Friday, July 8, 2011

Solar Ivy captures the sun's energy whilst creating a pleasing visual aesthetic

Solar Ivy captures the sun's energy whilst creating a pleasing visual aesthetic: "Solar Ivy was inspired by traditional mansions, where ivy decorates the exterior walls and reflects the organic essence of nature. Created in collaboration with Brooklyn-based parent company SMIT, Solar Ivy is a series of solar cells printed with conductive ink that resemble ivy leaves."

Gemasolar Concentrated Solar Power achieves key milestone - 24 hours of uninterrupted supply

Gemasolar Concentrated Solar Power achieves key milestone - 24 hours of uninterrupted supply: "The Gemasolar Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant near Seville, Spain, has achieved a full 24 hours of solar power production one month after starting commercial operation. The 19.9 MW plant uses a huge array of mirrors to heat a molten salt storage system in the central tower which is then used to run steam turbines, resulting in the ability to continue energy production after the sun goes down."

Kinect-based system developed that recognizes what you're doing

Kinect-based system developed that recognizes what you're doing: "When and if we ever do get our personal robot assistants, it would be nice to think that we could 'be ourselves' in front of them, doing things such as scratching our butts or checking our deodorant - because they're just robots, right? They're not going to know what we're doing."

Airbus and DLR testing fuel cell technology to cut aircraft pollution and noise emissions

Airbus and DLR testing fuel cell technology to cut aircraft pollution and noise emissions: "The goals of the Advisory Council for Aeronautics Research in Europe (ACARE) to reduce CO2 emissions by 50 percent, NOx emissions by 80 percent and noise cut by 50 percent by 2020 has seen aircraft manufacturers and airlines looking at alternative fuels such as biofuel."

Scavenging ambient electromagnetic energy to power small electronic devices

Scavenging ambient electromagnetic energy to power small electronic devices: "As you sit there reading this story you're surrounded by electromagnetic energy transmitted from sources such as radio and television transmitters, mobile phone networks and satellite communications systems. Researchers from the Georgia Institute of Technology have created a device that is able to scavenge this ambient energy so it can be used to power small electronic devices such as networks of wireless sensors, microprocessors and communications chips."