Posts

Showing posts from August, 2019

Underwater Internet of Things

Image
MIT's Underwater Sensor Network to Take the Ocean's Pulse Source:  MIT Powered Solely by Sound Waves To investigate the vast unexplored areas of the oceans, MIT engineers are building a submerged network of interconnected sensors that send data to the surface.  It's an underwater internet of things to monitor temperature changes from climate change, ocean pollution and marine life over long time periods.  The MIT team has invented a battery-free sensor, powered by sound waves. The device can monitor the ocean environment at great depths over long periods of time with no battery.  The submerged system uses the vibration of piezoelectric materials to generate power and send and receive data. Underwater Communications System This MIT invention appears to be a major breakthrough.  Up until now, the difficulty of deploying deep water sensors to study ocean conditions has been greatly limited by their battery life.  It's very difficult to change batteries at great

Important Innovations Collection: Exciting Discovery on Moon's Far Side

Image
China's Lunar Rover Makes Surprise Discovery Source:  China Lunar Exploration Project Mystery Substance on Far Side of the Moon China's historic exploration of the far side of the Moon has resulted in a remarkable discovery.  China's Yutu-2 lunar rover spotted an unusually colored, gel-like substance in a small crater on the lunar surface.  Chinese experts have not yet come up with an explanation of what it is.  For more details go to Important Innovations Collection: Exciting Discovery on Moon's Far Side : China's Chang'e 4 Lunar Rover Find Source:  China Lunar Exploration Project Unusual, Gel-Like Substance China's Chang&#3...

New Model Lamborghini To Debut at Frankfurt Auto Show

Image
Dark Image New Vehicle Tease on Lamborghini Instagram Channel  Source:  Lamborghini May Be Their First Hybrid Vehicle for the Roads Lamborghini has released a big dark teaser image of a vehicle it's going to unveil at the world largest auto show, the 2019 Frankfurt Auto Show, that opens on September 12.  Lamborghini posted the image on their official Instagram Channel with the tag "Just open your eyes to the future". Is It Lamborghini's First Hybrid? Automotive experts say it looks like a low-slung supercar with Y-shaped LED running lights.  There is speculation that it may be or may have taken styling and engineering details from the much acclaimed Terzo Millennio concept unveiled by Lamborghini as a design study in 2017. Source:  Terzo Millennio  MIT Joint Development Developed jointly with MIT, the concept is designed to be eco-friendly with in-wheel electric motors fed by supercapacitor energy storage technology.  This vehicl

UK Team Invent Color Changing Material

Image
"Artificial Chameleon Skin" Source:  University of Cambridge Big Advance in Nanotechnology to Mimic Nature From scientists at the University of Cambridge in the UK a new innovative material that changes color when exposed to heat or light. The team calls it "artificial chameleon skin" and says it has wide application from active camouflage to large-scale dynamic displays.  The skin is powered by nanomachines.  The scientists say their work represents a big advance in using nanoscale technology to do biomimicry or mimic nature. Dramatic Color Changes The scientific inspiration came from color changing animals like chameleons and in particular their color changing skin cells, chromatophores.  The team essentially created artificial chromatophores by using tiny particles of gold, coating it with a polymer shell and then squeezing it into tiny drops of water in oil.  When exposed to heat or light, the nanoparticles stick together and dramatically change color,

DARPA Seeking Urban Tunnels for R&D

Image
DARPA Tweet for Urban Underground Space For Research and Experimentation Source:  DARPA DARPA's Underground Challenge - US Defense Dept. Initiative This tweet sound like a search for a location for a science fiction movie.  But it's from DARPA, the US Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency, that is pursing its Subterranean Challenge.  That's a competition to develop new technologies to rapidly map, navigate, search and exploit complex underground environments during natural disasters, terrorism and big, underground accidents.  DARPA's targeted research locations include massive manmade tunnels for mass transit and underground structures like extensive parking lots with stores and offices under cities. Unusual and Intriguing Request To say the least, this is an unusual request from DARPA and the deadline is tomorrow August 30, 2019.  They are looking for company or university managed large tunnels and underground structures to host researc

Important Innovations Collection: SpaceX on Target for Mars

Image
Starhopper Spaceship Aces Test Launch Source:  SpaceX Big Victory for SpaceX Elon Musk's SpaceX is on a roll with victory after victory in the commercialization of space.  It's latest success happened yesterday with the successful launch of its spaceship Starhopper.  For more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: SpaceX on Target for Mars : Starhopper Rocket Prototype Passes Highest & Final Test Source:  Space X Next: On to Orbital Prototypes for 2021 Launch Another ...

