noemi

Israelis Convert Road Traffic to Electric Power

August 6, 2023 by noemi

When was the last time you got stuck in traffic as thick as molasses? If you live in a city like Manila (Philippines), and you are on the road everyday, then you have probably experienced some of the most irritating, road rage-inducing traffic jams. Truth be told, many major cities in the world are known for their awful traffic flow. That’s just part of urban living. You either bear it or move to the boondocks.

But what if something good can be harnessed from heavy traffic? Something like electricity, which is always a welcome thing. Scientists from the Technion Institute of Technology in Haifa, Israel might be on to something. ((Source)) The basic idea is so simple that it is brilliant: create a road that will generate electrical power when vehicles pass over it.

The underlying science is not new, and you’ve probably encountered it before – piezo electricity. It is the same principle on which products such as self-charging touchscreen gadgets are based. This time, though, the project is on a much larger scale and arguably a more practical application.

The electricity-producing road has no name yet, but what the scientists have done is to place the piezo electric pads under a layer of tarmac – the surface which comes into contact with the tires of the vehicles. With the pressure of the vehicles and their movement as well, the pads are triggered and collect the energy that is produced. This energy is converted to electricity, which can be used to power practically anything.

The issue now is how many pads are need to supply power needs. So far, the tests show that many pads have to be placed over a span of hundreds of meters. More so, more power is generated when vehicles pass over the pads at fast speeds. That blows the idea of traffic jams being useful, doesn’t it?

While the tests show that street lamps can be powered by this set up, it is not inconceivable to generate more power in the future. Israeli scientists are continuing to study and test the setup to develop it for more applications. If this succeeds, then our dependence on fossil fuels might come to an end. A pretty, pretty thought!

PR2 Robot Helps Mute Quadriplegic Scratch an Itch

August 6, 2023 by noemi

Robots have been the subject of many a science fiction novel or movie. The idea of having robots help humans enjoy more convenient lives is nothing new. For many of us, though, the dream of having robot house help is far from being a reality.

For Henry Evans, a mute quadriplegic, science fiction is becoming reality. He got hold of a PR2, a two-armed wheel robot developed by Willow Garage, a robotics research lab and technology incubator. Together with robotics development platforms, this company also works on robot operating systems.

For the past 10 years, Evans has been unable to do many things that you and I take for granted. Thanks to the collaboration of Willow Garage and Georgia Tech’s Healthcare Robotics Lab, the PR2 is helping Evans live a more independent life in spite of his physical condition.

Men – you probably dislike the chore of having to shave every so often. For people like Evans, being able to shave one’s self is a dream. And imagine this – prior to having the PR2, Evans was not even able to scratch when he felt an itch! I don’t know about you, but that would be pure torture! Thanks to PR2, for the first time in 10 years, Evans was able to scratch an itch himself.

Here is an inspiring video about PR2 and what it can do.

This development is made possible by a project called Robots for Humanity. ((Willow Garage Blog)) The collaborators are mainly using PR2 and researching ways by which this particular robot can help disabled people live more independently. The ultimate goal of the project is to be able to make robots accessible to people who need them most. As they say, Evans is only the beginning.

I applaud Willow Garage and Georgia Tech’s Healthcare Robotics Lab for their efforts and for focusing on a group which really has the need for robotic assistance in the home. While it is cool for those who have no handicap to have a robot assistant (I wouldn’t mind having one!), the idea of helping those in need first is admirable.

It’s one of those moments when you really really wish that a concept were fully part of reality and not a thing of science fiction.

The Rise of Online Deal Seeking and Couponing

August 6, 2023 by noemi

Do you have memories of parents or grandparents sitting on the porch or the kitchen table (or wherever their favorite spot was) on a lazy Sunday afternoon, meticulously weeding through the coupon section and cutting out the useful ones? Those days are long gone, although the concept of couponing is definitely still here, thanks to the Internet.

Groupon. Living Social. Coupon Mom. Coupons.com. Those are only a handful of the sites that have attracted millions of consumers with the offer of coupons and daily deals. The United States is not alone in experiencing this phenomenon. In fact, in other parts of the world, countless daily deals sites crop up almost everyday. Confession coming up…

Yup, I am a sucker for those daily deals sites. There was a time when I had purchased so many deals that I was unable to use some of the coupons I had. I even had to give away some of them! The argument of every sucker like me: “But I can save a lot of money!”

A debatable point, of course, but that does not change the fact that people are still on the lookout for ways to make some savings on their purchases, and patronizing coupons sites and daily deals sites is one such way. Don’t believe me? Maybe you’ll believe this infographic by Credit Score ((Source)) – it’s full of official statistics so it must be true!

Truth be told, I was more interested in the figures from the past – I am already convinced that daily deals sites and coupon sites are way too popular for our (consumers) own good. For example, did you know that it was Coca-Cola who introduced the first ever coupon? They did so to promote the soda in 1888 when it was first launched. The coupon gave the bearer a free glass of Coke!

A quick summary of stats for the year 2010:

Digital coupons outsell printed coupons 10 to 1
More then 332 billion coupons were distributed in 2010
There were 63,000 daily deals in the US in 2010
There are about 200 daily deals sites
68% make impulse purchases on daily deals sites, compared to only 38% on coupons sites

Interested in more? Here’s the infographic. Click on the image to see the full size.

