New Invention:Wind Turbine to Harvest energy

• Mercedes debuts new four-door coupe that will likely see production
• Milan Design Week 2012 in pictures
• HemLoft treehouse is a quiet forest retreat ... if you can find it
• Wind turbine to harvest energy and water from desert air
• Innovega's dual-focus eyewear to make augmented reality battlefield-ready

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Wind Turbine to Harvest energy and water from desert air

Details:

We've all seen ice cold glasses and bottles dripping with condensation after cooling water vapor in the air, and though grabbing water out of thin air is not new, it took French inventor and Eolewater founder Marc Parent's umpteenth emptying of his air conditioner's condensate to envision harvesting atmospheric moisture on a commercial scale using wind turbines. After years of designs and prototypes, his proof-of-concept device, essentially a wind-powered refrigeration/condensation/filtration unit, was put in operation in the dry desert air of Abu Dhabi last October where it's been reliably extracting 130-200 gal (approx. 500-800L) of clean, fresh water a day ever since.

        

Eolewater's WMS1000 wind-driven water-harvesting system uses on-board cooling units to chill the air until its moisture condenses

           "Access to drinking water is a condition for life and cannot be considered a luxury reserved to developed countries," Parent said. "Humanity cannot ignore the pain of those deprived of water access and has to find new solutions." The turbine units are not designed solely for desert-use. Being self-contained makes them suitable for any isolated areas that lack the infrastructure for water and/or electricity distribution, including islands, disaster areas, etc.
Housed in a 19.7 ft x 6.5 ft (6 m x 2 m) nacelle, Eolewater's fifth generation WMS1000 water condenser system sits atop a 78 ft (24m) mast and is powered by a 30 kW wind turbine (minimum 15 mph (24 kph) wind speed required) with a 42 ft (13 m) diameter rotor. Since our atmosphere contains a reasonable amount of water (even the Sahara desert has an average relative humidity of around 25%), it's simply a matter of using the wind to generate electricity for the on-board cooling units to chill the air until its moisture condenses out.
Once the water is collected, it is filtered and sent to stainless steel tanks for storage - simple as that. Apparently, the units are so durably built that, with routine maintenance, it's estimated they'll last up to 30 years. In areas where sun abounds but the winds are unreliable, Eole has also designed the WMS-30kW Solar Panel to drive the condensation/filtration equipment. For the millions living in or adjacent to deserts and drought-prone areas around the world, that's welcome news, indeed.
Source: Eolewater via Treehugger

New Invention:Solar Plane

Elektra One Solar Plane

Following the maiden flight of their Elektra One electric plane, SolarWorld and PC-Aero have unveiled a new solar-powered version that gives the small plane twice the range of the electric version. The Elektra One Solar plane features solar cells on the wing surfaces that harness energy from the sun to provide zero-emissions flying with lower operating costs and less noise.


The Elektra One Solar is a one-seater plane that is built of carbon composite materials and has a longer wing span than the initial Elektra One electric plane that gives it a better glide ratio. In addition to being able to travel just over 600 miles, the solar plane can fly for more than eight hours, weighs only 400 pounds and can carry a payload of 220 pounds, including the pilot.
“Elektra One is emblematic of a future in mobility that relies on efficient and environmentally sound electric vehicles,” said Frank Asbeck, CEO of SolarWorld. “We need to stop depending on fossil fuels – and their dirty, noisy use of scarce resources – to get from one place to another. Solar power, abundant and pervasive, is the obvious choice for travel in the skies.”
+ PC-Aero
+ SolarWorld

New Invention:RoboReel

RoboReel pulls in its power cord at the touch of a button

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The RoboReel is a motorized extension cord winder, that incorporates several safety and convenience features

The winding up of extension cords is something that most of us probably don’t give a lot of thought to – we loop them on the ground, spool them around our forearm, or perhaps use a spring-activated or hand-cranked winder. If you’re someone who spends a lot of time putting cords away, however, you might want to make the job safer and easier. That’s where Great Stuff’s RoboReel comes in. It’s a portable motorized cord winder, with some interesting features.
The 15-amp RoboReel comes with a user-replaceable 50-foot (15.24-meter) 12-gauge electrical cord and can be set on any flat surface, or hung on a wall or ceiling using optional mounts. It will begin winding that cord in at high speed, with the touch of either of two buttons – one is located on the uptake device itself, and one is on the three-appliance outlet at the end of the cord. To keep the tail of the cord from madly whipping around, however, the winder automatically slows down as it nears the end. The point at which it begins to slow can be programmed in by the user.

