|
BILLBOARDS THAT WATCH YOU!
A new system that uses eye-tracking technology may revolutionize billboard advertising, as we know it. The unique design of the eyebox2™ accurately senses when someone is looking at an advertisement or product display by looking for “red-eye” – the same phenomenon that has plagued family photographers for years. But in this case, it allows advertisers to gather detailed statistics on viewing behaviors of potential customers.
The plug-and-play system easily connects to any USB2 port, requires no calibration, and automatically detects viewers up to 30 feet (10 meters) away. The proprietary software package analyzes how many people look at an ad and for how long. The data can then be retrieved on the Web through their eye analytics data services subscription.
For information: Xuuk, Inc., BioSciences Complex, Suite 1625, Queen’s University Campus, Kingstown, Ontario, Canada K7L 3N6, phone: 866-505-9885; Web site: www.xuuk.com
A NEW SPIN ON WINDMILLS
In the farmlands of Japan, an innovative new wind generator was recently installed that uses cylindrical arms, rather than propeller-like blades, to catch the wind. Dubbed the “Spiral Magnus,” the new style windmill exploits a phenomenon called the Magnus effect to harness the power of the wind and convert it into electricity.
Each of the five cylindrical arms has a spiral-shaped fin running its entire length, amplifying the lift generated and creating a rotational force, which in turn rotates the turbine. In comparison to traditional blades, the cylinders are more stable, less noisy, and stronger. They can also produce as much power as traditional turbines, while rotating at only one-quarter the speed, which make strikes of flying birds less likely.
The system is relatively small with an overall diameter of 11.5 meters (about 38 feet) and can produce an estimated 30,000 kilowatt-hours of power annually at a stable wind speed of 6 meters per second (approximately 13 miles per hour) – enough to supply the energy needs of nine homes for a year.
For information: Mecaro Co., Ltd., 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, 163-0242 Tokyo, Japan: phone: +81-3-5324-2460; fax: +81-3-5324-2461; Web site: www.mecaro.co.jp/
ROLLABLE DISPLAY
The world’s first commercially available mobile device to feature flexible display technology is due to be released this year. Called Readius®, it’s smaller than a typical mobile phone, yet incorporates a 5-inch QVGA display, opening up a host of new possibilities for the mobile computing environment.
The high contrast, high reflectivity of the display boasts paper-like readability, even in bright sunlight. Because it consumes very little power, battery life is estimated to be up to ten days on a single charge. And with a bending radius of only .75 cm, screen size can easily exceed the size of the device to support a wide variety of graphic and text-intensive files such as e-books and RSS feeds.
Readius® connects via USB or broadband. It’s currently available only in monochrome, generating 16 shades of grey. However, a color version is expected to follow.
For information: Polymer Vision, High Tech Campus 48, 5656 AE Eindhoven, The Netherlands; phone: +31-40-27-74200; fax: +31-40-27-46665; Web site: www.polymervision.com
TRUE-TO-LIFE DRIVING SIMULATOR
Toyota recently unveiled a new simulator that provides the most realistic virtual driving experience to date. Their goal is to gather information on how people drive and use that data to develop accident prevention technologies for the future.
The simulator consists of a 7.1-foot diameter dome with a 360-degree video screen on which computer-generated graphics are projected. The driver sits in an actual vehicle mounted on a platform inside, and the entire assembly moves along a set of rails 35 meters long and 20 meters wide to give drivers a true sense of speed, acceleration, turning and braking.
The automaker is using the system to analyze patterns of careless drivers – such as those who fall asleep at the wheel or drive under the influence – and design backup systems that would warn drivers of potentially hazardous situations or automatically activate certain safety devices when needed.
For information: Toyota Motor Corporation, 1 Toyota-Cho Toyota City, Aichi Prefecture 471-8571, Japan; phone: +81-565-28-2121; Web site: www.toyota.co.jp/en/
P2P CELL PHONES
In an effort to save consumers money and expand cell phone service, one Swedish company is looking at the possibility of networking mobile devices using a peer-to-peer (P2P) technology known as mesh networking. Instead of requiring calls ot be routed through a cell tower, the new system permits any wireless handset to act as a node. Calls are routed from phone to phone until they reach their intended recipient, enabling free local calls, long distance calls and text messaging. In addition, with a properly equipped wireless Internet access point, free calls could be made anywhere in the world.
Because it requires no base stations, antennas or infrastructure, the cost of deployment is minimal. And since mesh networks are “self-defining” as well as “self-healing,” reliability is greatly improved.
