20 most recent innovations in telecom

Train Windows That Combine Mobile Reception And Thermal Insulation

Wed, 31 Aug 2016 00:00:00 Z

When it comes to mobile phones and passenger trains, there's something of an engineering paradox at work. To help insulate the cars, the double-glazed windows are often equipped with an ultra-thin metal coating that lets light through, but reflects heat away, so the car interior maintains the desired temperature using minimal energy. These coated, doubled-glazed windows have four times the energy efficiency of regular, untreated windows.

Unfortunately, the coating not only reflects heat, it also blocks telecommunication signals. Since railway cars are made out of metal, the metal coating in the windows effectively turns them into Faraday cages, earthed metal screens that enclose a space to cut it off from electromagnetic radiation.

The standard solution to this problem is to equip the cars with electronic boosters and repeaters, but this means using more energy as well as more money on installation and maintenance. The alternative solution is to alter the metal coating to make the windows more selective as to what exactly can pass through.

The design makes use of the fact that electromagnetic waves of mobile phones, which are centimetric in size, are different to heat waves (which are micrometric in size), which are different again to light waves (nanometric in size). The team used a high-precision laser to remove about 2.5 percent of the metal coating and inscribe a special pattern into the surface that is invisible to the naked eye, but lets the electromagnetic waves and light waves through, but still blocks the heat waves and therefore doesn't affect insulation.

Land Cruisers To Double As Communication Hotspots

Tue, 24 May 2016 00:00:00 Z

Most of the U.S. has cell phone coverage. The signals may not always be five bars, but the majority of the country has service. That’s not the case in Australia, where more than 65 percent of the country has no cell phone signal at all. Fortunately, there’s a vehicle-based emergency for people who live in one 50,000 square kilometer area (about 19,300 square miles), which is approximately the size of the states of Vermont and New Hampshire combined. In that area they’re using Toyota Landcruisers as mobile cell towers, as reported in TruckYeah.

The Toyota Land Cruiser Emergency Network, which was started as a test in 2015, takes advantage of the near ubiquity of the rugged Toyota SUVs. According to Australian Toyota National Marketing manager Brad Cramb, Australia is the biggest market in the world for Land Cruisers. Cramb said that Land Cruisers have 90 percent market share in the area they are testing. Toyota is running this test in conjunction with Saatchi and Saatchi Australia and Flinders University in Adelaide. The test area represents about 1 percent of the land in Australia without cell phone service.

Here’s how it works. When someone makes an emergency call the signal is picked up by a Land Cruiser in range, which is typically about 15 miles. The signal is then passed on to the next Land Cruiser. They continue to pass the signal from vehicle to vehicle until it reaches an emergency response station which can dispatch help. In one implementation concept, a fleet of Land Cruisers can be dispatched to a remote site of a natural disaster and set up an impromptu network with the SUVs.

Three technologies are used in the network: Wi-Fi; UHF radio waves; and Delay Tolerant Networking (DTN). The system overall works as a store-and-forward network. Delay Tolerant Networking is the term for heterogenous networking technologies, basically finding a way for them to speak to each other, even if they need to wait till they come into range. Unlike other networking systems where data isn’t stored, with DTN, using the LandCruiser model, one vehicle might receive a signal but not pass it on to the next point in the network until it changes location. Local storage is required at each point in the network. That’s also why it’s called store-and-forward, it won’t forward a message until it has a connection.

The Land Cruiser Emergency Network is dependent on flexible and mobile networking technology, but wouldn’t even be possible without a lot of Land Cruisers doing what they do best in the outback.

Inflatable Satellite Antenna

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 00:00:00 Z

CubeSats are certainly in the process of revolutionizing the satellite industry. With that smaller overall size, however, comes smaller onboard antennas. These severely limit CubeSats’ communications range, restricting them to fairly low orbits. That may be about to change, though, as MIT is developing larger, inflatable antennas.

Inflatable satellite antennas have been developed and tested before, although they were designed for regular-sized satellites, and utilized compressed air systems. Given the limited payload capacity of a CubeSat, cramming in heavy, bulky metal tanks and pressure valves just wouldn’t work. There’s also a risk that the compressed air tanks could explode in transit.

Instead, the MIT team turned to benzoic acid. It’s a sublimating powder, which means that it expands into gas form when exposed to low pressure – and in outer space, the pressure is pretty darn low.“With this antenna you could transmit from the moon, and even farther than that,” says Alessandra Babuscia, who led the research. “This antenna is one of the cheapest and most economical solutions to the problem of communications.”

