A new generation of contact lenses that project images in front of the eyes is a step closer after successful animal trials, say scientists. The technology could allow wearers to read floating texts and emails or augment their sight with computer-generated images, Terminator-syle.
The Autonomo is a fully autonomous vehicle concept designed by Charles Rattray. The design, inspired by biomimicry, sustainability, artificial intelligence and information technology, is created to address many of the growing transportation issues facing the world’s major cities today. This concept vehicle utilizes a drive-by-wire control system that replaces traditional mechanical components and harnesses developmental technology.
Rescue systems include all essential tools, equipment, machinery and anything that helps emergency personnel such as police, fire fighters, coast guards, military, etc. in emergency situations. These tools, that are included in the rescue system, are used as a part of safety measures in risky, emergency situations or for rescuing people who are in danger. No wonder that the best equipment of the latest technology are used for this purpose. But now that an effort to go-green is being made in every area and every invention, even rescue systems are being modeled in the same lines for future use. Here is a list of five such futuristic rescue systems that would help the environment gain its balance again:
For the last eight years, the L.A. Auto Show has sponsored a design competition that asks manufacturers and designers to create cars to wow twelve design studio executives. For this year’s design challenge, entrants were asked to create outlandish movie cars of the future, submitting a complete concept design along with a character and plot line. Check out all the pics in our gallery to see the first renderings of this year’s design competition entries, plus get the scoop on which automakers are already on track for a year’s worth of water cooler bragging.
Levitation isn’t just for Houdini anymore. A team of researchers at Tel-Aviv University has discovered a way to make objects float in mid-air using a process called quantum levitation, and they think the tech could even lead to floating alternatives to traditional gas powered vehicles. Their demonstration, which involves using a single sapphire wafer (yes sapphire as in Princess Kate’s ring) coated with a thin later of a material called yttrium barium copper oxide recently wowed the crowds at the recent Association of Science-Technoloy Centers (ASTC) Annual Conference. The liquid nitrogen used to freeze the disc even gives off a cool mist that makes the experiment look all the more exciting.
The UK has formally joined forces with a US laser lab in a bid to develop clean energy from nuclear fusion. Unlike fission plants, the process uses lasers to compress atomic nuclei until they join, releasing energy. The National Ignition Facility (Nif) in the US is drawing closer to producing a surplus of energy from the idea.
The UK company AWE and the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory have now joined with Nif to help make laser fusion a viable commercial energy source.
What kind of technologies will evolve in the 2030s, and even the 2040s, to transform our fuel, food, and materials choices, and lead us towards some of the fuel targets outlined for 2050 by the International Energy Agency? In looking that far down the line, we have some long term trends to guide us.
As far as meeting the ever growing energy need of the world is concerned, two distinct trends are clearly visible. First, there is a growing realization among policy makers, researchers and the general public that existing resources of energy are depleting faster than ever and that a permanent solution has not yet been found. Second, ideas for harnessing alternative sources of energy like water, wind, and sun are being implemented, even though on a small scale. As a part of the second trend, plans for harnessing solar energy in the vast spread deserts like the Sahara have been made in recent times, as you will see below.
Portuguese designer Alan Monteiro has illustrated his vision of green transportation: an aerodynamic carbon swallowing, wastewater recycling, oxygen releasing, unmanned shuttle bus concept called SKhy. While the actual build of this breathing bus may be a long way off, its ambitiously layered clean tech design is good fodder for green dreams.
SKhy’s ultra-lightweight aluminum chassis and aerodynamic design mean that the vehicle wouldn’t require much energy to reach and maintain a comfortable speed. Whatever power SKhy does need would be generated by wastewater-to-hydrogen technology and combusted in its highly energy efficient hydrogen fuel cell engine. Instead of carbon dioxide and particulate emissions, residual clean water “waste” would be expelled and subsequently re-purposed.
By the rate at which transportation is going green, soon cars powered by solar, wind or other forms of renewable energy will be a common thing on roads around the world. The biggest benefits of such vehicles would be that one would not have to visit the refueling stations and it would also cut down on the emission of greenhouse gases that the gas guzzling vehicles of today are well known for. Here is a list of 10 such concept vehicles which would be powered by self-generated energy.
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