정보 25시 티스토리

Are you familiar with the 'Tagless' system, where you can automatically pay just by walking through the turnstile with your smartphone or transit card in your pocket or bag, without needing to tap it on the reader? This system utilizes Ultra-Wideband (UWB) and Bluetooth technology to accurately recognize the moment a passenger passes through the turnstile and deducts the fare. It completely eliminates the need to struggle with heavy bags in both hands or hesitate at the turnstile while searching for your transit card. As daily public transportation evolves from an era of 'tapping' cards to simply 'walking through,' this is an interesting everyday change that is dramatically reducing bottleneck congestion and wait times at turnstiles during commutes.

Have you ever gotten off the subway because you took the wrong turn or urgently needed the restroom, only to be charged again when you re-entered? Well, now you don't have to pay an extra fare if you exit and re-enter. The Seoul Metropolitan Subway system has implemented a 'Fare Exemption for Re-entry within 15 Minutes of Alighting' policy. If you tap out and then tap back in at the same station with the same transportation card within 15 minutes, your ride count won't be deducted, and it will be processed for free. This is a very useful system for those times you accidentally end up on the wrong platform and need to exit, or when you need to step out briefly for an urgent matter. Just remember, the benefit only applies if you re-enter at the same station where you alighted.

Did you know that city buses and taxis running in Seoul are now acting as safety guardians on the road, beyond just transporting passengers? This is thanks to the 'AI Automatic Pothole Detection System' installed on the front. When the AI camera detects a pothole while driving, it automatically transmits the exact location coordinates to the control system in just 2 seconds. This system proactively prevents secondary accidents by detecting potential hazards, which are difficult for humans to find directly, in real-time as public transportation operates. It's an interesting case where the buses we ride every day also function as road inspection robots.

A satellite, which you'd expect to be made only of cutting-edge metal alloys, has been constructed from 'wood' and launched into space. The world's first wooden satellite, 'LignoSat,' is made from magnolia wood. In space, the absence of oxygen and moisture prevents the wood from rotting or burning. Unlike metal, it doesn't block electromagnetic waves, allowing antennas to be placed inside the satellite. Furthermore, when it re-enters Earth's atmosphere after its lifespan, it will burn up completely and disappear without a trace, unlike aluminum satellites that leave behind harmful metal particles. 'Wood' is gaining new attention as a futuristic space material that can simultaneously address the worsening problems of space debris and air pollution.

The 'quantum compass' technology, which locates position by measuring the quantum state of atoms without GPS satellite signals, is accelerating towards practical application. Traditional GPS relies on satellite radio waves, making it unusable underwater or underground and vulnerable to radio jamming attacks. In contrast, the quantum compass uses the properties of ultra-cold atoms cooled by lasers, which react to Earth's magnetic field and subtle gravitational changes, to calculate its own position. Since it doesn't exchange external signals at all, hacking or radio interference is impossible. This next-generation security technology can guide submarines deep underwater to polar regions with accurate positioning, without the risk of signal loss.

There's a technology that generates electricity 24 hours a day using only the invisible 'moisture in the air,' even without wind or sunlight. This technology, called 'Air-gen,' uses a film with nano-pores smaller than 1/1000th the thickness of a human hair. When water vapor molecules in the air pass through these microscopic pores, an imbalance of charge occurs, generating electricity. This is similar to the physics behind lightning formation in storm clouds. It's an innovative, cutting-edge technology capable of constantly producing clean energy anywhere, as long as there's air and moisture, without limitations from weather or location.

Can you believe it if all the digital data on Earth could fit into a single small shoebox? The 'DNA data storage' technology, which has recently gained attention, converts digital codes of 0s and 1s into the fundamental DNA base sequences (A, T, G, C) of living organisms for storage. Just 1 gram of DNA boasts an incredible storage density, capable of holding hundreds of petabytes (about 200 million gigabytes) of data. Furthermore, unlike hard drives or SSDs, it can be safely preserved for thousands of years without power consumption. In this era of data explosion, it's an innovative, cutting-edge information technology where future data centers might resemble biology labs rather than server rooms.