Toyota and Suzuki Innovate Together

Image
Toyota & Suzuki Invest in Each Other to Develop Electric and Autonomous Technologies Source:  Toyota New Global Example of the Rules of the Road to Innovation Toyota and Suzuki are taking small equity stakes in each other.  The purpose, according to the Japanese automakers, is to develop new innovative technologies and come out on top in the rapidly changing global automotive industry. Deepening Japanese Alliance This announcement deepens the alliance between the two global automakers with Toyota taking a 4.9% stake, amounting to $908 million, in the smaller rival Suzuki, which owns Mazda and Suburu.  Suzuki is investing $453 million in Toyota for 0.2% of Toyota shares. All About Developing Expensive Electric and Autonomous Technologies Today's R&D innovation tie-up between Suzuki and Toyota is another leading example of the technology partnerships in the global automotive industry.  It's all about joining forces, with big competitors, to defray the costs

Important Innovations Collection: Honda's Catcher's Mitt Airbag

Image
Innovative, Advanced Airbag Technology Source:  Honda Honda Will Deploy Next Generation Airbags in 2020 Vehicles Honda calls its new invention the catcher's mitt airbag.  The advanced airbag technology provides a wide protective barrier across the car dashboard and catches and cradles the front passenger's head like a catcher's mitt.  For a news blog on this new technology, go to Important Innovations Collection: Honda's Catcher's Mitt Airbag : Next Generation Airbag that Catches & Cradles the Head Source:  Honda Airbag Innovative New Passenger Front Airbag Design Honda&...

New Ocean Plastic Cleanup Technology

Image
Parachute-Like Device Part of Barrier System That Captures Plastic Pollution Source:  Ocean Cleanup Pacific Garbage Patch Success The Ocean Cleanup is a foundation, headquartered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands, that develops advanced systems to rid the world's oceans of plastics.  They just reported the successful use of parachute-like devices as part of their Ocean Project System 001B in the Pacific's so-called Garbage Patch to aggressively capture ocean plastic pollution and it worked brilliantly. Parachute-Like Devices Attached to Barrier Worked Beautifully The Pacific Garbage Patch, loaded with plastic pollution that gets worse environmentally daily, is three times the size of France and twice the size of Texas.  Floating plastic is light, fast moving and difficult to contain on the ocean long enough for humans to recover it.  By attaching the parachute-like device to the organization's barrier, the system slowed down the fast moving plastic enough to make i

Boeing's Starliner Readies for Space

Image
Starliner Manned Flight to International Space Station Source:  Boeing Starliner Boeing and NASA Commercial Astronauts At the Johnson Space Center in Houston, a veteran team of astronauts are training for the trip of a lifetime.  They'll be launched into space onboard Boeing's new spacecraft Starliner to the International Space Station.  The Starliner is a next generation space capsule designed to take people to and from low Earth orbit. For Boeing, NASA is the anchor company for Starliner, beginning with missions to the ISS with NASA and NASA sponsored crews.  The space vehicle will eventually take tourists on space voyages. Launch Time The Starliner mission will launch in late 2019 or in early 2020.  The five person crew, two women and three men, are Boeing and NASA veteran astronauts.  This mission underscores the importance of the growing commercial business opportunities in space.  You might call it an intergalactic global business frontier that is just opening

Important Innovations Collection: WeChat for Drivers

Image
Tencent Launches WeChat System for Drivers Source:  Tencent WeChat Set to Deploy Late 2019 in China Tencent is launching a drivers' version of its very popular social app, WeChat, that has one billion active members globally.  The drivers' version of WeChat is voice operated, interactive and has a button on the steering wheel to make calls, send and receive messages.  The device is being offered first in China with a partnership with Chinese automaker China Changan Automobile.  For more news on the announcement, go to Important Innovations Collection: WeChat for Drivers : New Interactive Tech for Drivers Just Announced by Tencent Source:  Tencent Being Launched in China Tencent just announced a new ver...

