Today's Interesting Engineering

[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Everything You Need to Know before Comparing Web Hosting Services

Nowadays, no business can get away without having a dedicated website. If a potential company wants your service, the first thing they will do is Google your name, and you need to be sure that your name will come up in the results.

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However, for the less tech savvy, finding a good web host can be tricky at best. Cloud Kompare will help you compare web hosting services and pick the one that’s best for your company. However, what do you even need from your web host? Look below for the most important questions you should ask when comparing potential hosts.

• Will they offer adequate support? While a good web host will do their best to keep your site up and running smoothly, there may be issues from time to time. Will they be available when you need them to address such an issue? Some hosts, like Hostinger, will offer support via phone and live chat, helpful if you need a quick answer.
• What kind of contracts do they offer? Most providers will offer a month to month rolling contract, which may be best for you, especially if you’re just starting out. However, watch out for hosts that want to lock you into fixed contracts. It may sound like a good idea at the time, but if you need to leave at any point they could be inflexible.
• Do they use advertising on your site? If you look into free hosting, check how they use advertising on your site. The Site Wizard explains that certain types of adverts can have either a positive or negative effect on your site. For example, many web users don’t like pop-up ads as they’re distracting and annoying, as are flashing banner ads or ads that play video or music.
• Can they back up your website? You won’t notice just how important back up of your web site is, until something goes wrong. It’s very easy to accidentally delete important information from it, potentially losing it forever. See if your host offers a backup service. If they do, it should be easy to contact them and have them reset your site to an earlier, saved form, with little fuss.
• Do they support blogging? Many companies now look to offer blogs on their websites, keeping their customers updated on what they do. If you want to use blogging, look into whether your host can support a blogging platform such as WordPress.
• What features do you need, and what can they offer? UKCentric points out that a website is rarely just a static page of information. You may want customers to look through photos, contact you directly, or buy products from your site. Check what your host can offer you. Useful features can include forms, shopping carts, and email capabilities.
• What’s included in their price? A host may offer a low start-up rate, but will quickly up the price if you need some essential features, such as email and blogging. Before you commit, make sure what exactly they are offering for the price you pay. You may find that it can’t quite offer you what you need.
• Do they use shared hosting? One way that web hosts pass on savings to you is by using shared hosting. What that means is that your website is hosted on a server along with many other websites. While this sounds okay in theory, in practice, if one site encounters problems, all the others on the service will encounter them too. This can be an issue if a customer can’t access your site due to someone else’s site issues, so think carefully about whether you want to use shared hosting.
• What happens if you go over your bandwidth? An important question is what will your host do if you go over your bandwidth limit? Many hosts will charge you a fee if that happens, so make sure you know what that is before you sign up. Also, some hosts offer ‘unlimited’ bandwidth but in reality, that isn’t really If your site attracts a lot of traffic, it could be shut down or you could be pressured into upgrading.
• Is the hosting flexible? You may find that you attract more visitors than you initially expected, and will need more features or increased bandwidth to cope with the demand. Check to see if your host can offer upgrades if needed.
• What’s in the fine print? Inc warn that however happy you initially are about your web hosting service, at some point you may well want to leave. Check carefully for what your host’s policy is regarding leaving. Some hosts may charge a fee, or make it difficult for you to transfer your domain name over. Hopefully though, that shouldn’t happen, and with these tips you’ll be able to find the perfect host for you.

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Gogo is going to offer 70Mbps in-flight internet

Surfing the Internet with speed and convenience over ten thousand meters high will soon be a reality. Gogo, which is a leading global aero-communications service provider that offers in-flight Internet, entertainment, connected aircraft services for airline operations and a host of other communications-related services to the commercial and business aviation markets, has just received the final Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) from the FAA to launch Gogo 2Ku. 2Ku is a cutting-edge technology satellite antenna which can provide 70Mbps internet to Gogo flights. The technology is currently already installed on Gogo’s 737-500 test plane and can now be used for in-flight testing.


Ku antennas on the aircraft pick up satellite signal and access points inside the aircraft distribute the WiFi signal.

As of now, seven commercial airlines have already signed up for the new technology which will be available in over 500 airplanes.​

“This is a significant milestone for Gogo and a seminal event for in-flight Internet,” said the company’s CTO, Anand Chari. “We believe this will be the best performing technology for the global commercial aviation market bar none. Clearing this regulatory hurdle brings us one step closer to enabling our airline partners and their passengers to enjoy the future of in-flight Internet.”

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The 2Ku technology that should be available this year should reach over 70 Mbps, which is 20 times greater than the internet currently offered by Air to Ground in the United States.

Via: Geek

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Maguss wand turns you into a wizard in the real world

Back in 1974, when Gygax’s TSR rolled out Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), there was a general perception that only nerds and geeks were playing. That assumption turned out to be about as wrong as wrong can be. A generation of very, very successful entrepreneurs cut their teeth on D&D, and went on to create a multi-billion dollar industry of computer and online gaming. Not only did they make (and are still making) huge money, but the candle they lit back then is burning brightly with creativity as well. New worlds, societies, galaxies – All filled with an amazingly rich palette of story lines, plots, and characters. Of course, all that fun springs from a single source – Our own imagination.
Next, consider the Society for Creative Anachronism, and you’re left with the distinct impression that we humans like to play; and above all, we like to play live, out and about, with our fellow human beings – That is the direction RPGs seem to be headed – it’s called Live Action Role Play, and frankly, it’s a good thing.

