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UAE To Unleash Hordes Of Cloud-Triggering Drones
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has a massive problem with a limited supply of rainwater. With an average rainfall of just 100 mm per year, the constitutional monarchy is ranked among the most water-stressed countries in the world.
For years now, the country’s government has been investing heavily in various cloud-seeding missions aimed to increase the annual rainfall. For example, the UAE has been relatively successfully triggering rain by firing salt particles into clouds from airplanes to make individual water particles heavier and more likely to punch holes in the clouds.
National Centre Of Meteorology & Seismology
Now, UAE scientists have partnered with their colleagues from the University of Reading, England, to make it rain more in the parched country by literary giving clouds electric shocks.
“Equipped with a payload of electric charge-emitting instruments and custom sensors, these drones will fly at low altitudes and provide an electric charge to air molecules, which should stimulate precipitation,” explains Alya Al-Mazroui, the Director of the UAE Research Program for Rain Enhancement Science.
By deploying an electric current with negative and positive ions, the drones will basically attempt to recreate the natural phenomenon that causes dry hair to be attracted to a plastic comb. Since particles with opposite charges attract each other, the electricity unleashing drones should theoretically cause small droplets of water to merge into more subscription cloud formations and eventually lead to rain.
Also Read: Amazon Is Planning To Create Over 1,500 Jobs In Saudi Arabia
“Our project aims to evaluate the importance of charge in affecting the cloud droplet size distribution and rainfall generation through modifying the behavior of droplets and particles and studying the microphysical and electric properties of fog events,” says Professor Giles Harrison, a Professor of Atmospheric Physics in the Department of Meteorology at the University of Reading.
The effectiveness and safety of various cloud-seeding practices, including those explored by the UAE, are still debated by scientists. Concerns have been raised about their geopolitical implications, with wealthy, technologically advanced countries potentially “stealing” rainwater that would otherwise naturally end up in poorer countries.
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Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent
According to Korean sources, the new wearable will launch alongside the Galaxy S25, with the accompanying software platform unveiled this December.
Samsung appears poised to introduce its highly anticipated smart glasses in January 2025, alongside the launch of the Galaxy S25. According to sources in Korea, the company will first reveal the accompanying software platform later this month.
As per a report from Yonhap News, Samsung’s unveiling strategy for the smart glasses echoes its approach with the Galaxy Ring earlier this year. The January showcase won’t constitute a full product launch but will likely feature teaser visuals at the Galaxy S25 event. A more detailed rollout could follow in subsequent months.
Just in: Samsung is set to unveil a prototype of its augmented reality (AR) glasses, currently in development, during the Galaxy S25 Unpacked event early next year, likely in the form of videos or images.
Additionally, prior to revealing the prototype, Samsung plans to introduce…
— Jukanlosreve (@Jukanlosreve) December 3, 2024
The Galaxy Ring, for example, debuted in January via a short presentation during Samsung’s Unpacked event. The full product unveiling came later at MWC in February, and the final release followed in July. Samsung seems to be adopting a similar phased approach with its smart glasses, which are expected to hit the market in the third quarter of 2025.
A Collaborative Software Effort
Samsung’s partnership with Google has played a key role in developing the smart glasses’ software. This collaboration was first announced in February 2023, with the device set to run on an Android-based platform. In July, the companies reiterated their plans to deliver an extended reality (XR) platform by the end of the year. The software specifics for the XR device are expected to be unveiled before the end of December.
Reports suggest that the smart glasses will resemble Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses in functionality. They won’t include a display but will weigh approximately 50 grams, emphasizing a lightweight, user-friendly design.
Feature Set And Compatibility
The glasses are rumored to integrate Google’s Gemini technology, alongside features like gesture recognition and potential payment capabilities. Samsung aims to create a seamless user experience by integrating the glasses with its broader Galaxy ecosystem, starting with the Galaxy S25, slated for release on January 22.
Samsung Smart Glasses Teased For January, Software Reveal Imminent
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