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You should really still read Ernest Hemingway’s Pulitzer Prize-winning novel about an aging fisherman’s battle with a massive marlin. But if you can’t be bothered, this animation serves as the most enjoyable CliffsNotes you’ll ever find for The Old Man and the Sea. More »
from Gizmodo
You’ve probably heard that the sun is strong enough to power our planet many times over, but without a practical method of harnessing that energy, there’s no way to take full advantage. An incredibly thin and light solar cellcould go a long way to accomplishing that on a smaller scale, however, making the latest device from researchers from the University of Austria and the University of Tokyo a fairly significant discovery. Scientists were able to create an ultra-thin solar cell that measures just 1.9 micrometers thick — roughly one-tenth the size of the next device. Not only is the sample slim — composed of electrodes mounted on plastic foil, rather than glass — it’s also incredibly flexible, able to be wrapped around a single strand of human hair (which, believe it or not, is nearly 20 times thicker). The scalable cell could replace batteries in lighting, display and medical applications, and may be ready to be put to use in as few as five years. There’s a bounty of physical measurement and efficiency data at the source link below, so grab those reading glasses and click on past the break.
from Engadget
US consumers will be making a multimillion dollar donation to an Australian government agency in the near future, whether they like it or not. The great majority won’t even know about it—the fee will be hidden within the cost of a huge array of tech products. After the resolution of a recent lawsuit, practically every wireless-enabled device sold in the US will now involve a payment to an Australian research organization called the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, or CSIRO.
In the culmination of a nearly decade-long patent campaign, CSIRO has now scored a $229 million settlement from a group of nine companies that make a variety of wireless devices and chips, including Broadcom, T-Mobile, AT&T, and Lenovo. The settlement was reached last week just before the companies were scheduled to face a jury in Tyler, Texas—a location with a growing reputation for patent lawsuits.
CSIRO (commonly pronounced “si-rohâ€) adds this lump sum to the $205 million it received in 2009, when a settlement with 14 companies was struck midway through another East Texas trial. Soon after that, CSIRO began boasting to the Australian press that WiFi was a homegrown invention. By suing over its patents, it anticipated an additional “lazy billion” out of tech products sold in the US. Ultimately, this didn’t quite happen—but CSIRO is about halfway there.
from Ars Technica
Superconductivity typically demands very low temperatures, requiring liquid helium or similar means to bring the temperature down to where electrical resistance is zero. Even the high-temperature superconductors have yet to come anywhere close to room temperature, topping out at approximately 110 degrees C above absolute zero (which is still 163 degrees below freezing). However, physicists have postulated that certain hydrogen-rich compounds may exhibit significantly higher transition temperatures.
A new simulation by Hui Wang et al. suggests that a calcium hydride compound (CaH6) could have a critical transition temperature as high as 235 K (-38° C). The catch: the material must be subjected to pressures of approximately 150 gigapascals (150 GPa, or approximately 1.5 million atmospheres), pressures more typical of geological processes. The key to the pressure-driven transformation is the formation of a clathrate, or cage-like structure in the crystal lattice. The predicted electronic structure may allow the coupling between vibrations of the atoms (phonons) and electrons, leading to superconductivity.
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from Ars Technica
Filed under: New York Auto Show, Classics, Hatchback, Electric
First announced last October, the reborn, all-electric Delorean has made a surprise appearance at the New York Auto Show this year. It’s a surprise because not even Delorean Motor Company president Stephen Wynne knew he was going to be here until a few weeks ago, when show organizers called with an invite.
With a prime spot near the EV ride along track – the DMCev is sadly not involved – Wynne said he’s been getting good attention, even though said track is in the basement. We asked Wynne what’s been going on with the car since last fall’s announcement and the short answer is that this is one EV concept that’s going into production.
The target date for fans to buy the DMCev is early 2013, but a lot has to happen between now and then. Right now, all the company has is the converted DMC-12 to show off the technology. To create this, the designers had to add 200 pounds of stuff, and the production version is going to be either the same weight as the gas version, or a few pounds less, in order to improve both performance and range. The car is powered by a 32-kWh lithium iron phosphate battery pack and has a 125 mile per hour top speed with a range of 100 miles. Published specs claim a 0-60 time of 4.9 seconds, but Wynne said the target is now under six seconds. Price for all this fun? $95,000.
DMC will assemble the car in Houston, TX with a lot of help from Louisiana’s Epic EV, the company working on the Torq and Amp vehicles (not the Amp conversions). These two companies are testing different motor/inverter combinations for the electric Delorean, and Wynne said they are looking for a “proven product” from a company that has at least “several hundred” units on the road. The current prototype also uses a DC motor, but the production will use AC for better range, performance and regenerative braking ability. The old-school dashboard is also due for an upgrade
Those are the details we could glean in New York. Can you believe we made it through this entire post without a Back To The Future reference? The DMCev can’t do it, though, with a license plate that reads “Gas? Where we’re going we don’t need gas” and a battery that carries the “Flux Power” nickname. For more, you can watch a video of Translogic going for a ride in the DMCev down below, where you’ll also find a related press release.
Continue reading Delorean Electric surprises in New York, will cost $95,000 in 2013
from Autoblog
Terrafugia’s Transition could finally be making its way to the production line. The “flying car” has journeyed far beyond the concept phase, achieving its compulsory nod from the DOTlast summer, and now reaching production prototype status. On March 23rd, the latest Transition flew past one more hurdle, completing its first airborne trial. The hybrid vehicle rolled down the runway at Plattsburgh International Airport in New York before ascending to 1400 feet — the entire flight lasted a mere eight minutes, and marks the first of six planned phases of flight testing during the aircraft’s voyage past experimental stage. There’s still no word on when the Light Sport Aircraft will be making its way to soon-to-be Transition owners, but those hankering for a preview can catch a glimpse of the craft at the New York Auto Show from April 6th through the 15th. You can also taxi past the break for a tail-level view of the test plane’s trek to takeoff.
Continue reading Terrafugia Transition production prototype completes first flight, set to land at NY Auto Show this Friday
from Engadget
