Archive for: Green Technology
The science world is currently fixating on those uber cool Zinc-air batteries that are set to debut next year, but the really cool technology is further ahead still. Batteries of late have one simple problem: fast discharge times, length charge times, and short life span just to name a few. Did you ever think that something so abundant and widespread as paper could be a mobile energy saving grace?
Yes, normal paper has been turned into a battery thanks to the many great minds at Stanford University. I should point out that this “paper battery” is actually more like a super capacitor in that it can’t hold a charge very long, but more than makes up for that shortcoming with extremely quick electrical transfer rates — perfect for electric vehicles. In order to get the electrons flowing, scientists coated a piece of paper with ink made of carbon nanotubes and silver nanowires. These compounds allow the electrical juices to flow providing a lightweight and cheap battery that is easily scalable.
But will it last? Hows does 40,000 charge/discharge cycles sound? That’s many times greater than current battery technology and should ensure that battery replacements in the future will be a lot less relevant. Because of the high surface to density ratio, hybrid cars and other electric vehicles are prime candidates for a paper based battery. Not to mention, think of all the new possibilities gadget manufacturers will have with paper batteries which will ultimately be smaller than current iterations. Though as mentioned before, seeing as how current versions of this battery/super capacitor boast a greater ability for electrical transfer as opposed to actual runtime, any gadget applications may need a bit more tweaking in order to provide 1-month long runtimes.
The next time you’re writing on that piece of paper thinking how useless it is in the digital age, remember this post and think again. It won’t be too much longer before we start seeing some actual usable concepts pop up.
GizmoWatch > GizMag
- November 13, 2009 10:05 am
The big cities of the world are often some of the prime locations to see breakthroughs in technology and gadgets tested. They are also one big trash bin. Why people can’t walk two more feet to the trash can to throw something away is beyond me. Apparently the ground looks better to them. To each his own.
It’s no secret that there is a ton of energy sitting, wasted in trash. Now we can’t just go on burning trash as that releases even more pollutants and toxic chemicals into the air. But there are other ways. Designer Haneum Lee has revealed his concept of the Gaon street light/wastebasket. The beauty of this device is that it is more or less looks just like any normal street lamp save for the added girth around the mid section. That girth is where the magic happens. The lamp turns biodegradable trash into methane gas. The gas is then used to light the lamp. Pretty sweet if I do say so myself. Sadly it’s just a concept for now.
There are a couple ways to make this design even better. (1) design the device so that all trash, not just biodegradable, is able to be used for energy. (2) Install a solar panel on top of the lamp and harvest some of those sun rays that are ever prevalent. One of these won’t make much of a difference. But imagine what an entire city fitted with these (solar panel add-on too) and connected to a smart grid could do? Ya, being green is cool.
Technabob > Dvice > Yanko Design
If I had a million dollars….*insert lofty and creative dream here…*
If I had a million dollars, (or more) I would strive to build one of the most technologically advanced and green houses possible. Any way to save energy and money while being a geek haven would ensure that I never left my house. Why would I need to? While I am quite far from such results, having a green home can be relatively affordable and cheap. You can take one small step at a time and work towards that uber house you seek. Take for example the “Ridgeblade” (pictured right).
Harnessing wind power is nothing new nor is the idea of individual consumers harnessing said power. The most typical use of wind harnessing is that of fans on long poles. Up above our heads the air moves at a pretty decent clip meaning more revolutions for the fan and more energy. Having large poles that can be 50+ feet high aren’t exactly something a neighborhood association is going to approve for your subdivision. Thankfully the Ridgeblade comes in handy. It is a compact yet efficient tool you can affix to your roof. The real draw here of course is the super small size and it’s extremely quiet and efficient operation. So how much for a set up like this? Well, it’s still in the testing phase so the earliest you’ll be able to get your hands on one is mid-late 2010 if testing goes well. *Sigh*
Gadget Venue > Red Ferret
You may thing there isn’t anything “technological” about a parking lot. It’s a simple mass of various minerals and compounds that are unmoving, unchanging, and wholly static. People, it’s a concrete slab for crying out loud. What could it do. While all sorts of energy regenerating technologies can be incorporated into the concrete floor that covers large swaths of cities, one thing that many people tend to over look is how to prevent waste run off.
