Important Innovations

Lists of Top New Global Innovations - 8 Book Series by Journalist Edward Kane Free Borrowing on Kindle To be in the know about the latest, top global innovations, you might enjoy taking a look at the 8 book series written by my fellow journalist Edward Kane and co-authored by me.  We just enabled them for free borrowing on Kindle.  For more information, go to Important Innovations Collection: Top New Global Innovations : My Innovation Books on Kindle and Amazon Free Borrowing in Kindle Lending Library I wanted to make you aware that I've ...

Plogging - Swedish Way to Run &  Pick-UpTrash Global Craze - Run and Save Environment This is a great way to combine running and help the environment. Plogging combines jogging and picking up trash on your route that you find along the way. As runners, we do this but this gives it structure.  The idea comes from Sweden and it is becoming a global craze for people who care about the environment and love to work out in the outdoors and care about the environment. World Records Are Coming In The combo of running and picking up trash along the way was started by Swede Arik Ahlstrom.  He calls it a pick and jog.  But his program has achieved a lot more than that.  The innovator says 10,000 are doing it regularly in India and 4000 in one day in Mexico City. This is about running with purpose and disposing of plastics along the way.  This is a great exercise for joggers.   It helps you to jog,.  By picking up the trash, you bend and squat. That burns more calories. I'm going

MarsQuake - NASA First Source:  NASA's InSight Interplanetary News NASA's robot on Mars InSight and its instrumentation have measured and documented a seismic event on Mars - a ground tremor that they're calling a MarsQuake.  This is the first time that seismological activity has been detected on a planet other than Earth.  It's an interplanetary first and big news.  For a news blog, go to Important Innovations Collection: MarsQuake : NASA Documents Seismological Activity on Mars Source:  NASA InSight Interplanetary First NASA's robotic probe InSight has detect...

Fun Braille Learning Game Source:  LEGO Braille Bricks Humanitarian Innovation This is inspiring innovation.  The LEGO Braille Bricks Project.  Braille Bricks is a game, a play tool to help visually impaired and blind children learn braille, while having some fun, just playing a game. This is important because it's fun for kids and many visually impaired people are migrating to audiobooks, which don't include the full library of books that braille does for users.  As a journalist who donated many hours of narrating news and books for the blind, I think this is important news. LEGO The Braille Bricks include all studs used in Braille.  It's still compatible with standard LEGO systems.  Each brick has a printed character or letter to let sighted members of the family and friends know what's happening and play with the visually impaired child.  This new LEGO will be available to select institutions in  2020. Inspiration for This Innovation This i

NYU Researchers Invent New AI Test for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Source:  US Army New Test Based on Speech Patterns The new, artificial intelligence enabled test for PTSD has an accuracy rate of 89%.   Until now, physicians have diagnosed PTSD based on self-referrals and one-on-one conversations.  This new computer program analyses the patient's speech patterns for indications of the disorder such as unclear speech and a lifeless tone.  For more details on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: PTSD: New Detection System - Speech : AI Identifies PTSD Based on Snippets of Speec h Source:  US Army Medical Tech Breakthrough from NYU School of Medicine Researchers a...

FAA Gives 1st Approval for Drone Package Deliveries to Google Source:  Google Drone Google Drone Package Deliveries to Start in Virginia in a Few Months Package deliveries by drones in the United States has been approved for Google by the FAA.  Google is cleared to start drone delivery service in Virginia.  Operations are expected to get airborne in a few months.  Google calls it Project Wing.  The drones are expected to cut costs and time for package deliveries.   For more on this news development, go to Important Innovations Collection: Drone Deliveries to Your Door : Google Wins First FAA Approval to Deliver Packages by Drones Source:  Google Drone Starts in Virginia Google is now on its way to de...

Researchers from UK and Spain Identify Eco-friendly Solid for Cooling Source:  University of Cambridge Air Conditioners  Replaces Polluting Gases Scientists at the University of Cambridge UK and Universität Politecnica de Catalunya in Spain have come up with a breakthrough in refrigeration/cooling technology.  Plastic crystals of neopentylglycol (NPG) that when put under pressure is competitive with conventional coolants.  The conventional coolants in refrigerators and air-conditioners are toxic and when released into the air are pollutants. Our Appliances: A Global Energy and Environmental Issue Refrigerators and air-conditioners use 20% of the energy produced globally.  The vast majority of these appliances use hydrocarbons and hydrofluro-carbons in the cooling system that are toxic, flammable and when released into the air add to global warming. Materials Science To solve this cooling problem, materials scientists have sought an alternative solid refrigerant.  UK and S

