背包的未來設計：Androcell高科技背包
來自：weiphone

這是由設計師卡蘭辛格甘地設計的未來概念背包：Androcell高科技背包，是一款“從搖籃到搖籃”的電子產品設計。

該背包設計的主要對象為年輕人，尤其是喜歡數碼產品的年輕人。背包正面上有“×”的獨特造型，保證了書包的有良好的支撐性。“×”型的兩旁為太陽能電池塊為書包提供電力，而且只要書包內有電子設備，都可以利用書包存儲的電力為這些設備進行充電。

Androcell背包集成了一些特別的功能：可以對數據進行交換，存儲，創建和查看，並能夠執行一些設計的基本任務等，用戶可以通過位於肩帶上的互動式電子紙電子紙顯示螢幕進行操作，例如進行文件的瀏覽和修改，還可以通過的USB口輸入或輸出數據文件，便捷的與其他用戶進行分享和共享。

除了數據功能外，背包也內置有揚聲器，任何時候都可以播放音樂，為戶外出行增添樂趣。此外，在夜間背包還能夠作為安全信號燈發光，用戶可自定義光的顏色，提醒過往的車輛注意行車。而Androcell背包基本上每個部分採用的是有機可降解的革命性材料製作而成，當書包壽命週期結束之後，Androcell可以降解成有用的科技成分。

I’m on the lookout for solar gadgets now because I decided to get serious with “going green”. I am eying a solar lamp from IKEA but it’s not really priority. I guess I’d settle for this Solar Egg instead as it can charge a number of portable gadgets like digicams or portable media players.

XPAL uses SunBoost solar conversion technology by a company from The Netherlands namely Intivation. Four hours of displaying this under the sun can almost fully charge the 500mAh battery.

(techfever)

Tommy Chung

太陽能風能環保大橋

在一座廢棄大橋的改造眾提案中，某設計師團隊提出了一個新型改造計劃，希望通過重新建造，能讓它除了可以為交通運輸事業繼續服役之外，還能成為一座太陽能和風能的環保新能源收集站。在設計構想當中，這座新大橋的路面上將會嵌入一組太陽能板，橋下則會安裝風力渦輪，兩者收集的能源可以支持15000戶人家的家庭日常用電。為了讓該項設計更加環保，設計師還打算沿路設置“綠色走廊”，用於種植蔬菜水果，並將其出售給過路的車輛。這項概念設計並未有足量的技術支持，更多的是將重點放置在概念詮釋上，距離付諸實際尚有難度。

2011020804

2011020805

(patent-cn)

設計：弗朗切斯科Colarossi，Giovanna Saracino和路易莎Saracino

Only Chen

Scientists closer to practical full-spectrum solar cells

Berkeley researchers Kin Man Yu and Wladek Walukiewicz (Photo: Berkeley Lab)

Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have come a step closer to the development of a commercially-viable full-spectrum solar cell. Traditionally, due to their limited band gap (energy range), semiconductors used in solar cells have only been able to respond to a certain segment of the solar spectrum – this segment varies, according to the semiconductor. Some cells have been created that respond to everything from low-energy infrared through visible light to high-energy ultraviolet, but these have been costly to produce and thus unfit for common use. The new cell, however, responds to almost the entire spectrum, and can be made using one of the semiconductor industry’s most common manufacturing processes.

Given that no one semiconductor alloy can respond to all wavelengths, the approach used in the past has been to stack layers of different semiconductors – each one with a different band gap – and wire them in series. Nine years ago, by adjusting the amounts of indium and gallium in the alloy indium gallium nitride, Berkeley’s Wladek Walukiewicz and Kin Man Yu were able to tweak its band gap to respond to different wavelengths. Using this technology, they were able to create a full-spectrum solar cell by stacking different versions of the same alloy, but the production process was quite complex.

In 2004 they took a different approach, creating a single alloy of highly mismatched semiconductors based on a common alloy, zinc (plus manganese) and tellurium. They were able to add a third band gap, between those of the zinc and tellurium, by doping the alloy with oxygen. This once again resulted in a full-spectrum solar cell, but the method of creating it was once again too complicated and expensive.

Their latest creation is another multiband semiconductor alloy, gallium arsenide nitride, which has a composition similar to that of the commonly-used gallium arsenide. In this case, the third band is created by replacing some of the arsenic atoms with nitrogen. Unlike their previous efforts, this solar cell material can be produced via one of the most common methods of fabricating compound semiconductors – metalorganic chemical vapor deposition.

When exposed to sunlight, a test cell made with the new semiconductor was shown to respond strongly to all parts of the spectrum, making this a significant step in towards more efficient solar cells that can be mass produced by conventional methods.

The research was recently published in the journal Physical Review Letters.

Via Berkeley Lab.

(gizmag)

Only Chen

兔年科技當道 10雄領風騷

http://mag.udn.com/mag/digital/storypage.jsp?f_MAIN_ID=320&f_SUB_ID=4887&f_ART_ID=299598

Adam Chen

綠色機器：沙漠變森林

一個名為撒哈拉森林計劃，其目的是創造沙漠綠洲，由挪威資助，建立試驗工廠於約旦紅海，2012年建造20萬平方米面積。那兒有豐富的陽光、海水、二氧化碳和旱地，可持續生產食物、飲用水和能源，同時可約束溫室效應發生。這是利用太陽能發電，引入冷空氣循環調溫種植，並導致淡水凝結由管道收集加熱再運用的方式。(圖/Sahara Forest Project)

有時逆向工程，花的代價可能不小，但成果有限，不過總是在"做"...

((見圖))太陽能面板比綠色植物量大，最後還是要請大自然多幫忙配合了...

Tommy Chung

Solar power enters the plastic age

http://edition.cnn.com/2011/TECH/innovation/01/21/plastic.solar.panel.revolution/index.html

Tommy Chung

背包的未來設計：Androcell高科技背包
來自：weiphone

這是由設計師卡蘭辛格甘地設計的未來概念背包：Androcell高科技背包，是一款“從搖籃到搖籃”的電子產品設計。

該背包設計的主要對象為年輕人，尤其是喜歡數碼產品的年輕人。背包正面上有“×”的獨特造型，保證了書包的有良好的支撐性。“×”型的兩旁為太陽能電池塊為書包提供電力，而且只要書包內有電子設備，都可以利用書包存儲的電力為這些設備進行充電。

Androcell背包集成了一些特別的功能：可以對數據進行交換，存儲，創建和查看，並能夠執行一些設計的基本任務等，用戶可以通過位於肩帶上的互動式電子紙電子紙顯示螢幕進行操作，例如進行文件的瀏覽和修改，還可以通過的USB口輸入或輸出數據文件，便捷的與其他用戶進行分享和共享。

除了數據功能外，背包也內置有揚聲器，任何時候都可以播放音樂，為戶外出行增添樂趣。此外，在夜間背包還能夠作為安全信號燈發光，用戶可自定義光的顏色，提醒過往的車輛注意行車。而Androcell背包基本上每個部分採用的是有機可降解的革命性材料製作而成，當書包壽命週期結束之後，Androcell可以降解成有用的科技成分。

Tommy Chung

Apple Receives Patent for Solar-Powered Gadgets

We’ve seen portable solar chargers for gadgets like the iPhone or iPods but what if the actual solar panel is found on the actual gadget itself?