That concept, creating what the Danish company Maguss calls, “the most epic role-play gaming experiences ever,” has lead to a pretty darn cool Kickstarter campaign – the Maguss gaming system. A primary goal of the Maguss experience is to, “make our games as fun as possible while making sure we get players away from the computer and start active physical role-playing.” In other words, Maguss is interested in creating a great game that promotes good old, healthy exercise as well – That’s been a beloved human endeavor for thousands of years, and it certainly seems like a good time to make it a focus once again.


This inaugural Maguss game is wizard and wizardry based, and as such, you just gotta have a wand. With that tool in hand, players become the game characters, not merely the controllers thereof. The stage, the set, the arena is wherever you wish it to be – All the world’s a stage, and this one is yours. The wand, coupled with a receiver and the Maguss mobile app, makes up the system that allows interactive role play.


The wand, (made of plastic or wood, depending on what you can and wish to afford), contains a motion sensor and an infrared light emitting diode that, “allows the wand to recognize delicate motions and pass it to the receiver.” The receiver takes on the form of a coat of arms, which can also be customized, of course. The receiver interacts with the Maguss app on your smart phone, sends received signals to Maguss servers, where data is processed and results returned to the players. Activating Battle Mode on your smart phone allows a player to challenge or be challenged by another wizard, and the fight is on. Specific movements cast specific spells, and sound effects help the player to know the score as battle progresses; there are specific spells for attacking, defending, and supporting.

There’s an info-graphic on the Maguss Kickstarter page that explains things further, along with a lot more info about game play and future plans for expansion.

If this sounds like your kind of magic, by all means, check out the Kickstarter campaign and jump aboard; the company is about 25% along the way to their goal with 19 days to go. The range of suggested donations is extremely reasonable, starting at around US$5, with the genuine package yours for the asking at only US$57 – Don’t hesitate too long for that deal, though – There are only 13 spots left to snap up.

Check out Maguss on Facebook as well.

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Indestructible Nokia phone is finally beaten, find out how!

It is commonly known that the classic Nokia phone is an indestructible piece of technology. It is said that the only thing that can destroy a Nokia phone is another Nokia phone, they are that rigid. So in order to test their resilience one more time, someone decided to try putting a red hot Nickel ball on the phone.

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Just to give you some spoiler alert, this specific Nokia phone is rumored to have survived a plane crash, a diamond drill and a nuclear bomb explosion. But now, it is to face the terror that is the red hot Nickel ball.

Unfortunately, it happened that the phone couldn’t survive the heat of the nickel ball. And although it got completely fried, it is quite commendable that the inside of the phone remained completely undamaged. Quite impressive!

Have a look for yourself, enjoy!


Source: Sploid

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

World first bionic penis attached in Scotland

A man in Edinburgh, Scotland just got himself an eight-inch (20 centimeters) bionic penis and is the first bionic penis ever done in the world. The man, who goes by the name of Mohammed Abad, is 43 years old and has lost function in his genitals since he was six. It occurred during a car accident in his childhood. Mohammed got hit by a car and subsequently got dragged by it for up to 180 meters (600 feet).

It all changed three years ago as a team of doctors started working on a way to solve his problem. The doctors started taking skin grafts from his arm at the time in order to make a bionic penis for him. Finally, this year, it has been attached to his body after an 11-hour operation. It is eight inches long and whenever he needs an erection, there is a button in his scrotum that allows a fluid to pass through two tubes along the length of the penis, inflating it as a result. The fluid is stored in an implant in his stomach region.


The 11-hour bionic penis operation [Image Courtesy of IFL Science]


Mohammed explained it to The Sun. He said, “When you want a bit of action you press the ‘on’ button, When you are finished you press another button. It takes seconds. Doctors have told me to keep practicing.”

Another good thing about the bionic penis is that it also allows him to start his own family. During the time of the accident, Mohammed lost one testicle but fortunately for him, the other one is still intact.


Bionic penis mechanism [Image Courtesy of The Sun]


In a similar story, a man from South Africa got the world first penis transplant this March. This 21-year old man, who refuses to disclose his identity, also lost the function of his penis after a complication during his circumcision. Thanks to the success of the transplant, he is set to be a father very soon.

Source: IFL Science

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Smart Halo – Make any bike a smart bike

Biking is elemental. It’s the wheel, twenty first century style. In many parts of the world, the bicycle is still fundamental transportation. Here in the highly developed first world, bikes are holding their own, despite significant challenges. The biggest hurdle facing cyclists these days? The competition. Most humans in modern cities get around in POVs, Privately Owned Vehicles; add mass transportation, trucking, and the myriad of businesses that put even more vehicles on the road, and you’ve got the equivalent of a roman legionnaire facing a squad of Abrams tanks. The key to leveling out the playing field for the cyclists is technology – Good, smart, workable technology that does what a cyclist needs – Gets them safely from point A to point B. Enter SmartHalo, a deceptively simple device that makes any bike a smart bike.
SmartHalo’s Kickstarter campaign is in full swing – In fact it’s pulled it something over $83,000 U.S. of a pledged $50,000 U.S. goal – That should be a solid indicator that this design team is on to something. Perhaps the key statement explaining their success is this; “We believe that technology should not be something you have to worry about – it should just work. We’re urban cyclists who wanted to deal with the main problems of biking in cities: navigation and security. We found that the existing solutions right now were just not suited for harsh urban environments.” So they set out to fix that, and came up with SmartHalo. It is, as noted, “something that fits on any bicycle, is durable, tamper-proof and intuitive to use.”


