Important Innovations

Great Leap Forward with Satellite Orbit Success Source:  ISRO Launch Photo Space Milestone India's communications satellite GSAT-29 now is in a geosynchronous orbit.  It was just launched today by ISRO's heavy lift rocket GSLV.  It went into orbit 16 minutes after it took flight.  It's a milestone for India's mission and ambitions in space. Bringing Advanced Communications to Rural Areas The satellite carries Ka and Ku based high communications transponders and is targeted at meeting the communications needs of people in remote areas of India such as Kashmir, Jammu and the northeastern parts of the country.  The satellite has a mission life of ten years. On Target for Manned Missions Today's success has reinforced India's belief they're on track for an unmanned space mission orbit in 2020 and a manned space mission in December 2021.

U-Cal Research: Common Insecticides Risk Brain Development Source:  Stock Photo Pesticide Spraying Widely Used Organophosphates Cause Big Risk to Early Brain Development This breakthrough research on insecticides widely used on farms, in malls and schools is from the University of California Davis.  The scientists have overwhelming evidence that prenatal exposure to common insecticides known as organophosphates puts children at risk for neurodevelopmental disorders.  The scientists are calling for immediate government action to phase the chemicals out.  Their scientific review and demand for action was published in PLOS Medicine. Low Exposure to the Chemicals Leads to Lower IQ The study found "compelling evidence" that even low exposure in pregnant women to the organophosphate pesticides is associated with lower IQs and difficulties in learning, memory and attention in their children.  The scientists are implicating the entire class of organophosphate pes

New Driverless Car Tech Source:  Mercedes Self-Driving Car Concept Big Energy Efficiencies and Travel Time Savings Engineers at the University of Delaware, in collaboration with Boston University, have developed a new technology system for driverless cars that could make traffic lights and speeding tickets obsolete. The researchers used control theory to develop algorithms to control and minimize energy consumption in autonomous cars crossing city intersections with no traffic lights.  That's just the start. Energy Efficient Mobility Systems They used the software to simulate results.  The system enables the cars to conserve fuel and momentum while cutting travel time to their destinations.  The engineers are developing solutions that could enable the future of energy efficient mobility systems. Results and Potential The results have been published in the journal Automatica.  The team has created innovative tech to yield optimal acceleration and deceleration in spee

Stanford University's Rooftop Renewable Energy Device Source:  Stanford University Provides Electricity and Cooling from Sun and Space Scientists from Stanford University have created a first.  A single device that collects heat from the sun and coldness from outer space.  It simultaneously collects space and solar energy, generates electricity and coolness and functions with great efficiency.  Their research results have been published in the journal Joule. Double Layer Panel Their invention is a double layered rooftop panel.  The top layer is composed of standard semiconductor materials that go into solar cells.  The bottom layer is revolutionary and the combination of the 2 layers is being hailed as a potential gamechanger.  The bottom layer is composed of novel materials that collects the space energy and does the cooling. Dual Functions:  Electricity and Cooling The device combines radiative cooling with solar absorption technology.  On the roof the device would

International Research Solar Energy Push Source:  Uppsala University - Water Oxidation thru Photosystem II Detailing Photosystem II Photosystem II is a protein complex that splits water into hydrogen ions and oxygen during photosynthesis.  New images of the process, shown here, have been released by scientists at Uppsala University in Sweden.  A team of international scientists are taking part in this research. Goal: Cheap, Efficient Solar Fuel Power The new images are expected to help scientists to better understand what is a very complicated mechanism - photosystem II.  That detailed understanding could open the opportunity to develop solar fuel devices that are cheap and efficient.  Bottom-line:  photosystem II activates calcium and magnesium metal ions, which are cheap and plentiful, into a powerful water oxidation system.  By understanding the process, chemists potentially could do the same and open up solar fuel possibilities. Renewable Energy Economy Right now, 8

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Pittsburgh Steelers AR App Source:  Heinz Field - Pittsburgh Heinz Field Becoming an AR Experience The Pittsburgh Steelers have added an AR portion to their official app.  It enables fans inside Heinz Field to watch the game with embedded augmented reality.  The AR portion is a first of its kind and was created by Carnegie Mellon spinoff Yinzcam, a mobile sports technology startup. AR Being Enabled and Expanded The potential use of AR at live sporting events is awesome.  To start, the Steelers' AR app will allow fans to get a totally different experience of the game than those watching at home.  They can view videos, have touch access to view replays, visit one of the most popular parts of the stadium - the Terrible Towel Wall and a lot more.  The team says it's building a lot of functionality into the AR tech and rolling it out in the very near future. Y inzcam Yinzcam is an innovation company with a mission to bring fans closer to the game through technology.