Nanostitching!

'Nanostitching' could make aeroplanes 1o times stronger
MIT engineers are using carbon nanotubes only billionths of a meter thick to stitch together aerospace materials in work that could make airplane skins and other products some 10 times stronger at a nominal increase in cost. Moreover, advanced composites reinforced with nanotubes are also more than one million times more electrically conductive than their counterparts without nanotubes, meaning aircraft built with such materials would have greater protection against damage from lightning, said Brian L. Wardle, the Charles Stark Draper Assistant Professor in the Department of Aeronautics and Astronautics.

How does nanostitching work? The polymer glue between two carbon-fiber layers is heated, becoming more liquid-like. Billions of nanotubes positioned perpendicular to each carbon-fiber layer are then sucked up into the glue on both sides of each layer. Because the nanotubes are 1000 times smaller than the carbon fibers, they don't detrimentally affect the much larger carbon fibers, but instead fill the spaces around them, stitching the layers together.

"So we're putting the strongest fibers known to humankind [the nanotubes] in the place where the composite is weakest, and where they're needed most," Wardle said.

Read full article at: http://web.mit.edu/newsoffice/2009/nanostitching-0305.html

Anti Enregy Drink

Slow Cow!
Out to help those looking for a quick relaxation fix, a new drink from Canada offers "an acupuncture session" in every can. An antidote to energy drinks like Red Bull, Slow Cow was developed to help people de-stress.

Under the premise that caffeine-packed drinks tend to increase anxiety, Slow Cow contains theanine, chamomile, valerian, passiflora and other ingredients known for their calming effects. The beverage is meant to increase mental awareness while improving relaxation, without the post-hit dip that caffeine and other stimulants cause.

Slow Cow, whose tongue-in-cheek logo apparently did not amuse Red Bull, might have found a gap in a market saturated with energy drinks of every possible variety.


Find more about the product at: http://www.slowcowdrink.com/english.asp?no=121

Click here to watch the Slow Cow Drink report on CTV NEWS !

Solar Windows help reduce carbon emmisions

New Windows Could Halve Carbon Emissions

Professor John Bell said QUT had worked with a Canberra-based company Dyesol, which is developing transparent solar cells that act as both windows and energy generators in houses or commercial buildings. "The transparent solar cells have a faint reddish hue but are completely see-through," Professor Bell said. "The solar cells contain titanium dioxide coated in a dye that increases light absorption. "The glass captures solar energy which can be used to power the house but can also reduce overheating of the house, reducing the need for cooling." Professor Bell said it would be possible to build houses made entirely of the transparent solar cells. "As long as a house is designed throughout for energy efficiency, with low-energy appliances it is conceivable it could be self-sustaining in its power requirements using the solar-cell glass," he said.

He said the solar cell glass would make a significant difference to home and building owners' energy costs and could, in fact, generate excess energy that could be stored or onsold. Professor Bell said the glass was one of a number of practical technologies that would help combat global warming which was a focus of research at the ISR. “It is easy to build a house that doesn't need powered cooling or heating in Queensland." he said. He said the glass would be on the market in a few years.

Tyres with wood

Cheaper, more fuel-efficient tires? Wooden it be good
Oregon State University (OSU) are proposing replacing silica with microcrystalline cellulose derived from plant fiber as a reinforcing filler in the manufacture of rubber tires. The result could be a tire that would cost less, perform better and save on fuel and energy.

As part of their study the OSU researchers replaced up to about 12 percent of the silica used in conventional tire manufacture with microcrystalline cellulose - a micrometer-sized type of crystalline cellulose with an extremely well-organized structure. This decreased the amount of energy needed to compound the rubber composite, improved the heat resistance of the product, and retained tensile strength.

The study also showed that the new tire possessed comparable traction to existing rubber tires in wet, rainy conditions and actually decreased the rolling resistance of the product in high temperatures. This would improve the fuel efficiency of tires made with the new approach in hot weather. Cellulose fiber has been used for some time as reinforcement in some types of rubber and automotive products, such as belts, hoses and insulation – but never in tires, where the preferred fillers are carbon black, which is made from increasingly expensive oil, and silica, which is energy-intensive to process. Both products are also very dense and reduce the fuel efficiency of automobiles. Conversely microcrystalline cellulose is produced in a low-cost acid hydrolysis process.

The research team say that more research is needed to confirm the long-term durability of tires made using microcrystalline cellulose, but hopefully they’ll last longer and provide a smoother ride than these.