Additionally, it won’t wind as long as the cord is in use, and will stop winding if the cord is obstructed – such as, say, by being wrapped around someone’s ankle. It will also automatically shut off the electrical current in less than a second if the cord is severed, and has an integrated thermostat, to help prevent overheating.
The device’s housing is made from high impact plastic that is resistant to oil, gas, chemicals and UV rays. Oh yes, and it can rotate 360 degrees.
All these features come at a price, however – a RoboReel will set you back US$329. A HoseReel should also be available soon.

New Invention:Windows Midori

Forget Windows: Midori is coming

WINDOWS is a name that has ruled the whole computer world since its first launch in November 1985. Since then it is like a trademark of Microsoft Corporation.

With many advanced versions of Windows available today such as Windows XP, Windows Vista, it is the most used operating system in the world. In 2010, Microsoft is going to launch WINDOWS 2007, but now here is time to experience a yet another technology of operating systems.

Yes, MICROSOFT is working on a new generation of operating systems called Cloud-Based Operating System and rumors are there that MIDORI will be their first such operating system, which will replace Windows fully from computer map.

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE

MIDORI is an offshoot of Microsoft Research's Singularity operating system. In this the tools and libraries are completely managed code. MIDORI is designed to run directly on native hardware (x86, x64 and ARM), will be hosted on the Windows Hyper-V hypervisor, or even be hosted by a Windows process.

MIDORI can be also seen as MICROSOFT'S answer those competitors who are applying "Virtualization" as a mean to solving issues within contemporary computing.

The main idea behind MIDORI is to develop a lightweight portable OS which can be mated easily to lots of various applications.

IMPORTANCE OF MIDORI

For knowing the importance of MIDORI you have to think about, how an operating system is loaded on a computer. Actually operating system is loaded onto a hard disk physically located on that machine. In this way, the operating system is tied very tightly to that hardware. As Windows is dependent on hardware, it might face opposition from contemporary ways of working because people are extremely mobile in using different devices in order get diverse information.

Due to this trend installing different applications on a single computer may led to different compatibility issues whenever the machine require updating. The new operating system will solve these problems by the concept of Virtualizing. This will solve problems such as widespread security vulnerabilities, unexpected interactions among different applications, failures caused by errant extensions, plug-ins, and drivers and many more.

ERIC RUDDER, Senior Vice President, Technical Strategy

The importance of this project for MICROSOFT can be understood by the fact that company choose Eric Rudder , former head of Microsoft's server and tools business and a key member of Chairman Bill Gates' faction of the company, to handle it.

WHEN WILL IT BE LAUNCHED

Just Wait and See. Microsoft has not declared any such date about launching of MIDORI, but there are rumors that this project is in incubation phase.

New Invention:Quantum Computers Using Microwave Technology

Quantum Computers Using Microwave Technology

Scientist has got success in linking the quantum properties of two separated ions using microwaves to manipulate them. This is currently done with the help of laser beams and now this advancement can shrink the size of quantum computers. This research has been done at NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) which has been published in Nature.
Microwaves have been used previously in manipulating single ions, but this is the first time when scientist from NIST used this on two separated ions places just 30 micrometers away. This kind of process give rise to a quantum mechanism which is crucial for information transportation and error correction in Quantum computers.
The mentioned experiment use desktop scale table of lasers and very small mirrors and lenses that are around 1/10 th of the sizes that are actually used these days. Microwave components can be easily expanded to make a practical quantum computer system. Also by using microwaves they were able to reduce errors that are however caused by using laser beams due to incorrect pointing issues and power.
Scientist Dietrich Leibfried said that it may be possible to have a quantum computer of a size of smart phone in near future. More powerful quantum computer can be made up to a size of Desktop PC.