Important Innovations Collection: Thin, Flexible Artificial Muscles

Image
Thin, Flexible Artificial Muscles Source:  KAIST New Invention from KAIST University, South Korea KAIST scientists have developed thin, flexible artificial muscles that can power the wings of a robotic butterfly, open the petals of a robotic flower brooch and have applications for active biomedical devices, soft robotics, wearable robotics and much more.  For a news blog, go to Important Innovations Collection: Thin, Flexible Artificial Muscles : New Innovation from KAIST of South Korea Source:  KAIST Many Potential Uses: Like Wearable Robotics, Active Biomedical Devices This i...

Russia's New Luxury Sedan - Aurus Senat

Image
"The Putin Limousine" Taking Orders Now Russia's first post-Soviet era luxury sedan just went on display and sale in Moscow this weekend with an official showroom. The car is part of the Aurus brand, used by President Vladimir Putin in his inauguration in 2018. Hence, the nickname the "Putin Limousine".   The Aurus Senat sedan is based priced at $274,000.  Aurus is taking orders for the vehicle. Targeted, Global Customer Base Aurus says that the targeted customer base is government officials and businesspeople in China, Europe, the Middle East and North Africa.  Russia has invested $189 million in the Aurus limousine project since 2013.  There are plans to open a showroom in China in 2020-2021. Electric Vehicles on the Horizon and a Lot More The vehicles are produced by a Russian research institute NAMI in partnership with Russian carmaker Sollers.  Luxury hybrid and electric models are targeted for 2024.  They are also developing a SUV, minivan, an e

Important Innovations Collection: Smart Robodog Learns Like a Dog

Image
Highly Advanced Robotics from FAU Source:  FAU's Astro Astro, One of the World's Smartest Robodogs Florida Atlantic University's Astro is a very smart robodog.  It's loaded with cameras, sensors, radar imaging, a directional microphone and four teraflops of processing power which enables up to 4 trillion computations per second.  Astro learns like your dog, through repetition, trial and error. It could be a big player in search and rescue, bomb detection, work as a service dog and much more.  For a great news blog on this new invention, go to Important Innovations Collection: Smart Robodog Learns Like a Dog : Astro May Be One of the World's Smartest Dogs Source:  Florida Atlantic University New Invention from Florida Atlantic University...

Russia's 1st Humanoid Robot in Space

Image
Fedor in Orbit Source:  Russian Space Agency Roscosmos - Fedor Spacebot Docking at ISS Aborted Today Russia's first humanoid robot Fedor or Skybot F850 is travelling in space aboard an unmanned spacecraft to the International Space Station.  The Russian Soyez spacecraft tried to dock with the ISS to deliver Fedor today but the docking was aborted.  Russian cosmonauts issued the order to abort the approach to the ISS because the Soyez wasn't on target to properly lock-on. Second Try on Tuesday The crewless, automated Soyez backed away safely and Russian flight controllers are determining next steps.  They believe the problem was a radio failure aboard the ISS not the Soyez.  The Director of the Russian space agency Roscosmos says they'll try again to dock on Tuesday morning. Fedor, Astronauts' Assistant Once on board the ISS, Fedor will start learning how to serve as an astronauts' assistant.  His actions are human-like and he'll perform light tasks

Important Innovations Collection: Samsung's Z-Fold Smartphone

Image
Multitasking, Foldable Smartphone Source:  Samsung Samsung Just Filed Patent The Z-Fold smartphone by Samsung is a three in one device:  smartphone, tablet and small computer.  It's a prototype and Samsung just filed a patent on it.  It folds out into a widescreen tablet that's designed for multitasking including gaming, watching videos and films.  For a detailed news blog on this new smart device, go to Important Innovations Collection: Samsung's Z-Fold Smartphone : 3 Function Multitasker Patent Filed Samsung has a new smartphone that can expand to the size of a widescreen tablet.  The South Korean ...