The Rise of Online Deal Seeking and Couponing

So tell me, are you merely part of the statistics, like I am?

Lab Coat Made of LED Functions as TV

August 6, 2023 by noemi

Alright, DIY-ers out there. Here is the model for your next project! This labcoat is made of LED and even works as a TV! How much cooler can you get?

The LEB lab coat was made by David Forbes, who had one special mission in mind while he was conceptualizing and creating the coat: to wear his creation at Burning Man. Here’s a peek at the lab coat.

Think of it as a color TV set placed on top of a lab coat that any scientist, doctor, or researcher would wear. And yes, the TV displays NTSC video – no need to fiddle with the settings!

If you’re wondering how this was made possible, think about flex boards and color LED displays (160 x 120 pixels to be exact). If the image above is not exactly to your liking, here’s another one that might prove to be more fun.

Homer is David’s hero – just like countless other people in the universe. You have to admit that, while the resolution of the TV will definitely not compete with your HDTV at home, Homer looks pretty good on the lab coat. Well, you know what I mean. 😉

As you may have surmised, the displays covers pretty much the entire torso, down to the leg – back to front, sides semi-included. The brains of this lab coat cum TV can be found in circuit boards mounted on the shoulders and the hips. The work that has gone into this contraption is not to be taken lightly. Six months – and custom fabricated boards, hot glue, FFC cable, double-sided tape, a host of other electronics, and $20,000 – later, David is ready to be a hit at Burning Man. Did I already say this thing cost $20,000 to complete?

Here’s the TV in action.

I tried to ignore how awkwardly David had to move all throughout the demo. I guess he’s going to have to be ready not to sit or even lean against anything when he shows that thing off at the festival!

For more details and photos of the making of the TV lab coat, visit Cathode Corner.

Hyundai Rumored to Be Working on a Supercar

August 5, 2023 by noemi

Rumor is the operative word here. In a story ran by Inside Line ((Source)), it was emphasized – rather heavily – that it is all conjecture and whispers, and that no official verification has been received. Then again, these kinds of rumors always have a source. As they say, where there is smoke, there must be fire. So whether or not this piece of news is true, let’s feast our eyes on what is supposed to be on the drawing board over at Hyundai: a new supercar that is set to blast a lot of competition out of this world.

Think Chevy Corvette Z06. Think Nissan GT-R. Let’s add the Jaguar XK, BMW 650i, Porsche 911 and Cayman to that list. All of these are jaw-dropping, drool-inducing cars, but they just might be in for some competition from Korean car maker Hyundai – if there is any truth to the rumors.

So this car may not exist according to official channels, but the grapevine tells us that the Hyundai supercar is is going to be V8 powered and that the price tag would be anywhere from $80,000 and $100,000. More so, little birds have been saying that the same engine powering the Genesis R-Spec will be found under the hood of the yet unnamed supercar. That is, it will also have the all aluminum Tao 5.0-Liter V8 – something totally new from Hyundai, by the way. In addition to this detail, it is also being said that Hyundai engineers and designers are looking at front engine and midengine designs at this point.

The rumors have been dismissed by John Krafcik (Hyundai CEO) as “scurrilous nonsense” ((I just love the fact that he used that adjective.)) but that should not stop us from enjoying some eye candy – and from looking out for more rumors and leaks!

If the new supercar is going to look anything at all like these two images above, then car lovers will be in for a treat. Never mind that most of us will not be able to afford one.

Other Korean News

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myCopter: Another Step Towards the Age of Flying Cars?

August 5, 2023 by noemi

With news about the Terrafugia being deemed roadworthy hitting the Net recently, hopes for the Age of Flying Cars are sky high. Now, another flying car is in the limelight, making the possibility of flying cars even more of a reality.

This new vehicle is called – rather unimaginatively, I think – myCopter, and it is being touted as a solution to the ever present problem of road congestion. The myCopter is a Personal Aerial Vehicle (PAV) – presumably one of the first of many yet to come – that is aimed to be part of a future personal air transport system (PATS). The idea is for PAVs to be partially or fully autonomous, doing away with the need for air traffic control, which is currently required for airplanes and helicopters. Also included in the concept for a PATS is the fact that PAVs should only be allowed to fly outside controlled airspace, so as not to interfere with the current air traffic.

Brilliant concept – no one can deny that. And if they actually get this system (including the myCopter and other future flying cars) off the ground, I guess we can truly say that this aspect of science fiction has become a reality.

Of course, there are numerous issues that have to be addressed before you and I (and everyone else) will be allowed to man myCopter. Just thinking about all the road accidents we hear about on a daily basis is enough to give anyone the shivers. Now just imagine reckless drivers, not to mention tipsy or drunk ones, taking to the air. For sure, there will always be the moron who will make the air unsafe for everyone else!

Then again, the system designers of myCopter have already taken this into consideration. That is why myCopter is going to be part of a network of flying vehicles. A controlled network, that is. Imagine a cable car system translated into an air system – the myCopters will be programmed to follow formations and avoid obstacles. That may take away from the fun of flying, but in this case, I think safety is a more important consideration. The last thing I want is two myCopters crashing above my house and killing me while I lounge in the garden!