Windstalk concept is a wind farm without the turbines
By Darren Quick
October 13, 2010
Wind turbines are an increasingly popular way to generate clean energy with large-scale wind farms
springing up all over the world. However, many residents near proposed
wind farm sites have raised concerns over the aesthetics and the low
frequency vibrations they claim are generated by wind turbines. An
interesting Windstalk concept devised by New York design firm Atelier
DNA could overcome both these problems while still allowing a comparable
amount of electricity to be generated by the wind. Read More
Graphene has already brought us the world’s smallest transistor – twice
– and now the one atom thick form of carbon that recently won its
discoverers the Nobel Prize has been used to create a triple-mode,
single-transistor amplifier. The new transistor has the potential to
replace many traditional transistors in a typical integrated circuit and
its developers say the device could become a key component in future
electronic circuits. Read More
SafePlug pay-per-use outlet provides recharging on the road
By Ben Coxworth
October 13, 2010
A U.S. company is developing a solution for
people who unexpectedly find themselves with low batteries in their
laptops, cell phones or e-bikes. Installed into an existing AC outlet,
the 2D2C’s SafePlug 1200-P3 pay-per-use system allows users to gain
access with a prepaid plastic card or key fob, then plug their depleted
electronic device into it. Not only would the owner of the business in
which the outlet was located make money off of electricity sales, but
they would also end up with potential shoppers who would be stuck in
their store for at least 20 minutes. Read More
Currently, computer search and classification of
images is based on the name of the file or folder or on features such as
size and date. That’s fine if the name of the file reflects its content
but isn’t much good when the file is given an abstract name that only
holds meaning to the person providing it. This drawback means companies
in the search business, such as Google and Microsoft, are extremely
interested in giving computers the ability to automatically interpret
the visual contents and video. A technique developed by the University
of Granada does just that, allowing pictures to be classified
automatically based on whether individuals or specific objects are
present in the images. Read More
Oregon's 845 megawatt wind farm receives U.S. government support
October 13, 2010
A large scale wind farm to be built in central
Oregon has received "a conditional commitment to provide a partial
guarantee for a $1.3 billion loan" from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Made up of 338 GE wind turbines, the Caithness Shepherds Flat 845
megawatt project will create 400 construction jobs (plus 35 permanent
jobs once up and running) and promises a reduction in greenhouse gas
emissions equivalent to that produced by more than 200,000 cars. Read More
Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for
Digital Media Technology in Ilmenau, Germany have created a system for
warning drivers when they’re getting too drowsy to drive. The Eyetracker
system utilizes two or more dashboard-mounted cameras to monitor
drivers’ eyes, and sounds an alarm if their eyes are off the road for
too long. It can apparently be mounted in any car, and doesn’t require
complicated calibration of the cameras, or an external computer. Read More
It’s not unusual for automotive designers to test
virtual models of cars on virtual models of bumpy roads. The model of
the car, of course, represents an actual proposed vehicle. As for the
road, however... where does that model come from? In the case of new
technology used by Buick, it’s a millimeter-precise recreation of an
existing, physical road. Read More
When devices such as telephone handsets,
headsets, headphones, hearing aids and hearing protectors are
electro-acoustically tested, mannequins known as Head and Torso
Simulators (HATS) are used to replicate the upper part of the human
body. They allow researchers to simulate Head Related Transfer Function,
which is the process by which sounds are changed by the time they reach
the human eardrum. The mannequins' calibrated pinna (outer ear)
simulators have traditionally been represented through a series of
two-dimensional cross-sectional profiles – this is the industry standard
for pinnas on HATS. Now, as part of a revision of that standard, the
Acoustics Team from the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) have
created a three-dimensional pinna that overcomes the limitations of the
2D variety. Read More
Japanese manufacturer Teijin creates next-gen firefighting suit
By Rick Martin
October 13, 2010
Japanese manufacturer Teijin, in cooperation with
firefighting apparel maker Akao Co. Ltd., has announced the development
of new firefighting suit that reportedly sets new world standards in
both protection from extreme heat and lightweight wearability. Made from
TRIPROTECH aramid fibers, Teijin's new suit consists of multiple key
layers with even more clever monikers to boot, like GBARRIERLIGHT,
TECHWAVE, and TECHNORA. The technical details of the layers' composition
