

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'Thats they exact same thing a banana wrench monkey.'
Re:Weather Sensor Array by TopShelf · 2003-09-30 06:22 · Score: 4, Funny

That's a great idea - but what about adding RFID sensors and face-recognition technology?

Sincerely,
John Ashcroft

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Stop by my site where I write about ERP systems & more
Re:MOD THEM DOWN by warpSpeed · 2003-09-30 06:23 · Score: 5, Funny

Oh, God! 10 comments and ALL 10 are silly jokes about Beowulf clusters. If we need a Beowulf cluster then that would be to scan /. traffic and filter such stupid jokes out.
Can we at least install on /. some neural-network scanners that would mod all such obsolete jokes down?
Perhaps a perl plugin module where you can upload your own filter code to prescan the comments....
/. would probably need a cluster of some sort to run it though...
Re:Availability by another_henry · 2003-09-30 06:25 · Score: 3, Funny

Let's also hope that bold text becomes more publicised and widely overused by all.

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"Studies have shown that people who eat peanuts live longer than those who do not eat."
Not in Boulder, CO by Greyfox · 2003-09-30 06:47 · Score: 3, Funny

They've been using the same stock image for Boulder since 1975. That's because the weather never actually changes here. Even when it's "raining" the cloud cover is too thin for radar to actually pick up. The replaced the weather radar with a cardboard mock-up years ago and no one's ever noticed.

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I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
Re:Weather Sensor Array by SmackCrackandPot · 2003-09-30 07:48 · Score: 2, Funny

That's a great idea - but what about adding RFID sensors and face-recognition technology?

Face recognition with clouds. Now that sounds like fun:
Latest sightings from RadarNet for the last 24 hours - date 24th December 2003:
Date Time Lat Lon Duration Station Details Probability 03/12/24 10:23 45E 45N 90 secs RDR-34 Mickey Mouse/Cumulus 100.00% 03/12/24 14:45 95E 34N 3 mins RDR-94 Elvis/Stratus 55.95% 03/12/25 00:01 54E 10N 2 mins RDR-72 Santa Claus/Cumulus 99.99% 03/12/25 07:45 30E 43N 1 min RDR-32 Kermit the Frog 100.00%