Fires Ravaging Amazon Rain Forest

Image
Brazil May Send Its Army In to Combat the Amazon Fires Source:  Amazon Burning Global Environmental Concern About the "Lungs of the World" It's mind boggling and clearly an international crisis.  The Amazon Rain Forest, which is the world's largest, is engulfed in raging fires.  In Brazil alone, there have been 74,000 fires in the Amazon this year.  The Amazon Rain Forest covers parts of nine countries, but Brazil is key.  Importantly, the Amazon produces 20% of the oxygen on Earth.  The situation is so severe that French President Emmanuel Macron is calling for it to be included on the agenda at the G-7 Meeting in Biarritz.  The President of Brazil Jair Bolsonaro, whose environmental policies are under attack, has just announced he may call in the Brazilian Army to fight the unprecedented fires in the Amazon, which is known as "the lungs of the world." Fires Sending Smoke 2,000 Miles Away The fires are so extensive that smoke extends 2000 miles a

Biodegradable Alternative to Plastic

Image
Naturbeads from the UK - Green Replacement for Plastics Source:  Naturbeads New Innovation to Replace Plastic Microbeads in Cosmetics These biodegradable microbeads invented by engineers at the University of Bath in the UK are an eco-friendly replacement to plastic microbeads found in cosmetics. Their invention is called Naturbeads and they've created a company around it that's receiving investment money from Innovate UK and Sky Ocean Ventures.  Naturbeads are made of cellulose which is a naturally occurring material.  Unlike plastics, it causes no environmental damage. Scalable Tech The engineering team creates their Naturbeads by pressing liquid cellulose through tiny holes to create drops and then detach them with vegetable oil.  There are many uses for this new invention including safer, greener cosmetics.  The bottom-lime:  Naturbeads are biodegradable, cellulose microparticles that replace plastic microbeads.  They are plastic alternative products that are prod

Important Innovations Collection: Supernova Found in Antarctic Snow

Image
Evidence of Supernova Explosion in Space Found on South Pole Source: stock image of Antarctica Stardust Discovery by Australian Scientists Researchers from Australian National University have found large amounts of a unique isotope, iron-60, in the snow of Antarctica.  They believe it is "stardust" from the explosion of a supernova in space.  The isotope is not native to the Earth.  They believe it could only have been delivered by a interstellar rock that crashed from space.  For more details on this remarkable discovery, go to Important Innovations Collection: Supernova Found in Antarctic Snow : Stardust Discovered Source:  Stock Image Antarctic Interstellar News Australian scientists have discovered large amounts of stardust ...

Amazon's Largest Campus Is in India

Image
India Innovation Hub for Key Services like Kindle and Amazon Home Source:  Amazon, Hyberabad facility that just opened Amazon Also Tests the Waters in Israel Amazon, Jeff Bezos' brainchild, has made him the richest man in the world.  And it continues to build his wealth through his entrepreneurial genius.  Amazon just opened its biggest global campus in Hyderabad, India to capitalize on the company's rapid market growth there.  India is one of Amazon's top growth markets.  It already has 62,000 full time employees there.  The new office complex can accommodate 15,000 but is expandable. Simultaneously, Amazon is test marketing Israel to further expand its international operations. India Tech Innovation Hub The new facility in India is huge, 1.8 million square feet of office space, and it's Amazon's first huge facility owned outside of the US.  It's an innovation hub for Amazon.  They intend to use it to build their services globally like Kindle and Amaz

Important Innovations Collection: Porsche Invests in Road Visibility Advanced System...

Image
Israeli Startup TriEye's Breakthrough Sensor Technology for Greater Driving Visibility Source:  TriEye Porsche Investing and Banking on It Israeli startup TriEye is aptly named.  It has developed what Porsche believes is sensor technology with great potential for the next generation of driver assistance systems and autonomous driving systems.  Porsche just invested in the company.  TriEye uses HD cameras to provide unprecedented visibility during bad driving conditions like fog, strong storms and night driving with limited light.  The system has been proven to work and is ready for mass production.  For more news on this innovation from Israel, go to Important Innovations Collection: Porsche Invests in Road Visibility Advanced System... : Israel's TriEye Unique Sensor Technology for Driving Visibility Source:  TriEye Clearly Seeing the Road in the Worst Driving Condi...

