Making big 'Schroedinger cats': Quantum research pushes boundary by testing micro theory for macro objects Since Erwin Schroedinger's famous 1935 cat thought experiment, physicists around the globe have tried to create large scale systems to test how the rules of quantum mechanics apply to everyday objects. Researchers at the University of Calgary recently made a significant step forward in this direction by creating a large system that is in two substantially different states at the same time. Until this point, scientists had only managed to recreate quantum effects on much smaller scales. Professor Alex Lvovsky and associate professor Christoph Simon from the Physics and Astronomy department together with their graduate students revealed their findings in a world leading physics research journal, Nature Physics. Understanding Schroedinger's cat In contrast to our everyday experience, quantum physics allows for particles to be in two states at the same time – so-called quantum superpositions. Applying these quantum rules to large objects leads to paradoxical and even bizarre consequences.
Open-source-appropriate technology Open-source-appropriate technology (OSAT) refers to "appropriate technology" (technology that is designed with special consideration to the environmental, ethical, cultural, social, political, and economic aspects of the community it is intended for) that are designed in the same fashion as free and open-source software; that is, developed in the open and licensed in such a way as to allow their designs to be used, modified and distributed freely.[1] Benefits[edit] Open source is a development method for appropriate technology that harnesses the power of distributed peer review and transparency of process. Appropedia is an example of open-source appropriate technology. There anyone can both learn how to make and use AT free of concerns about patents. The "open-source" model can act as a driver of sustainable development. Ethical considerations[edit] Support in the literature[edit] OSAT in education[edit] Open source scientific equipment[edit] Criticism[edit] See also[edit] Notes[edit]
10 Cases of Appropriate Technology Technology The goal of Appropriate Technology (AT) is to increase the standard of living for the developing world without condescension, complication, or environmental damage. Typical AT inventions are more labor intensive, require fewer resources, and use low cost or readily available materials wherever possible. Special attention is paid to the social, cultural, and ethical aspects of the communities the technology is intended for. Submitted for your approval are 10 inventions using these principles, and they are every bit as ingenious as anything coming out of Silicon Valley. The developing world may be falling behind when competing for resources, but it hasn’t even started regarding technology. Solar Powered Lightbulb Though we can’t really fathom it, much of the world is still prisoner to darkness. Concrete Canvas Shelters Prior to Jock Brandis’ Universal Nut Sheller, growing and harvesting peanuts in Africa was a time-and-labor intensive affair relegated to women and children.
"Valleytronics" – a new type of electronics in diamond (Phys.org) —An alternative and novel concept in electronics is to utilize the wave quantum number of the electron in a crystalline material to encode information. In a new article in Nature Materials, Isberg et.al. propose using this valley degree of freedom in diamond to enable valleytronic information processing or as a new route to quantum computing. In electronic circuits, bits of information (1:s and 0:s) are encoded by the presence or absence of electric charge. For fast information processing, e.g. in computer processors or memories, charges have to be moved around at high switching rates. Moving charges requires energy, which inevitably causes heating and gives rise to a fundamental limit to the switching rate. As an alternative it is possible to utilize other properties than the charge of electrons to encode information and thereby avoid this fundamental limit. An alternative and novel concept is to utilize the wave quantum number of an electron in a crystalline material.
DIY ethic Boy building a model airplane DIY ethic refers to the ethic of self-sufficiency through completing tasks without the aid of a paid expert. Literally meaning "do it yourself," the DIY ethic promotes the idea that anyone is capable of performing a variety of tasks rather than relying on paid specialists. The DIY ethic requires that the adherent seeks out the knowledge required to complete a given task. The term can refer to a variety of disciplines, including home improvement, first aid or creative works. Rather than belittling or showing disdain for those who engage in manual labor or skilled crafts, DIY champions the average individual seeking such knowledge and expertise. Punk culture[edit] Riot Grrrl, associated with third-wave feminism, also adopted the core values of the DIY punk ethic by leveraging creative ways of communication through zines and other projects.[3] The German punk band Mono für Alle! The DIY punk ethic also applies to simple everyday living, such as: New Zealand[edit]
Takachar Technical impacts of grid-connected photovoltaic systems on electrical networks—A review | J. Renewable Sustainable Energy - Journal of Renewable and Sustainable Energy No data available. Please log in to see this content. You have no subscription access to this content. No metrics data to plot. The attempt to load metrics for this article has failed. The attempt to plot a graph for these metrics has failed. Technical impacts of grid-connected photovoltaic systems on electrical networks—A review Rent: Rent this article for Abstract This paper addresses the potential impacts of grid-connected photovoltaic (PV) systems on electrical networks. © 2013 AIP Publishing LLC I. /content/aip/journal/jrse/5/3/10.1063/1.4808264 Article metrics loading... Full text loading... Most read this month Article More Less content/aip/journal/jrse Journal
Agricultural Development & Technology – Full Belly Project Human-Centered Design Toolkit For years, businesses have used human-centered design to develop innovative solutions. Why not apply the same approach to overcome challenges in the nonprofit world? This project, funded by International Development Enterprise (IDE) as part of a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, sought to provide NGOs and social enterprises with the tools to do just that. The HCD Toolkit was designed specifically for NGOs and social enterprises that work with impoverished communities in Africa, Asia, and Latin America. The HCD toolkit has been used by organizations throughout the developing world, including Acumen Fund, AyurVAID, Heifer International, ICRW, IDE, Micro Drip, and VisionSpring. “Many thanks to IDEO for their Human-Centered Design Toolkit, which served as a guide for our work.” “An impressive study intended to create a common language around designing for social impact.
Biochemists uphold law of physics (w/ Video) Experiments by biochemists at the University of California, Davis show for the first time that a law of physics, the ergodic theorem, can be demonstrated by a collection of individual protein molecules—specifically, a protein that unwinds DNA. The work will be published online by the journal Nature on July 14. Using technology invented at UC Davis for watching single enzymes at work, Bian Liu, a graduate student in the Biophysics Graduate Group and professor Steve Kowalczykowski, Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics and UC Davis Cancer Center, found that when they paused and restarted a single molecule of the DNA-unwinding enzyme RecBCD, it could restart at any speed achieved by the whole population of enzymes. "It's pretty impressive," said Daniel Cox, a physics professor at UC Davis who was not involved in the work. Liu and Kowalczykowski weren't attempting to test laws of physics when they began the work. What is the point?
Open Source, Development and Design Why do we consider the "open source" model a driver of leapfrog development? There are (at least) three good reasons: it enables production as well as consumption; it enables localization for communities that don't have the resources to tempt commercial developers to provide local versions of their products; it can be free as in "gratis" as well as free as in "libre" -- an important consideration for developing communities. All of this will be familiar territory for regular readers, but two more good examples of the utility of the free/libre/open source model emerged in recent days: the Africa Source conference in Uganda, and the Open Source Appropriate Technology discussion at Agroblogger. The Africa Source II conference, held in Kalangala, Uganda, has just finished up, and it looks to have been a real success. Africa Source II focuses on how open source technologies can be implemented by non-governmental organizations working in Africa. Q: From your experiences, what works best?