While they have a great idea and a solid prototype, they’re not shy about admitting that the challenges ahead are significant. The company has funded the project with their own money for the past year, creating the fundamentals of needed hard and software. As for the road ahead, they explain, “hardware is hard and our project, ambitious – we need to get design, software, electronics, suppliers and financing right. Admittedly, this is no easy feat.” That’s a healthy and realistic view, one that should make backers comfortable – No pie in the sky claims, just an honest statement that the road to come is no easy stretch.


SmartHalo is an elegant design that converts any bike to a smart bike. A military-grade locking system permanently attaches the device to your handlebar. An intuitive navigation system guides you to the quickest and safest route to your destination. The SmartHalo system automatically tracks your progress, making the collection and dissemination of trip metrics simple. An integrated front light is a nice safety touch. And finally, SmartHalo includes an internal motion sensor acting as an integral anti-theft device – that function recognizes your smart phone, so it deactivates itself when you approach your ride. That smart phone, loaded with the SmartHalo app, allows the input of trip data, and retrieves metrics when you’re done. There’s no need to push a start or stop button – as soon as you start pedaling, SmartHalo kicks in. The designers note that, “It’s so simple anyone could use it. We don’t want our users browsing endless menus – we want them biking. We’ve spent countless hours testing this interface and success will be measured by how little time it takes to get you going.” That’s the sign of a smart product. In an industry where technology runs rampant, paring a tool down to simply useful is just good common sense.
There’s still time to jump aboard the SmartHalo bandwagon; as the team explains, “We’re working with suppliers and the entire supply chain will be confirmed by October. Also, the team will be moving to Asia to complete mass production. We are happy to announce that we will join Brinc.io, a hardware accelerator specializing in connected devices. They will ensure that the process of going from concept to a finished product goes smoothly. Mass production should start early 2016, to have a product shipped to our Kickstarter backers in May 2016.” A $99 U.S. Pledge gets you in on the ground floor. Head over to the campaign page and check it out.

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

A drone catches a man sunbathing on top of a wind turbine. How did he even get there?

Many of us know how frustrating it is when we are enjoying a time to ourselves on top of a 200 foot wind turbine, only to be disturbed by the buzzing sound of a drone flying by. This also just recently happened to a man in Rhode Island, who looks to be in his 50s or 60s.


Man relaxing on wind turbine as drone passes by [Image Courtesy of Deadline News]


The disturber, Kevin Miller, is a 49 year old drone pilot who is from San Diego, California, and was on holiday in Rhode Island. Miller was passing by when he saw that the maintenance door at the bottom of a 200 foot wind turbine was left open. Out of curiosity, he sent his drone up in order to figure out exactly what had happened.


Drone captures man sunbathing on wind turbine [Image Courtesy of Deadline News]


To Miller’s surprise, a man was on top of the wind turbine lying down and enjoying the heat of the sun as captured by his drone. The man, upon seeing the drone, remained as calm as a monk as he sat upright and waved at the drone. Miller recognized this gesture live from his screen and responded by moving the drone from left to right, a touching story.


The sunbather on a wind turbine waving at the drone [Image Courtesy of Deadline News]


Miller narrated what happened. He said, “My girlfriend and I were vacationing. I thought this was my chance to get up close to capture what is usually tough to access. So I decided to drive up to get a super close video while it was not in operation.

“When I reached the bottom, I noticed that the maintenance door was open and thought someone was up inside doing repairs.”

“The guy must have been napping because he did not notice the drone for 5-10 seconds, but once he heard it he sat up to take a look.”

“At that point I decided to take a closer look by moving closer to say “hi”. Once I got closer I moved the drone side to side to say hello and he motioned back to the drone. It was a cool interaction between us.”

“Upon landing he saw me bring the drone down and was leaning over the edge. I looked up and wave to him and he waved back. Very fun.”

http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/...26/1418450360_4445384575001_4445376036001.mp4

Source: DailyMail

The post A drone catches a man sunbathing on top of a wind turbine. How did he even get there? appeared first on Interesting Engineering.

 

[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Ever wanted a submarine of your own? This is for you

The submarine used to be something that was beyond the reach of the average civilian. Previously, only certain specialized set of people could use them such as the navy. However, that is no longer the case.


DeepFlight personal submarine [Image Courtesy of Inhabitat]

Nowadays, more and more forms of personal submarines have come in play. One example of a personal submarine is the DeepFlight Dragon. It is an all-electric submarine and being 16.4 feet long and 6.2 feet wide, it is perfect for 2 people to use for an underwater exploration. As a personal submarine, it has been designed to be launched and piloted very conveniently for the average person. It has an Onboard Dive Manager software that keeps track of the critical parts of the submarine for both safety and convenience. This makes it very easy for even the average person to enjoy their ride underwater.

