Watch flying robots build a 6-meter tower A quadrotor just before a precision landing on a brick (credit: Markus Waibel/ETH Zurich) ETH Zurich roboticists and architects used a fleet of quadcopters to build a 6 meter (20 feet) twisting tower out of 1500 foam bricks, IEEE Spectrum Automaton reports. The ceiling of the room where the assembly is taking place was equipped with a motion-capture system. A computer uses the vision data to keep track of the quadcopters and tell them where to go. First, the robots grab foam bricks from a special brick dispenser on the ground.
Quantum A photon is a single quantum of light, and is referred to as a "light quantum". The energy of an electron bound to an atom is quantized, which results in the stability of atoms, and hence of matter in general. As incorporated into the theory of quantum mechanics, this is regarded by physicists as part of the fundamental framework for understanding and describing nature at the smallest length-scales. Etymology and discovery[edit] The word "quantum" comes from the Latin "quantus", for "how much". Beyond electromagnetic radiation[edit] While quantization was first discovered in electromagnetic radiation, it describes a fundamental aspect of energy not just restricted to photons.[11] In the attempt to bring experiment into agreement with theory, Max Planck postulated that electromagnetic energy is absorbed or emitted in discrete packets, or quanta.[12] See also[edit] References[edit] Further reading[edit] B.
Harvesting energy from insects in quest to create tiny cyborg first responders An insect fitted with a piezoelectric generator to harness energy from the insect's wings (Image: Erkan Aktakka) Image Gallery (2 images) Insects have served as the inspiration for a number of Micro Air Vehicles (MAVs) that could be deployed to monitor hazardous situations without putting humans in harm's way. Now researchers at the University of Michigan College of Engineering are proposing using actual live insects enhanced with electronic sensors to achieve the same result. To harvest energy from insects, the researchers have designed a spiral piezoelectric generator that converts the kinetic energy from the insect's wing movements into electricity. "Through energy scavenging, we could potentially power cameras, microphones and other sensors and communications equipment that an insect could carry aboard a tiny backpack," said Professor Khalil Najafi, the chair of electrical and computer engineering at the U-M College of Engineering. About the Author Post a CommentRelated Articles
Study: Stem cells may aid vision in blind people The first use of embryonic stem cells in humans eased a degenerative form of blindness in two volunteers and showed no signs of any adverse effects, according to a study published by The Lancet on Monday. Publication in the peer-reviewed journal marks an important step for embryonic stem cells, which were hailed as a miracle cure after they were discovered in 1998 but then ran into technical and political hurdles. The results of the cautious first-stage test, designed to evaluate whether the treatment is safe, had been previously announced by Massachusetts biotech firm Advanced Cell Technology (ACT) Inc. The positive outcome in the United States opened the way to the first trials in Europe, which began on Monday. Embryonic stem cells are extraordinarily versatile cells, found in early-stage embryos, that can differentiate into any tissue of the body. Scientists have been hoping to turn them into replacement for tissue lost through disease or lost in accidents or war.
Quantum computer Technology that uses quantum mechanics A quantum computer is a computer that takes advantage of quantum mechanical phenomena. At small scales, physical matter exhibits properties of both particles and waves, and quantum computing leverages this behavior, specifically quantum superposition and entanglement, using specialized hardware that supports the preparation and manipulation of quantum states. Classical physics cannot explain the operation of these quantum devices, and a scalable quantum computer could perform some calculations exponentially faster (with respect to input size scaling)[2] than any modern "classical" computer. In particular, a large-scale quantum computer could break widely used encryption schemes and aid physicists in performing physical simulations; however, the current state of the art is largely experimental and impractical, with several obstacles to useful applications. History[edit] Quantum information processing[edit] Quantum information[edit] and , and . . over
Powering insect cyborgs with an implantable biofuel cell Research into developing insect cyborgs for use as first responders or super stealthy spies has been going on for a while now. Most research has focused on using batteries, tiny solar cells or piezoelectric generators to harvest kinetic energy from the movement of an insect's wings to power the electronics attached to the insects. Now a group of researchers at Case Western Reserve University have created a power supply that relies just on the insect's normal feeding. Recognizing that using a real insect is much easier than starting from scratch to create a device that works like an insect, Case Western Reserve chemistry professor teamed up with graduate student Michelle Rasmussen, biology professor Roy E. To convert chemical energy harvested from the insect and turn it into electricity, the team used two enzymes in series to create the anode. "Insects have an open circulatory system so the blood is not under much pressure," Ritzmann explained.