Originally filed in 2009, Apple’s Patent No. 7,868,582 from the US Patent and Trademark Office for powering electronics partially with solar power. This describes a system of utilizing a solar panel for charging different portable devices and in Apple’s case – it could include the Macbooks, the iPad, the iPhone, and the iPods. Apple has made significant moves in the past to make its products more environmentally friendly by phasing out toxic chemicals and using recyclable materials and hopefully with this solar solution for it’s gadgets people will continue to get greener computing options.

via Cnet

(techfever)

Tommy Chung

Portable 40W Solar Power Station

It may not be the most portable of portable power sources but the Portable 40W Solar Power Station, as repetitive as the name could get, gives you suitable power wherever it is needed. Whether you are in the military in the middle of the Iraqi desert, a scientist in the vast Amazonian jungles or a backyard camper who hates to thread wires, this device powers up your devices, including a TV, using an eco-friendly energy source – the Sun. This Mobile Solar Power System kit is available for GBP 599.99, at around USD 957.88, pretty expensive we know but hey, there is no power in the jungle!

via Envirogadget

(techfever)

Only Chen

中央大學研究染料敏化太陽能電池技轉

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/110118/1/2l0cy.html

Only Chen

Phil Pauley envisions cruisers that could fly and submerge

Phil Pauley's line of Cruiser watercraft would include the aptly-named Fly Cruiser

The more things change, the more they stay the same... Just as readers of science magazines in the 40s and 50s liked to read about how jetpacks and passenger-carrying deep space rockets were right around the corner, so do today’s readers like to believe that car/boat/plane/helicopter hybrids and extensive underwater resorts are something they’ll soon be seeing. Those last two are examples of the “wouldn’t it be cool” ideas put forth by British conceptual designer Phil Pauley. While such fantastic visions might or might not ever see the light of day, they’re definitely inspiring to consider, and as the saying goes – more or less – “shoot for the moon and land in the stars.” With that in mind, here’s his latest idea: a family of boats that can fly, submerge, or sprout an extra deck.

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The proposed watercraft would constitute the Cruiser series, and would include four boats: the Yacht Cruiser, Sub Cruiser, Fly Cruiser and Power Cruiser.

The biggest of the bunch, the Yacht Cruiser would not surprisingly offer “7 Star luxury from top to bottom,” which would include floor to ceiling one-way glazing. Its Wonders of the Future feature, however, would be the ability to raise its upper deck on pistons, to create a whole other usable deck space underneath it. Called the Party Deck, this area would be intended for sports and social activities – although if one wanted to use it for tax preparation or ironing laundry, presumably they could do so.

The Fly Cruiser, on the other hand, would give users the option of taking to the air and cruising at a speed of over 100 knots. With the touch of a button, engine-equipped wings would fold out from the sides, allowing it to lift off from the surface of the water once it had achieved take-off velocity. A dagger board on the underside would help stabilize it while taking off, and would retract once the boat became airborne. Without any sort of rudder at the rear, however, it's questionable how well the vehicle would handle in the air.

The Sub Cruiser would, of course, have the ability to submerge and travel underwater.

The Power Cruiser, from the sounds of things, would simply be a luxury, high-performance powerboat. As with its three siblings, however, its hull would be designed to “irradiate vibration, bang and slap to literally smooth through the water no matter what the weather or sea condition.”

Any of these watercraft would only be made to order, so if you’re interested, Pauley would no doubt like to hear from you.

All images courtesy Phil Pauley

(Gizmag)

Only Chen

Wagan Tech previews five-panel solar-powered generator

Wagan Tech's five-panel solar-powered generator

There’s a number of small portable solar chargers available which are designed to keep mobile gear such as MP3 players and mobile phones powered up when there’s no electrical outlet around. But with people cramming more and more devices on their person or in their cars when heading off the grid, we're seeing a growing number of larger and more powerful units designed for more power hungry devices. The latest is thid portable solar-powered generator from Wagan Tech which provides 1,500 watts of power for seven to eight hours.

Intended as the perfect accessory for campers, hunters and RVers, Wagan Tech’s generator is small enough to throw in the boot and has wheels to make it easy to transport from the car to the campsite – although you’ll probably want the campsite and the car in pretty close proximity. The unit comes fully assembled with one 12-volt battery – with the option of adding two more – and folds open to display five solar panels – again, with the option of adding two more.

Wagan Tech had a unit on display at CES 2011 and said, in its basic form – one 12-volt battery and five solar panels – it would supply 1,500 watts of power for seven to eight hours. A spokesman said the company was still tweaking the design, but was aiming for a Q2 2011 release date and a price of around US$1,100.

(Gizmag)

Only Chen

WVIL 給你意想不到的 3100萬全片幅無線智能手機

http://chinese.engadget.com/2011/01/11/wvil-3100/

Only Chen

'Superstreet' concept shows promise in real-world test

'Superstreet' traffic designs result in faster travel times and significantly fewer accidents, according to the new study. Credit: Dr. Joe Hummer, North Carolina State University

No left turn. That is the simple concept behind the Superstreet traffic design which promises significantly faster travel times, plus a drastic reduction in auto-collisions and injuries. These superstreets are ground level streets – not raised freeways or highways – that allow for greater volume of thru-traffic by re-routing traffic from side streets that would normally be trying to get across the main road. While the idea has been around in urban transport modeling textbooks for over 20 years, researchers from the North Carolina State University have been the first to test the concept in the real world and the results are promising.

The central concept to the superstreet design is a thoroughfare, a stream of constantly moving traffic that follows a main arterial road. Drivers wanting to cross the thoroughfare or to turn left are first required to make a right turn, joining the main stream of traffic. A little way down the superstreet they then make a U-turn after which they can continue on along the thoroughfare if they had been trying to turn left or they can turn right into the side street if this was their planned route. While this may seem time-consuming, the study shows that it actually results in a significant time savings since drivers are not stuck waiting to make left-hand turns or for traffic from cross-streets to go across the thoroughfare.

"The study shows a 20 percent overall reduction in travel time compared to similar intersections that use conventional traffic designs," Dr Joe Hummer, professor of civil, construction and environmental engineering at NC State and one of the researchers who conducted the study said. "We also found that superstreet intersections experience an average of 46 percent fewer reported automobile collisions – and 63 percent fewer collisions that result in personal injury."

The researchers assessed travel time at superstreet intersections as the amount of time it takes a vehicle to pass through an intersection from the moment it reaches the intersection – whether traveling left, right or straight ahead. The travel-time data were collected from three superstreets located in eastern and central North Carolina, all of which have traffic signals. The superstreet collision data were collected from 13 superstreets located across North Carolina, none of which have traffic signals.

A Paper on the travel time research will be presented on January 24 at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting in Washington D.C. The Paper is co-authored by Hummer, former NC State graduate students Rebecca Haley and Sarah Ott, and three researchers from NC State's Institute for Transportation Research and Education: Robert Foyle, associate director; Christopher Cunningham, senior research associate; and Bastian Schroeder, research associate. The collision research was part of an overarching report of the study submitted to the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) last month, and is the subject of a forthcoming paper. The study was funded by NCDOT.
(GIZMAG)

Only Chen

Poo-Gloos treat sewage as quickly and effectively as mechanical plants, but cost less

Poo-Gloos (Bio-Domes) prior to submersion in a sewage lagoon

Poo isn't something generally talked about in polite company but like it or not, all of that human waste has to go somewhere. In smaller rural communities, it usually goes to wastewater lagoon systems; the alternative is mechanical treatment plants which process waste far more quickly but are expensive, labor intensive and often use chemicals. Enter the "Poo-Gloo," or Bio-Dome as it is officially known – an igloo-shaped device that can reportedly clean up sewage as effectively, but far more cheaply, than its mechanical counterparts. The Poo-Gloo, developed by Wastewater Compliance Systems, Inc., uses a combination of air, dark environment and large surface area to encourage the growth of a bacterial biofilm which consumes the wastewater pollutants. It is claimed that Poo-Gloos can treat pollutants just as quickly as mechanical plants while operating at a fraction of the cost – hundreds of dollars a month rather than thousands – and can be retrofitted to existing lagoon systems.

