I read a lot about emerging technologies, and this publication allows me to share some of the information I gather. Not all of these stories provide actionable advice, but they do offer a better understanding of what’s on the horizon, which companies and researchers are blazing new trails and how it fits into the bigger picture.

In Portfolio 2020, I digest all the stuff I read with the goal of giving actionable investment advice; in that forum, companies that aren’t publicly traded and university and government research doesn’tmake it into the copy.

This article provides a glimpse into my weekly reading and a rundown of stories that probably didn’t show up in mainstream media outlets.

FLIR Systems (NasdaqGS: FLIR) reported that it landed a $12.4 million multi-sensor order. This is a defense-tech story; the US Army ordered 200 Star SAFIRE cameras to mount on UH-60 helicopters for medevac operations. I’ve liked FLIR for a long time because the C4ISR (command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) sector continues to be a focus for military spending and Congressional appropriations. And you can’t have C4ISR without cameras–and that’s what FLIR produces for the military and commercial (border, homeland and corporate security) and residential markets.

And acquisition activity is picking up in the space; diversified defense contractors are looking for niche players in burgeoning sectors to build their portfolios for the future.

In related news, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was used to try to locate a missing college student in Malibu, CA. This is an interesting story because law enforcement professionals used a UAV instead of a helicopter. UAV makers (and investors) should find this story encouraging for applications beyond the military, security and intelligence sectors.

NASA, the US Navy and university researchers successfully demonstrated the first robotic underwater vehicle powered entirely ocean thermal energy. Unmanned underwater vehicles (UUV) will do some of the dirty work that had put humans in harm’s way. UAV adoption was a long process, but unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) took about half as long to gain traction. Experts project that adoption of UUVs will occur at a faster pace. One of my favorite companies in this space is iRobot (NasdaqGM: IRBT).

Solid-state solar could make solar power much more promising. Conventional solid-state solar cells are limited to the amount of voltage they can carry. If scientists are able to increase the efficiency of the conversion rate, that will enable solar energy to compete with fossil fuels. Researchers at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have found a mechanism to deal with the problem of bandgap voltage limitation.

I’m not a big fan of solar panel companies, especially now because there’s a growing surplus of panels. Solar- and wind-power names have been popular clean-tech investments, and government stimulus funds have allowed companies to pour money into the industries. But supply and demand don’t always even each other out. I like CVD Equipment (AMEX: CVV) because it doesn’t make solar panels–it makes the machines that make solar panels and other high-tech circuitry,

Sonic scalpels aren’t from science fiction–they’re becoming a reality. Researchers at the California Institute of Technology have created an acoustic lens that does for sounds what a traditional lens does to turn light into lasers.

Two Events Worth Your Time

1. The editors of Portfolio 2020 will be at the MoneyShow in Las Vegas, May 10-13. For more information on our schedule and how to register, click here.

2. We’ve been combing the globe for our next luxury investment cruise: Any ports of call must be ripe with investment potential, of course, but they must also provide a rich slice of the world’s treasures and unique insights into human luxury. And after the brutal year we just finished, who couldn’t use some downtime learning how to prepare their portfolios for what this next decade has in store?

Save the dates: Thursday, Oct. 21 – Monday, Nov. 1, 2010. Explore the wonders of Turkey and the Greek Isles while learning about the newest investment strategies from editors Roger Conrad, Elliott Gue, Yiannis Mostrous and Gregg Early. While you enjoy unfettered access to the finest minds in investing today, Seabourn Cruises will upgrade the way you think about luxury cruising as you are feted aboard the brand new Seabourn Odyssey. From its all-included open bar of premium liquor, wine and beer to its almost better than 1:1 staff-to-passenger ratio, you’ll understand why it immediately jumped to the top of the luxury cruise-line ratings charts when it hit the water in 2009.

For those of you lucky enough to have sailed with this keen crew in the past, you know you are in for a meticulously planned journey into the business, investment and cultural offerings of the region. In partnership with Joseph H. Conlin Travel Management, KCI is offering this journey solely to subscribers and their friends. For more information and reservations, please click here.