Posted on June 1st, 2010 by jxh
Gesture-based computer interfaces are finally within reach. MIT researchers have designed an easy to use system that involves a standard webcam and a multicolored Lycra glove.
The glove is covered with 20 irregularly shaped patches with 10 different colors so that the computer can distinguish the colors from each other and from background objects.
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Filed under: Civil, Computer, e-News | 2 Comments »
Tags: Civil, Computer, Technology, Video Games
Posted on May 24th, 2010 by jxh
Tired of traffic jams and subway crowds? Take the zip-line to work this time. Based on the Kolelinia project that proposes wire-supported bicycle lanes in the sky, a new Kolelinia vision keeps the wires but drops the bicycles.
The project, called Kolelinio, aims to move people through streets by seating them in a device connected to an elevated steel wire, in a manner similar to a ski-lift.
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Filed under: Civil, e-News, Transportation | Comments Off on Breeze Through the City on a Zip-line
Tags: Civil, Transportation
Posted on May 24th, 2010 by axb
Rafael Smith explains his concept for the Uber Shelter (Purdue University)
There are currently over 36 million displaced persons all over the world. In the wake of recent natural disasters, it is more crucial than ever that adequate shelter be made available to help ease temporary and long-term homelessness.
Fortunately, over the past few years, several engineers have been working to make both low-income housing and temporary shelters more efficient and affordable.
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Filed under: Architectural, Civil, e-News, Environmental, Industrial / Manufacturing, Materials, Mechanical | Comments Off on Gimme Shelter: Advancing Affordable Housing
Tags: Architectural, Environmental, Giving Back, Industrial, Materials, Mechanical
Posted on April 14th, 2010 by axb
Tap water is indisputably a more environmentally-friendly drinking choice than bottled water. But now, rising levels of pharmaceuticals in the water supply are raising concerns about the safety of the tap.
This situation has prompted four Chemical Engineering students at Ryerson University in Toronto, Canada to design a wastewater treatment system that could remove 90 percent of pharmaceuticals and other potentially harmful compounds.
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Filed under: Chemical, Civil, e-News | 4 Comments »
Tags: Chemical, Civil
Posted on April 7th, 2010 by axb
By now you’ve heard of wind and solar as potential sources of clean energy, but how about looking beneath the surface? Earth’s fiery core reaches temperatures of up to 9,000° F, and much of that heat could be harnessed for fuel. According to a 2007 geothermal study conducted by the Energy Department, the New York Times reports, geothermal power may “produce as much as 60,000 times the nation’s annual energy usage.” It could also prove a more environmentally friendly solution than other energy sources.
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Filed under: Civil, e-News, Environmental, Mining | 2 Comments »
Tags: Civil, Energy, Environmental, Mining
