Posted on March 29th, 2011 by jxh
Last year we reported on the sustainability efforts of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, which made the games the greenest yet. Vancouver was outfitted with solar panels, green roofs, and mechanisms to collect and recycle rainwater. Award medals were made from re-purposed electronic waste.
Now, Rio de Janeiro is aiming to create the first games with a zero-carbon footprint when it hosts the Summer Olympics in 2016.
To help the city achieve this goal, Swiss-based RAFAA Architecture and Design has proposed a Solar City Tower, which features a visually stunning energy-generating waterfall.
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Filed under: Architectural, e-News, Environmental, Ocean | 6 Comments »
Tags: Architectural, Energy, Environmental, Green Technology, Ocean, Olympics, renewable energy, Sports
Posted on March 24th, 2011 by jxh
While this spacey-looking disk will not allow your car to time-travel, it might replace its internal combustion engine
Here’s a new approach to decreasing the environmental impact of cars: a new auto motor could make them 20 percent lighter and reduce emissions by 90 percent.
Michigan researchers have built a prototype of a disk-shaped shock wave generator that could replace the current internal combustion engine in cars. The generator is about the size of a saucepan and does not need a transmission, cooling system, or emissions regulation fluid, which would reduce the weight of a vehicle by 1,000 pounds.
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Filed under: Chemical, e-News, Environmental, Mechanical, Transportation | 12 Comments »
Tags: Cars, Chemical, Environmental, Green Technology, Green Transportation, Mechanical, Transportation
Posted on March 22nd, 2011 by axb
Ask anyone to name a famous robot, and it is likely they will mention characters like C-3PO, R2-D2, Wall-E, and Optimus Prime. What all of these friendly androids from film have in common is something that the majority of modern robots lack: the ability to converse with humans.
Cynthia Breazeal, an electrical and computer engineer, has dedicated her career to making robots more sociable. She is currently the director of the Personal Robots Group at the MIT Media Lab, where she researches and develops machines that can teach, learn, talk, and mimic human emotions.
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Filed under: Computer, e-News, Electrical, Trailblazers | 5 Comments »
Tags: Computer, Electrical, Robotics, Trailblazers
Posted on March 17th, 2011 by axb
An aerial view of damage to Wakuya, Japan, after March 11 earthquake and tsunami
Last Friday, Japan was hit with a devastating earthquake of 9.0 magnitude. In combination with the following tsunami, the earthquake caused immense damage to northeastern regions of Japan and severely compromised six nuclear power-plant reactors. Recent reports estimate the death toll at over 5,000, with another 9,000 people missing and 2,500 injured. Over 4 million households were left without electricity, and 1.5 million without running water.
Since the tragedy stuck, scientists and engineers have been working around the clock to find and help survivors, as well as to avert potential nuclear meltdowns.
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Filed under: Computer, e-News, Electrical, Environmental, Nuclear | 3 Comments »
Tags: Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Giving Back, Nuclear, Robotics
Posted on March 15th, 2011 by axb
March is National Women’s History Month, which means it’s a great time to celebrate the many contributions women have made in the fields of science and engineering.
This month, the Smithsonian Channel is running a special television and webcomics series called Women in Science, which chronicles the adventures and discoveries of some of today’s top female scientists.
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Filed under: e-News | Comments Off on New TV Series Celebrates Women in Science and Engineering