are somewhat hairy, but the upshot is that Teijin's improved aramid
fibers have resulted in a firefighting suit that weights only 2.5 kg
(5.5 lbs) and is 60 percent more effective in preventing burns than the
company's prior lightweight suits. Read More
Norman Foster rebuilds Bucky Fuller's Dymaxion car
October 13, 2010
Bucky Fuller's Dymaxion car was never meant to be
a car. Looking like something between a Zeppelin and a VW camper van it
was intended to fly, but sadly only three of these concept vehicles
were ever built after tragedy struck. Now, as part of a Madrid
retrospective on Bucky Fuller's work, Norman Foster, Fuller's
collaborator for twelve years, has rebuilt his hero's Dymaxion car. Read More
Tablet computers like Apple’s iPad and RIM's PlayBook
might be great in the portability stakes but their handy form factor
also means it’s all too easy for them to slip from your fingers and make
a beeline for the floor. If you’re lucky the floor is some particularly
plush carpet, if not it could be some concrete and your much beloved
device ends up sustaining some debilitating injury. A Michigan-based
company has come up with a simple piece of kit called the Hand-e-holder
that makes it easier to securely hang onto your tablet to avoid such
catastrophe. Read More
The Ford Fiesta is the latest vehicle to offer a
rear facing camera screen integrated into its rearview mirror with Ford
U.K. offering it as an option on all models from Edge to Titanium. It's
one of those clever ideas that seems obvious once you see it, and it's
slowly gaining traction. Mazda brought the system to the U.S. in 2007 and Toyota introduced it into Europe last year on the Corolla Verso. Ford also has the tech available on other models. Read More
Statistics indicate that complete removal, or
resection, of a tumor is the single most important predictor of patient
survival for those with solid tumors. So, unsurprisingly, the first
thing most patients want to know after surgery is whether the surgeon
got everything. A new hand-held device called the SpectroPen could help
surgeons provide a more definite and desirable answer by allowing them
to see the edges of tumors in human patients in real time during
surgery. Read More
Solar energy is serious business. The push
towards renewable energy over the last decade is translating into rapid
growth in the solar power
sector, with signs that the industry is really starting to make a
serious move from fringe to mainstream. According to Rhone Resch,
President and CEO of the Solar Energy Association (SEIA), solar is now
the fastest growing energy industry in the U.S. and a glance at the
graph above makes clear the massive growth predicted in the next five
years. Read More
Gold has long been seen as a financial safe haven
in times of economic uncertainty. This don’t look like changing any
time soon with the price of gold reaching a record high of US$1377.60 an
ounce this week on the Comex division of the New York Mercantile
Exchange. That might be good news for gold miners but not so good for
the manufacturers of electronic devices that are reliant on not only
gold, but also other precious metals. In some modern day alchemy,
researchers have modeled and developed new classes of alloy materials
that boast the properties that makes gold so attractive for electronic
applications. Read More
Just under a year ago we reported on a method to clean polluted water and soil by infusing them with pressurized ozone gas microbubbles.
The process was developed by Andy Hong at the University of Utah and
has now moved out of the lab and is being put the test in a
demonstration project in eastern China. If all goes to plan the process
has the potential to boost a wide range of environmental cleanup efforts
around the world. Read More
Portable support device takes the weight of heavy tools
By Ben Coxworth
October 14, 2010
If you’ve ever tried holding something heavy out
in front of your body, then you’ll know how much strain it can put on
your arms and shoulders – there’s a reason that heavy loads are usually
carried perched on top of the shoulder, or strapped to the
back. But when you’re using handheld power tools or working with
shovels, hedge-trimmers, chainsaws and the like, you usually have no
choice. That’s where the Portable Support Tool Balancer comes in. The
device is designed to take up to 95 percent of the weight that would be
supported only by your arms and shoulders, and redistributes it
throughout your torso. Read More
Father and son launch video camera into outer space
By Ben Coxworth
October 14, 2010
It’s an inspiring story that reminds you how the
wonders of scientific exploration aren’t just limited to research
institutions with big budgets... in August of this year, Luke
Geissbuhler and his seven year-old son Max attached an HD video camera
to a weather balloon and set it loose. They proceeded to obtain footage
of the blackness of outer space, 19 miles (30 km) above the surface of
the earth. Needless to say, there was a little more to it than just
tying a piece of string around a camcorder. Read More
Super Talent introduces tiny gold plated 64GB flash drive
By Paul Ridden
October 14, 2010
Super Talent Technology has announced a special