Since the submarine is all-electric, it has zero emission making it an environmentally friendly invention. It can also hover in water which allows the pilots to both see and perhaps follow pods of sharks, dolphins and other aquatic animals. This is very convenient as it gives the pilots a lot of flexibility in underwater motion. In case the engine failure for whatever reason, the submarine is naturally buoyant and will immediately float to the surface of the water.


Back view of DeepFlight personal submarine [Image Courtesy of Inhabitat]

The battery life can last up to six hours thanks to the lithium battery back that comes with the submarine. And although the overall package seems very appealing to the average consumer, the price isn’t so affordable yet. Nonetheless, this is a very good opportunity for some companies to perhaps buy a couple of submarines and put them up for rentals. Afterall, who wouldn’t pay to use a submarine at least once right?

The following are some of the specs of the DeepFlight Dragon.

• Length: 5.0 m (16 ft 5 in)
• Width: 1.9 m (6 ft 3 in)
• Height: 1.1 m (3 ft 7 in)
• Weight: 1800 kg (4000 lbs)
• Operating Depth: 120 m (400 ft)
• Payload: 250 kg (550 lbs)

Source: Inhabitat

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

The science behind the fascinating Lexus hoverboard

Just this week, Lexus released a video showing how their new hoverboard technology works. The existence of the hoverboard has already been predicted in the movie Back to the Future II. Ever since, everyone has been heads over heels anticipating that someone would finally make it a reality.


Back to future hoverboard [Image Courtesy of The Glorio Blog]

The hoverboard is actually a skateboard that literally floats in air, so it has no wheels. Obviously, the nature of the hoverboard makes it tricky to be made. However, Lexus came up with a pretty smart idea on how to actually make this utopic fantasy a rality.


The Lexus hoverboard [Image Courtesy of Wired]

The principle behind the operation of the Lexus hoverboard is actually quite straightforward; magnets. Basically, a magnet has two poles, the North pole and the South pole. Like poles repel each other while unlike poles attract each other. Since any object – in this case a hoverboard – in air will fall to the ground due to the force of gravity, the repulsion between like poles in magnets will be used to oppose that gravitational force that pulls the hoverboard to the groud.

A magnet track was made for the Lexus hoverboard and that’s the only place where it actually levitates on. These magnets will aid in the suspension of the hoverboard by repelling the hoverboard with their magnetic force. In the case of the hoverboard, a superconductor was placed beneath it. The reason behind this is that ideally, an oscillating magnetic field would be required in order to suspend the hoverboard successfully. However, when a superconductor is used, the oscillating magnetic field would no longer be required.


[Image Courtesy of Spoid]

This is in accordance with the Meissner Effect which basically says that when a magnet is brought near a superconductor, the superconductor acquires the same magnetic properties as that of the magnet due to the current induced in the superconductor by that magnet. This way, since the superconductor will essentially be an exact replica of the magnet at that time, the magnetic repulsion explained earlier will prevent the Lexus hoverboard from touching the track and basically be suspended in air.

Here is a quick video visually demonstrating the science behind the fascinating Lexus hoverboard. Enjoy!


Source: Sploid

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Marine Energy – harnessing the power of the sea

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Oyster wave energy device developed by Aquamarine Power​

Alongside wind, marine energy is one of the renewable energy markets currently dominated by the UK with around 10MW of wave and tidal energy being tested in waters around the country. This is more marine energy power than is deployed in the rest of the world combined. At present, the two main centers of activity in the sector are Wavehub in Cornwall and the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney, Scotland. These are state-of-the-art research facilities that enable developers to test their devices under real sea conditions with planning consents and grid connections already in place.

Additionally, there is the Seagen tidal stream generator in Northern Ireland’s Strangford Lough, which has operating since 2008 and has generated over 9 gigawatt hours (GWh) of power as of March 2014. Another project, known as Meygen, is currently under development in the Pentland Firth, Scotland. This is the world’s first tidal stream array and the overall UK objective with regard to marine energy is to have ten such arrays reaching financial close across Europe by 2020, the bulk of which will be deployed in the UK.

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Verdant Power Free Flow Kinetic Hydropower System​

The UK’s first ever wave energy development company was WaveGen, founded by Allan Thompson and based in Inverness, Scotland. Voith Hydro bought the company in 2005 but closed it down in 2013. The company was notable for being the first ever wave energy business to connect a commercial scale device, known as LIMPET (Land Installed Marine Powered Energy Transformer) and located on the Scottish island of Ismay, to the national grid. LIMPET was a shoreline device that produced power from an oscillating column of water. It went into operation in November 2011 and is still generating electricity today.

WaveGen also intended to develop the SeWave project, located at Nípanin in the Faroe Islands, in collaboration with SEV, the Faroe Islands power company. It was also the developer of the Siadar Wave Energy Project in cooperation with Npower Renewables (now RWE Innogy), but this had to be cancelled in 2012 when Npower Renewables withdrew.

