Posts in Future Tech
An LED that can go 80 years on a battery charge?
Michael Kanellos | Feb 28, 2008
CORK, Ireland--William Henry, an applications specialist at Ireland's Tyndall National
Institute, can't tell you exactly how long one of the miniature LEDs the organization has developed will emit light. But it's a long time.
The micro LED--which is significantly smaller than conventional light-emitting diodes--requires only a few billionths of an amp to operate. Thus, it can survive for quite a while on a limited power source. One of the researchers on the project had one running constantly for two-and-a-half years on his desk. Then someone damaged it while moving it around. One member of the group calculated that it could last 80 years (assuming no accidents) on the power stored in a coin-size battery.
"We can produce visible light from nanoamps," Henry said.
Miniature is the keyword in the FLAME project, which stands for "future lighting applications for miniature entities". The micro LED measures only 15 microns across, far smaller than the 300 microns of a conventional LED. (A micron is a millionth of a meter).
Smaller devices generally consume less power than larger ones. The device is also more efficient at extracting light from the power put into it than standard LEDs, which means that it also emits less heat. Although the light from LEDs tends to be cool, the back of diodes, which are chips, do get hot. Venture capitalists have been showering the LED industry with investments in the past few years because many believe the chips will replace conventional lights.
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Nokia unveils futuristic Morph concept device
Reuben Lee | Feb 26, 2008
We really have to hand it to Nokia for constantly coming up with these super-cool concept designs for mobile devices. Although these aren't likely to make it to stores anytime soon, they do nonetheless offer a sneak peek at what to expect in the years to come.
The latest of its futuristic devices come in the form of Morph, a joint project between the Nokia Research Center and the University of Cambridge. As its name suggests, Morph is a nanotechnology concept that shows how mobile devices in the future will be made of flexible materials which can be stretched and flexed to any shape the user desires. It is also used to demonstrate how nanotechnology can ultimately deliver "transparent electronics and self-cleaning surfaces".
According to the joint press release, the various technologies developed in the Morph project are expected to be integrated into handheld devices within seven years. The Morph concepts are currently showcased at the "Design and the Elestic Mind" exhibition at The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York.
The joint research partnership between Nokia and the University of Cambridge was first announced about a year ago.
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106mpg Air Car comes to US by 2010
Wayne Cunningham | Feb 22, 2008
The car carries a compressor, making it possible to fill its compressed air tank by plugging it into an electrical outlet. At low speeds, the engine is cranked solely by air from the tank. At high speeds, it uses gasoline to heat a chamber, giving the air pushing the pistons more pressure. In high speed mode, it also compresses air to put into the cylinders.
According to its initial, estimated specifications, the Air Car will go 848 miles with an 8 gallon tank of gas. The size of the compressed air tank isn't included in the specifications. Further, the car has a top speed of 96mph, with its powerplant putting out 75 horsepower. When traveling at low speeds, the car has zero emissions, while in high speed mode it has some emissions due to its use of gasoline.
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Concept mobile Internet search device way cool
Damian Koh | Feb 22, 2008
If this concept Internet search device by designer Mac Funamizu takes off, we'll probably see many people up in arms protesting about privacy invasion.
It's like having Wikipedia wherever you go, but way cooler and more advanced. The artist's impression is for the said portable device to have a touchscreen panel, built-in camera, scanner, Wi-Fi connectivity, Google Maps and Google Search capabilities, etc.
The screen will probably double as the camera viewfinder, so it's like looking through a piece of transparent glass. And when you point it at an object, the device will be able to show you more details about it--such as the name of an insect, a car model, or food on the table--on the screen. We suppose at this point of time it will use the onboard Wi-Fi to grab information off the Web.
A concept like this isn't new. We've written about it before, but Funamizu's rendition takes it up a few notches. While it's great to have information at our fingertips, it's not so fun if someone were to point the device at us.
Ya know, we prefer to remain anonymous.
Via Tuvie.com
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Atlas Kinetic phone forces you to move in order to work
Damian Koh | Feb 19, 2008
Remember the Bang & Olufsen Serene which looks like a modern art showpiece that deserves a place in the museum more than in our pockets? Well, designer Ricardo Baiao's Atlas Kinetic concept cell phone takes that bizarre design to a whole new level, while at the same time increases your affinity with the device. It's like one of those Seiko Kinetic watches that make use of oscillating weight to power a mainspring, except that this one provides basic phone features and allows you to make calls and send text messages. There's no danger of self-destructing Lithium cells, so perhaps Nokia may want to snap up one of these as part of its Eco Sensor concept. It just needs to do something to that wacky keypad layout.
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Via Yanko Design
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