Volume rocker with integrated sim card tray

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 00:00:00 Z

If you take good a look at the DROID ULTRA, you'll notice that there is no visible slot to insert the SIM cad. Instead, Motorola is using the Volume rocker as a removable button/SIM card tray. Not only does this unique feature saves space, it also helps to keep the exterior design clean.

To access your SIM, all you need to do is slide a fingernail under the bottom of the Volume rocker and simply pry the entire tray out. To put it back, make sure the “UP” side is up and press until it clicks. Clever thinking Motorola!

Guided Wireless Power

Tue, 08 Oct 2013 00:00:00 Z

The Cota wireless power transmission system uses intelligently steered phased array antennas to focus a beam of microwaves on a receiver module – and only on that module. The inherently safe technology can deliver electrical power up to 30 feet from a central transmitter without any line-of-sight requirement and without interfering with other devices. The system is projected to hit the market in 2015.

The transmitter, operates in the 2.4 or 5.8 GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands that are also used by Wi-Fi routers. Unlike most wireless charging systems we've seen that require the close proximity between the transmitter and the device being charged, the Ossis transmitter will provide effective charging to distances of about 9 m. This means that a single unit would suffice for most households and offices. The microwave power from the transmitter is directed onto charging receivers that convert the received power into a form that can be used to charge device batteries, or even to directly run portable devices.

Digital pill lets the doctor know if you take your meds.

Fri, 31 May 2013 00:00:00 Z

Approved by the FDA, an indigestible chip sends a signal via cell phone to doctors to let them know when and if medication was taken.The device, made by Proteus Digital Health, is a silicon chip about the size of a sand particle. With no battery and no sensor, it is powered by the body itself.

The chip contains small amounts of copper and magnesium. After being ingested the chip will interact with digestive juices to produce a voltage that can be read from the surface of the skin through a detector patch, which then sends a signal via mobile phone to inform the doctor that the pill has been taken.

Sensors on the chip also detect heart rate and can estimate the patient’s amount of physical activity. More than just a way for doctors to look over their patients’ shoulders, it will allow doctors to better assess if a person is responding to a given dose, or if that dose needs to be adjusted.

Smartphone apps for blind people

Mon, 04 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Z

If you think that smartphones are not beneficial for visually impaired users, you are wrong! Many devices offer pre-installed functionalities like “text to speech” that make them usable by blind and partially-sighted people. A small Italian startup, EveryWare Technologies, takes this one step further by developing apps that support visually impaired people in their daily activities.

Light Detector for example is an app that enables you to hear light. Simply point your iPhone camera in any direction. You will hear a higher or lower sound depending on the intensity of the light. Another popular app is iMove, that makes persons aware of what is in the surroundings, by reading the current address and nearby shops.

EveryWare Technologies is constantly developing new applications the make mobile devices even more useful for the visually impaired. If you like EveryWare Technologies initiative and you would like to support their efforts, simply buy one of their apps or contact them at info@ew-tech.it

Mobile phone for the blind

Tue, 26 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Z

Designer peter lau has conceptualized a mobile phone for blind users. unlike typical cell phones which rely on claw grip or finger tip action, 'touching' utilizes palms for an ergonomic user experience. equipped with fourteen functioning buttons and one functionless button - the device's button configuration is positioned in a grid for fast thumb navigation. the layout provides a concave faceted surface for tactile interaction, alongside an operating scroll wheel for ending calls for intuitive functionality.

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designboom has received this project from our 'DIY submissions' feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

HTC gives a big smartphone its own Mini feature phone

Mon, 28 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Z

Big smartphones and phablets are great. They provide more screen real estate, and can double as miniature tablets. But the bigger these devices get, the more awkward they become for phone calls. Meet the HTC Mini. Though you might mistake it for the phone you had in 2006, it's an accessory for the HTC Butterfly. Butterfly owners can use the Mini to make and take calls without removing their super-sized phones from their pockets.

The device connects to the Butterfly via Near Field Communication (NFC). It's small, light, and could be dropped in a shirt pocket while the much larger Butterfly sits in a deeper pocket or purse. In addition to making calls, it can show messages, calendar appointments, and call history on its monochrome display.

The HTC Mini has a few other tricks. With the Butterfly tethered to a TV set, the Mini can also serve as a remote control for menu navigation. And if you misplace your smartphone, the Mini will ring it to help you to quickly find it.

