Posted on February 4th, 2011 by jxh
So far, 2011 has been full of winter storms and a whole lot of snow. And as a massive blizzard that just slammed the Midwest U.S. moves eastward, Japan might have a cute and innovative solution for scooping up all the snow.
Not only can shoveling be too strenuous for some people, such as the sick or elderly, but it can also leave massive piles of snow in roads or sidewalks.
Instead, winter storm victims could enlist the help of the self-guided robot Yuki-taro, which eats up snow and then excretes little snow-bricks.
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Filed under: Computer, e-News, Electrical, Mechanical | 3 Comments »
Tags: Civil, Computer, Electrical, Environmental, Green Technology, Mechanical, renewable energy, Robotics
Posted on February 1st, 2011 by axb
Every hour, the sun beams down more energy than the whole planet consumes in a year. Although solar cell technology has advanced considerably in recent years, many challenges related to reliably capturing and storing the sun’s energy still remain.
Sossina Haile, a professor of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering at CalTech, is developing a new approach to solar power. Using cerium oxide (or ceria), a metal most commonly found in self-cleaning ovens, Haile and her research team have created a prototype reactor that has the power to transform sunbeams into clean fuel.
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Filed under: Chemical, e-News, Environmental, Nuclear | 4 Comments »
Tags: Chemical, Energy, Environmental, Green Technology, Nuclear, renewable energy, Solar
Posted on January 10th, 2011 by axb
Want to know more about how green design works, from an initial idea to a finished product? Are you curious as to why modern bicycles look so different from those built 200 years ago?
If so, we invite you to check out the Sustainability Workshop video series from Autodesk, an eGFI sponsor. Using animated drawings and real-world examples, these films explain essential concepts for every budding engineer.
Watch the complete series after the jump.
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Filed under: e-News, Environmental, Industrial / Manufacturing | 2 Comments »
Tags: Environmental, Green Technology, Industrial / Manufacturing
Posted on December 1st, 2010 by jxh
The Philadelphia Eagles, currently sitting atop the NFC East, plan to transform their stadium into a “green battlefield” with a $30 million renewable wind and solar energy system.
Plans call for 80 sphere-shaped wind turbines, 2,500 solar panels, and a dual-fuel (biodiesel and natural gas) plant. The system, to be installed by the Florida-based firm Solar Blue, should be ready by September, 2011. When it is, Lincoln Financial Field, the Eagles’ home, will be the only stadium in the world to run on completely self-generated renewable energy.
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Filed under: Architectural, Civil, e-News, Environmental | 3 Comments »
Tags: Architectural, Civil, Environmental, Green Technology, Sports
Posted on November 5th, 2010 by axb
We’ve written about more than a few creative transportation ideas on this blog, but this one takes the cake: a huge, road-straddling vehicle that operates like a type of bus-subway hybrid.
Originally created by Chinese engineers and set to arrive in Beijing in 2011, this super bus will be powered by electricity combined with rooftop solar panels. It will travel at speeds of 25-50mph and sit about eight feet above other vehicles, allowing them to pass underneath the passenger compartment.
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Filed under: Civil, e-News, Transportation | 14 Comments »
Tags: Civil, Environmental, Green Technology, Green Transportation, renewable energy, Transportation