For information: TerraNet AB, IDEON Science Park, 223 70 Lund, Sweden; phone: +46-46-286-3490; Web site: www.terranet.se/
FASTER PROGRAMMING FOR ROBOTS
As we look to robots to perform more and more functions, the task of programming them becomes more and more complex. But researchers in Japan have found a way to simplify the process. By breaking down complicated movements into simpler, more specific segments – such as hopping, squatting, or raising a leg – they were able to create a library of about 60 basic software algorithms that can be strung together to generate a variety of motions.
The next step will be to develop blocks of code that make the transitions from one movement to the next more fluid. Eventually, this may lead to a standardized set of software that will enable robots of all shapes and sizes to be programmed quickly and easily.
For information: Kwansei Gakuin University, 1-1-155, Uegahara, Nishinomiya Hyogo, Japan; Web site: www.kwansei.ac.jp/english
MUSCLE MACHINES
Harvard engineers have harnessed the power of muscle tissue to fabricate miniature machines, a technology that could someday be used to build “living” machine components.
The tiny mechanisms, called molecular thin films, were grown from rat heart cells on an elastic film substrate. The trick was getting them to function in a predictable way by aligning them properly. This was done by “drawing” lines of sticky proteins, which acted as templates for the cells to grow on. By carefully controlling the growth patterns, the researchers were able to create artificial muscles that perform a variety of specific functions, including gripping (like a pair of tweezers), swimming, and walking.
In addition to building muscles for robots, the technology could be used to make “patches” for repairing damaged heart tissue.
For information: Kevin Kit Parker, Harvard University, School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Pierce Hall, Room 322A, 29 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; phone: 617-495-2850; fax: 617-495-9837; email: kkparker@seas.harvard.edu Web site: www.seas.harvard.edu
“GREEN” JET FUEL
A process that harvests algae from industrial and agricultural settling ponds and converts it into biofuel is one of the sources that Boeing is considering in its development of an environmentally friendly jet engine.
In addition to better performance at extreme temperatures, pressures, and weather conditions, the algae-based fuel has other advantages over its alternative fuel, crop-based counterparts because it occurs naturally, cleans up the water as it grows, and is easy to harvest.
For information: Aquaflow Bionomic Corporation Limited, P.O. Box 3232, Richmond, Nelson 7050, New Zealand; phone: +64-3-543-8227; Web site: www.aquaflowgroup.com
PRINTED TRANSISTORS
A revolutionary method for fabricating integrated circuits using graphic printing technology promises to substantially reduce the cost of producing low power chips.
Instead of color inks on paper, a mixture of silicon electronics and thin film transistors (know as “silicon ink”) is sprayed onto stainless steel foil to produce flexible semiconductor devices at a fraction of the cost of traditional methods even in low volume applications. Initial capital equipment startup costs are also greatly reduced.
The technology will make item-level radio frequency identification (RFID) tags more affordable by slashing manufacturing costs from 15 cents to 5 cents per tag by the end of the year. The process also allows intelligence (such as displays, sensors, etc.) to be added to standard chips cost effectively.
For information: Kovio, Inc., 1145 Sonora Ct., Sunnyvale, CA 94086; phone: 408-523-1100; fax: 408-523-1101; Web site: www.kovio.com
BREATHALYZER FOR CANCER
Diagnosing lung cancer typically requires expensive CT scans or potentially dangerous tissue biopsies. But a new test is being developed that can detect the presence of abnormal cells by analyzing a patient’s breath.
Researchers at Cleveland Clinic recently discovered that the volatile organic compounds produced by cancer cells might be detected using an array of 36 chemically sensitive dyes on a sheet of paper. When exposed to the breath from a lung cancer patient, they form color patterns, which can be scanned and analyzed by computer. In an initial test on 143 patients, a distinctive color signature was detected in three out of four lung cancer patients.
For information: Peter Mazzone, M.D., Cleveland Clinic, Department of Pulmonary, Allergy & Critical Care Medicine, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44195; phone: 216-445-4812; Web site: www.clevelandclinic.org
EASY-TO-MOLD CARBON FIBER
Automakers are continually looking for strong, lightweight materials that will allow them to reduce overall vehicle weight and boost fuel efficiency. Now a new cost-effective carbon fiber has been developed that can be molded easily and will deliver the strength needed for this application. The company also plans to market the product for use in wind generator blades.
For information: Mitsubishi Rayon Co., Ltd., 6-41, Konan 1-chrome, Minato-ku, Tokyo 108-8506, Japan; phone: +81-3-5495-3100; fax: +81-3-5495-3184; Web site: www.mrc.co.jp/english/
These mini stories originally appeared in Daniel Burrus's newsletter Techno Trends.
Return
To Top |