EpiWear Tech on Your Wrist Source:  Rice University Epiwear Watch to Halt Severe Allergic Reactions Innovation from Rice University Engineers The Rice University Engineering team calls this emergency medicine at hand at all times in case of a severe allergic reaction.  It's an innovative, wearable epinephrine delivery device for your wrist that the developers say works much quicker than the traditional EpiPen, that's halts allergic reactions with its epinephrine shot. Small, Foldable Watch This is a small, foldable, watch-like device with a spring activated injector that will deliver a .3 millimeter dose of epinephrine into the body when needed.  It's designed as a less obtrusive and more conventional alternative to the traditional EpiPen. Function and Style The Rice team is streamlining this prototype design to make it easier for people to keep what is life-saving medicine close at hand.  This device was personally inspired by one of the researchers who has pe

New, Soft Robot that's Fast and Precise Source:  Harvard's SEAS Made Using Kirigami - Japanese Paper Craft Researchers at the Harvard John Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) have made a soft robot using Kirigami.  That's a Japanese paper craft that relies on cuts to change the material's properties.  As the robot stretches, the surface pops into a 3-dimensional surface.  It's able to grip the ground like a snake.  Their new soft robot is precise and fast. Harvard researchers call it Crawler. Potential for Robotic Smart Skins and Responsive Surfaces The robot's kirigami's shell pops up in a discontinuous manner.  The researchers say this kind of design control can be used to create smart skins and responsive surfaces with on-demand changes in texture and shape.  In essence, they control the pop-up and how the skin performs by the cuts and the curvature.  It's another in the rapidly accelerating advancements and innovations

First HD Movie of Molecular Activity Source:  DOE - Molecules Reacting to Light US Dept. of Energy High Speed Electron Camera Breakthrough The US Department of Energy/SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory has created the world's 1st HD movie of molecules reacting to exposure to light.  They used a powerful, high speed electron camera.  The scientists say this technology will deepen their understanding of the fundamental chemical reactions that are the foundations of life.  For a great news blog on this by journalist Ed Kane, go to Important Innovations Collection: 1st Molecular Movie in HD : High Speed Electron Cameras Source:  DOE US Department of Energy's Breakthrough For the first time, researchers at the US Depar…                                                 The findings were just reported in the journal Nature Chemistry  Nature Chemistry, 2019; DOI: 10.1038/s41557-019-0252-7

DARPA's Blackjack Satellite Program Source:  DARPA  - Artist concept of  Blackjack New Race to Space The US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency, DARPA, is moving forward on an important project called Blackjack to launch large networks of small, inexpensive satellites into Low Earth Orbit to strengthen US defensive capabilities. The small satellites are more difficult targets to hit for enemy forces. It's an ambitious program that is showing a lot of promise.  For a news blog on it, go to Important Innovations Collection: DARPA's Blackjack Satellite Program : US Pentagon Concept:  Large Networks of Small, Cheap Satellites Source:  Artist Concept of DARPA's Small Sat System Blackjack Up ...

One of Most Striking Vehicles at NY International Auto Show Source:  Kia HabaNiroAdd caption Butterfly Folding Doors The vehicle is called the HabaNiro.  It's an electric crossover concept created by Kia.  The South Korean automaker says the futuristic car is the automotive equivalent of a Swiss Army knife , versatile and for just about everyone. The Everyone, Everything Vehicle Kia says they've designed this for city dwellers, off-roaders, drivers concerned about the environment and driving enthusiasts. It can even serve as a self-driving vehicle.  They call it the "Everything Car Electric Vehicle" with the design, engineering and technology people want to move around in, in the near future. Compact SUV with Unusual Doors HabaNiro is a 4-seater, high riding hatchback, compact SUV.  What really stands out are the double, butterfly door openings.  Also, the fighter pilot-like steering wheel and the instrument panel that spans across the front dashboard.

VW's New Concept Dune Buggy VW's All Electric, Off-Road ID Buggy VW just unveiled its concept dune buggy at the New York International Auto Show.  It's all electric, all-terrain, with no doors, side windows and top.  It accelerates up to 99 mph.  For a great news blog with details, go to Important Innovations Collection: VW Concept Dune Buggy : Volkswagon ID Buggy Source:  VW Electric Vehicle in the Sand VW's ID Buggy concept is one of the most fun new vehicles on displa...