From Alchohol deaddiction to drug- Now INTERNET Deaddiction

Cyber junkies can unplug at US retreat

The first US retreat for Internet addicts has opened its doors, welcoming a teenager that was captive to World of Warcraft online role-playing videogame.

Psychotherapist Hilarie Cash and therapist Cosette Rae opened the Internet addiction retreat in July as a live-in center for re-connecting cyber junkies with the land of the living. "We are not anti-technology," Cash said. "It is about helping people addicted to technology get through the withdrawal and help their brains get wired back to normal and connected to the world in a positive way."

Internet and videogame addictions have been a growing problem during the past decade as technology became increasingly pervasive in people's lives, according to the psychotherapist. "The problem is worsening," Cash said. "More kids are being raised from the earliest days with technology. If allowed to spend too much time there, their development is not balanced."

The reStart rehab program includes teaching skills such as starting conversations and reading body language. Videogame addicts typically need to be reprogrammed to be conscientious about everyday tasks such as bathing, cooking, and household chores, according to reStart. They also need tutoring when it comes to dating.

"The typical gamer is somebody who has fallen way behind in social skills and lacks confidence," Cash said. Videogames are designed to immerse players' in fantasy worlds and hold their attention with intermittent rewards such as new powers for characters and storyline revelations.

Read more at: http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-technology/cyber-junkies-can-unplug-at-us-retreat-20090821-et71.html

Climate adapting jacket works like a pine cone

'Smart' Clothing Imitate Pine Cones

When pine cones fall from the trees, their scales open, allowing the seeds to be released. This is because these scales are made of two layers of fibers acting in different directions. Stealing this idea from nature, a team of U.K. researchers has designed a new material to make 'smart' clothing which adapts itself to changing temperatures. Like the scales of pine codes, this 'smart' material has two layers. The top one has small spikes, which open or close to let the outside air flow to cool you or to protect you. And as the second layer is waterproof, you should always feel comfortable wearing these clothes imitating nature.

Current commercial applications of climate-controlled clothing operate using fibers designed to stretch or curl in a certain direction when heated. Manufacturers can create fabric that adapts itself to weather conditions by overlaying clothing with many tiny strips of these fibers; the clothing can become cooler in warm weather and warmer in cold weather.

When the fabric is heated up, the strips curl outward, increasing airflow throughout the clothing. Conversely, when the fabric is cooled, the strips straighten out and form a solid layer, preventing loss of heat and moisture. These fabrics have proven invaluable for activities that involve changing temperatures, including mountain climbing and skiing.
Read more at: http://www.thetartan.org/2008/3/24/scitech/htw

Clothes Bleach- your news medicine

Whiter Laundry And A Surprising New Treatment For Kids' Eczema

Chronic, severe eczema can mar a childhood. The skin disorder starts with red, itchy, inflamed skin that often becomes crusty and raw from scratching. The itching is so bad kids may break the skin from scratching and get chronic skin infections that are difficult to treat, especially from methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Researchers from the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine have discovered powerful relief in the form of diluted beach baths. It's a cheap, simple and safe treatment that drastically improves the rash as well as reduces flare-ups of eczema, which affects 17 percent of school-age children.

The study found giving pediatric patients with moderate or severe eczema (atopic dermatitis) diluted bleach baths decreased signs of infection and improved the severity and extent of the eczema on their bodies. That translates into less scratching, fewer infections and a higher quality of life for these children.

The typical treatment of oral and topical antibiotics increases the risk of bacterial resistance, something doctors try to avoid, especially in children. Bleach kills the bacteria but doesn't have the same risk of creating bacterial resistance.

Patients on the bleach baths had a reduction in eczema severity that was five times greater than those treated with placebos over one to three months, said Amy S. Paller, M.D., the Walter J. Hamlin Professor and chair of dermatology, and professor of pediatrics, at the Feinberg School.

Read the full article at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/04/090427010810.htm

Visual time machine on your phone

Augmented reality: Visual time machine offers a glimpse of the past

The Palace of Venaria near Turin, Italy, and Winchester Castle in the United Kingdom have already benefited from the technology, which combines augmented reality (AR) content with location awareness on mobile devices to give visitors to historic and cultural sites a deeper, richer and more enjoyable experience. Other places of interest are also set for a virtual renaissance in the near future with a commercial version of the system being developed to run on smart phones.