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Ocean Energy Ltd buoy (Pic: National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL))​

Aquamarine Power was founded in 2001 following research conducted by Professor Trevor Whittaker’s development team at Queen’s University in Belfast, Northern Ireland with regard to the potential of flap-type wave power devices to reduce energy costs. This resulted in the development of the Oyster wave energy device which in turn attracted the interest of Allan Thompson who funded further research and development work on Oyster. Thompson subsequently set up Aquamarine Power in order to bring the device to the commercial market. In 2007, the new company managed to secure an investment of £6.3 million from Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE), as well as further investment of £1.5 million from the Sigma Capital Group. This enabled it to advance Oyster from scale model testing to full-scale sea trials. The first full-scale prototype was completed in 2008 and installed at the European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) in Orkney in 2009. It was at EMEC that Oyster 1, as it was known, first began to produce power for the grid. ABB became a shareholder in 2010 and the company installed a next-generation device, Oyster 800, at EMEC in 2011. This device is still undergoing operational testing, but it has been demonstrated at EMEC for over three years during which it has survived some of the largest storms of the decade.

Oyster has a maximum generating power of 800 MW and is essentially a wave-powered pump with a width of 26 metres, deployed at a depth of around 13 meters and a distance of 500 meters from shore. It incorporates a hinged flap which moves according to the motion of nearshore waves. This in turn drives two hydraulic pistons that push high pressure water onshore via a subsea pipeline to drive a hydro-electric turbine. The idea is that at some point in the future several hundred wavepower devices will connect to a single onshore plant, thereby creating a wave farm which generates hundreds of megawatts of electricity. The Oyster is deployed nearshore in order to capture the maximum amount of wave generated energy while also being protected from the severe storms further out to sea.

A Wavehub plugin unit (Pic: South West RDA, Flickr)​

Wavehub is pretty much how it sounds. A hub that sits on the seabed with a number of sockets that wave energy devices can connect into. It is a testing and development facility located 16 kilometers off the northern coast of Cornwall, near Hayle. It allows for the connection of four different types of wave energy device at one time. A cable runs from Wavehub onto shore, connecting the devices with the national grid via substations incorporating 33kV and 11kV switchgear. The facility was funded by the UK government and the European Regional Development Fund and its aim is to accelerate and support the development of offshore renewable energy technology, drive research and innovation and support the deployment of marine energy devices at large scale, overcoming the challenges facing commercialization. Three companies have already signed up to have their devices connect in to Wavehub. These are Ocean Power Technologies Ltd, Fred Olsen Ltd and Ocean Prospect. A fourth, Carnegie Wave Power, will deploy its CETO 6 device in 2018.

Ocean Power Technologies (OPT) wave energy buoy being tested at EMEC​

The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) is based on Orkney in Scotland which is an ideal location for a test center because of the powerful wave regime, strong tidal currents, grid connection, sheltered harbors and an already present expertise in renewable, maritime and environmental matters. The facility was established in 2003 and has 14 grid-connected test berths as well as two scale test sites where smaller devices or those at an early development stage can obtain real sea experience. The center also provides consultancy and research services and is working with Marine Scotland to streamline the consenting process for the sector.​

Worldwide, the potential of wave power has been estimated to be over 2 terrawatts (TW) with the most promising locations being the waters off the western coasts of Europe, the north coast of the UK and the Pacific coastlines of North and South America, Southern Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. With regard to wave energy technology outside the UK, the main areas of interest are Australia where Ocean Power Technologies is active, Portugal and the US. Most of the really interesting projects are in Europe and the UK.

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

FYF high-tech sport socks protect your feet better than shoes

Swiss Barefoot Company is crowdfunding for their new sports footwear called Free Your Feet (FYF), which look more like sports socks, but they offer even better protection than a traditional shoe. Thanks to consumerism (and neglect to the environmental impact it causes), people who play sports usually have specific pairs of shoes for each activity they practice, most of which are used as little as once a month. The FYF claims to be the only “sports shoes” you will need for mountain climbing, surfing, soccer, running, diving or any other sport.

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How can shoes that look more like wool socks protect your feet? The secret lies in the fibers which FYF is made of. The fabric used is made with 46.5% of Dyneema, claimed to be the strongest fiber on earth, according to the company. Dyneema is an Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber which is not only 15 times stronger than steel, it’s also abrasion-resistant, hydrophobic, flexible, and incredibly lightweight. In fact, it’s so lightweight that it gives the wearer the feeling of being barefoot. Small dots on the sole of the shoe help improve the grip so the wearer doesn’t slip. The reason it resembles a toe sock is to provide the flexibility of being barefoot, so that when the wearer is climbing a rock or uneven terrain, the terrain texture can still be felt.

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The FYF has been doing extremely well in their Kickstarter campaign and already exceeded their US$10,000 goal, reaching US$250,00 with still 9 days to go. The FYF socks can be purchased for US$50 on their campaign (regular retail price is US$80) and shipping is expected for the end of 2015.

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Source: Kickstarter, Swiss Barefoot Company

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Is Ghostcubes the best interlocking wood cube design ever?

Ghostcubes is it’s name and it is absolutely fantastic. It is an interlocking wood cube design created by Swedish designer, Erik Aberg. There have been many interlocking wood cubes before but not like this one. The design of Ghostcubes is so unique that it looks like a work of art. The picture below should help give you a perspective of what it looks like.


Ghostcubes demonstration [Image Courtesy of Inspire Amaze]

Think of origami, the japanese art of folding paper into decorative shapes and figures, it is actually something similar to that. This time however, wooden cubes are used rather than paper. The nature of its design makes it possible to create an indefinite amount of shapes and structures. The design of Ghostcubes also allows it to twist, fold and turn in the most unique and fascinating way imaginable.