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The Poo-Gloos work in clusters, with two dozen or more arranged in rows fully submerged at the bottom of the lagoon. Each Poo-Gloo consists of four concentrically nested plastic domes filled with plastic packing to provide a large surface area for bacterial growth. Rings of bubble-release tubes sit at the base of every Poo-Gloo and bubble air up through the cavities between domes. The air exits a hole in the top of each dome. As air moves through the dome, it draws water from the bottom of the lagoon up through the dome and out the top.

Individual Poo-Gloos create 2,800 square feet (260 square meters) of surface area for bacterial growth while taking up just 28 square feet (2.6 square meters) of space. In comparison with labor-intensive mechanical plants, Poo-Gloos require little maintenance. They use the same amount of electricity as a 75-watt bulb and can even be powered with solar or wind energy systems, further reducing the cost.

Taylor Reynolds, director of sales for Wastewater Compliance Systems says that most of the projects he quotes are between US$150,000 and $500,000, a far more palatable option for an average municipality than the $4 million to $10 million they are quoted for a mechanical plant.

A pilot study to evaluate Poo-Gloo performance at different water temperatures, levels of aeration, sewage volumes and concentrations yielded impressive results:

Biological oxygen demand – a measure of organic waste in water – was reduced consistently by 85 percent using Poo-Gloos, and ranged as high as 92 percent
Total suspended solids fell consistently by 85 percent, and ranged as high as 95 percent
Ammonia levels dropped more than 98 percent with Poo-Gloo treatment in warmer water and, more importantly, by as much as 93 percent when temperatures dropped below 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius) – conditions that normally slow bacterial breakdown of sewage
Total nitrogen levels fell 68 percent in warmer water and 55 percent in cooler water

Poo-Gloos have been deployed in six states in the U.S. in either a full installation or pilot environment, and in all cases have successfully met pollution-control requirements.

The Poo-Gloo is not just for consuming poo, however. Wastewater Compliance Systems is in the process of filing patents for other applications and markets, hence the rebranding as Bio-Dome, which the company agrees is "less fun" but more appropriate for their diversification.

(GIZMAG)

Only Chen

PixelOptics to launch 'world's first electronic focusing eyewear'

PixelOptics' emPower! electronic focusing glasses

We have previously reported on the development of prototype adaptive focus glasses at the University of Arizona (UA) that were able to switch focus electronically. Unlike manually adjustable focus glasses, such as TruFocals, that place a flexible liquid lens between two rigid lenses, the lenses of the prototype glasses consisted of a layer of liquid crystals sandwiched between two pieces of glass. By applying an electric charge, the orientation of the liquid crystals – and therefore the optical path length through the lens – was able to be changed, resulting in glasses that changed focus electronically. This technology is now on its way to consumers with PixelOptics showing its emPower! glasses at CES 2011.

Relying on liquid crystals, the glasses, which PixelOptics will bring to market under the brand name emPower!, are able to switch focus in the blink of an eye and with no moving parts – unless you count the reorientation of the liquid crystals. Being electronically activated also allows for a neat feature. While the wearer is able to manually activate the change of focus by touching the arm of the emPower! glasses, thanks to an accelerometer embedded in the arm, with a swipe they can also set the glasses to change focus automatically when they look down to read.

Being electronic also means batteries. The battery embedded in the glasses can be recharged in around two hours using an inductive charger and is good for two to three days, depending on usage patterns.

Calling them the “world’s first electronic focusing eyewear,” PixelOptics' emPower! glasses are based on the technology originally developed at UA, which licensed three patents to Johnson & Johnson, who then sold the patent licenses to PixelOptics to commercialize the technology. That commercialization is set to happen some time this year when PixelOptics plans to launch its emPower! glasses in around 36 different styles for around US$1,000 to $1,200.

(GIZMAG)

Only Chen

CES 2011：Sony HomeShare RMN-U1 萬用遙控器動手玩

http://chinese.engadget.com/2011/01/10/sony-homeshare-rmn-u1-universal-remote-hands-on/

Tommy Chung

CES 2011年國際消費電子展體驗：五大最佳和五大最差

http://tech.weiphone.com/2011-01-09/CES_2011_Experience_five_best_and_five_worst_229080.shtml

Tommy Chung

CES 2011的贏家輸家盤點：微軟、英特爾、索尼成輸家

http://tech.weiphone.com/2011-01-10/CES_winners_losers_Count_Microsoft_Sony_Intel_into_losers_229099.shtml

Tommy Chung

CES 2011 Part 2

http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/01/07/ces-2011-part-2/

CES 2011 Part 3

http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/01/08/ces-2011-part-3/

Only Chen

CES 2011 Part 1

http://www.yankodesign.com/2011/01/06/ces-2011-part-1/

Only Chen

CES 2011: Energizer outs new green products

CES became the launching pad of Energizer with their new green products. The lineup include the following:

AP1204 iPhone battery case

AP750 EnergiStick backup battery

Energi To Go SP1001

Qi inductive charger

Energizer’s power-related products are made especially for most smartphones like a microUSB-equipped phone, iPhone 4 , and BlackBerry Curve 8900.

(techfever)

Tommy Chung

New dyes to benefit solar electricity and hydrogen fuel production

Researchers at the University of Buffalo have announced a breakthrough that promises to improve both solar energy and hydrogen fuel production

Researchers have made a two-fold breakthrough in advancing renewable energies with the development of a light sensitive dye which transfers electrons more efficiently than conventional technologies. The new dyes stand to be used in solar electricity generation and in creating hydrogen fuel, which in the past has proven expensive and energy hungry.

The chalcogenorhodamine dyes have been pioneered by chemists at the University of Buffalo (UB) along with their partners at the University of Rochester (UR). As sunlight strikes the dyes electrons are released allowing these available electrons to be used in one of two ways. In the solar cell application, where the dye can be used as part of a conventional dye-sensitive solar cells (DSSC), the newly freed electrons are able to travel through the solar cell, forming an electrical current. This is much like existing technology but offers greater efficiency.

In their application for producing hydrogen the process begins the same way, with sunlight knocking electrons from their atomic orbit. Freed electrons are then directed into a catalyst, where they drive a chemical reaction that splits water into hydrogen and oxygen. In laboratory tests it has been shown that these chalcogenorhodamine systems produce hydrogen at unprecedented rates. This is because the dyes absorb light more intensely than conventional dyes, and because they are able to transfer electrons more efficiently. The researchers found that chalcogenorhodamines work in both homogenous hydrogen production systems that employ cobalt as the catalyst, as well as in heterogeneous systems that employ platinum deposited on titanium dioxide as the catalyst.

The research team, led by UB Professor Michael Detty and UR Professor Richard Eisenberg, reported some of their findings in the Journal of the American Chemical Society in October 2010. A patent has been taken out covering the composition of the dyes. A separate patent application seeks to protect the dyes' use in hydrogen evolution and lists Detty and Eisenberg, along with Brandon Calitree, Alexandra Orchard and Theresa McCormick, as co-inventors of the process.

(gizmag)

Tommy Chung

nPower PEG Personal Power Generator lets you walk to produce energy

nPower PEG Personal Power Generator

The Personal Power Generator is just a concept but it’s very ‘green’ as it uses Kinetic Energy. Your walking and running will not be put to waste since it converts energy that can power most of your gadgets.