Augmented reality allows people to see and discover much more than they would normally be able to by overlaying information and images in real time on photos and video taken using a mobile device. Innovative software matches the image being viewed with suitable AR content stored on a central server. “They can look at a historic site and, by taking a photo or viewing it through the camera on their mobile device, be able to access much more information about it,” explains Luke Speller, a senior researcher at BMT in the United Kingdom who oversaw development of the technology. “They are even able to visualise, in real time, how it looked at different stages in history,” he adds. The AR system is one component of a comprehensive mobile information platform for tourists developed in the EU-funded iTacitus project, which also created location-based services and smart itinerary-generating software to help users get the most out of any trip.

Virtual guide for augmented holidays
Visitors to historic cities provide the iTacitus system with their personal preferences - a love of opera or an interest in Roman history, for example - and the platform automatically suggests places to visit and informs them of events currently taking place. The smart itinerary application ensures that tourists get the most out of each day, dynamically helping them schedule visits and directing them between sites.

Once at their destination, be it an archaeological site, museum or famous city street, the AR component helps bring the cultural and historic significance to life by downloading suitable AR content from a central server.

See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbIioo09Ou4&feature=player_embedded
Know more at: http://itacitus.org/
Read more at: http://www.scientificcomputing.com/news-DS-Visual-Time-Machine-Offers-Glimpse-of-Past-081309.aspx

Semiconductors- now printed like paper

'Printed chips' could be boon for consumers

Until now, creating the microchips that power all of our electronic gadgets has been a laborious, complex and time-consuming process costing billions of dollars. But if a Milpitas, Calif.-based startup succeeds, making them could be as easy as printing a piece of paper.

And that could open up a huge market for so called "printed semiconductors," which would contain an enormous amount of data but would be cheap enough to slap on thousands of products. Imagine going to the grocery store and being able to find out what wine works best with your favorite chicken recipe.

Backed by investors who include former San Francisco 49ers Brent Jones and Tommy Vardell -- and a board that boasts Sun Microsystems co-founder Vinod Khosla -- privately held Kovio hopes to launch in a matter of weeks what is believed to be the world's first manufacturing plant for printed semiconductors.

By using inkjet and other types of printers, the company plans to make radio frequency identification devices -- so called RFID tags. Such tags traditionally contain microchips, but are so expensive now their use has been relatively limited.

If Kovio succeeds in keeping the price of the devices low, according to its executives and others familiar with the company, it could herald a new era for consumers and the chip business.
"If Kovio can pull that off, it's an enormous opportunity," said Carl Taussig, director of Hewlett-Packard's Information Surfaces Lab, which is exploring a different but related technology. "It's going to revolutionize that whole industry."
By using silicon-based ink, the company says it can print RFID tags on soup cans, textiles and a wide range of other surfaces. Kovio plans to especially target its tags at consumer goods.
To read more about it click: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_13009121?nclick_check=1

Project Topless

Project TOPLESS: OLED lamp uses 14x less energy

It is a three year, £3.3M project financed 50% by the UK government and 50% by a consortium of Thorn Lighting (UK largest lighting company), Sumation UK and the University of Durham (Department of Physics and Chemistry). The goal is to create "high quality white light generating single polymer, and efficient large area single pixel device architectures." In the video below, you can see one of their very cool prototypes in action. Behold the future of lighting. British lighting company Thorn and the U.K. government created this remarkable OLED desk lamp prototype. Part of Project TOPLESS (Thin Organic Polymeric Light Emitting Semiconductor Surfaces), the lamp emits high-quality white light using a mere 3.5 Watts, giving you the same amount of light you'd get from a 50-Watt halogen desk lamp.

Take a look at how outlandishly thin and elegant this desk lamp is, and start thinking about what the world will be like when these OLED fixtures populate the planet instead of incandescent light bulbs using technology invented 130 years ago. Here's a video showing this unreal OLED lamp in action:

Read more at: http://www.treehugger.com/files/2009/08/oled-desk-lamp-energy-efficient-lighting.php
See video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BVsL9kMNRds

Invisible flash- take pics in dark

Invisible Flash sheds new light on photography in the dark
As technology becomes available to help those wishing to avoid the annoying flash photography of the paparazzi get some payback, researchers Dilip Krishnan and Rob Fergus from New York University have developed a system for taking dazzle-free photos in poor lighting conditions which could result in celebs not even knowing they're being photographed. Named dark light flash photography by its creators, the system uses light waves beyond our visible range and special software and algorithms to produce photos comparable in quality to a long exposure shot.

