Saturday, April 11, 2009
Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) are testing an innovative technological system in the Detroit area this month that ultimately will help protect drivers from being surprised by black ice, fog, and other hazardous weather conditions.The prototype system is designed to gather detailed information about weather and road conditions from moving vehicles. Within about a decade, it should enable motor vehicles equipped with wireless technology to transmit automated updates about local conditions to a central database, which will then relay alerts to other drivers in the area.
"The goal is to reduce crashes, injuries, and deaths by getting drivers the information they need about nearby hazards," says Sheldon Drobot, the NCAR program manager in charge of the project. "The system will tell drivers what they can expect to run into in the next few seconds and minutes, giving them a critical chance to slow down or take other action."
Maybe then we could all have cheaper auto insurance!? Yeah, I know, I'm dreaming.
(Credit: Copyright UCAR, photo by Michael Chapman)
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Years after the HAL (Hybrid Assistive Limb) suit first debuted, it seems that Cyberdyne's pride and joy is about to get really real. According to a report over at HPlus Magazine, the company is linking up with Daiwa House in order to "begin mass production" of the cybernetic bodysuit.
Sounds like someone really wants to be like Iron Man.
The cybernetic suit that "augments body movement and increases user strength by up to tenfold."
Though whether or not that warrants the $4,200 price tag remains to be seen.
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A new blog hosted by Southern Illinois University Carbondale's Technology Transfer Program promises to be a nexus of information on energy research across the University campus and around the world.
The blog, "SIU Energy Technology," will promote energy research at SIU's campuses, publish articles by researchers, carry links to outside information and act as a general clearinghouse for energy research information.
Labels: auto, blogging, energy, HAL, robots
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Hehe.Got wind?
That's the motto for the Orange wind charger prototype. "The wind generator produces enough power to trickle charge an independent rechargeable battery."
They say that it is a convenient solution for people who spends a lot of time outdoors camping or hiking or whatever it may be...and still must have their cell phone attached to them. =o/
Windmills for energy is nothing new, but thinking outside of the box and figuring out ways to store energy for even small products like a cell phone is pretty darn cool.
Labels: cell phone, energy
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
The Wall Street Journal wrote an article about Google's evil step brother, Blackle. Okay so maybe not evil, but considering the extreme difference in Google versus Blackle, I wasn't sure how else to explain the polar opposite of the look.
The question is...does Blackle really help with energy output just because it's...well..black?
Not so much folks.
The federal Energy Star program found that modern LCD computer monitors don’t see much benefit from a black screen. But if you have one of those old big honkin' tube monitors you may be saving yourself a small bit of energy. CRT screens saw energy savings with Blackle of between 5% and 20%.
And so there you have it. Yes, we do need to be more conscious of how we use energy, but no...Blackle is not really the way to go.
The question is...does Blackle really help with energy output just because it's...well..black?
Not so much folks.
The federal Energy Star program found that modern LCD computer monitors don’t see much benefit from a black screen. But if you have one of those old big honkin' tube monitors you may be saving yourself a small bit of energy. CRT screens saw energy savings with Blackle of between 5% and 20%.
And so there you have it. Yes, we do need to be more conscious of how we use energy, but no...Blackle is not really the way to go.
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Marin Soljacic, an assistant professor in MIT's Department of Physics and Research Laboratory of Electronics had a thought. Quite often we forget to recharge our cell phone, and when it is about to die it emits an unpleasant noise. "Needless to say, this always happens in the middle of the night," he said. "So, one night, at 3 a.m., it occurred to me: Wouldn't it be great if this thing charged itself?" He began to wonder if any of the physics principles he knew of could result in new ways of transmitting energy.MIT is known for being at the forefront of new technology. Marin Soljacic and researchers there have made a 60 watt light bulb glow via wireless energy 7 feet away. Wireless energy!. This is significant. We are now closer to having small gadgets run without having to be plugged in somewhere. This technology works by using tuned waves - setting the recharging device and the same frequency. Much work has yet to be done, but either way how cool is this?
MIT News
Labels: energy, technology, wireless
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