A minute of walking is said to power an iPod Nano for another minute so it’s 1:1 ratio. A smartphone however, needs 15x more energy so walking for 15 minutes will only give you an extra minute to use your phone.

More of this at the CES 2011.

(techfever)

Only Chen

Spiral Garden System Fit for Urbanites

Another awesome concept from IIDA, the Spiral Garden System is a proposal for a sustainable public garden that’s totally self-sufficient. The architecture adds interest to the urban landscape with its transparent, yet suggestive mesh cage. Native vegetation greenhouses coexist with urban orchards along a walkway that just beckons to be used. It’s a great “twist” on the typical urban garden and looks to be well suited for any plot size. Hat tip to Designboom.

Designers: Benet Dalmau, Saida Dalmau, Anna Julibert & Carmen Vilar

(yankodesign)

Only Chen

Parcel Tracking Made Easy

Losing packages suck and if commercial couriers aren’t going to do anything about it, we as consumers should be able to do something to prevent it. The G.P. Stamp is a small stamp-sized electronic chip with a built-in battery that keeps tabs on your shipment. All critical information is sent wirelessly in real time to keep you in the loop.

Designer: Ho-Tzu Cheng

(yankodesign)

Only Chen

nPowerPEG Converts Kinetic Energy to Power for your Gadgets

http://technabob.com/blog/2011/01/04/npowerpeg-kinetic-charger/

Tommy Chung

Researchers Develop Self-Powered Solar Microchips

Back in grade school, I had this cool calculator watch that I used all the time in class. The thing was powered by a solar panel on the top, and I thought was awesome that it would work inside and outside. Now some researchers have developed a cool microchip that is self-powered by a built-in solar panel that is similar to the one my old calculator used.

The microchip is used as the base and the solar panels are grafted onto the chip in layers to build the finished product. To avoid damaging the chip the researcher used CIGS or amorphous silicon for the solar panels.

According to the research team, the chips can be self-powered as long as they consume less than 1 milliwatt of power. The panels also allow the chips to work without a power source in doors. The process can make all sorts of chips for different uses like a wireless networking sensor that has its antenna and power supply in one unit.

[University of Twente via SlashDot]

(technabob)

Only Chen

Oasis at sea: The Ark hotel concept

Russian architectural firm Remistudio has taken the concept of a man-made biosphere and gone to sea with its vision for the floating "Ark Hotel." Designed to withstand floods, tidal waves and rising ocean levels as well as earthquakes and other natural disasters, the hotel concept would float and function independently on the surface of a body of water, providing a green, self-sustaining environment for guests who presumably, would never have to leave.

The shell-inspired Ark design has a load-bearing system of arches and cables which maintain an even weight distribution to withstand earthquakes, whilst the prefabricated frame allows for a fast and easy construction.

The internal garden provides a lush escape for guests by acting as a greenhouse and enough daylight is filtered throughout the internal rooms to reduce the need for lighting.

The design also integrates photovoltaic solar cells, a rainwater collection system and a frame that is protected with layer of self-cleaning and recyclable ethyltetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) – the same material used in the Beijing National Aquatic Center.

Aside from the eco-credentials, it's a stunning design that seems to jump straight out of a science-fiction film. We can only hope that the worst global warming predictions prove inaccurate and it doesn't become the 22nd Century's holiday destination of choice.

The Ark was designed by Remistudio with the assistance of the International Union of Architects’ program “Architecture for Disaster Relief.”

Via Inhabitat.

(gizmag)

Only Chen

Solar powered microchips put batteries in the shade

In a new, more efficient approach to solar powered microelectronics, researchers have produced a microchip which directly integrates photovoltaic cells. While harnessing sunlight to power microelectronics isn't new, conventional set-ups use a separate solar cell and battery. What sets this device apart from is that high-efficiency solar cells are placed straight onto the electronics, producing self-sufficient, low-power devices which are highly suitable for industrial serial production and can even operate indoors.

The autonomous microsystem was developed by the Semiconductor Components group at the University of Twente's MESA+ Institute for Nanotechnology led by Professor Jurriaan Schmitz. The researchers collaborated with colleagues from Nankai University in Tianjin, China and the Debye Institute of Utrecht University. The research was made possible by the STW Technology Foundation.

Instead of manufacturing the solar cell separately, the design sees the chip used as a base and the solar cell applied to it layer by layer. According to the UT release, this results in a more efficient production process, uses fewer materials and ultimately performs better.

The production process has not been trouble-free with the researchers finding that the fragile electronics can easily be damaged. For this reason it was decided to use amorphous silicon or CIGS (copper - indium - gallium – selenide) solar cells. The manufacturing of these cells does not influence the electronics, and these types of solar cells also produce sufficient power to allow the microprocessors to operate in low-light or indoors. There is a catch though – the chip's energy use must be well below 1 milliwatt.

Tests have shown that the electronics and the solar cells function properly, and the manufacturing process is also highly suitable for industrial serial production with the use of standard processes.

The paper Above-CMOS a-Si and CIGS Solar Cells for Powering Autonomous Microsystems by J. Lu, W. Liu, C.H.M. van der Werf, A.Y. Kovalgin, Y. Sun, R.E.I. Schropp and J. Schmitz was presented at the International Electron Device Meeting in San Francisco in December.

(gizmag)

Tommy Chung

Precision glass microlens arrays produced using hot embossing technique

A new technique makes the production of precision glass microlens arrays possible, using a hot embossing technique (Photo: Fraunhofer)

When it comes to lenses for digital pico projectors, there’s currently something of a trade-off. Traditional lenses, where multiple glass magnifiers are placed one in front of the other, are long and bulky. Microlens arrays, in which many tiny lenses are assembled together on one flat surface, are a much more compact, lightweight alternative. However, so far such arrays have mostly been made out of plastic, which the bulbs in some projectors are capable of melting. Now, researchers from Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology have come up with what they say is a solution: microlens arrays made from glass, using a hot embossing technique.

The process starts with the formation of the die equipment, which is machined out of tungsten carbide using ultra-precise grinders. Because both the die and the glass will expand when heated, and at different rates, the lens pattern that is carved into the two die halves must be made to compensate accordingly – in other words, it does not look exactly like the finished product will look.

Next, in a vacuum chamber kept at a constant temperature between 600 and 900C (1,112 and 1,652F), the die halves are pressed together with the glass between them. “The main challenge is to keep the material exactly at the temperature where it is malleable but not yet molten,” explained project manager Jan Edelmann. “That is the only way to guarantee that components made from it will be within the prescribed tolerances to within a few micrometers.”

The glass must then be ejected from the mold before cooling begins, as the different cooling rates of the glass and the metal could cause the glass to shatter.

Using this technique, the Fraunhofer team have already produced high-refraction glass microlens arrays, in which alignment faults across all 1,700 microlenses were smaller than 20 micrometers. The researchers believe that it should be possible to apply the system to mass production, where it could serve to bring the price of projection lenses down to a tenth of their current cost. It is also thought that the glass arrays could be used to broaden and homogenize laser beams.

(gizmag)

Tommy Chung

2000 VS. 2010

Only Chen

South Korea rolls out first commercial electric bus service, we are green with envy

The Seoul Metropolitan Government has just rolled out a world first by instating commercial, all electric bus service in the city. We've previously seen pilot programs and trials, but actual working commercial service has never been previously implemented. The program, developed in agreement with Hyundai Heavy Industries and Hankuk Fiber, and the buses themselves can run up to about 52 miles on a single charge (which takes about 30 minutes), and have a maximum speed of about 62 miles per hour. Though several other cities have small fleets of electric public transportation, Seoul has announced that half of its massive fleet of buses will be electric by 2020.

