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Fish schooling inspires new ideas for vertical-axis wind turbines

By Damir Beciri
One Comment17 May 2010

dabiri-vertical-wind-turbinesIn the Los Angeles basin, the challenge of finding suitable space for large wind farms has prevented further progress in the use of wind energy. However, researcher John Dabiri, associate professor of aeronautics and bioengineering at California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and head of Caltech’s Biological Propulsion Laboratory, is using the bioinspiration from fish schooling… »

Architecture| Tech»

Green architecture – Cliff House, Muskoka Lakes, Ontario

By Damir Beciri
One Comment16 May 2010

cliff-house-1Set on a rock formation overlooking a spectacular lake, the Cliff House integrates building elements with the beautiful natural assets of the site and terrain. Located at Muskoka Lakes, Ontario, the cottage offers private areas with calming views of the surrounding nature. Designed by Altius Architecture Inc, it is completely off-grid and it has various… »

Bionics| Tech»

Bat biosonar biomimicry for improved sonar technology

By Damir Beciri
6 Comments15 May 2010

bat-flyingComparable to some other animals on our planet, bats use other methods instead sight in order to navigate or hunt. They are able to “see” in the dark by sending out sound waves that bounce back to the bats’ ears from objects such as fruit on trees and flying insect prey. The echolocation or biosonar… »

Gadgets| Tech»

Sharp develops modular 3D camera system

By Damir Beciri
13 May 2010

sharp-modular-3d-camWe already wrote about a 3D camera from Fujifilm named the Real 3D W1, however, the folks from Sharp have added a new ingredient to the mix and claim they have achieved  an industry first in the process. The company has announced the development of a 3D camera unit compact enough to be used in… »

Bionics| Tech»

Moths inspire perfectly non-reflecting surfaces for displays

By Damir Beciri
10 May 2010

fraunhofer-iwm-anti-reflective-materialInspired by moths, the research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWM, Freiburg, developed a new nanocoating that ensures a perfectly non-reflecting view on displays and through eyeglasses. The necessary surface structure is applied to the polymeric parts during manufacture, obviating the need for a separate process step. The hybrid coating also… »

Architecture| Tech»

Green architecture – Salmon Creek Falls Environmental Center

By Damir Beciri
One Comment2 May 2010

salmon-creek-falls-environmental-center-1Environmental Center, part of the Harmony Union School District which will serve grades K-8, became the first public elementary school building in California that reached LEED Platinum certificate. The building design was done by Persinger Architects and Symbios Design – part of the global “green” design and architecture movement. The goal for the building is… »

Gadgets| Tech»

Minput provides low-cost and high-precision pointing for gadgets

By Damir Beciri
One Comment30 April 2010

minputBy installing a pair of optical sensors on the back of a mobile phone or mp3 player, the researchers at Carnegie Mellon University found that the entire device could have many of the same benefits as that of a computer mouse when the device was placed against a surface, a piece of clothing or the… »

Tech»

eyeDriver software enables car steering with your eyes

By Damir Beciri
One Comment29 April 2010

spirit-of-berlin-carGerman researchers have developed a new technology that lets drivers steer cars using only their eyes. The scientists Berlin’s Free University developed the software eyeDriver which is responsible for the steering of their car dubbed “Spirit of Berlin” just by the movement of the eyes. Raul Rojas, an artificial intelligence researcher at Berlin’s Free University,… »