© US Naval Research LaboratoryIn an effort to reduce the energy supply needs and lessen the risks of U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) forward deployed forces, researchers at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) have prototyped and are field-testing one solution: A mobile solar power pack, with high efficiency, flexible solar cells coupled to a high capacity rechargeable lithium-ion battery pack."One of the most significant challenges currently facing the Marine Corps is the need to supply sufficient electricity to individual Marines in forward operating bases. Mobile photovoltaics are a technology that can address these needs by leveraging emerging, flexible, high efficiency photovoltaic technology." - Robert Walters, NRL Solid State Devices BranchThe MSP prototype uses an array of single-junction solar cells, along with a power conditioning circuit ... Continue reading →
BBC/Screen captureThe BBC has launched a new 'Meet your planet' Facebook app that allows you to explore the natural history content on Facebook. With the app you can sort through clips from documentaries, catch interviews, and find out information from experts. Essentially if it was posted on Facebook, you can sort through and find it through the app.If you're interested in checking out more of the awesome BBC environmental content, this is a handy way to do so.BBC/Screen capture Continue reading →
Designer Cheng-Tsung Feng came up with an interesting concept for a solar cooker that is ultra simple to assemble to be used in emergency situations.© Cheng-Tsung FengYanko Design states, "This humanitarian design aims to aid emergency situations varying from refugee camps to disaster areas by providing an easy way of heating food when electricity is unavailable. The compact Solar Cooker kit can be shipped in large quanities, and can be assembled easily by nearly anyone in a matter of seconds. Simply unfold the mirrored, metal dish to reflect concentrated sunlight to the included cooking pots to heat food quickly, efficiently and safely."That's about as simple as you can get. While there are a lot of easy DIY designs for crafting a solar cooker, in an ... Continue reading →
The "bring your own device" policy in place at many companies comes with a host of security complications, and Apple's Siri is the latest casualty. In an interview with MIT's Technology Review, IBM Chief Information Officer Jeanette Horan said that among other services, iPhone personal assistant Siri is disabled on phones that employees bring in for work. IBM apparently worries that spoken instructions to Siri might be stored on external servers, something that could have security repercussions if users dictate messages through it. Horan admits that this may seem extreme. "We're just extraordinarily conservative... It's the nature of our business." Besides Siri, public file sharing tools like iCloud and Dropbox are disabled, and employees are banned from forwarding IBM email to external webmail services. As ... Continue reading →
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© Jaymi HeimbuchThere's a must-follow rule at Maker Faire Bay Area -- look out for the bikes. Cruising around the grounds showing off their creativity, functionality, and amazing features are loads of interesting bikes and bike-powered rides. This year was no exception. There were dozens of interesting ideas for how to turn a bike into something really special. It was hard, but I chose just a handful of favorites to show off, each of which has a green feature.Solar Power © Jaymi HeimbuchA solar-powered bike of course will catch our eye. Rather than placing the solar panels above the bike as we've seen him do in years past, Michael Conn devised this solar bike trailer. It is three 230-watt panels, and it can gather enough ... Continue reading →
A popular section at Maker Faire is the electric cars corner, and it's no wonder why -- there are some very cool vehicles to be found there! Simple Bots is a fun, easy way to make basic robots out of random household items. This fire-breathing scuplture was a hit at Maker Faire Bay Area. Every year I wander through the Maker Shed to see what's for sale and make up my wish list. Here's what is noteworthy this year. A home base for eco-living education, a start-up called EcoJaunt has traveled all over to collect the best tips and tricks from DIY experts. Never have I seen more 3D printers in one space than at this year's Maker Faire. There's a revolution underfoot! An adjustable ... Continue reading →
NOAA's National Ocean Service/CC BY-SA 2.0We know that dolphins and other cetaceans are amazing communicators, capable of making far more sounds than humans, but so far we've been unable to know what they're saying. Scientists at Tokyo University of Marine Science and Technology have developed a technology that may allow us to not only better understand their sounds, but possibly communicate with them too.There have been plenty of studies that have recorded the sounds that dolphins make, but few that playback those sounds. Dolphins can hear and communicate at frequencies lower than 20 kHz and up to 150kHz, which is too high for humans to hear. They're also able to produce sounds at many frequencies at once. No speakers had existed that could project at ... Continue reading →
© eco-madeIf you feel guilty about the environmental footprint of your iPhone, don't compound it by buying electronic speakers. Instead, go with the eco-amp, an amplifier made from 100% FSC certified post-consumer recycled fibers.© eco-madeThe eco-amp is the debut product from eco-made, a Los Angeles start up by David Legrand and Hayley Strauss. Sold for only $7.99, it comes as a flat piece of paper that you fold into a small cone. That means that if you want to throw it in your backpack without crushing it, you can just unfold it, and reassemble it when you get where you're going.In an e-mail, Legrand said:The eco amp (is a great product to have because it) allows you to be spontaneous with your music and sound, ... Continue reading →
We've been hearing about improvements on robotic "fish" for years, but finally, they're going for a test swim. Yesterday, researchers dropped the fish into the water at the northern Spanish port of Gijon.If these fish function as planned, it will no longer take weeks to detect pollutants, but mere seconds, and it can work in all sorts of situations from reservoirs to aquariums to, yes, oceans. But they're not cheap -- they cost about $31,600 each! But if they are able to detect pollutants quickly enough to stave off a serious water quality problem, it's worth it.According to Reuters: "The fish can avoid obstacles, communicate with each other, map where they are and know how to return to base when their eight-hour battery life is ... Continue reading →