Gizmag

(engadget)

Only Chen

日拚減碳單人電動車「輕」快

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/101228/4/2js1u.html

Tommy Chung

Public Poster is similar to electronic board information I often see in many plazas. Compared to traditional public bulletin boards, this electronic board information helps people in finding locations and information easier. Using e-paper screen, Public Poster is a solar powered electronic public bulletin board that displays uploaded information and images. The information is transmitted wirelessly to the Public Poster and the usage of e-paper reduces the consumption of paper and ink. Public Poster collects solar energy during day time for later use at night time. Besides providing information, this unit can also act as a light source in stylish and futuristic way to its environment.

Only Chen

New solar machine could generate hydrogen fuel, food for your future vehicle

We're hesitant to file this one in the folder marked "Awesome Things That'll Never Happen," but it's definitely on the watch list. A new prototype solar device has been concocted to convert sunlight into fuel, much in the same way a plant does. Eco-minded folks will probably understand that conventional photovoltaic panels "must use the electricity they generate in situ," and thus, cannot deliver energy at night; this here device takes a rather unorthodox approach, using the sun's rays along with ceria (a magical, marvelous metal oxide) to "break down carbon dioxide or water into fuels which can be stored and transported." In theory, at least, the device could be used to create hydrogen and / or carbon monoxide, with the former being obviously useful for fueling up hydrogen-based cars of the future. Sadly, the existing prototype is horribly inefficient -- only around 0.7 percent of the solar energy can be converted into fuel -- but researchers are adamant that they can boost that to nearly 20 percent in time. We'll check back in a decade or so to see how things are progressing.

BBC, UPI

(engadget)

Only Chen

太陽能 Vox的環保型太陽能充電器

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-12-25/Video_Solar_Vox_environmentally_friendly_solar_charger_228406.shtml

Only Chen

新太陽能燃料機仿效植物生態發電

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/101227/78/2jpth.html

Tommy Chung

Cambridge developing 'mind reading' computer interface with the countenance of Charles Babbage

For years now, researchers have been exploring ways to create devices that understand the nonverbal cues that we take for granted in human-human interaction. One of the more interesting projects we've seen of late is led by Professor Peter Robinson at the Computer Laboratory at the University of Cambridge, who is working on what he calls "mind-reading machines," which can infer mental states of people from their body language. By analyzing faces, gestures, and tone of voice, it is hoped that machines could be made to be more helpful (hell, we'd settle for "less frustrating"). Peep the video after the break to see Robinson using a traditional (and annoying) satnav device, versus one that features both the Cambridge "mind-reading" interface and a humanoid head modeled on that of Charles Babbage. "The way that Charles and I can communicate," Robinson says, "shows us the future of how people will interact with machines." Next stop: uncanny valley!

IEEE Spectrum

(engadget)

Tommy Chung

Solar Radio Doubles As USB Charging Multitool for Adventurers

Eton's Raptor doesn't know if it's a radio, a weather-gauge or a bottle opener. An inbuilt solar-panel charges the li-Ion battery, powers the AM/FM/digital tuner, and also juices-up your phone through the miniUSB port.

Planning an expedition through uncharted territory? You also get a compass, chronograph, altimeter and barometer to keep you on track and informed of atmospheric conditions. There's a clip for your utility belt and of course, it's rubberized for waterproofing and shock protection. There's even a line-input for amplifying your iPod, too.

And the feature you'll probably end up using the most? The bottle opener of course. On sale soon, for an unspecified amount. [Eton via Engadget via Inhabitat]

(gizmodo)

Only Chen

帶太陽能板的褲子

http://www.patent-cn.com/2010/12/21/48967.shtml

Tommy Chung

太陽光電收購政府被批護航台電

http://news.chinatimes.com/tech/0,5249,12050902x112010122100108,00.html

Only Chen

YikeBike foldable electric bike now available for the low, low price of $3,595 (video)

YikeBike foldable electric bike now available for the low, low price of $3,500 (video)

The first time we saw the YikeBike we couldn't help but think it was a little too stylistically shaped, a bit too svelte, and a lot too carbon fiber to actually exist in the real world as anything but a prototype. But now, over a year later, here we are looking at a little green "Add to cart" button on the company's website. Yes, the 6 mile range, 15mph top speed foldable cycles are starting to roll out of the warehouse with an estimated ship date of just one week. The best news? The price is $3,595, far from cheap but about $2,000 less than they were originally estimated to cost and a downright bargain for something that offers this unique blend of bizarreness and fun. How much fun? Get a refresher course in the video after the break.

Oh Gizmo!

YikeBike

(engadget)

Only Chen

太陽能帳篷

20101217104

美國軍方近日研發出一款新型太陽能帳篷，帳篷頂部鋪有一層軟質的薄膜非晶矽，而非常見的硬質太陽能電池板，並可以方便地折疊起來。根據其鋪設面積的大小，發電功率從800瓦到3000瓦不等。在沙漠等日照充足的地帶，能夠滿足一小支部隊的日常耗電量。雖然這種技術的細節尚未透露，但其發展前景非常廣闊。

(Patent.cn)

Tommy Chung

新型彩色太陽能玻璃
20101215125

在近日舉辦的東京環保產品（環保產品2010年）展上，索尼公司展示了這款新型的太陽能玻璃，它實際上是一種可以將太陽能轉換為電能的染料敏化太陽能電池。與傳統的樣式單一的太陽能電池最大的區別是，這款新產品可以根據用戶的需要製作成帶有不同的顏色和花紋的樣式，最大程度地滿足客戶的差異化需求。同時，帶有花樣的太陽能玻璃也可以起到非常好的美化裝飾作用，使用前景非常廣闊。

(Pantent.Cn)

Tommy Chung

落實節水「水計算器」有iPhone版免費下載

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/101216/1/2j4ni.html

Tommy Chung

I-Green Thingy Charges Gadgets While You Ride a Bike

This concept device reminds me of that episode of The Simpsons where Bart tries to use the headlight dynamo to get some light when riding his bike at night, but the thing makes the bike so hard to pedal he can hardly move. The concept here is hopefully a bit easier to pedal. The gadget is called the I-Green and it has this fold out blue blades that get whacked by the spokes as the wheel spins.

Inside the green box, that whacking motion generates electricity that can be used to power up your gadgets like your phone or camera while you ride. I bet you get a cool motorcycle sound effect too as the thing goes around.

I wonder how well the charger would work. It’s been my experience that most devices that try to charge a battery or device with power harvested from motion do a bad job of it. I have a flashlight you shake for power. Apparently, for every one minute you shake it you get one second of light.

[via Yanko Design]

(technabob)

Only Chen

The Best of Green Tech: Solar Cells

For every small step we take towards responsible living—buying eco-friendly light bulbs, and so on—there are gadgets that help us make giant leaps in our quest for sustainability. This week in our Green Tech series, we check out those little panels that do big things: solar cells.

The Best of Green Tech: Solar Cells Any kid who has ever tried to explode ants with a well-placed magnifying glass has a basic understanding of the mechanics behind solar cells (and, probably a need for some good kiddie therapy...but that's another story). Basically, as long as we've been basking in the light of Earth's yellow sun, we have been trying to find a way to harness its power. Archimedes supposedly defended Greece from Rome by using mirrors to focus light upon the Roman fleet's sails, causing them to burn and the boats to retreat. And certain Native American tribes used passive solar power to heat their homes—by building into the sides of cliffs or hills, they were able to store heat during the day and release it at night. However, it wasn't until 1883 with the invention of the solar cell that solar energy storage began to resemble its modern incarnation: the solar panel. Here are some of our favorite innovations, served to you sunny-side up!

