Technology for the masses

Terrafugia's flying car Transitions into a safer, better, tamer-looking personal transporter -- Engadget

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 13:22:00 +0000

Terrafugia's flying car Transitions into a safer, better, tamer-looking personal transporter -- Engadget

Source:

View all The BP Deepwater Oil Spill ROV Feeds

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Thu, 03 Jun 2010 11:33:00 +0000

I found this link to all of the BP Deepwater Oil Spill from the ROV's.

http://bp.isevil.org/

Source:The Oil Drum

What Happened On The Deepwater Horizon

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Mon, 31 May 2010 18:25:00 +0000

The Times Picayune put together a great graphic on how BP's Deepwater Oil Spill occurred. Click here to see a full size representation of the picture.

Source:The Times-Picayune

The BP Deepwater Oil Spill - Why Top Kill May Have Failed and Monday Open Thread

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:33:00 +0000

The Oil Drum offers the best source of information I have found on the web to learn about the techniques and equipment being used on BP's Deepwater Oil Spill. If you go to this post there are several diagrams that step you through the process and what is in the water. Many of the posters have also included links or images.
The BP Deepwater Oil Spill - Why Top Kill May Have Failed and Monday Open Thread

Source: The Oil Drum - Discussions About Energy and Our Future

Nuking The Oil Slick - The Oil Drum

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Mon, 31 May 2010 16:25:00 +0000

Believe it or not, there are some experts out there saying that some sort of explosion down hole should be considered to stop the flow of oil from BP's Deepwater Oil Spill. Among them is Matthew Simmons, who has been on numerous television shows and internet interviews. During a recent interview, seen below, he discusses the use of a nuclear explosion to seal the well.

Source: The Oil Drum | Discussions about Energy and Our Future

A Bloom Box For Your Pocket

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:25:00 +0000

Point Source Power has released a compact solid oxide fuel cell. As pictured to the left, picture is built around a container that once held breath mints and will generate two to three watts of power. You insert any form of biomass into the case, close it up and apply heat (any source) to generate the power.

The high tech Venture Capital firm, Khosla Ventures has invested in Point Source Power.

Source:Greentech Media

WORLD’S FIRST LED REPLACEMENT FOR MOST COMMON HOUSEHOLD LIGHT BULB

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Tue, 25 May 2010 13:15:00 +0000

Philips recently unveiled its 12 watt EnduraLED light bulb. It is being touted as the industry’s first LED replacement for a 60 watt incandescent light bulb. Phillip claims it will deliver up to 80% energy savings and last 25 times longer than the industry standard 60 watt bulb we all have in our houses.

Source:PHILIPS sense and simplicity

MIT researchers print solar cell on paper

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Mon, 10 May 2010 11:11:00 +0000

Massachusetts Institute of Technology Scientist's have successfully coated paper with a solar cell as reported by MIT, as part of a press conference that dedicated the Eni-MIT Solar Frontiers Research Center. Eni has invested $5 million into the center, which is also receiving a $2 million National Science Foundation grant.

Vladimir Bulovic, the center's director, presented the coated paper said they are still in the research phase and are years from being commercialized. The technique, in which paper is coated with organic semiconductor material using a process similar to an inkjet printer, is a promising way to lower the weight of solar panels. The materials used are carbon-based dyes and the cells are about 1.5 percent to 2 percent efficient at converting sunlight to electricity.

Source:CNET News

AmpliTube iRig brings axe slingers closer to their iPhone

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sun, 09 May 2010 11:17:00 +0000

IK Multimedia has just released a guitar amp and effects rig system for the iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad,
AmpliTube iRig. The iRig has an interface adapter that plugs into your iPhone/iPod Touch/iPad, and contains an input for your instrument and an output that can be redirected to headphones or an amplifier.

The AmpliTube for iPhone comes fully loaded, where you will be able to choose between 5 amps (clean, crunch, lead, metal, bass) with full controls, 10 stompbox effects (delay, flanger, phaser, overdrive, distortion, filter, wah, fuzz, octaver, chorus), 5 cabinets and 2 microphones (dynamic and condenser).

The AmpliTube iPhone app is a free download from iTunes. The suggested list price is $39.99 for the AmpliTube iRig.