The Origami Yoda, this is. Admire this, you shall [Image Courtesy of Inhabitat]

The designer posted a video demonstrating how Ghostcubes worked. We were mind-blown at what we saw and couldn’t wait to share it with you. Is this possibly the best ever interlocking wood design there is?


Source: Sciencedump

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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

The Immortus solar car charges as you drive

One of the main challenges encountered by users of electric cars is the difficulty to charge the vehicles. First, it is not always easy to find a place to charge your car. Secondly, because even when you do find a charging spot, charging usually takes at least half an hour. For this reason, many initiatives have been showing up looking to overcome this difficulty. We have showed you the road that charges electric cars as you drive, and now a new type of vehicle could also be a great alternative thanks to its solar panel that recharges the batteries while you drive.

We are talking about The Immortus solar car, developed by the Australian company EVX Ventures. Besides its futuristic design and room for two people, the car has greater autonomy, and may be driven for a whole day without stopping to recharge. And all of that with only a small 10kWh battery.

But its not all wonders: in order to make the battery last all day, drivers will need to maintain an average speed of 60km/h. Driving at an average speed of 85km/h, the battery should last for about 550Km – which is also not bad at all. On days with no sunlight or during the night, it is estimated to travel a maximum distance of 400Km.

The vehicle is not for sale yet, but it is estimated that only 100 units will be offered at an average price of US$370,000.





Source and images: EVX Ventures



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[DaveM]

In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Duckweed Survival House is the future of emergency shelters

The Duckweed Survival House is a new design concept created by Zhou Ying and Niu Yuntao. This design was aimed at aiding survival and assistance during natural disasters involving a large body of water such as floods and tsunamis. During such emergencies, floating is vital to survival. However, as the level of water rises and drops unpredictably in a very short amount of time, it becomes very tricky to survive in such situations.


Duckweed survival house [Image Courtesy of Yanko Design]

And this is how the Duckweed Survival House comes in play. Even though the water level and the nature of the natural disaster is not so predictable in real time, the design of the Duckweed Survival House allows it to continuously float on the surface of the water at all times. The shelter is enclosed and is able to float on water naturally with occupants inside, just like a life raft. Not only that, there is a stem beneath it incorporated with a gas tank at its base. This allows for both stability in keeping the Duckweed Survival House upright at all times as well as filtration of seawater to provide freshwater in order to keep the occupants hydrated.


[Image Courtesy of Inhabitat]

The Duckweed Survival House converts the seawater into freshwater with a reverse osmosis film near the base of the stem. The water is suitable for drinking and is accessible from an inlet located on the floor of the shelter. Fresh air is supplied to the occupants from the top of the Duckweed Survival House via an air vent. In case of an emergency, the Duckweed Survival House can be inflated in seconds with its built-in high-pressure carbon dioxide gas chamber.


[Image Courtesy of Red Dot 21]

If more stability is required from the Duckweed Survival House, a number of them can be clustered together. This has a lot of benefits because not only will the overall stability of the shelters increase, but their visibility will also increase. This is especially useful during the night when the fluorescent markers on the surface of the shelters begin to glow. This design won the 2015 Red Dot Award, a hint that it might just be the future of emergency shelters and potentially save millions of lives.

Source: Yanko Design

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The world’s largest car transporter that carries over 8000 vehicles arrives in the UK

Hoegh Target is the world’s largest car transporter and it recently arrived in the UK during its maiden voyage from China. Its deck space has a stunning size of 10 football pitches which is equivalent to 71,400 square meters. With this deck space, it is able to carry up to 8500 vehicles on board thanks to its 14 decks. The car transporter boasts a length of 200 meters and width of 36 meters.


Hoegh Target car transporter [Image Courtesy of Adrian Don/SWSN.com]

Just to give you a good impression of the number of cars this car transporter can carry, if you were to line up all the 8500 cars, it would cover a distance of 26 miles! One other thing that makes it so incredible is its flexibility in the type of vehicles it can carry. While some car transporters are only capable of carrying regular sized cars, the Hoegh Target has very large doors and thanks to this, it is able to carry large vehicles such as trucks. The size of these vehicles can range up to 6.5 meters high and 12 meters wide. But wait, there is more! This car transporter also has an additional cargo space on its stern ramp which can hold up to 375 tonnes.


Comparing the size of the Hoegh Target car transporter with a football pitch [Image Courtesy of Adrian Don/SWSN.com]

Hoegh Target belongs to Hoegh Autoliners, a Norwegian company. It was officially launched this June but has since sailed from Xiamen to China and now Britain. Along the way, it has made stops at the ports in South Korea, Japan, Italy, Spain, Holland and Belgium. It will operate between the East Asia and Europe shipping line. At the end of its maiden voyage, it will head back to China while branching through Africa and Oceania.


The Hoegh Target car transporter can carry 8500 vehicles and boasts a deck size of 10 football picthes [Image Courtesy of Adrian Don/SWNS.com]

Within the next 18 months, Hoegh Autoliners will deliver a series of six Post Panamax ship vessels under their environmentally-friendly New Horizon design. The Hoegh Target car transporter is the fist of these six vessels so there are more to come.

http://video.dailymail.co.uk/video/...25/1418450360_4443527418001_4443492711001.mp4

Source: Daily Mail

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A replacement for large-scale hydro?