Introducing the parking lot of tomorrow — a sponge-like, porous concrete that filters water and other automotive liquids as to remove environmental contaminants before they enter the ground water. Seems like a pretty awesome idea doesn’t it? The testbed for this high tech concrete sponge is the Environmental Protection Agency’s 43,000 sq. ft. parking lot located in Edison, New Jersey. One interesting tidbit is that they aren’t just testing one type of permeable concrete but three different variations!
Parking lots as you all know are dumps full of all kinds of waste. Though automotive waste is the biggest concern as all of the various liquids contained in cars end up at some point or another in our ground water. While water filtration plants filter (most of) the harmful contents out, having the filtration done by an physical object that doesn’t use any electricity and doesn’t move has huge cost saving possibilities. Who would have thought concrete could be so cool?
Pop Sci > Scientific American
Think electrical outlets are about as technologically advanced as they can get? I hope not because the standard electrical outlet as we know it is about as old as dirt. Though this new concept simply titled “Switch” is a green, universal electrical outlet that gets my geek radar all kinds of giddy. Who knew an electrical outlet could be cool? As the diagram illustrates above, the device stays plugged in 24/7, but isn’t always on. On/off operation is controlled via turning the plug like a dial. Ingenious I know. Again, another moment in life I find myself kicking my own being for not thinking of such an idea. It’s always the smallest things….
Yenko Design
The human body is a walking scientific spectacle. Even though the DNA between you and me is virtually 99% the same, it’s that 1% sliver that differentiates all of us. Some like it hot. Some like it cold. Some can take the heat. Others simply drop like flies. For the ground thumpers out there, carrying a mini fan with you everywhere you go can be a nuisance and at times embarrassing. Thankfully there is the solar powered hat fan. Featuring two small solar panels and an actual miniaturized fan, this hat will keep your noggin nice and cool even when mother nature and Mr. Sun try their hardest to bring you down. The best part? It’s only $16 to be able to call this little wonder yours. Now will it actually work as advertised? At least you’ll pull of the geeky look. But such things are trivial when life, comfort, and just plain livability are concerned. Let us know how it goes!
[Product Page]
CrunchGear
Imagine a world where we didn’t have to have lights in every room with accompanying fixtures and stands taking up valuable space in our living quarters. Imagine a world where light could be placed anywhere we wanted, invisible to the naked eye until we needed it. Jonas Samson has envisioned and created what is quite possibly the coolest interior design product ever: Light Emitting Wallpaper. The paper is actually constructed of several layers; one for electricity, one where the LED’s reside, and finally a traditional wallpaper layer on top. Using the LED’s will greatly reduce the size and energy footprint (green #1) of the household which in return saves money on your wallet for electric bills. One caveat however is the cost. Marketed as a higher end premium product, those green bills you will save from reduced electrical costs will go in to the rather pricey entrance fee to join the cool kids club. With a price of roughly 6000 Euros/$8,500 USD (per yard?….green #2), only the truly wealthy will enjoy this new wallpaper for the immediate future. If you’re itching to get your own, you may want to put the horse back in the stable for a bit as it hasn’t been released to the public yet. Prohibitive costs aside, this wallpaper is insanely cool. Would you deck out your house in it?
Source: Walyou, Jonas Samson
Now, I’ll just get straight to the chase and say it; Chevy was given a rating of 230 MPG for their electric car, the Volt. Now, at first you my think holy cow, cross country trips on a single tank of gas. But hold it there boys and girls, the marketing that GM is going to push and has already shown to be taking the spotlight, the 230 figure, is kind of misleading. While the car can technically go 230 on one tank of gas, the test for that number assumes the driver drives roughly 50-60 miles per day. 40 of those miles won’t use a single drop of gas, the last 10-20 will only use .2-.4 gallons of gas giving you roughly a 220-250 MPG rating. The real downfall in fuel economy comes as you keep driving.
Even though many decades passed with the standard incandescent light bulb remaining largely unchanged, science in this past decade as finally set its sites on one of the world’s most commonly used gadgets. A company called Eternaleds has launched a new liquid cooled LED lightbulb given the name “Hydrolux”. The cooling of the internals comes by way of paraffin oil. Don’t worry about toxicity as the oil is completely safe and has been deemed so by UL and ROHS standard. Currently the bulb only comes in two colors, “warm white” and “daylight” and one wattage, 4W. However, the company says that 8W, 12W, and 16W versions of the Hydrolux are on track for release by the end of the year. Who’s ready for some tree smilin’ fun?!
Source: Geeky-Gadgets, Tech Fresh
