Gizmag News - Windstalk concept is a wind farm without the turbines

Welcome to the newsletter for gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine. These are the headlines for October the 14th, 2010. Windstalk concept is a wind farm without the turbines Wind turbines are an increasingly popular way to generate clean energy with large-scale wind farms springing up all over the world. However, many residents near proposed wind farm sites have raised concerns over the aesthetics and the low frequency vibrations they claim are generated by wind turbines. An interesting Windstalk concept devised by New York design firm Atelier DNA could overcome both these problems while still allowing a comparable amount of electricity to be generated by the wind. Read More Autonomous taxi can be hailed with an iPad app Not so long ago, the idea that a car could drive itself seemed mildly insane, but thanks to the impetus provided by the DARPA Urban Grand Challenge and ongoing research around the globe, driving might become a hobby rather than a necessity much sooner than you think. One of the pioneers in the field, the Berlin-based AutoNOMOS group unveiled its latest project earlier this year. Known as FU-X "Made in Germany" the tech-laden VW Passat uses GPS, video cameras, on-board laser scanners and radars to navigate autonomously, giving it the potential to be used as a driverless taxi cab. Its latest trick – you can now hail it with an iPad. Read More Super Talent introduces tiny gold plated 64GB flash drive Super Talent Technology has announced a special edition gold edition Pico-C flash drive which is claimed to be the smallest of its kind. The 64GB NAND Flash storage solution offers 30MB per second read speed and 15MB write, is USB 2.0 compatible and is just 1.23 x 0.48 x 0.13-inches (31.3 x 12.4 x 3.4mm) in size. Read More New graphene-based single-transistor amplifiers are a triple threat Graphene has already brought us the world’s smallest transistor – twice – and now the one atom thick form of carbon that recently won its discoverers the Nobel Prize has been used to create a triple-mode, single-transistor amplifier. The new transistor has the potential to replace many traditional transistors in a typical integrated circuit and its developers say the device could become a key component in future electronic circuits. Read More SafePlug pay-per-use outlet provides recharging on the road A U.S. company is developing a solution for people who unexpectedly find themselves with low batteries in their laptops, cell phones or e-bikes. Installed into an existing AC outlet, the 2D2C’s SafePlug 1200-P3 pay-per-use system allows users to gain access with a prepaid plastic card or key fob, then plug their depleted electronic device into it. Not only would the owner of the business in which the outlet was located make money off of electricity sales, but they would also end up with potential shoppers who would be stuck in their store for at least 20 minutes. Read More System automatically classifies images and video based on elements they contain Currently, computer search and classification of images is based on the name of the file or folder or on features such as size and date. That’s fine if the name of the file reflects its content but isn’t much good when the file is given an abstract name that only holds meaning to the person providing it. This drawback means companies in the search business, such as Google and Microsoft, are extremely interested in giving computers the ability to automatically interpret the visual contents and video. A technique developed by the University of Granada does just that, allowing pictures to be classified automatically based on whether individuals or specific objects are present in the images. Read More Oregon's 845 megawatt wind farm receives U.S. government support A large scale wind farm to be built in central Oregon has received "a conditional commitment to provide a partial guarantee for a $1.3 billion loan" from the U.S. Department of Energy. Made up of 338 GE wind turbines, the Caithness Shepherds Flat 845 megawatt project will create 400 construction jobs (plus 35 permanent jobs once up and running) and promises a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to that produced by more than 200,000 cars. Read More Eyetracker watches drivers' eyes for signs of drowsiness Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Digital Media Technology in Ilmenau, Germany have created a system for warning drivers when they’re getting too drowsy to drive. The Eyetracker system utilizes two or more dashboard-mounted cameras to monitor drivers’ eyes, and sounds an alarm if their eyes are off the road for too long. It can apparently be mounted in any car, and doesn’t require complicated calibration of the cameras, or an external computer. Read More Buick digitally recreates real-world rocky roads It’s not unusual for automotive designers to test virtual models of cars on virtual models of bumpy roads. The model of the car, of course, represents an actual proposed vehicle. As for the road, however... where does that model come from? In the case of new technology used by Buick, it’s a millimeter-precise recreation of an existing, physical road. Read More Setting a new standard for 3D model ears When devices such as telephone handsets, headsets, headphones, hearing aids and hearing protectors are electro-acoustically tested, mannequins known as Head and Torso Simulators (HATS) are used to replicate the upper part of the human body. They allow researchers to simulate Head Related Transfer Function, which is the process by which sounds are changed by the time they reach the human eardrum. The mannequins' calibrated pinna (outer ear) simulators have traditionally been represented through a series of two-dimensional cross-sectional profiles – this is the industry standard for pinnas on HATS. Now, as part of a revision of that standard, the Acoustics Team from the UK’s National Physical Laboratory (NPL) have created a three-dimensional pinna that overcomes the limitations of the 2D variety. Read More Japanese manufacturer Teijin creates next-gen firefighting suit Japanese manufacturer Teijin, in cooperation with firefighting apparel maker Akao Co. Ltd., has announced the development of new firefighting suit that reportedly sets new world standards in both protection from extreme heat and lightweight wearability. Made from TRIPROTECH aramid fibers, Teijin's new suit consists of multiple key layers with even more clever monikers to boot, like GBARRIERLIGHT, TECHWAVE, and TECHNORA. The technical details of the layers' composition are somewhat hairy, but the upshot is that Teijin's improved aramid fibers have resulted in a firefighting suit that weights only 2.5 kg (5.5 lbs) and is 60 percent more effective in preventing burns than the company's prior lightweight suits. Read More If you would like to refer this newsletter to a friend or colleague, please point them at our free subscription page. Please don't try to forward this email, as the formatting is unlikely to remain intact. And don't worry, we don't share email addresses. Please read our privacy policy if you are concerned. Watch for more of the best new innovations, ideas and practical technologies in your inbox. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at http://www.gizmag.com. 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