1st Wearable HD Camera for Dogs

Image
Real Time, Advanced Monitor for When Fido is Home Alone Source:  PetNow Seeing Your Dog's POV PetNow of Toronto, Canada has invented what they're calling the world's 1st, wearable, High Definition camera for dogs.  It shows you the world from your dog's perspective.  And, most importantly, it is a real time monitor, loaded with technology, that shows you exactly what your dog is doing when they're home alone.  The smart camera is WiFi enabled and sits in a harness around the dog's neck.  The system also has 2-way, live audio that allows you to communicate to your pet in real-time. Home Security This advanced dog security monitoring system can be detached from the dog's harness and function as a standard home security camera. For the dog POV, the video from the camera can be lived streamed to a paired device via the internet.  The device can store, record, share the video and capture still images.  As mentioned, there's also a 2-way talk system

New Electronic Tech to Ward-Off Sharks

Image
Virtual Shark Safety Net from Australia Source:  Shark Shield Technology of Australia Electronic Deterrence Jaws, beware.  New technology has just been unveiled that provides long range protection against sharks.  The system has been developed for boaters but has application for jetties and very small beaches.  The company that invented this new tech is Ocean Guardian of Australia. It's powered by their system Shark Shield Technology and the purpose is to protect swimmers from shark attacks by diverting the sharks with technology. BOAT01 Shark Deterrent The device is called the Ocean Guardian BOAT01 Long Range Shark Deterrent.  It's designed to increase swimmer safety from shark attacks while swimming off a boat or jetty.  The device deploys electronic deterrence from the back of a boat.  It emits a strong electrical impulse that causes the shark strong but temporary discomfort and causes them to move away from the area.  This is a virtual safety net from sha

Important Innovations Collection: Out of This World Exoplanet

Image
NASA's 1st Glimpse of Rocky, Earth-Sized Exoplanet Source:  NASA - Exoplanet Exoplanet Outside of the Solar System This is the first glimpse of the rocky, 1.3 times larger than Earth Exoplanet just spotted by a NASA space telescope.  It is literally out of this world, outside of our solar system at 49 light years away.  It's called LHS 3844b, has no atmosphere and the surface is most likely as barren as the Moon.  It is an extraordinary piece of astronomy and science.  For more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Out of This World Exoplanet : NASA's 1st View of  Rocky Exoplanet Outside of the Solar System Source:  NASA Artist Rendering Exoplanet LHS 3844b A NASA space ...

Ferrari's in the Sports Car Race

Image
CEO Expanding Lineup of Road Cars Source:  Ferrari The Future of Sports Cars Ferrari Chairman John Elkann said today in Pebble Beach, CA, at a classic car show, that the Italy-based luxury car company plans to expand its GT - grand touring - lineup of cars that are easier driving vehicles.  It also plans to launch a premier SUV, the Purosangue, to compete in the luxury SUV category.   The company, known for its flashy, high performance vehicles, is producing strong financial and innovation results, including a new luxury hybrid vehicle.  It has no desire to compete in sales volume results with rival Porsche.  Elkann is also Chairman of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.   Fiat is the majority owner of Ferrari. New SF90 Stradale and GT Models The company's new SF90 Stradale hybrid vehicle is expected to be a big contender against Tesla's luxury electric vehicle models.  The SF90 is the fastest Ferrari ever produced with 986 horsepower.  The new GT-type Ferrari could be unvei

LED Backpack for Safer Cycling

Image
Intelligent Wearable to Make Cyclists Safer on the Road Source:  Roadwarez Roadwarez Street Warrior Backpack This is new safety innovation for cyclists.  It's an intelligent, wearable backpack with a LED array that lights up and provides big, illuminated signals to the drivers, cyclists and people around you that you're turning or breaking. It's called the Roadwarez Street Warrior backpack.  The company says it's the world's first automated cycling signaling system with an LED cycling backpack and new app. New Connected Tech This system is designed to increase bikers' visibility and safety. Roadwarez says it's focused on the innovative integration of technology and apparel. Street Warrior is enabled by Bluetooth. It also has accident detection technology and signals an alert if you are hit, providing your chosen contacts your location.  The LED array can work manually or be pre-programmed by mapping your ride in the companion app. It also f