Non-invasive glucose monitor for people with diabetes

Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Z

C8 MediSensors has created a system that uses Raman spectroscopy to non-invasively detect glucose in blood by shining light through the skin and detecting changes in the returning spectrum.

Once the sensor is attached to the skin it sends out regular readings wirelessly over Bluetooth to a smartphone, allowing for tight glycemic control and near instant alerts when glucose levels go outside preset parameters. It’s currently compatible with Android phones and an iOS app is expected to be available next year.

New metamaterial acts as a lens for radio waves

Fri, 11 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Z

We expect the world to be predictable. Water flows downhill, fire burns and lenses bend light in a particular way. That worldview took a jolt as Isaac Ehrenberg, an MIT graduate student in mechanical engineering, developed a three-dimensional, lightweight metamaterial lens that focuses radio waves with extreme precision. That may not seem too disturbing, but the lens is concave and works in exactly the opposite manner of how such a lens should.

The lens is produced by blocky, S-shaped “unit cells” a few millimeters wide that refract radio waves in particular directions. The roughly concave lens is formed from 4,000 of these cells. They were fabricated from a polymer by means of 3D printing into a self-supporting structure, and then coated with a fine mist of copper. The 3D fabrication technique meant that there was little energy lost as the radio energy passed through the lens, which was a problem with previous lenses made of stacked 2D structures.

The lens produces a level of focus that is so precise that it has the potential for imaging individual molecules. It also has the advantage of being lightweight, which Ehrenberg claims would make it practical for sending into orbit for astronomical observations.

ShareKey a smartphone (NFC) opperated door lock

Tue, 08 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Z

Mobile phones have already swallowed up the average Joe's diary, compact camera, watch and Walkman. They're working on replacing the wallet as well – so the next logical step is to go hunting for the last remaining pocket-dwelling device they can gobble up in their mad fury of convergence – your keyring. Smart and secure door access apps and hardware have already sprung up using Bluetooth and Wi-Fi – now there's ShareKey, which uses NFC (near field communication) and aims to be the most secure of all systems.

Sadeghi has developed a system called ShareKey, which is effectively an Android app that communicates with smart door locks via NFC to open and close them simply by waving the phone near the lock. Unlike similar systems from Lockitron and UniKey, which use Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to send instructions, you need to have the phone very physically close to the lock for ShareKey to operate, which makes it harder for hackers to intercept a signal.

The system makes it easy to assign or revoke access to each door in a flexible manner. Any smartphone user can be granted access to a door or group of doors for a defined period – so you can give your houseguests unrestricted access for a week, or give your temporary employees access in work hours.

Jet engine cooling tech adapted for commercial electronics

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Z

General Electric wants to replace your laptop's regular fan with a miniature set of bellows it calls Dual Piezoelectric Cooling Jets (DCJ). Initially developed for use in jet engines, the system works a bit like a diaphragm: it expands to pull in hot air before contracting to rapidly expel it, cooling the air in the process. GE says that, in addition to consuming half the power of a regular fan, its new tech is more than half as thin, enabling cooling systems that are only 4mm tall. Because of the comparatively simple construction, it'll apparently offer higher reliability rates than conventional cooling methods as well. The company says DCJ is virtually silent, and will enable "thinner, quieter, and more powerful tablets, laptops, and other electronic devices."

Although other companies have toyed with the idea of piezoelectric fans, GE is attempting to partner with OEMs to bring the technology to the mass-market. It's already fitted an ultrabook with one of the fans in the lab, and has provided a number of companies with demonstration kits for testing the new system in their next-gen products. It's also licensed DCJ out to Japanese firm Fujikura, which is expected to help GE meet manufacturing demands. Despite these steps towards the consumer market, it'll still be some time before we feel the benefits: GE expects DCJ-enabled products to arrive at some point in 2014.

DoorBot lets you see who's at the door, wherever you are

Tue, 11 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Z

Everyone wants to feel safe in their home, and it's easier to do so when you know who’s standing outside. DoorBot aims to help with exactly this, by functioning as a Wi-Fi-connected doorbell that streams live video and audio directly to your smartphone of choice whether you’re sitting on your couch or backpacking abroad.

DoorBot is constructed from high density polymer with a brushed aluminum faceplate, and features an infrared camera for video capture during the day and night. The unit is weatherproof and can be secured with an included mounting bracket and four screws. Power is provided by four AA batteries which are said to be good for up to a year’s use.