Sunny With a Chance of Bad Politics

The Best of Green Tech: Solar Cells For a while it seemed as if the 20th century would be the golden era (pun intended) of solar technology. From homes, to cars, to toys, the sun spread its rays wide as people experimented with a number of applications of solar power. Here is a stunning gallery from Life that includes an utterly otherworldly shot of a '50s "solar furnace" built on top of a 17th-century French fortress. Around the same time, the Eames brothers were designing the very practical and aptly named "Do Nothing Machine." This solar paneled whirlygig served no other function than to spin whimsically in the sun. And so it seemed like the solar panel's future was bright. That is, until the '80s when Reagan came in to the White House like a rain cloud, and tried to kill everyone's vitamin D buzz by tearing down the panels installed by the Carter administration.

Apparently, Solar Is the New Black

The Best of Green Tech: Solar Cells Leave it to the sun to, well, power everything, including remote controls, keyboards, and toothbrushes. They can even inspire the clothes we wear. Oregon's SolarWorld, the country's largest solar energy manufacturing plant donated a mess of black solar panels to designers who showed at Portland's Fashion Week, including Project Runway winner Seth Aaron Henderson, whose line would make Lady Gaga herself burn with envy. As for the future of solar tech, this company has invented a spray paint that can turn any window into a solar panel, Glaswegians considered floating "solar lily pads" down the River Clyde, and this Swiss guy thinks your dog should make itself useful by charging your cell phone on its afternoon jaunt.

That's it for our Best in Green Tech Series! Continued research in sustainable technology is the only way we can responsibly move into the next decade. GE has become a leader in developing and funding projects that help actualize a green future—so GE and its venture capital partners have made a $200 million commitment to invest in the best ideas to develop and deploy digital energy technologies. Head to the GE ecomagination challenge to check out the next great green ideas!

(gizmodo)

Tommy Chung

台灣獨步全球研發出9奈米超節能奈米記憶體

http://tw.news.yahoo.com/article/url/d/a/101214/135/2izah.html

Only Chen

鐵軌上的發電裝置

http://www.patent-cn.com/2010/12/10/48566.shtml

Only Chen

無線充電器即將上市

http://www.patent-cn.com/2010/12/09/48504.shtml

Only Chen

自動駕駛之機器人公路火車技術

2010120819

為了讓自助出行更加便捷，不少公司都在開發自動駕駛技術，而谷歌公司則是公認的技術先鋒。現在，除了自動駕駛，另一種便捷的概念駕駛技術也進入了我們的視野，那就是“機器人公路火車”技術。該技術若能實現，那麼一輛帶有導航功能，並由專業司機駕駛的“火車頭”引導汽車就可以借助通訊溝通，帶動自助加入“公路火車”行列的汽車向前行駛。除了“火車頭”汽車司機，其他的“車廂”汽車司機只要將駕駛系統與導航汽車互聯，就可以放心地讓汽車向前行駛了。當然，在到達目的地，或是需要切換路徑的時候，“車廂”司機可以自行切斷與導航汽車的聯繫，將車輛開出隊伍，十分方便。根據技術設計人員描述，一輛“火車頭”汽車可以拖掛，引導 6到8輛“車廂”汽車，而因為車隊是由專業司機領導駕駛的，那麼道路安全指數想必可以提高不少呢！

(Patent.cn)

Only Chen

World record efficiency for organic based photovoltaic solar cells

Konarka's flexible and lightweight Power Plastic

While they offer much lower efficiencies than inorganic photovoltaic cells, organic solar cells are cheaper to produce and are lightweight and flexible. This makes them suitable for a wider range of applications than rigid solar cells, including clothing and bags. Konarka has been producing its organic based photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells under the name of Power Plastic for a number of years now and the National Energy Renewable Laboratory (NREL) has just announced that Konarka’s latest organic based photovoltaic (OPV) solar cells have demonstrated a record breaking 8.3 percent efficiency.

While this is much lower than the over 40 percent efficiency record for inorganic photovoltaic solar cells, it is the highest performance recorded by NREL for an OPV solar cell. The record-breaking efficiency is for Konarka’s large area single-junction solar cell with a surface area of one square centimeter (0.155 square inch).

"The progress Konarka has achieved this year with regard to solar cell efficiency is unprecedented, representing a significant milestone for the industry," commented Howard Berke, chairman, CEO and co-founder of Konarka. "This unsurpassed NREL certification opens new doors for the commercial production of cost-effective, efficient electricity for numerous large scale applications."

Konarka’s Power Plastic is comprised of several thin layers; a photo-reactive printed layer, a transparent electrode layer, a plastic substrate and a protective packaging layer. It can be manufactured up to 60-in (152 cm) wide in virtually any length, and panels can be combined for greater output.

Konarka doesn’t produce consumer products integrating the Power Plastic itself, but makes the material for other companies to incorporate into their products. It is currently being used in products such as lanterns, backpacks, briefcases, and café umbrellas and is being tested as a component for windows and curtain walls. The new record-breaking efficiency could see Power Plastic appearing on an even wider range of products.

(gizmag)

Only Chen

Scientists find natural photovoltaic cell in hornet, and copy it

An Oriental hornet, whose yellow and brown exoskeleton is able to turn sunlight into electricity (Photo: Matti Paavola)

It’s no big mystery why turtles and other reptiles bask in the sun – being cold-blooded animals, they’re gathering heat to warm their bodies, so they can be active. Recently, however, scientists from Israel and the UK discovered that the Oriental hornet has been putting a “high-tech” spin on that model... the outer layers of its body work as a natural photovoltaic cell, converting sunlight to electricity. The scientists then proceeded to create a cell of their own, using the hornet as their inspiration.

The study was led by Dr. Marian Plotkin of Tel-Aviv University. It had been observed that the hornets’ underground nest-digging activity increased with the intensity of the sunlight, whereas most wasps tend to be more active in the early morning. This caused the late Prof. Jacob S. Ishay to suspect that the insects were utilizing solar radiation.

Plotkin’s team discovered that the secret lies in the hornets’ outer body shell, or exoskeleton. They found that the cuticle material making up the brown portions of the shell consists of an array of grooves, each one 160 nanometers high. The yellow parts of the body, however, are made up of cuticle material bearing a series of interlocking 50nm-tall oval-shaped protrusions, each one housing a pinhole-sized depression.

The antireflective brown material splits any sunlight that hits it into several diverging beams. These beams proceed into the cuticle, where they encounter a several-layer-thick sheet-like structure. Within each layer are rod-like structures embedded in a protein matrix, the rods made from chains of the polymer chitin. It is this complex structure that keeps the solar light beams trapped within the cuticle, bouncing between layers – the team noted that some man-made solar cells use a similar technique, in which light is bounced back and forth between layers of nanorods.

So, why the yellow? The yellow cuticle takes its coloration from the pigment xanthopterin, and it turns out that xanthopterin has the ability to change light into electrical energy. In other words, the brown areas trap the light, while the yellow areas allow it to be turned into energy.

To prove their theory, the team made a dye-sensitized solar cell, which used xanthopterin as a light-harvesting molecule. While it only had a conversion efficiency of 0.335 percent, it still did work, and could pave the way for further advances in the field.

The research was recently published in the journal Naturwissenschaften.