China's Self-Driving, Electric Scooter

Image
Segway-Ninebot New Scooter Self-Drives to Base for Recharge for Next Rider Source:  Segway-Ninebot's New Scooter in Beijing Boon for the Scooter-Sharing Market China's Segway-Ninebot, an electric scooter manufacturer, just unveiled a new piece of innovation.  A scooter that can drive itself back to its charging station with no human onboard. This could prove to be a boon for the growing scooter-sharing industry, which is booming in big city, heavy traffic areas globally.  Ride sharing companies like Uber and Lyft have expanded their business into the lucrative scooter-sharing market. Self-Returning Scooters Segway-Ninebot's new scooter is semi-autonomous, has three wheels, electric power and is able to drive itself back to its base charging station when someone's ride time has expired.  This self-return feature could save companies like Lyft and Uber a lot of time and money.  Up until now, the scooter ride sharing companies have generally dispatch

UK Developing Hypersonic Weapons Vehicle

Image
The Tempest at Mach 5 Plus Source: Raytheon hypersonic missile concept Source : UK Air Show Concept of Tempest Fighter Jet UK Joins Global Hypersonic Arms Race Britain just announced that it's developing a hypersonic missile, The Tempest, capable of reaching Moscow in 24 minutes. The distance between the UK and Moscow is 1500 miles.  The Tempest will travel at speeds in excess of Mach 5, which is 3,836 mph.  The Royal Air Force is leading the project and just announced partners in the development of the hypersonic propulsion system include Rolls-Royce, BAE Systems and Reaction Engines.  They've been given 10 million pounds to research, design and develop the high Mach advanced propulsion system on a very fast track. Britain vows to be a leader in hypersonic technology and wants hypersonic capabilities to defend itself. Highly Advanced Hypersonic Weapon The Tempest will be fitted with laser and hypersonic weapons.  And it will be able to fly unmanned.  The Temp

Important Innovations Collection: Enery Vault's Energy Storage Innovation

Image
Innovative Technological Solution to Storing Renewable Energy 24/7 Availability of Wind and Solar Energy Swiss energy storage company Energy Vault has received a $110 million investment from SoftBank's Vision Fund to enable it to take its unique storage technology global.  The biggest challenge facing the renewable energy industry is storage because of the intermittent and unpredictable nature of wind and solar power.  Energy Vault says its technology enables cheap and efficient storage of wind and solar power and the capacity to deliver it 24/7.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Enery Vault's Energy Storage Innovation : SoftBank's Vision Fund Investing Big in the Swiss Startup Source:  Solar Vault computer rendering Storing Solar and Wind Energy f...

Important Innovations Collection: Face of Scottish Druid Unveiled

Image
2000 Year Old Hilda the Druid Source:  University of Dundee - Hilda the Druid 3D Reconstruction of Her Face Just Unveiled The face of one of Scotland's oldest Druids, Hilda who lived 2000 years ago, has just been unveiled.  It's a 3D reconstruction just completed by a graduate student at the University of Dundee.  It's a case of 21st century smarts and technology bringing to life a look at humanity from the Iron Age in ancient Scotland.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Face of Scottish Druid Unveiled : 2000 Year Old Druid Woman from the Iron Age Source:  University of Dundee: Top Hilda (reconstruction) Bottom Karen Fleming (left) &am...

Planets Colliding in Ancient Space

Image
Jupiter Hit by Massive Planet in Early Years of Our Solar System Source:  Astrobiology Center Japan - Jupiter Collision US-Chinese Astronomers' Research on Ancient Interplanetary Collision An international team of scientists have just reported that an ancient planet ten times bigger than the Earth may have crashed hard into Jupiter in the early stages of the solar system.  That cataclysmic collision may be the cause of Jupiter's less dense and more extended core, proportions different than previously thought and just discovered.  The astronomers are working on and analyzing data from the Juno probe that's been circling Jupiter for three years.  It's providing significant new information about our galaxy's largest planet, including the new discovery of the less dense and more extended core of Jupiter. US-Chinese Astronomers Collaborating Astronomers from Rice University in Texas and Sun Yat-sen University in China have just released a new theory.  They thi

Important Innovations Collection: Microplastic Contamination in Arctic Ice

Image
High Amounts of Microplastics Found in Arctic Sea Ice Source:  Northwest Passage Project Global Plastic Pollution Even in the most remote corners of the Earth - the Canadian Arctic - very significant amounts of plastic contamination have just been discovered.  A team of US scientists spent 18 days drilling large quantities of Arctic ice in four separate locations and then analyzing it.  Their discovery of high amounts of microplastic contamination in the ice is disturbing and underscores the global extent of plastic pollution.  For a great news blog with more details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Microplastic Contamination in Arctic Ice : New Evidence of Global Plastic Pollution Source:  Northwest Passage Project Even in Remote Regions of the Canadian Arctic US s...