Planet confirmed that could have water Kepler-22b is the first confirmed planet in the “habitable zone,” the area around a star where a planet could exist with liquid water on its surface, that has been discovered by NASA’s Kepler mission. The planet’s radius is about 2.4 times that of the Earth. It is located about 600 light years away. There were two other planets confirmed this year by other projects in the habitable zone, but their stars are much cooler than our Sun, and their orbits are more like that of Venus or Mars, scientists say. Kepler-22b is 15% closer to its star than we are to the Sun. "If the greenhouse warming were similar on this planet and had a surface, its surface temperature would be something like 72 Fahrenheit, a very pleasant temperature here on Earth." Share your thoughts about searching for life on other planets The warmer a planet, the more evaporation of water there would be, Borucki said. "We have no planet like this in our solar system," he said.
Elementary particle In particle physics, an elementary particle or fundamental particle is a particle whose substructure is unknown, thus it is unknown whether it is composed of other particles.[1] Known elementary particles include the fundamental fermions (quarks, leptons, antiquarks, and antileptons), which generally are "matter particles" and "antimatter particles", as well as the fundamental bosons (gauge bosons and Higgs boson), which generally are "force particles" that mediate interactions among fermions.[1] A particle containing two or more elementary particles is a composite particle. Everyday matter is composed of atoms, once presumed to be matter's elementary particles—atom meaning "indivisible" in Greek—although the atom's existence remained controversial until about 1910, as some leading physicists regarded molecules as mathematical illusions, and matter as ultimately composed of energy.[1][2] Soon, subatomic constituents of the atom were identified. Overview[edit] Main article: Standard Model
8 Current Technologies That Will Shape Our Future Rick Chin is the director of product innovation at SolidWorks, where he develops new products and researches how technology will make us smarter, simplify daily tasks and seamlessly fit into our everyday lives. In 20 years our technology will reach a level of personalization that will enhance every moment of our lives. We’ll be more physically comfortable with the furniture we sit on and the products we hold; only the most relevant and personalized information from friends and family will reach us; and our movement in the digital world will be near telepathic. I foresee several of today’s technologies as relevant to this particular vision of the future. Image courtesy of iStockphoto, tlnors
An Ingenious Way to Financially Bootstrap a Resilient Community Here's Marcin, a farmer scientist (not many left). In this video (click the link above if you can't see it embedded below), Marcin used Kicksarter to ask for $40,000 in support of his global village construction set project. Fortunately, he was successful and raised over $63,000. If you haven't heard of it before, the construction set project is a do-it-yourself lab/facility based on Marcin's farm in Mayesville Missouri. The lab/facility is developing open source designs for many commonly used industrial, construction, and farming tools (from a tractor to a brick maker to hydraulic system). This project shows that it is possible to get meaningful funding for projects that matter. Is this a Backdoor Way to Financially Bootstrap a Resilient Community? I've featured Marcin's work on Global Guerrillas many times before, as a great example of open source innovation in hardware. Each method has its pluses and its minuses.
Hangar.org | Centre de producció d'Arts Visuals A Town in New York Creates Its Own Department Store THE residents of Saranac Lake, a picturesque town in the Adirondacks, are a hardy lot — they have to be to withstand winter temperatures that can drop to 30 below zero. But since the local Ames department store went out of business in 2002 — a victim of its corporate parent’s bankruptcy — residents have had to drive to Plattsburgh, 50 miles away, to buy basics like underwear or bed linens. And that was simply too much. So when came knocking, some here welcomed it. It’s a situation familiar to many communities these days. It took nearly five years — the added to the challenge — but the organizers reached their $500,000 goal last spring. The 4,000-square-foot space was not completely renovated — a home goods section will be ready for the grand opening on Nov. 19 — but shoppers seemed pleased with the mix of apparel, bedding and craft supplies for sale. “Ooh, that’s nice,” said Pat Brown, as she held up a slim black skirt (price: $29.99). “It’s been a long process for all of us.
Vuzix's "Smart" Sunglasses Merge Virtual Information With Real World Share on Tumblr Email Augmented reality —the ability to superimpose virtual data onto real-world environments—is appealing in theory, but typical head-mounted displays have the subtlety of a sledgehammer to your forehead. Vusix , a video-eyewear company from Rochester, NY, has invented an electronic headset that looks—and works—like a pair of designer sunglasses. Unveiled at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas this week, the Internet-connected “Smart” device uses holographic film to serve interactive content right before your eyes. Featuring a sleek wraparound design, the Smart can be used indoors or out, at night or in full daylight. The technology comprises a compact display engine that relays any digital output by shunting wavelengths of light onto a 1.4-millimeter-thick polymer lens.