Communications & IT
Developments in computing and communications
New Wi-fi Technology Consumes 10,000 Times Less Power
Written by Peter, on March 2, 2016
Computer engineers at the University of Washington have developed a new Passive Wi-Fi system that is able to maintain fast data speeds while consuming one 10,000th of the power of conventional wi-fi and one 1,000th of the power of current energy-efficient technologies like Bluetooth Low Energy. Read more »
Passive Computer Cooling System Could Save Billions
Written by Peter, on May 1, 2015
Engineers at the University of Alabama are testing a passive cooling system for computer processors that they believe could save U.S. consumers more than $6.3 billion a year in energy costs associated with running their computer cooling fans. Read more »
Meet Baxter
Written by Peter, on January 17, 2013
"Baxter" is a new category of robot that its manufacturer, Rethink Robotics, says is capable of applying common sense behavior to manufacturing environments. Priced from $US22,000, the company says that the robots are versatile and safe enough to work shoulder-to-shoulder with people as well as being cheap enough to allow manufacturers to compete with manufacturers […] Read more »
Process Captures CO2 & Makes Organic Material
Written by Peter, on August 2, 2012
The Japanese electronics manufacturer, Panasonic, has announced that it has developed an artificial photosynthesis process which converts carbon dioxide to organic materials by illuminating them with sunlight at an efficiency which is comparable with plants used for biomass energy. The discovery has the potential to allow the development of simple and cheap systems for capturing […] Read more »
Apple’s New Level of Built-in Obsolescence
Written by Peter, on June 15, 2012
For a long time, Apple products were the most easily repaired and upgraded computers on the market. Apple's new top-of-the-line MacBook Pro goes to the opposite extreme. The case is secured with proprietary pentalobe screws to prevent you from gaining access to anything inside. The RAM is soldered to the logic board. It can never […] Read more »
Laptops Could Be Powered by Typing
Written by Peter, on June 30, 2011
Scientists at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology have made a discovery that could lead to laptops powered by typing. The researchers succeeded is showing that piezoelectric thin films have the capacity to turn mechanical pressure into a measurable amount of electricity. It has been known since the 1880s that certain crystals are able to […] Read more »
New Chips Aim to Cut Losses in Power Conversion
Written by Peter, on February 24, 2011
Transphorm, a startup company launched by the University of California at Santa Barbara, has got the backing of major investors, including Google and Kleiner Perkins, for technology that could substantially cut power consumption in computers, electric cars, motors and other appliances. Almost all of the appliances that we use run on DC power, but the […] Read more »
Overpackaging
Written by Peter, on January 17, 2011
Why does this volume of ink need this much packaging? This is a HP 564 Colour Ink Value Pack (which HP promotes as “avoiding wastage”) and a HP 564 Black Ink Value Pack, which contains the same ink as one HP 564XL cartridge but in three cartridges with three times the packaging plus a large […] Read more »
Using Satellites to Save Water
Written by Peter, on January 7, 2011
NASA researchers have developed a system to help farmers better manage irrigation systems. The system uses data from NASA satellites, local weather observations and wireless sensor networks installed in agricultural fields to calculate water requirements of crops in individual fields and provide farmers with the information immediately. Water requirements and forecasts can be accessed from […] Read more »
The Surui Carbon Project
Written by Peter, on December 11, 2010
Using Google Earth To Monitor the Amazon Read more »