Source:AmpliTube iRig

NanoH2O Awarded $400,000 Grant from U.S. Office of Naval Research

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sat, 08 May 2010 15:17:00 +0000

The office of Naval Research recently awarded a $400,000 grant to NanoH2O to develop a desalination nanomembrane that is more resistant to fouling. This is part of the Office of Naval Research Future Naval Capability (FNC) program

Source:Business Wire

Oregon Scientific appliance managers

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 22:40:00 +0000

Oregon Scientific will be offering later this year a couple of interacting devices to help monitor power usage in your home. First is a wireless appliance manager that monitors power consumption of up to 8 individual outlets using the companion appliance manager. The Individual Appliance Manager plugs into any outlets and transmits wirelessly back to the manager. The Appliance Manager has a MSRP of $79.99 and the Individual Manager a MSRP of $29.99.

Source: Press Release

SAGE Introduces World’s Most Energy-Efficient Window Glass

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sun, 18 Apr 2010 18:30:00 +0000

SAGE Electrochromics, Inc., has announced a new energy efficient window glass that combines electronically tintable dynamic glass. This provides high R-value glass that is constructed via triple pane techniques. Sage comments that the R-value for the dynamically tinted glass is grater than 8, where most low-E double pane glass is R-3. SAGE's dynamic tinting technology uses nanotechnology to produce its glazing, which people can change electronically to manage daylight.

Source: Sage Press Release

THINK to Begin Selling City Electric Car in New York

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Fri, 02 Apr 2010 23:12:00 +0000

Think announced that will be selling their electric car in New York City later in 2010. NY city ranked 3rd on Think's EV-Ready Index of cities. Think is also working with the U.S. Department of Energy’s Clean Cities to bring the electric car to NY city. As part of the announcement Think drove one of their cars inside a sealed bubble to demonstrate it is a zero emission vehicle.

Source: Think Press Release

Behind Carbon Trust’s plans for enhancing pyrolysis

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:29:00 +0000

The UK based Carbon Trust, a non-profit company funded by the UK government, that is working towards a low carbon economy, has just launched a consortium of UK companies that will focus on developing ways to convert municipal wood and waste into bio-fuels. A $15 million dollar investment will be used to develop a novel process using pyrolysis of the waste to produce bio-fuels on a large scale. The first pilot plant is being targeted for 2014.

Source: Cleantech Group

Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWT)

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Fri, 26 Mar 2010 11:32:00 +0000

Wind Harvest International has developed a vertical axis wind turbine (VAWT)that can capitalize on the turbulent wind close to the surface. They have outlined in their patent the "coupled vortex effect" by placing the VAWT's between traditional wind turbines. Per Kevin Wolf, the company’s chief operating officer, they can place a 1 Megawatt VAWT between two 1 Megawatt traditional wind turbines and may be able to gain additional efficiencies for all units.

Source:Efficiently-Arranged Vertical Axis Wind Turbines Could Offer 2 Times The Power of Classic Ones | Wind Power

Pegatron unveils a HTPC based on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 platform.

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Thu, 25 Mar 2010 13:25:00 +0000

Pegatron is showing off a compact system based on NVIDIA's Tegra 2 platform. Features include HDMI, ethernet, microphone and speaker inputs/outputs and should be able to output in 1080p and flash video (due to the Tegra 2 chip). It is believed to run on Android operating system or Windows CE. Pricing and availability are unknown at this time.

Source: Engadget

Line 6 peripheral brings MIDI interface for iPhone and iTouch

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sun, 21 Mar 2010 19:56:00 +0000

Line 6 has just introduced what they are calling a MIDI Mobilizer that connects to your iPhone or iTouch. This allows you to play, record or backup MIDI information to your Apple device. You can get the app for free from the Apple App store.

Source: Line 6

Self-assembling computer chips

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:17:00 +0000

MIT researchers are reporting in Nature Nanotechnology, the ability to create circuits using molecules that can automatically arrange themselves. As the size of today's computer chips keep shrinking, at some point new manufacturing techniques will need to be developed to accommodate the smaller sizes. Using electron-beam lithography, less than used today for production, researchers reported they can create tiny posts on a silicon chip. With the introduction of newly created polymers, these polymers can attach to the posts and then arrange themselves into useful patterns.
Source: MIT news

GM Reimagines Head-Up Display Technology

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 18:06:00 +0000

GM and partners are developing a system that would utilize data from vehicle sensors and on board cameras that in turn would project laser generated images on to the windshield. For what purpose you may ask would I want this? This heads up display could be used when fog doesn't allow you to see the edge of the driveway or road. Another use would be to alert the driver of potential dangers that may be out of the normal field of vision such as children, motorcycles, bikes and animals.