Once a visitor approaches your door and presses the LED-lit push-to-talk button, video and audio is streamed over the local Wi-Fi connection to your iOS or Android device like a normal video intercom system. We hope this uses a robust security framework to prevent hackers gaining access to your DoorBot, though we're yet to receive confirmation on this point.

In addition, DoorBot is also compatible with the Lockitron smartphone-based keyless entry system and once combined with this device, will allow the user to unlock or lock the door at will, increasing its usefulness markedly.

A touchscreen that can distinguish knuckle, stylus, nail, and finger taps

Tue, 20 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Z

Chris Harrison invented software for touchscreen devices that can recognize different kinds of taps, like knuckles and fingernails. FingerSense is the inaugural product of Harrison’s startup, Qeexo, and he tells Co.Design that his team is in talks with Android handset manufacturers to integrate FingerSense into their phones. "see this as a system-wide functionality," he says.

The catch is that FingerSense requires an extra bit of hardware in order to work--an acoustic sensor that can recognize the unique vibration patterns that distinguish among fingertip, fingernail, and knuckle taps. Which means you can’t just download FingerSense from Google Play and magically give your Galaxy Nexus a next-generation user interface--yet. "We are looking to partner with device makers to integrate this sensor, which our software needs," Harrison explains. (In the meantime, developers can email Qeexo for an Android SDK to tinker around with.)

Button 2.0 fastens shirt and headphones

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Z

This button not only holds your shirt together, but it also holds the cord for your ear buds and helps to keep them in your ears. Works for apple ear buds, and any cords with a 2 mm diameter.

Nokia introduces solar powered cellphone charging for Afrika

Mon, 15 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Z

The Portable Solar Charger is part of a project where Nokia is exploring the charging opportunities for people that do not have access to the electricity grid. Kenya and Nigeria provide the perfect opportunity for testing this solution as recent World Bank reports indicate that only 16 and 51 per cent of Kenyans and Nigerians respectively had regular access to electricity between 2007 and 2011.

The Portable Solar Charger DC-40 can turn one minute of charging time into two minutes worth of talk time. It relies on a thin photovoltaic panel which weighs 93 grams and a 3 meter long cable that connects to Nokia’s phone via the 2mm plug. Nokia will be piloting the program this week and thousands of people from Nigeria and Kenya are expected to help test it out.

"Talk to the hand" with Hi-Fun's bluetooth gloves

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Z

We use capacitive touchscreens almost every day. There’s nothing more frustrating than taking your glove off every time you need to change the track or pick up a call. Cutting off the ends just leave your fingers cold. The Hi-Call glove is a glove designed for 2012: it will let you use your phone via capitative thread in the fingertips. It also does one better–it lets you talk to your hand and look like a crazy person through a Bluetooth receiver, microphone and speaker built into the glove. It charges through MicroUSB and may be the first pair of gloves you own that come with an instruction manual.

Super thin graphite heat shield

Mon, 08 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Z

Panasonic has managed to shrink its graphite heat shields to a mere 10μm (microns) thick. (Size comparison: A human red blood cell is 5μm across.) At one-one-hundred-thousandth of a meter, this shield is the world's thinnest.

The previous version of these graphite shields measured in at a relatively husky 17μm thick. Panasonic managed to shed 7μm through an improved manufacturing process that involves a carefully controlled heat treatment. And while the material is remarkably thin, it still boasts a thermal conductivity rating—a measurement of how efficiently it's able to dissipate heat—of 1,950W/mK, roughly ten times that of aluminum.

Burner app gives you a throw-away phone number

Mon, 13 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Z

The new Burner app for iPhone generates throw-away phone numbers, which can be used for undercover operations or by those who simply prefer a deep layer of privacy.

With Burner, users can create multiple new phone numbers for a day, a week, a month, or longer, and manage all inbound calls, SMS messages, and voicemails for each number. Once you are finished with the number, you can "burn" it by taking it out of service and wiping it from your phone, as if it never existed.

Each number is a separate line within the iPhone, which can be redirected to your main mobile number, or go straight to voicemail, according to the Burner app blog.

"You can use a Burner for dating, Craigslist, short-term projects, side businesses, bands, and other times when you need to be in touch but want to maintain a little privacy," the Burner team said.

The $1.99 app comes with credits to create one short-duration Burner line. Any additions to your phone-number cache require the purchase of more credits, which begin at $1.99. A discount is provided when buying credits in bulk.

To "burn" a number requires a user confirmation, but once the number is deleted, it is gone forever. Anyone who calls the burned phone number will hear a generic out-of-service message.