Via BBC Earth News

(gizmag)

Only Chen

Textured substrate increases efficiency of polymer solar cells by 20 percent

Researchers have created a process to produce a light-absorbing layer on textured substrates to improve the efficiency of polymer solar cells (Image: Jeremy Levine Design via Flickr)

Image Gallery (2 images)

The idea of boosting the performance of solar cells by coating them with a textured substrate is commonly used in silicon-based cells. The idea is to traps more light so that it bounces around inside the cell instead of reflecting back out, but for a number of reasons, attempts to use textured substrates in polymer solar cells have failed. Now researchers from Iowa State University and the Ames Laboratory have developed a process of producing a thin and uniform light-absorbing layer on textured substrates that improves the efficiency of polymer solar cells by 20 percent.

Previous attempts to use textured substrates in polymer solar cells have proven problematic because they require extra processing steps or technically challenging coating technologies. Some attempts produced a light-absorbing layer with air gaps, a too-thin layer over the ridges, or a too-thick layer over the valleys. These issues resulted in a loss of charges and short-circuiting at the valleys and ridges, which in turn led to poor solar cell performance.

By getting the substrate texture and the solution-based coating just right, the researchers were able to produce a textured substrate pattern consisting of flat-topped ridges less than a millionth of a meter high. The result is a polymer solar cell that captures more light within those ridges – including light that’s reflected from one ridge to another. The cell is also able to maintain the good electrical transport properties of a thin, uniform light-absorbing layer.

According to Sumit Chaudhary, Iowa State assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering and an associate of the Ames Laboratory, tests indicated that the team’s light-trapping cells increased power conversion efficiency by 20 percent over flat solar cells made from polymers. Tests also indicated that light captured at the red/near infrared band edge increased by 100 percent.

This isn’t the only breakthrough in light-trapping technology for solar cells we’ve seen recently. In September, researchers at Stanford University reported that nanoscale solar cells with a patterned rough-surfaced layer could absorb as much as 10 times more energy from sunlight than predicted by conventional theory.

While there’s no word on when we can expect to see solar cells taking advantage of the Stanford University research, the Iowa State University and Ames Laboratory research could soon be headed to commercially available solar cells. The Iowa State University Research Foundation Inc. has filed a patent for the substrate and coating technology and is working to license it to solar cell manufacturers.

Details of the team’s fabrication technology were recently published online in the journal Advanced Materials.

(gizmag)

Only Chen

Wind-powered iPhone battery charger concept

Dutch designer Tjeerd Veenhoven has constructed a prototype wind-powered iPhone charger called the iFan from a custom rubber case and computer fan

Image Gallery (3 images)

As we demand more and more of our smartphones, the up time between charges suffers. Case in point – the iPhone. Chargers come in all shapes and sizes but few offer to power up the batteries using air, or more precisely – wind. Dutch designer Tjeerd Veenhoven has crafted just such a charger where his favored Apple device slides into the soft rubber outer skin and fan blades capture energy from the wind, which tops up the battery.

We've seen the idea of wind-powered charging floated before in devices like the HYmini portable charger and another concept piece, the Gotwind portable charger. Veenhoven's iFan lends itself to comparison with the K2 from Kinesis, albeit minus the solar panel, but is said to take some six hours to charge up an iPhone. That's not bad going for a modified computer fan and a custom-made case.

The designer thinks that with a bit more modification, the iFan could be made more efficient at harnessing power from the wind. He has just recently been tinkering with a bicycle mount design for the device which should allow users to top up their smartphones while out and about.

It's perhaps not the most convenient or efficient way to charge a smartphone, but very handy for those who like nothing better than camping out in the middle of nowhere or trekking up the side of a mountain.

(gizmag)

Tommy Chung

Phenom II X6 1100T review roundup: AMD's 六核 fastest desktop processor to date

When it comes to GPU and CPU releases, there are quantum leaps, and then there are baby steps. Based on the web's collective views on AMD's newest slab of silicon -- the Phenom II X6 1100T -- it seems as if this chip is a better example of the latter. According to TechSpot, the device "does little to improve upon the performance of AMD's hexa-core CPU series, [but] it does help improve the value of these high-end desktop processors by making the 1090T BE model even cheaper." By and large, that sentiment was mirrored throughout. Hot Hardware found that while it was easily "the fastest desktop processor released from AMD to date," it still couldn't topple Intel's (admittedly more expensive) six-core chips in terms of performance. But of course, AMD rarely competes strictly on benchmarks -- the 1100T lists for just $265, making it one of the more affordable desktop CPU options for this level of oomph. Those really looking for a bargain could snap up the now-deflated 1090T or 1075T, and while the bulk of the reviews below focus primarily on today's new flagship, the 3.4GHz Phenom II X2 565 Black Edition ($115) and 3.3GHz Athlon II X3 455 ($87) are also touched on.

(engadget)

Tommy Chung

3D堆疊技術打造：三星發布綠色8GB DDR3內存

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-12-07/3D_stacking_technology_to_build_Samsung_8GB_DDR3_memory_green_227602.shtml

Only Chen

建築大師為蘋果設計環保新園區
來自：weiphone

儘管蘋果上個月剛剛斥資3億美元從惠普手中購得一塊面積98公頃的土地，但據國外媒體報導，世界著名建築大師Norman Foster已經開始著手設計蘋果總部的新園區。

Norman Poster已經想出一些絕妙的點子，包括一條可連接新舊兩個園區的地下隧道系統。事實上，整個交通系統將通過隧道網絡來運行，這樣就能騰出園區的空間來種植綠色植物。工程師大樓和研究開發大樓必須是多功能的，將採用尖端技術的材料，安裝頂尖的儀器，當然還有可不斷更新的能源。

蘋果只是不斷重複說建造新園區將能擴展蘋果總部的容納空間。據悉，新園區的設計將模仿阿聯酋首都阿布扎比的Masdar城（亦是Foster大師的傑作），可能會是世界上第一座無碳排放或汽車的城市。報導還多次提到“蘋果城”一詞，目前還無法證實這是否正式的名稱。

(WeiPhone)

Only Chen

Audiobot speaker wears ski hat to keep its sounds nice, warm and muffled

If you’re at the point that you need your computer accessories to get dressed up, then you’ve got a problem. Sure I like hats, but putting one on a USB speakers seems slightly strange to me.

mp3_player_wearing_hat

Overflying closely the “crapgadget” category, the Audiobot is a cute speaker that can wear a striped knit ski beanie on its head. Why? To keep its head from catching a chill? It seems to me all it would do is distort the sound. Anyway, the thing can connect to any music player thanks to its 3.5mm jack, and charges via USB to give you enough juice for 4 hours of playtime.

beanie speaker audiobot urban outfitters usb music player

You can get the Audiobot Speaker from Urban Outfitters for $16 (USD). Hats off, I say.

[via Geek Alerts]

(technabob)

Tommy Chung

Micron embeds error correction in flash memory chips, calls it ClearNAND

By Sean Hollister

Solid state storage is fantastic stuff, durable and lightning-quick, but it's got its fair share of quirks -- bits fail, pages fill up, and cells deteriorate over time. Typically, the onus is on a beefy controller to take care of your drive and make sure it lasts a good long while (which is why brand names like SandForce can make or break an SSD) but it looks like Micron is planning to usurp some of that responsibility with its new ClearNAND chips. Simply put, each ClearNAND memory module has a built-in 24-bit error correction engine, so your drive's host controller doesn't have to shoulder that load, and can focus on the good stuff -- like getting your data delivered at speeds that would obliterate traditional hard drives. Micron says the new chips are available right now in 25nm sizes. Want a more technical rundown? Hit up our more coverage link to hear what this might mean for the error-prone future of the medium. PR after the break.