edition gold edition Pico-C flash drive which is claimed to be the
smallest of its kind. The 64GB NAND Flash storage solution offers 30MB
per second read speed and 15MB write, is USB 2.0 compatible and is just
1.23 x 0.48 x 0.13-inches (31.3 x 12.4 x 3.4mm) in size. Read More
Autonomous taxi can be hailed with an iPad app
October 14, 2010
Not so long ago, the idea that a car could drive
itself seemed mildly insane, but thanks to the impetus provided by the
DARPA Urban Grand Challenge
and ongoing research around the globe, driving might become a hobby
rather than a necessity much sooner than you think. One of the pioneers
in the field, the Berlin-based AutoNOMOS group unveiled its latest
project earlier this year. Known as FU-X "Made in Germany" the
tech-laden VW Passat uses GPS, video cameras, on-board laser scanners
and radars to navigate autonomously, giving it the potential to be used
as a driverless taxi cab. Its latest trick – you can now hail it with
an iPad. Read More
Nanotechnology boosts conductivity of carbon fiber reinforced plastics
By Gizmag Team
October 18, 2010
Protecting aircraft from lightning strikes
probably isn't the first use of nanotechnology that springs to mind, but
that's exactly what Fraunhofer researchers hope to achieve by combining
carbon nanotubes with carbon fiber reinforced plastics (CFRPs). Read More
Eowave unveils Persephone mark II duophonic ribbon synthesizer
By Paul Ridden
October 18, 2010
Ever since the dawn of electronics, inventors
have looked at weird and wonderful ways of getting at the wealth of
opportunities offered by synthesized sound. The instruments through
which such sounds are controlled by a player have enjoyed much variety
in form, size and functionality in the years since. While most have been
keyboard-based, some – like the Theremin – have broken away from
tradition to offer an altogether different way of playing. French sound
and sensor innovator Eowave has recently updated an instrument that uses
a more modern approach to the ribbon-based synthesizer technology used
by the likes of Dr Freidrich Adolf Trautwein for his Trautonium – the
Persephone Mark II. Read More
Britain held its first free eco-car show last
month on London's famous royal driveway, The Mall. The event was held as
part of HRH Prince Charles's latest sustainability initiative “Start”,
which aims to promote positive steps to leading a sustainable lifestyle,
and was opened by his “Garden Party to Make a Difference”. The Start
Eco-Car Spectacular aimed to showcase the future of green transport with
a variety of bicycles, cars and other environmental transport
solutions. Read More
Charles Babbage was the quintessential "man ahead
of his time". In the mid 19th century the English mathematician and
inventor developed the concept of a programmable computer and designed
complex, steam-powered calculating engines that were never completed
during his lifetime. One of these machines – the Difference Engine – was
successfully constructed using Babbage's original plans in 1991 and now
programmer John Graham-Cumming is on a mission to build a working
replica of a second, more complex computing machine known as the
Analytical Engine. Read More
Electrified nano filter could mean cheap drinking water
By Ben Coxworth
October 17, 2010
Yi Cui, an Assistant Professor of Material
Science and Engineering at Stanford University, has invented quite the
water filter. It’s inexpensive, is very resistant to clogging, and uses
much less electricity than systems that require the water to be pumped
through them. It also kills bacteria, as opposed to just trapping them, which is all that many existing systems do. Read More
Twenty-one year-old Canadian Ben Gulak heads up
BPG Werks, a company that is developing this seriously fun looking
vehicle called the DTV Shredder. Like the Scarpar Powerboard,
the Shredder is an all-terrain tracked vehicle that the rider stands
on, like a skateboard – or in this case, a mini-tank. What sets it apart
is its larger size, handlebars, and an in-development 48hp rotary
combustion engine that should allow for a top speed of over 97km/h
(60mph). Read More
It might sound like fighting fire with fire, but
geologist Chen Zhu proposes the application of another industrial waste
to the Hungarian bauxite residue spill, with the aim of reducing
toxicity via a technique called carbon sequestration. While he says it
wouldn't render the residue completely harmless, it would at least
minimize the environmental damage. Read More
Taking up a large section of the Eco Habitat zone
at the recent Viv'expo exhibition in Bordeaux was a walk-in cutaway
model of a rotating wooden house known as Domespace. Built on a central
concrete pedestal, the Domespace home benefits from little or no damp
penetration, and its aerodynamic shape has been found to be resistant to
cyclonic winds of up to 174mph (280kph). It also makes the most of
passive solar energy, has a central chimney with a designer open fire
and is surprisingly spacious. Read More
Gone are the days when we simply used our mobile
phones for calling people – now we can conduct our own ECGs. We’ve
already seen iPhone and Android applications that can create ultrasound images and that measure air pollution.