John Waldman and Karin Limburg have just written an article for Yale e360 arguing that large scale hydro has actually damaged the environment and is therefore not the clean energy technology it is often purported to be. For example, on the US East Coast, the authors point out, hydroelectric dams have damaged the ecological integrity of nearly every major river and decimated the runs of migratory fish. They go on to suggest that rivers can be liberated from concrete monstrosities while continuing to produce electricity and that this can be achieved through a variety of factors, including the retirement of many dams as they age, embracing large-scale renewable energy sources and increasing recognition of the failure of traditional engineering approaches to sustain migratory fish populations.

When the waters recede, upon the removal of a dam, the water will go back to being a river and thus occupy only a small part of the space occupied by the waters blocked by the dam. This in turn, Waldman and Limburg suggest, will free up land which could then be used for utility-scale solar and wind power projects. This in turn will maintain the ability of the site to generate renewable electricity while simultaneously resurrecting the fish runs.

Dam removal in the US can be achieved through the FERC relicensing process and through federal and state action. In circumstances where this process has been carried out, it has helped to increase biological diversity through the enhancement of spawning grounds or other habitats. In autumn 2014, excavation machines dredged the last chunks of concrete from the Elwha River in western Washington State where previously two hydroelectric projects had blocked the channel. This was the largest dam-removal project in history. It enabled fish to rediscover spawning habitats that hadn’t seen any fish spawning for at least 100 years, particularly the threatened bull trout and chinook salmon. This gives hope to those who want to see many of the other dams in the US removed (currently numbering as many as 80,000). So far, only 50 rivers have been undammed, most of them smaller hydro projects.


Undamming rivers also has a beneficial effect with regard to the tourist industry. If a river returns to its wild state, it can then be used by kayakers, rafters, hikers and anglers. However, the point Waldman and Limburg are making is that removal of a dam needn’t mean the end of renewable power production on that site.

Or in other words, with just a little bit of imagination, everybody wins, all round – including the power company and its customers.

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The City of Meriens – Rougerie’s Floating City

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Jacques Rougerie was born in 1945, in the closing days of World War II. That happened to be the same period in which the famous French Oceanographer, Jacques Yves Cousteau, co-developed the Aqualung and begun a lifelong pursuit of oceanic exploration and habitation. Cousteau became an indelible influence on the young Rougerie, who has gone on to become famous in his own right, as a leading marine architect. Rougerie refers to himself as a ‘mérien,’ a term he coined, meaning, ‘one belonging to the sea;’ that attachment has spoken through virtually all his major works.

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In 1957, Cousteau directed the Précontinent program, conducting pioneering research in to saturation diving and living underwater; Rougerie was profoundly influenced by that project. He began studying architecture at the French School of Fine Arts in the early ’60s, but the sea was calling, so in 1970 he transferred to the Oceanographic Institute of Paris. His four plus decades of professional work has been dedicated to ocean dwellings and vessels, informed by the principles of sustainable development, and an abiding passion for the fragility and importance of the sea to mankind. Rougerie has designed and built several underwater habitats, some of which he lives in.​

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In 2013, Rougerie unveiled SeaOrbiter, a floating, integrated community and research platform, designed to undertake a series of long-term studies, conducted while the huge vessel drifts upon ocean currents. The crowd funding campaign for SeaOrbiter was a resounding success, and construction began in early 2015.​

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Never one to rest on his laurels, Rougerie just announced plans for The City of Meriens, playing off his own Merien moniker. This project is a self-contained, self-sustaining city at sea, designed as a floating university of sorts, providing students, instructors, and researchers an ocean-borne platform for long-term studies of marine biodiversity. It is intended to accommodate up to 7,000 occupants, and will integrate labs, classrooms, living space, food production areas, and recreational facilities.http://interestingengineering.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/image2.jpg

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The City of Meriens will build, expand upon, and work in concert with the SeaOrbiter program. At some 900 meters in length, 500 meters in beam, 60 meters in height above sea level, and 120 meters below, the craft will be genuinely huge, well over twice as long as the largest ship currently in service on the world’s oceans and seas. For such a massive craft to actually be built and survive the rigors of ocean travel, form is critical. For that, Rougerie turned to nature; The City of Meriens is inspired by the family of sea Rays, those graceful creatures that seem to fly, rather than swim through the water. A central lagoon will provide docking spaces for vessels up to 90 meters in length, as well as future SeaOrbiters.​

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Rougerie’ design is sublime, and clearly illustrates themes important to him and his work, reflecting both the strength and fragility of the sea, as well as its epic beauty. The City of Meriens is both practical and lovely in its lines. Rougerie envisions the craft as self-supporting; as such, it will be powered through renewable marine-based energy production, and will conform to a strict zero-waste program. Integrated aquaculture facilities and hydroponic greenhouses will provide sustenance for crew and occupants.​

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It’s not unfair to say that if a project of this scope and grandeur were proposed by almost any other architect, it would provoke more raised eyebrows than excitement. Given Rougerie’s remarkably successful track record and the resounding success of the SeaOrbiter program, the latter sentiment is much in evidence with this announcement.​

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In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Alternative to Bluetooth uses your body to transmit data

A team of researchers and electrical engineers at the University of California, San Diego in the US has just announced the development of a wireless transmission system concept that is more efficient and safer than Bluetooth. It works by sending data signals using the human body’s natural magnetic field rather than through air, and could lead to a new era of ultra low power wearable devices.