Photos taken using the dark flash produce images that don't match the colors of our visual experience, producing a slightly green-tinted monochrome effect similar to something seen using night vision. So two images are recorded in quick succession (limited only by the camera's 3 frames/sec rate), one recording the dark flash spectrum and the other ambient light frequencies in the visible range.

Other methods and applications
In developing this system other solutions for non-invasive low light photography were examined, including heavy and expensive wide aperture lenses, anti-shake hardware that can help reduce image blur and numerous de-noising techniques.

Read more at: http://www.gizmag.com/dark-flash-photography-research/12422/

Paper made from crushed stone

TerraSkin: Paper Made from Rock: The treeless new product from Taiwan requires little energy to produce. It's recyclable—and degradable

Used to be bag options at the store were paper or plastic. Now shoppers can choose cloth bags, too. They may have another alternative: rock. Shopping bags and boxes from gift stores at New York's Museum of Modern Art, bags from personal-care company Erno Laszlo, and packaging of consumer products from Burt's Bees look, feel, and fold like paper, but they're made of crushed stone.

The treeless paper, manufactured in Taiwan and sold under the TerraSkin brand, is three parts recycled calcium carbonate—the same mineral in marble and limestone—and one part polyethylene binder. Production requires no water or bleach and only half the energy needed to make traditional paper. The material is durable; tote bags can be used over and over. It is also recyclable. And TerraSkin breaks down into a talcum-like powder if exposed to sunlight and humidity long enough.

Its limitation: Price. Though the raw materials are cheap, sales volumes are low so its manufacturer has to make it in small batches. As a result, it typically wholesales for at least 8% more than packaging paper. Nonetheless, sales will triple in 2009, predicts Design & Source, a New York green packaging company that distributes TerraSkin in North America. Other premium-end customers include Herman Miller (MLHR) and Hilton Hotels. MoMA recently ordered 682,000 TerraSkin shopping bags, which cost 25% more than previous plastic bags. Customers are "blown away by it," says Kathy Thornton-Bias, general manager for MoMA Retail.

Rising sales volume could lower costs, which might attract more customers. "We want to build economies of scale and streamline production process more," says Nicole Smith, environmental director for Design & Source. The company aims to make TerraSkin competitive with paper by 2012. Complicating that task: Coated-paper prices have dipped because of weak demand.

Check the website: http://terraskin.com/

Students develop cane with e-tags to guide blind

Students develop cane with e-tags to guide blind


This May 6, 2009 photo released by Central Michigan University shows Kevin Rock wearing glasses that simulate visual impairment to test a Smart Cane on the school's campus in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The cane is able to detect electronic navigational aid tags and help the blind avoid obstacles and reach their destinations.

An engineering professor and five students at Central Michigan University have created a "Smart Cane" to read electronic navigational tags installed between buildings to aid the blind in reaching their destinations more easily.

During the spring term, Yelamarthi and five senior engineering students tested the cane, which is equipped with Radio Frequency Identification technology, similar to what retailers put on products to keep them from being stolen. The Smart Cane contains an ultrasonic sensor that is paired with a miniature navigational system inside a messenger-style bag worn across the shoulder.

For the test, the students installed identification tags between two buildings on the campus in Mount Pleasant, Mich.. A speaker located on the bag strap gave audio alerts when the system detected an obstacle and told the user which direction to move. Students wearing glasses that simulate visual impairment tested the cane. The students also created a vibrating glove to assist those who are both visually and hearing-impaired.

Yelamarthi said it's one of the first outdoor applications of RFID and said he plans for students in upcoming classes to further refine the system while he seeks grants to speed the research. The next step probably involves using the system in a wider area. Down the line, Yelamarthi wants to work toward integrating the Smart Cane's data with GPS.

Printable, transparent solar cells for generating electricity

Transparent Solar cells which are also lightweight and flexible:

Konarka Technologies, Inc. is a solar energy company based in Lowell, Massachusetts, founded in 2001 as a spin-off from University of Massachusetts. The company is developing two types of organic solar cells: polymer-fullerene solar cells and dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs).