Important Innovations Collection: Smart Clothing Boosts Wearable Tech

Image
New, Smart Shirt Boosts Wearable Tech Source:  National University of Singapore Research Team Wireless Connectivity Increased 1000 Times on the Wearer This is new innovation from researchers at the National University of Singapore and it's a big invention.  They've invented a smart shirt that increases the connectivity of wireless devices on the wearer by 1000 times.  It provides stronger, faster and more energy efficient connections.  For more news details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Smart Clothing Boosts Wearable Tech : Wireless Connectivity Increased 1000 Times Source:  National University of Singapore Research team with the smart shirt (left) Nationa...

Russia Show-offs SST Nuclear Bombers

Image
Supersonic, Nuclear Capable Russian Bombers Source:  Russia's White Swan Parked in Far Eastern Russia Off Alaska This is global news of note concerning a face-off in nuclear arms technology.  In a current military test, Russia is demonstrating its ability to park advanced supersonic bombers capable of carrying nuclear arms to the doorstep of Alaska and the US.  Russia has moved two nuclear capable, TU-160 supersonic bombers to far eastern Russia that faces Alaska.  Russia's State News Agency says this shows that Russia is capable of putting nuclear arms to the doorstep of the US. The White Swan in Military Training The Tupolev TU-160 bomber is supersonic and is dubbed The White Swan in Russia.  It can carry 12 short range nuclear missiles and fly 7500 miles with no refueling.  The flight tests are part of tactical exercises by Russia that will end this week.  This is in the midst of arms control discussions with the US that are in difficulty and a Russian nuclear fue

Checking Blood Pressure with a Selfie

Image
Smartphone, New App, Quick Video Selfie of Face Measures Blood Pressure Source:  University of Toronto blood pressure measurement system Innovation from Canada and China Checking your blood pressure may soon be as easy as just taking a selfie on your smartphone.  Researchers at the University of Toronto in Canada, along with Chinese researchers, have developed a new app that's breakthrough.  All that's required is a quick video selfie of the face on the iPhone.  The device has been tested successfully on nearly 2000 Canadian and Chinese adults. 96% Accuracy Rate The app uses the smartphone's ability to detect red light reflected by hemoglobin under the skin's surface.  The technology is called transdermal optical imaging and was invented by Prof. Kang Lee of the University of Toronto, surprisingly for a contactless lie detector system.  He switched gears and invented this on the spot health care device. In the system, an algorithm measures the blood

Important Innovations Collection: Unprecedented Cosmic Event

Image
Black Hole Closest to Earth Displays Massive Flashing Bright Lights Source:  NASA Sagittarius A Astronomers Call the Phenomenon "Unprecedented" Astronomers using the powerful Keck II Telescope viewed an extraordinary cosmic light show.  The massive black hole that's closest to the Earth, Sagittarius A, put on an "unprecedented" display of bright, flashing lights.  Astronomers do not have an explanation for the cause.  For more news details, go to Important Innovations Collection: Unprecedented Cosmic Event : Flashing Bright Lights from Massive Black Hole in our Galaxy Source:  NASA Sagittarius A Sagittarius A:  Black Hole Light Show The ...

Soccer Smart Wearable for Your Stats

Image
Tracks Player Performance Source:  Playmakes Playmakes Innovation from UK This is a foot worn wearable that fits around a soccer player's boot.  It provides detailed performance data and insights to the soccer player and their coach.  The purpose is to help boost performance to the next level.  Playmakes takes smart soccer monitoring to a whole new level and was just unveiled by its UK headquartered inventors.  The company has operations in the UK, US, China and Israel. Monitors Play Action and Injury Rehabilitation to Keep Upping Your Game This tracking system goes beyond typical measurements and offers precise measurements on 30 different performance metrics including time on the ball, time to release, motion type, stride length and load monitoring.  Monitoring the lower limbs lets the player and coach check for symmetry and whether the player is favoring one foot or lifting one leg higher than the other in order to correct it.  It also can help in rehabilitation after