Source: GM

Future bio-nanotechnology will use computer chips inside living cells

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 17:58:00 +0000

Researchers at Micro and Nanosystems Department of Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica (CNM) have recently published it's findings on creating silicon chips that are smaller than living cells. One potential application is intracellular sensors. There are several advantages pointed out that include integration of many different materials and geometries.

Source: nanowerk

Algae for biofuels - What Mother Nature already knows

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 13:45:00 +0000

Dr. Timothy Devarenne, Texas AgriLife Research scientist with the Texas A&M University department of biochemistry and biophysics and his team are doing genetic mapping of green algae Botryococcus braunii. Why green algae, well it seems nature has been using green algae to produce hydrocarbon oil for millions of years. Botryococcus braunii is a very good choice for biofuel production as it can produce hydrocarbons from 30~40% of their dry weight and have the potential to go as high as 86%. The potential fuels refined from a B. braunii hydrocarbons would be identical to those from crude oil, such as gasoline and diesel, unlike today's biodiesel that have a different chemical structure and require blending or modifications to engines.

Of course as with any new discovery there are some obstacles. The growth rate of B. braunii is slow when compared to other algae. Dr. Timothy Devarenne feels that by understanding the genes responsible for the cell division they may be able to get them to increase the growth rate, thereby making B. braunii strains more economical

Source: Texas A&M University

New charging method could greatly reduce battery recharge time

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:07:00 +0000

Researchers at Mississippi State University, are proposing a novel method to reduce the charging time of lithium ion batteries as reported by Physorg. The method adds an oscillating electrical field to the all ready electrical fies that is charging the battery. This additional electrical field allows for a lithium ion battery to charged in a fraction of the time compared to todays method.

Source: Physorg.com

Wisconsin Researchers converts Biomass to Sugars that can be used for Fuel

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:47:00 +0000

In a March 9th, 2010 press release, a University of Wisconsin-Madison research team discusses their work on a chemical method to unlock sugar molecules trapped in plant biomass. According to Ron Raines, a UW-Madison professor of biochemistry and chemistry, the process is very efficient, and shows advantages over existing chemical and enzymatic routes for producing sugars from biomass. They were able to achieve a 75% sugar yield (glucose and xylose) from corn stover, which is similar to enzymes. Raines says the chemicals are more robust and less expensive than enzymes.

The driving force today is develop processes using inedible plant materials such as corn stover, switchgrass and wood chips, versus those from food sources. The complex structure has the sugars locked up in the cellulose making it difficult to extract for today's biofuels research. The majority of the work to-date has been with enzymes to break down the sugars more efficiently.

It is pointed out that there are still major obstacles for this technology that need to be addressed such as developing an economical recovery process of the ionic liquid which is expensive.

The project was supported by the Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center, a U.S. Department of Energy bioenergy research center located at UW-Madison, as well as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship awarded to Binder

Source: University of Wisconsin - Madison

Zoom's G2Nu and G2.1Nu Guitar Effects Pedals

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:29:00 +0000

Zoom recently announced two new guitar effect units, G2Nu and G2.1Nu, that operate as an audio interface, using a USB connection to record directly to a computer. Each unit comes with 20 models of legendary guitar amps (produced under the supervision Steve Vai) and stomp boxes. Zoom is adding 10 of their own original sounds. The Zoom models also come with their "Edit & Share" software, 1.9 inch LCD display, "collectors edition" of 83 guitar effects types, 6 band graphic equalizer, integrated drum machine, Looper function and auto-chromatic tuner. The units run on batteries, USB bus power or AC with an adaptor. The G2.1Nu has a built-in expression pedal.

Source: Zoom Corporation

Researchers Develop Novel High-Performance Polymer Tin Sulfur Lithium Ion Battery

noreply@blogger.com (VaHaLee) — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 16:10:00 +0000

At the Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, researchers are reporting in the Feb. 28th, 2010 journal Angewandte Chemie International Edition, a novel polymer tin sulfur lithium ion battery. Lithium-sulfur chemistry offers a high specific energy and energy density. The researchers have utilized a lithium-metal-free battery with a carbon lithium sulfide composite as the cathode and for the anode, a tin carbon composite.
One of the key advatages would be higher storage capacities than today's lithium ion battery for the same volume. The team notes that “the road to a practical lithium–sulfur battery is still long”; and further optimization and work is needed.

Source: Green Car Congress