Month: July 2015

If we told you there’s a way to build piezoelectric energy harvesters that can produce more than ten-times the power output of commercial devices vibrating at the same frequency, would you believe us? It’s true! The key is to integrate stacks of polycrystalline lead zirconate-titanate Pb(Zr,Ti)03 (PZT) ceramic in design concepts that amplify your input forces, resulting in higher efficiency. And we’ll show you two ways to do that.

from NASA Tech Briefs – Nasa Tech Briefs http://ift.tt/1RQSFAf
via IFTTT

According to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, about 2.3 percent of America’s power is generated by wind. But wind power is becoming wildly popular all over the world. What would happen if a company put up so many wind turbines that they actually changed the climate on Earth? That’s the subject of this week’s podcast.

Read more…

from Gizmodo http://ift.tt/1Mn4SZF
via IFTTT

Earlier this month, a 14-second video entitled “Flying Gun” was posted on YouTube. It shows a flying quadcopter
outfitted with a handgun firing four shots. Now, it’s become a Federal Aviation Administration investigation.

Read more…

from Gizmodo http://ift.tt/1Jv5p5T
via IFTTT

The new "Timeline" feature contains a convoluted way to name points on the map.

from Ars Technica http://ift.tt/1GzvtKN
via IFTTT

Sorry, Detroit, but there’s a new “Motor City” in Michigan.
On Monday, the University of Michigan announced the founding of Mcity, a 32-acre stretch of land on the Ann Arbor campus that no person will ever call home. Instead, driverless cars milling about Mcity’s urban and suburban environs will represent the “city’s” population. Mcity serves as the first urban environment specifically designed to test and perfect autonomous vehicle technologies before they are mass-marketed.
King of the

from Discover Magazine http://ift.tt/1DsMxSX
via IFTTT

Last week Chrysler quietly released a software update for its optional Uconnect in-car entertainment system. And while the official purpose was "to improve vehicle electronic security", Wired reports that the patch is really aimed at fixing a terrify…

from Engadget RSS Feed http://ift.tt/1eePMqg
via IFTTT

Learn how to create your own drawbot: a portable CNC plotter using two old CD drives, a servo, and a Raspberry Pi.

Read more on MAKE

The post Build a Drawbot from Two CD Drives and a Raspberry Pi appeared first on Make: DIY Projects, How-Tos, Electronics, Crafts and Ideas for Makers.

from Make: DIY Projects, How-Tos, Electronics, Crafts and Ideas for Makers http://ift.tt/1KgeIcK
via IFTTT