Now tech companies IMEC and the Holst Center, together with TASS
software professionals, have released a new heart rate monitoring
application. Read More
Swedish company, Soltech Energy, recently
received the gold medal for this year’s hottest new material at the
Nordbygg 2010 trade fair in Stockholm. The award was fitting because it
was for the company’s home heating system that features roof tiles made
out of glass. The tiles, which are made from ordinary glass, weigh about
the same as the clay roof tiles they replace but allow the sun to heat
air that is then used to heat the house and cut energy bills. Read More
Truly Ergonomic claims to revolutionize typing
By Paul Ridden
October 19, 2010
There are a number of keyboards that claim to be
ergonomic, but only one claims to be "truly ergonomic." Many input
devices available today stagger the keys across the available keying
area, resulting in even the most proficient touch typist having to move
around more than is desirable. The makers of the Truly Ergonomic
Keyboard claim that their redesign brings all keys within easy reach,
which should lead to decreased discomfort in a world where most of us
spend much of our lives tapping away in front of one computer screen or
another. Read More
EMC subsidiary Iomega has announced the creation
of a pocket-sized external SSD storage solution with hardware
encryption, write speeds said to be twice as fast as a 7200 RPM SATA
hard drive, and a special feature to help protect the unit if dropped.
The new unit also benefits from SuperSpeed USB connectivity, hardware
data encryption and a long usage lifespan. Read More
Portable tones in a pipe: The Pipe Amp from FuzzHugger
By Paul Ridden
October 19, 2010
FuzzHugger has just unleashed a portable,
battery-powered amp that packs some serious volume and gorgeous 1960s
fuzz tones into a pipe housing. The appropriately named Pipe Amp is
about the size of a vintage effects pedal, doesn't have its own clean
channel and can be used to drive a 4 x 12 cabinet. The fact that each
one is hand-built and available in strictly limited quantities only adds
to its must-have charm. Let the fuzz begin... Read More
Both Seagate and WD
have announced 3 TB external drives, and now WD has broken new ground
with a 3TB internal hard drive. The WD Caviar Green 2.5 and 3 TB hard
drives are bundled with an Advanced Host Controller Interface
(AHCI)-compliant Host Bus Adapter (HBA) that allows both 64-bit Windows 7
and Mac OS X Snow Leopard, along with 32-bit Vista and Windows 7
platforms to make full use of the new drives. Read More
New chip could allow antenna arrays to replace satellite dishes
By Ben Coxworth
October 19, 2010
There was a time not so very long ago when people
who wanted satellite TV or radio required dishes several feet across.
Those have since been replaced by today’s compact dishes, but now it
looks like even those might be on the road to obsolescence. A recent PhD
graduate from The Netherlands’ University of Twente has designed a
microchip that allows for a grid array of almost-flat antennae to
receive satellite signals. Read More
Josh Hadar's electric three-wheeled masterpiece
October 19, 2010
Cutting edge New York artist Josh Hadar has created a three-wheel
electric bike that is sure to turn heads. Based around a sprawling,
chopper-like frame similar to that used in his earlier pedal powered
designs such as "Uncle Stew's Trike", Hadar's new creation has a range
of up to 30 miles and puts out 15 kilowatts at its peak, which, when
combined with the weight of four 12-volt lead-acid batteries and two
chunky wheels at the rear, is reportedly more than enough to put you on
your derriere. Read More
At least half of the world’s usable hydrogen is
obtained through a process known as steam reforming, in which steam
reacts with fossil fuels such as natural gas to produce hydrogen gas. On
a smaller scale, hydrogen can also be obtained through the process of
electrolysis, in which ordinary water is split into its oxygen and
hydrogen components by running an electrical current through it –
consumers can even buy their own electrolysis-based home hydrogen
extraction kit, in the form of the HYDROFILL.
Now, however, Japan’s FUKAI Environmental Research Institute has
announced a new technology for obtaining hydrogen that it claims is less
expensive and more efficient than anything that’s been tried so far.
Read More
Six years ago, America’s National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST) developed miniature sensors that each
utilized about 100 billion rubidium atoms in gas form, a low-power
infrared laser and optics to detect tiny magnetic fields. Until recently
the sensors had been used almost exclusively for physics research, but
now NIST has teamed up with the National Metrology Institute of Germany
to successfully use one of the mini-sensors to track a human heartbeat –
an accomplishment which could have medical applications down the road.
Read More
Scalable scissors vary in length depending on need
By Ben Coxworth
October 18, 2010
It’s one of those dilemmas you probably never
even realized existed... short scissors are better for fiddly cutting,
and for cutting through tough materials, while longer scissors are
faster on light materials, and better at cutting in a straight line.