While Bluetooth works efficiently when there is nothing blocking the way between the two devices, it requires a significant increase in power consumption to push the signal through obstacles like the human body, a phenomenon known as “path loss”. The UCSD system is not affected by this problem because it uses the actual human body as a transmission medium to send electromagnetic signals between the devices. In the prototype, PVC covered copper wires were rolled up in coils around the user’s body parts: head, arms and legs, generating magnetic fields that transmit signals between these three body regions.

The researchers noted that a limitation on their new system is that the magnetic fields require the wearable to have a circular geometry – like the coil shown – so as to propagate through the body. Therefore, devices like smartwatches, headbands and belts would work well with the technology.

“In the future, people are going to be wearing more electronics, such as smart watches, fitness trackers and health monitors. All of these devices will need to communicate information with each other. Currently, these devices transmit information using Bluetooth radios, which use a lot of power to communicate,” said Patrick Mercier, a professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at UC San Diego who led the study. “We’re trying to find new ways to communicate information around the human body that use much less power”

The method operates very much like an MRI, while requiring much less power. In fact, the research team estimates that the path loss associated with this technique is about 10 million times smaller than Bluetooth. This fact should translate into significant energy savings and increased battery life.

“A problem with wearable devices like smart watches is that they have short operating times because they are limited to using small batteries. With this magnetic field human body communication system, we hope to significantly reduce power consumption as well as how frequently users need to recharge their devices,” said Jiwoong Park, a Ph.D student in Mercier’s Energy-Efficient Microsystems Lab at the UC San Diego Jacobs School of Engineering and first author of the study.

Furthermore, this system offers more security than standard wireless networks. Bluetooth signals emanating from its source can theoretically be captured by anyone within a 9 meter perimeter. However, because the signal of this system travels through the body, an attacker would have to be very close, if not in direct physical contact, in order to be able to intercept it.

Source: UCSD

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In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

Dutch trains expected to run solely on wind energy in the next three years

Dutch trains are expected to run completely on green energy as soon as 2018. On May 15th, 2014, Vivens, an energy procurement joint venture including the Netherlands Railways (NS), Veolia, Arriva, Connexxion and rail-freight operators signed a contract with the power company Eneco. This contract, signed between 2015 and 2025, states that all Dutch trains will run on wind energy alone starting 2018. At the present time, only about 50% of them run on wind energy.


[Image Courtesy of railway-technology.com]


The account manager at Eneco, Michel Kerkhof, claims that this contract is set to revolutionize the way green energy is obtained and used not only in the railway sector, but also in other sectors as well.

SEE ALSO: Stanford engineers plan to convert US to 100% clean and renewable energy by 2050

“What makes this contract and partnership unique is that a whole sector decreases its CO2 footprint enormously and sets an example for other sectors to follow,”Kerkhof said. “Mobility is responsible for 20% of CO2 emissions in the Netherlands, and if we want to keep travelling, it is important that we do this without burdening the environment with CO2 and particulate matter. This contract offers all Dutch citizens the option to make a climate neutral trip, regardless of distance.”

The Dutch rail network carries up to 1.2 million passengers per day and consumes 1.4 terawatt hours (TWh) of electricity per year. The ProRail track is 2900km long and is powered by a 1.5kV DC power supply. The aim is that by 2018, all the energy required by the railway sector would be provided by Eneco. This energy is to be 100% green in the form of wind energy and will be generated from wind farms all across the country and overseas. Due to the massive amount of energy required, only half the amount can be generated within the Netherlands. The other half would come from wind farms located in Belgium and Scandinavia.

The world is currently headed towards green energy to provide a safer environment for our generation and upcoming generations to live in. Over the years, very interesting designs that utilize the natural energy, such as the Barsha irrigation pump, have been made. And it will only get better.

Source: railway-technology.com

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In today's Interesting Engineering we have the following

A train that circles around the earth! Coming soon?

Revolution in travel has always been a curious topic to all of us. Well this time it’s about an infinite model of a toy train! As to begin with, HO or H0 is the most popular scale model railway in the world. This continuous spiral of tracks was designed by a model train enthusiast James Risner who seems to have developed an endless bidirectional model of the trains. A hypnotic spiral of motion is created as the trains travel on forward at a surprisingly quick speed. If you observe closely, you will notice the differences between angular and linear velocity! All cars go the same speed ALONG the track, but inner cars go faster around the apparent circle which generates the so called hypnotic spiral. Another important observation you would make from the video is that that not a single car makes a full circuit. It gets quite close once or twice but then they would stop and send it in the opposite direction.


A birds eye view of another similar hypnotic loop. Courtesy- MentalFloss


What this means in terms of revolutionizing travel is (if you could imagine) a flying train which circles around the earth, falls down because of the gravity and rises up due to its momentum. No more long tired long flights and no more expensive gas burners. Well before that would you consider building a replica of the same at your home? Your kids are gonna love this cool toy!

Via: Thisiscolossal

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