Konarka cells are lightweight, flexible photovoltaics that can be printed as film or coated onto surfaces. At the heart of Konarka’s technology is a photo-reactive polymer material invented by Konarka co-founder and Nobel Prize winner, Dr. Alan Heeger. This proprietary material can be printed or coated inexpensively onto flexible substrates using roll-to-roll manufacturing, similar to the way newspaper is printed on large rolls of paper. The resulting Power Plastic can then be manufactured into a wide range of end-use products.
The nanomaterials absorb sunlight and indoor light and convert them into electrical energy. These products can be easily integrated as the power generation component for a variety of applications and can be produced and used virtually anywhere.
Unlike conventional solar cells, which are packaged in modules made of glass and aluminum and are rigid and heavy, Konarka's solar cells are lightweight and flexible. This makes them attractive for portable applications. What's more, they can be designed in a range of colors, which can make them easier to incorporate attractively into certain applications. One of the first products to use Konarka's cells will be briefcases that can recharge laptops. Another company is testing Konarka's solar cells for use in umbrellas for outdoor tables at restaurants. They could also be used in tents and awnings.

Because the solar cells can be made transparent, Konarka is also developing a version of its solar cells that could be laminated to windows to generate electricity and serve as a window tinting

More at their website: http://www.konarka.com/

Feeling sick? Diagnose with personal Handheld Diagnostic Laboratory

New invention could revolutionize how diseases are diagnosed
(PhysOrg.com) -- An award-winning invention by Stanford doctoral students Richard Gaster and Drew Hall may change who diagnoses diseases ranging from flu to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus. The invention, called the NanoLab, is a miniature, portable bioassay that can identify several disease proteins simultaneously without doctors, technicians or special lab equipment. With this technology, the inventors hope that individuals can literally take health care into their own hands.

“We built a technology that can be dispensed anywhere,’’ said Gaster, an M.D. and Ph.D. candidate in bioengineering. “It’s affordable, easy to use, and doesn’t require a laboratory to wash anything; it’s all self contained.”

Hall and Gaster entered a preliminary version of the NanoLab, originally coined “Lab-on-a-Stick,” in the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance Biomedical Engineering Idea competition as a tool to use in airports to reduce the spread of pandemics. They took first place, and received a $10,000 prize and a large trophy to display in the Stanford Department of Bioengineering. Further innovations on the NanoLab won first prize in the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) international Change the World Competition as a diagnostic tool for developing countries that are short on doctors and equipment. Gaster and Hall received certificates, another $10,000, and planets named after them at a ceremony in Los Angeles on June 25.

How it works
The NanoLab, which is the size of a small paperback book, consists of an electronic circuit board and a tiny well, just big enough to hold a few drops of blood from a pipette. The first step is to add a droplet of a sample such as blood, saliva or urine into the well. The tester then adds magnetic tags to label the viral proteins, making them detectable by nanosensors. Each tiny magnetic sensor is similar to the read head in a computer hard drive that detects ones and zeros, Gaster said. The NanoLab uses the same technology to sense biological data. The final ingredient is a protein solution containing disease antibodies.

The tester hits start and, 10 to 15 minutes later, tiny green, orange and red light bulbs illuminate, indicating which disease proteins were detected - and at what level.
The availability of antibodies, the proteins that our immune system uses to identify and fight viruses, is the only limit to the diagnostic tool.

Read more at: http://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/july22/nanolab-diagnostic-tool-072309.html

Design a car from scratch

For once- the community decides what goes into the car

Splitwheel is a groundbreaking project to design and build a new performance car based on your input. They are world's first virtual car company and YOU get to decide what sort of car they should build. Combined with entertaining content about cars to inform their decisions, Splitwheel is a revolutionary new experience for enthusiasts. But Splitwheel is not just an online experiment. Their partner, legendary British sportscar manufacturer Caterham Cars, will be turning the designs into reality.
You will be voting on all the key decisions that will shape the design of the vehicle; from styling and engine options to specification, equipment and everything in between!

To understand the concept see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7CGygcEXZI0&feature=player_embedded
See more videos at: http://www.splitwheel.com/Content.asp?ContentID=14

While project splitwheel is currently on hold, another project is underway to build the car for the future.

C,mm,n (pronounced common) is an open community design project that is not only counting on its members to help design a car but is also tasking them with producing a whole new mobility solution to cope with the challenging demands of the future. The blueprints for the proposed electric car concept and the mobility concepts are freely available under an open source licence and contributions are welcome from anyone and everyone. "Generally, any new generation of car builds on existing models. Refinements in design result in a new car that surpasses its predecessor in all aspects: bigger, more powerful, safer and better-looking. C,mm,n abandons this working method completely. The concept of the development of c,mm,n is built around the society of the future, with the needs of the mobilist of 2020 in mind."

Read more on this at: http://www.gizmag.com/cmmn-car-mobility-concept-open-source/12349/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=fbb9f0f7e7-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email