What are you gonna do, buy two pairs of scissors? Designer Jie Weng has
what is apparently a better idea: scalable scissors. Just set the blades
to the length you need and start cutting. Read More
This year has seen a slew of Android-based tablet
computers being snapped up by eager buyers, but for PC users wanting
the more familiar environment of Windows 7, CTL has announced the 2goPad
SL10. The 10.1-inch device features an Atom processor, WiFi and
Bluetooth, a couple of gigabytes of memory and 250GB of hard disk
storage. There is of course full Flash support, a built-in webcam for
video conferencing, and USB connectivity is joined by SD card reading
capabilities, to cater for storage expansion or to show off a prized
photo collection. Read More
At this week’s AVS 57th International Symposium
& Exhibition in Albuquerque, New Mexico, researchers from two
different research institutes presented new types of antibacterial
materials. One could allow users to kill bacteria by simply flipping on
the overhead lights, while another does so by combining modern
technology with ancient medicine. Read More
Afterheels: eco-shoe salvation for women
October 20, 2010
Girls rejoice! Salvation has arrived in the form
of biodegradable ballet flats dispensed from venue vending machines as
an antidote to the agony of wearing heels on a Big Night Out. As we
breathe a collective sigh of relief, we ask “Why did no one think of
this before?” Read More
Currently, if healthcare practitioners are trying
to determine how overweight a patient is, they use the Body Mass Index,
or BMI. Invented in the mid-1800s, the BMI is an international standard
formula for establishing ideal body weight which involves dividing a
person’s weight by the square of their height. A group of international
researchers, however, are proposing that the BMI be replaced with a more
detailed system, the Body Volume Index, or BVI. Using a 3D white-light
scanner, the BVI identifies where the fat is distributed on a patient’s body, and how that compares to what’s normal. Read More
Angelbird Wings storage solution offers SSD expansion via PCIe
By Paul Ridden
October 20, 2010
If parting with a whole suitcase full of cash for
solid state drive storage doesn't really appeal then Angelbird's PCIe
card solution might be worth a look. Designed to allow users to add
storage modules as and when they can afford to, the Wings card comes
with its own fairly small amount of SSD storage where the operating
system can be placed for fast booting, plus four expansion slots where
additional capacity can be added. Angelbird is producing its own
expansion cartridges but will include clips and couplers so that users
can slot in whatever SSD solution they want. Read More
As development of micro- and nano-scale devices
continues to advance, so does the need for an equally-tiny method of
powering them. There’s not much point in developing a surveillance micro air vehicle the size of a housefly, for instance, if it requires a watch battery in order to fly. That’s why DARPA is funding a project to create really tiny batteries. Just how tiny are we talking, here? Well, they’re aiming for something smaller than a grain of salt. Read More
iTapedeck is a retro case and stand for your iPhone 4
By Rick Martin
October 20, 2010
We hear a lot about nanoparticles. The often
unexpected properties of these tiny specks of matter are giving them
applications in everything from synthetic antibodies to fuel cells to water filters
and far beyond. Recently, for the first time ever, scientists were able
to watch the particles grow from their earliest stage of development.
Given that the performance of nanoparticles is based on their structure,
composition, and size, being able to see how they grow could lead to
the development of better growing conditions, and thus better nanotechnology. Read More
Brammo has eclipsed the range capability of its pioneering Enertia electric motorcycle
with its latest commuter – the Enertia Plus. With its 6.0 kW h lithium
ion battery pack the Enertia Plus achieves 80 miles (128 km) on a single
charge – twice that of the original model – while only adding US$1000
to the price tag. Read More
Call them tuk tuks, auto rickshaws, mototaxis or
any one of several other names, but they’re one of the world’s most
ubiquitous vehicles – three-wheeled
motorized rickshaws. They’ve been a fixture on roads in Asia, South
America, Africa and Italy for decades, and have more recently made their
way into the Netherlands, the U.K. and other countries. Given that they
typically have quite small engines and are used mostly as runabouts,
Dutch company Tuk Tuk Factory (TTF) decided to start making electric tuk tuks a few years ago and has now introduced them to the European market. Read More
When engineers want to know how much stress
mechanical components such as wind turbine blades or machine parts are
subjected to, they usually do so via a series of sensors. These sensors
are typically either built into components, or are glued onto them. A
new polymer-metal composite material developed at Germany’s Fraunhofer
Institute for Manufacturing Technology and Applied Material Research
(IFAM), however, may be about to change that – components made from the
material are reportedly able to act as their own sensors. Read More
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