Show full PR text

Micron Unveils Innovative Flash Memory Devices That Extend the Life of NAND

New ClearNAND(TM) Products Incorporate NAND Error Correction Intelligence, Paving the Way for Further NAND Technology Scaling

BOISE, Idaho, Dec. 2, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Micron Technology, Inc. today introduced a portfolio of high-capacity flash memory products that will lengthen the life of NAND for years to come. By integrating the error management techniques in the same NAND package, the new Micron® ClearNAND™ devices alleviate the challenges traditionally found in NAND process shrinks. Micron's ClearNAND portfolio extends the opportunities for more advanced NAND process generations to be used in enterprise servers, tablet PCs, portable media players, and dozens of other consumer applications.

"The pace of NAND scaling is largely responsible for the incredible growth and success the industry has seen to date, and for helping to create new flash-based storage solutions," said Glen Hawk, vice president of Micron's NAND Solutions Group. "While the advantages in NAND scaling are evident, so are the challenges with the technology becoming increasingly more difficult to manage. Micron's ClearNAND products remove this management burden for our customers and extend the life of this all-important technology."

Micron's ClearNAND products utilize a traditional raw NAND interface, and include new features that are optimized for high-capacity and high-performance applications. As the industry progresses past 20-nanometer (nm), flash management gets more challenging because the amount of bit errors increases dramatically, impacting NAND performance and reliability. By tightly coupling the error management with the NAND devices in a single package, Micron's customers can continue to take advantage of the highest capacity and lowest cost-per-bit flash memory solution. Micron's ClearNAND products are first designed using its 25nm multi-level cell (MLC) process, and are available in two versions: Standard and Enhanced.

Micron's Standard ClearNAND products come in 8 to 32 gigabyte (GB) packages, and are intended to remove the error correction code (ECC) burden from the host processor with minimal protocol changes compared to raw NAND. The Standard ClearNAND portfolio is targeted for portable media players and other consumer electronic devices.

Micron's Enhanced ClearNAND products, in addition to removing the ECC burden from the host processor, also provide new enterprise specific features to enable high-capacity designs, delivering improved performance and reliability. Capacities are available in 16 to 64GB packages. The Enhanced ClearNAND products are targeted at enterprise and computing applications, and allows leading-edge 25nm MLC NAND to be used in these applications for the first time.

Both Micron Standard ClearNAND and Enhanced ClearNAND products are available now.

"As the industry continues to reduce costs by moving to smaller and smaller geometries, the challenge has been to maintain equivalent system performance and endurance as the previous process generation," said Greg Wong, founder and principal analyst at Forward Insights. "With its ClearNAND portfolio, Micron has developed a solution that overcomes these challenges, enabling customers to utilize the most advanced NAND technology in even the most demanding applications."

A Broad NAND Portfolio – From Raw Flash Memory to Fully Managed Solutions

With wireless, consumer, computing and enterprise manufacturers moving toward NAND flash as their primary storage medium, most designers require a broad selection of technology solutions to fit a vast array of end-product designs. From tablet PCs to flash-based notebooks, to high-end smartphones and data center servers, all of these applications are very distinct and call for a different type of NAND flash. The ClearNAND products strengthen Micron's NAND flash portfolio, providing the company with a broad offering of solid-state storage solutions.

PhysOrg

Micron

(engadget)

Tommy Chung

登機牌機場導航針

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為了可以容納更多旅客，安排更多航班，國際機場的建築規模一般都不小，除了機場工作人員，要想在首次抵達的時候，在紛繁複雜的指示牌中找到通往目的地的路，實在不容易。所以，便有設計師團隊計劃改造登機牌，讓登機牌上的導航針幫助老人，小孩和一些語言不通的外國遊客更加方便地找到登機口。登機牌上會附著一塊超薄電池，給導航針電子紙和的RFID（無限射頻識別技術設備）提供能量支持。正是因為有了射頻識別技術的保障，導航針的指示準確度大家完全可以信任。
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設計：Kang Eun-Kyung and Park Ji-Eun

Tommy Chung

New Age Bodhi Tree

You don’t need to be in Bodh Gaya to attain enlightenment, a relaxation Tree Bench built in white corian and peaceful surroundings is all that one requires! Talking of this bench, its one that weaves in natural elements like trees, soil and grass with modern amenities like a bench and lighting. Adaptable to a number of settings, I’d like to see one on my street!

Designer: Marko Vuckovic

(yankodesign)

Tommy Chung

This Generator the Size of a Pencil Tip Shakes Up Big Power

Japanese researchers have cooked up a minuscule kinetic battery capable of generating more energy than anything of its kind. Through only the slightest vibrations, the tiny device cranks out 22 milliwatts—20 times more than anything similar before it.

Twenty two milliwatts might not sound like terribly much—certainly a long way from powering your PS3—but could revolutionize the way we use smaller, button-sized batteries—just imagine a tiny way to store and generate power that could be tucked away anywhere. Devices that suck small amounts of juice could power themselves just by being in your pocket.

The secret behind the microgenerator lies in its use of Galfenol, a magnetic material developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory in 1998—it's super tough, and can take temperatures over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit. [Tech-On via Inhabitat]

(gizmodo)

Tommy Chung

概念設計：柔軟的遙控器

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-11-29/Conceptual_design_a_soft_remote_control_227190.shtml

Tommy Chung

阿凡達“生物發光樹”問世有望替換現有路燈

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-11-29/Avatar_bioluminescence_tree_is_expected_to_replace_the_existing_street_lights_came_227191.shtml

Tommy Chung

Intel 研究室賦予樂高積木生命，讓我們能與雜貨互動

http://chinese.engadget.com/2010/11/28/intel-research-projects-bring-legos-to-life-make-groceries-inte/

Only Chen

台灣獲獎設計：BRS淋浴系統

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-11-25/Taiwan_s_award-winning_design_BRS_Shower_System_227044.shtml

Tommy Chung

USB碗泡麵加濕熱器

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美味的泡麵總是陪伴忙碌或是孤獨的人度過了不少用餐時光，讓人難以忘懷。這款模仿碗麵外形的加濕器小巧可愛，您只需加入熱水，再等待3分鐘，蒸汽就會源源不斷地釋放出來。它可以由的USB接口供電或是電源供電，輕鬆幫您驅除辦公桌邊的乾燥空氣。

售價：5980日元

(patent-cn)

Tommy Chung

There Has to Be a Quicker Way to Get Around the UAE, Right?

I'm sure many are impressed by this UAE inventor who's about to travel 200 miles across the desert in a solar-powered wheelchair. Me? Nah. When he straps a 1000 MPH rocket on the back of that, then I'll be impressed.

OK, OK. Fine. Travelling at 12 MPH across all seven emirates and breaking obscure world records over a period of 11 days in some hot-ass weather and breaking obscure world records is pretty rugged, especially when it's totally carbon-neutral. But next time, this thing better be powered by cold fusion and brainwaves. [Treehugger via Pop Sci]

(gizmodo)

Only Chen

The Viva Light Tower

The Viva Light Tower is a lamp post but totally independent from the grid. It derives its power from three natural sources; sun, wind, and biochemical. Seems like an interesting idea but looks quite expensive to implement, but hey – lamp posts and street lights need a massive upgrade if we’re to cut emissions by the year 2020. This is one idea that could see our way there.

Designer: Chelles Hayashi Designs

(yankodesign)

Tommy Chung

太陽 +花=太陽能飯盒

http://tech.weiphone.com/2010-11-21/Sun__flower__solar_boxes_226815.shtml