Posted on January 23rd, 2012 by axb
As breathtaking as large, panoramic photos often are, the process of creating them is, to many photographers, a much less attractive prospect. While painstakingly stitching together images from a recent vacation, Technische Universität Berlin graduate Jonas Pfeil came up with a better idea: a spherical camera, called a camera-ball, that can take 360-degree panoramas in a single snap. Once the softball-sized sphere is tossed into the air, a built-in accelerometer tells when the ball has reached its zenith. Then a microcontroller triggers simultaneous action by 36 two-megapixel cellphone cameras, capturing a mosaic of images.
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Filed under: Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, e-News | No Comments »
Tags: Computer, Electrical, Mechanical, Photography
Posted on January 18th, 2012 by mxl
Anyone who’s ever worked up a sweat running for the school bus knows it takes energy to move. Now, a young inventor in England has come up with a way to capture the ambient kinetic energy of footsteps–or dance moves–and use it to generate electricity.
Pavegen tiles are rubber, waterproof squares made from recycled tires, and 80 percent of their inner workings are made from recycled materials, too. When people step on them, the tiles harvest the energy and convert it to electricity.
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Filed under: Electrical, Environmental, Materials, e-News | No Comments »
Tags: dance, Electrical, Electrical Engineering, Electricity, Energy, Green Technology, lights, Materials, Pavegen, recycling, sidewalk, Technology
Posted on January 6th, 2012 by axb
Everyone loves to complain about the full body scanners that the Travel Security Administration implemented in 2010 to screen airport travelers. But now the same technology could be employed for a much more exciting purpose: fashion.
A new company called Fitted Fashion promises to bring 3D scanning technology to clothing stores and shopping malls in the near future (a similar body scanner is already in use at a mall in Philadelphia). Customers need only to step inside a scanning booth for about 30 seconds, where a white light captures over 400 distinct body measurements.
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Filed under: Computer, e-News | No Comments »
Tags: Computer, Fashion
Posted on December 30th, 2011 by admin
2011 was another busy year for engineers all over the world. From inventing a device that turns air into water to exploring the oceans in a tiny submarine, scientists and engineers are exploring uncharted territory.
Like last year, we at eGFI have chronicled the most awe-inspiring innovations and stories, so in case you missed one, we present:
The Most Popular, Interesting, Weird, or Just Plain Cool eGFI Blog Posts of 2011
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Filed under: Aerospace, Agricultural, Architectural, Biomedical, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Explore Engineering, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical, Ocean, Transportation, e-News | No Comments »
Tags: 3D, Aerospace, Agricultural, Architectural, Aviation, Biomedical, Biomimicry, Biotechnology, Chemical, Civil, Computer, Design, Electrical, Energy, Environmental, Giving Back, Green Technology, Green Transportation, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical, Ocean, Robotics, Software, Technology, Trailblazers, Transportation
Posted on December 23rd, 2011 by axb
In a world increasingly affected by climate change, unexpected droughts are a harsh reality for many farmers whose livelihoods depend on regular rainfall. That’s why Edward Linacre, an industrial design graduate student from Swinburne University of Technology in Australia, decided to invent a device that can literally harvest water from thin air.
Airdrop, as it’s called, recently won the prestigious James Dyson Award, which grants Linacre over $14,000 to develop the product. It was selected from among 500 entries from 18 different countries for its simple design and revolutionary approach to irrigation.
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Filed under: e-News | 1 Comment »
Tags: Agricultural, Biomimicry, Environmental, Green Technology