New Invention:Now Soldiers Will Also Produce Charge While Marching

Now Soldiers Will Also Produce Charge While Marching

According to a research going on in Leeds, it is possible to capture the kinetic energy produced by soldiers while marching. This energy then can be used to power their equipments. This technology which can convert foot-power into battery power will also reduce the weight of soldiers by 10 Kg.

How the system will work?

The device used for this will use tech ceramics and crystals as piezoelectric transducers to convert mechanical stress to electric charge. Their charge is modified every time soldiers flex their knees or ankles, and the difference in potential energy will be converted into electrical energy. According to official announcements by project team:

“The project will consider the optimum placement of the ‘energy harvesting’ devices, including the back-pack straps and around the knee to provide active support, capturing energy but also cushioning the impact when legs are bent, joints compressed or their boots strike the ground.”

Cost of Project:

This project will take around 1 Million GBP (1.64 Million USD) to conduct. The project team consists of scientists from Bristol, Liverpool, Sheffield, Southampton and Cranfield universities. The project is funded by Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) and Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL).

Man Behind Project:

Professor Andrew Bell who is Director of Institute of Material Research at Leeds University is heading the project. In his words:

“As well as the obvious green issue of using so many batteries, it could also reduce a soldier’s pack weight by around 15 per cent. And this technology could potentially have lots of applications in civvy street too”.

We hope so!

Major Benefits from this Invention:

This project is designed to help the soldiers on duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. A regular infantryman on 6-hour petrol carries a backpack that consists of items such as torches, radios, water, communication systems and kits for electric offset measures. This weighs about 75 Kg but if the new equipments are added then it can reduce the weight by 10 Kg. This equipment will also act as a shock-absorber, when placed on soles of boot. It will also reduce the impact on joints on long marches and thus reduces stress on legs.

Major Problems in Project Idea:

Although this type of energy harvesting idea has been used in cars in which braking force is stored and then used to drive vehicle further. But as long as capturing energy from walking of people is concerned it is little bit difficult because highly flexible and strong materials are needed for this and everyone has a different walking pattern.
But according to professor Bell they will surely succeed in this effort due to the holistic approach they are taking over this. He says:

“By using the latest materials and electronics combined with taking into account personal differences in walking style we are confident we can make this work without adding to the burden or fatigue of the soldier wearing the device.”

Actually this project is a part of a bigger research called “Battery Free Soldiers,” which includes research on methods to convert and store energy from other sources such as solar energy and body heat.

New Invention:Black Hole Mystery Solved

Black Hole Mystery Solved

Black holes are an object of research and mystery for the whole scientific community from decades. Many researchers are working day and night to explore the mysteries of black holes. In this series, a recent invention by Yale University Astrophysicist revels the fact that, There is a upper limit of the mass of any black hole. This research has been also published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES?

As most of you are aware BLACK HOLE is a region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing, not even electromagnetic radiation can escape from it. Dur to this black holes can not be seen (as they absorbs light radiations) but can only be experienced by their ultra strong gravitational pull. That's why they are named as BLACK HOLE.. They continue to grow in size by absorbing any matter that comes in range of their gravitational field.

HOW MUCH THEY CAN GROW?

Till now it was not sure that what can be maximum size of a black hole. These black holes are now known to exist throughout the Universe and the largest and most massive are at the centers of the largest galaxies. These "ultra-massive" black holes have reported to have mass about One Billion Times that of our own Sun.

CONCEPT OF UPPER MASS LIMIT

According to the new research by Priyamvada Natarajan, an Associate Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Yale University and a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, it has been proved, that even the biggest of these Black Holes can't keep growing forever. Instead, they appear to curb their own growth - once they accumulate about 10 billion times the mass of the Sun.

THEORY BEHIND THIS RESEARCH

Normally Black Holes continue to accumulate mass by absorbing matter from neighboring gas, dust and stars. But according to new research by Priyamvada Natarajan, that it is possible only to a certain limit, irrespective of the position of black hole. The reason behind this is that, "Eventually these Black Holes reach the point when they radiate so much energy as they consume their surroundings that they end up interfering with the very gas supply that feeds them, which may interrupt nearby star formation."

