"AlGORITHMS: Google Realtime Up and Running at Secret URL"

Type in any query you have about current events and Google Realtime gives you a ticker tape view of news reports, blogs, tweets, wall posts and more. Try it out NOW at this secret URL: http://bit.ly/5xAgJk



Google Realtime aggregates the realtime posts of bloggers, tweeters and wall posters with deals that merge Internet, Twitter, Facebook and MySpace posts. All you do is type in the name of the topic that is most important in your mind and up pops a realtime feed with everybody in the world contributing. By clicking the link below you can see what the ordinary Google search page is going to become once realtime search is up and running there. The difference with this demo is that the whole page is realtime, whereas Google only plans on adding a scrolling realtime panel to its current search-results page.
Google Realtime: http://bit.ly/4PxLOT

"ENERGY: Plug Pulled on Six Myths About Hybrid Electric Vehicles"

The Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory dispels myths about plug-in hybrids' availability, fuel economy, pricing and batteries. Look for plug-in hybrid vehicles in the U.S. within two years. R.C.J.


Weaning the United States off foreign oil motivated the Department of Energy's Argonne National Laboratory to research the remaining engineering hurtles to the commercialization of plug-in hybrid vehicles. As a result of that research, Argonne's Center for Transportation Research recently pulled the plug on six myths about hybrid electric vehicles.
Full Text: http://tinyurl.com/yc8xn6g

"WIRELESS: iPhone in Concert as a Musical Instrument"

The world's first concert performed completely on an orchestra of iPhones will debut by the "Building a Mobile Phone Ensemble." Look for the free concert to be open to the public on Dec. 9th. R.C.J.


The "Building a Mobile Phone Ensemble" is based on a new course at the University of Michigan about electronics and musical instruments. The students who have designed and built their own iPhone apps, play the instruments together in an orchestra. The touch-screen, microphone, GPS, compass, wireless sensor and accelerometer have all been transformed into musical performance inputs that allow musicians to make different sounds by using their fingers on the touchscreen, voice in the mic, or gestures such as tilt or shake.
Podcast: http://www.ns.umich.edu/podcast/video.php?id=1181

"MEMS: Qualcomm's Mirasol MEMS Display Reflects Iridescent Colors"

The iridescent colors on butterfly wings are mimicked by this Qualcomm low-power reflective display technology that requires no backlight. Mirasol displays should begin appearing in consumer electronics devices by Christmas 2010. R.C.J.


Iridescence in nature is caused by a physical phenomenon whereby submicron cavities reflect ambient light off a surface spaced at the wavelength of the color of light being accentuated. Cavities tuned to, say, blue will interfere positively with incoming light of only that wavelength, reinforcing the reflected light—called constructive interference—thereby making the colors bright and shimmering as, for example, on a butterfly wing. Micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) enable Qualcomm MEMS Technologies (San Diego) to mimic a butterfly wing with a micron-sized optical cavity housing an interferometer modulator (IMod)...
Free Full Text: http://www.smartertechnology.com/c/a/Technology-For-Change/Qualcomms-Mirasol-MEMS-Display-Reflects-Iridescent-Colors/

"SPACE: Observatory detects first water in distant galaxy"

The Herschel Space Observatory, launched earlier this year by the European Space Agency, has the largest mirror ever launched into space. Look for many discoveries about the origin of the universe over the next four years. R.C.J.


Water vapor has been detected for the first time in a distant galaxy by the new Herschel Space Observatory, launched earlier this year by the European Space Agency. The far-infrared spectral lines detected the unmistakable pattern of water in a galaxy called Arp 220.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222000394

"ENERGY: Piezioelectric scheme seeks to reap the wind while driving"

Piezoelectric wind harvesters mounted on vehicles could generate electricity to charge batteries or power on-board electronics while simultaneously decreasing drag caused by vibrations, according to these researchers. Look for piezoelectric energy harvesters in many applications in the coming years. R.C.J.


Piezoelectric modules developed by City College of New York professor Yiannis Andreopoulos alone would generate only milliwatts today. But since current output is proportional to velocity, the wind harvesters could potentially generate thousands of watts of power if mounted on vehicles or even airplanes.
Text: http://www.eetimes.com/showArticle.jhtml?articleID=222000136

"ENERGY: MIT Harvests Heat with Quantum Dots to Double Battery Lifetimes"

Instead of designing electronic devices to wastefully dissipate their excess heat, a new quantum-dot based thermo-electric effect aims to harvest that heat to generate enough electricity to double battery lifetimes. Look for thermophotovoltaic devices to hit the market as early as next year. R.C.J.


Instead of designing electronic devices to wastefully dissipate their excess heat, a new quantum-dot based thermo-electric effect aims to harvest that heat to generate enough electricity to double battery lifetimes.
Every electronic device wastes energy dissipating heat that it could be using to extend battery life, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). By combining micro-gap thermal effects with nanoscale quantum dots, MIT researchers recently demonstrated thermophotovoltaic materials that recover lost heat by generating electricity with it.
Text: http://www.smartertechnology.com/c/a/Technology-For-Change/MIT-Harvests-Heat-with-Quantum-Dots-to-Double-Battery-Lifetimes/

"AlGORITHMS: Gordon Bell Awards the Most Innovative, Fastest and Lowest-Cost Supercomputers"

Computer pioneer Gordon Bell sponsored four awards made recently for the fastest, cheapest and most cleverly programmed supercomputers. Look for recipients to be touting their wins throughout the 2009-2010 season. R.C.J.


IBM and D.E. Shaw Research were among the winners for their cognitive computing and molecular dynamics work, respectively, in the annual Gordon Bell Prize awards for 2009. Awarsd were made by the Association for Computing Machinery at the recent Supercomputer 2009 conference for the most innovative, highest performance and most performance per dollar in a supercomputer.
Text: http://www.smartertechnology.com/c/a/Technology-For-Change/Gordon-Bell-Awards-the-Most-Innovative-Fastest-and-LowestCost-Supercomputers/