EXPERIMENT BY PRIYAMVADA NATARAJAN

Natarajan used existing Optical and X-ray Data of these Ultra-Massive Black Holes to show that, in order for those various observations to be consistent, the black holes must essentially stop at some point in their evolution. This helped her to prove this fact that these black holes can not grow indefinitely in mass and there is some upper mass limit of black holes.

New Invention:NEXI - Robot with facial expressions

NEXI - Robot with facial expressions

A latest invention by MIT Media Lab is a new robot that is able to show various facial expressions such as 'slanting its eyebrows in anger', or 'raise them in surprise', and show a wide assortment of facial expressions while communicating with people.

This latest achievement in the field of Robotics is named NEXI as it is framed as the next generation robots which is aimed for a range of applications for personal robots and human-robot teamwork.

DESIGNING

The head and face of NEXI were designed by Xitome Design which is a innovative designing and development company that specializes in robotic design and development. The expressive robotics started with a neck mechanism sporting 4 degrees of freedom (DoF) at the base, plus pan-tilt-yaw of the head itself. The mechanism has been constructed to time the movements so they mimic human speed. The face of NEXI has been specially designed to use gaze, eyebrows, eyelids and an articulate mandible which helps in expressing a wide range of different emotions.

The chassis of NEXI is also advanced. It has been developed by the Laboratory for Perceptual Robotics UMASS (University of Massachusetts), Amherst. This chassis is based on the uBot5 mobile manipulator. The mobile base can balance dynamically on two wheels. The arms of NEXI can pick up a weight of up to 10 pounds and the plastic covering of the chassis can detect any kind of human touch.

CYNTHIA BREAZEAL: HEAD OF THE PROJECT

This project was headed by Media Lab's Cynthia Breazeal, a well known robotics expert famous for earlier expressive robots such as Kismet. She is an Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the MIT. She named her new product as an MDS (mobile, dextrous, social) robot.

FEATURES OF NEXI

Except a wide range of facial expressions, Nexi has many other features. It has self-balancing wheels like the Segway transporter, to ultimately ride on. Currently it uses an additional set of supportive wheels to operate as a statically stable platform in its early stage of development. It has hands which can be used to manipulate objects, eyes (video cameras), ears (an array of microphones), and a 3-D infrared camera and laser rangefinder which support real-time tracking of objects, people and voices as well as indoor navigation.

New Inventions:Vulture - Unmanned Aircraft

Vulture - Unmanned Aircraft 

 

Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) of United States is working to develop an unmanned aircraft that is able to stay in air for a period of 5 years at a time.

 Officials of DARPA has revealed that this aircraft will be known as VULTURE due to its Persistent Pseudo-Satellite Capability . It means that this aircraft will be able to fly over a single area, communicating or performing analysis for years at a time.

Major Obstacles in Project:

Even this project looks appealing to many of you, but there are some serious problems or you can say obstacles in achieving this project.

1) First challenge in front of designers is to figure out some Way to Supply Power to this aircraft during long missions.

2) Another problem is that this aircraft will carry a 1000 pound (450 kg) payload in winds at an altitude of 60,000 to 90,000 feet.

3) Designers have also to sort out the problems regarding Deterioration of Materials during their long-time exposure to stratospheric flight.
In addition to this there may be many challenges during designing of this aircraft.

Daniel Newman: The Man Behind VULTURE

Daniel Newman is the Project Manger of this ambitious project of NASA. In his words: "We want to completely change the paradigm of how we think of aircraft. Aviation has a perfect record - we've never left one up there. We will attempt to break that record". It looks that its time to get out of the traditional "launch - recover - maintain - launch cycle of aircrafts."

Concept Behind Vulture:

Basically Aircrafts operates just like satellites, but the major difference is that these are not regulated by orbital mechanics. You can understand Vulture as a Pseudo-Satellite, which operates in the stratosphere and not in the low Earth orbit. This would provide a 65 dB upgrading in communications capability and will increase onboard sensor resolution.

When Will it Become a Reality?

Well, right now NASA has not mentioned any time table when the aircraft will be ready. But for now NASA has worked on the probable design of Vulture