Dr. Augustine Fou's Online Scrapbook

Friday, March 23, 2007

Micro-turbines output micro-electricity for Hong Kong's micro-apartments

Posted Mar 20th 2007 6:52PM by Paul Miller

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets, Household

It's not just the fitness club types in Hong Kong attempting to generate a bit of renewable energy, inventor Lucien Gambarota -- the very man responsible for converting all that cardio into voltage -- is showing off some micro-wind turbines for even more power bill relief. There's currently only a single wind turbine on a small outer island providing energy to Hong Kong, the rest of the city just doesn't get enough wind for traditional turbines to do any good. Not so with Gambarota's new micro-turbines, which can generate electricity with as little as 2 mph of wind, and keep turning at all times from the slightest of breezes. The little windmills are actually gearwheels, mounted in a array. They can be arranged in different shapes and sizes, from two to thousands of square meters. The energy is put into a battery, which then powers appliances in the building. Currently the micro-turbines go for about $25 for a set of 20 gearwheels, but that price should drop considerably once they begin to be mass produced. [Thanks, nvyseal]

Siemens' Ostar LED: It's On

We have such a hard-on for LEDs that it seems like fate when this announcement comes from a company named Siemens. They have developed Ostar, an LED bulb that despite its 1 square millimeter size can put out 1,000 lumens of angelic light. Siemens explains the significance:

A 60-watt light bulb emits 730 lm, while a 50-watt halogen lamp has an output of approximately 900 lm

So LEDs are bright enough to light our houses and last 10 times longer than even halogen technology. We're ready to upgrade.

If only we had a price or release date. – Mark Wilson

Ostar (old model) [via devicepedia]

Attorn BV intros HyperDrive4 solid state disk

Posted Mar 20th 2007 11:56PM by Darren Murph

Filed under: Storage

If you figured the barrage of SSD launches that we've endured over the past week was finally over, you'd be altogether incorrect, as Attorn BV is following in Super Talent, Adtron, and SanDisk's footsteps by readying a solid state disc of its very own. The HyperDrive4 doesn't seem to tout any unusual extras, as it boasts the same "no moving parts," DRAM-based, play-and-play functionality, and "super fast bootup" features as all the other guys. The drive does use registered ECC memory modules in order to provide "a higher level of data integrity," and also claims a sustained transfer rate of 125Mbps. Interestingly, the drive can purportedly be picked up in sizes as small as a single gigabyte, but we can't really imagine the majority of takers opting for such a diminutive option. Per usual, no word on pricing or availability at the moment, but it ought to hit shelves soon if it plans on stealing any marketshare from the early entrants. [Via Gearlog]

Raytheon claims world's first "polymorphic" computer

Posted Mar 22nd 2007 12:57AM by Evan Blass

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

In what sounds like a pretty big deal, defense contractor Raytheon has developed what it claims is the world's first polymorphic computer -- a machine that can adjust its architecture on the fly and thus be equally adept at "front-end signal processing or back-end control and data processing." Specifically, the MONARCH chips, as they're known (for Morphable Networked Micro-Architecture, apparently), contain six microprocessors each running at 64 gigaflops and delivering more than 60 gigabytes per second of memory bandwidth and more than 43 gigabytes per second of off-chip data bandwidth. What's more, Raytheon says that its beautiful butterfly is simultaneously one of the most powerful and power-efficient chips available, outperforming a quad core Xeon by a claimed factor of ten. But don't get too attached, as you won't be seeing these DARPA-funded chipsets on the market anytime soon; instead, they're destined for GPS devices, radar, video processing systems, space gear, and anything else in which the military needs small, low-power, and radiation tolerant components. [Via Slashdot]

University of Edinburgh crafts energy efficient FPGA supercomputer

Posted Mar 22nd 2007 3:56AM by Darren Murph Filed under: Desktops, Misc. Gadgets

Considering that ATI and NVIDIA don't seem to be making any substantial strides in reducing the amount of energy required to run their products, it's a tad surprising to hear of an entire supercomputer running a bit leaner than the competition. Hoping on the ever-growing green bandwagon, University of Edinburgh developers are at it again, this time crafting an uber-speedy machine that's reportedly "ten times more energy efficient and up to 300 times faster than its traditional equivalents." Based on field programmable gate arrays (FPGA), the chips are not only very difficult to program, but they can currently only be used "to perform very specific tasks." Of course, the creators are more interested in the extreme number crunching and power saving abilities than anything else, and while no commercial uses have been identified just yet, the machines could purportedly be used in fields such as "drug design, defense and seismology." [Via CNET]

thin-shaped light weight which uses LED back light

2007.3.20 　　The liquid crystal display product for note PC of the thin-shaped light weight which uses LED back light 　　About line-up

　　The toshiba Matsushita display technology corporation (president: Masaru Osamu Fujita), because thin shape, light weight, low electric power consumption is actualized for note PC as a liquid crystal display, LED (the light-emitting diode) 10.4 types, and 10.6 type liquid crystal displays which use back light were developed anew. Because of this, product line-up conversion was done at picture size of principal 7 types of 8.9 type ~13.3 types. 　This corporation in 2005 October in the one for beginning note PC 11.1 type WXGA types of LED back light adoption commercialized in the world, started expanding the product line-up of liquid crystal display of the LED back light which combines ever since this corporation individual low temperature polysilicon technology. 　LED back light, thin shape, light weight, high brightness, low is a merit of electric power consumption former CCFL (the cold cathode tube) in comparison with type. In addition, because it becomes with the mercury less, because it is kind in environment, drive voltage is low, it has possessed the merit which is superior in the design aspect and the safe aspect. Furthermore, vis-a-vis impact and the vibration it has possessed high durability. 　As for picture size of the latest line-up with 8.9~13.3 type, as for resolution it is XGA and WXGA and WXGA+. It is, the product of the environmental correspondence which such as the light weight conversion is superior on the specification aspect, thin-shaped conversion of PC and long haul conversion of battery drive as a one for note PC of the Mobile use which is done to carry. 　For PC of this corporation as a liquid crystal display product, it is the schedule where production ratio of LED back light type exceeds 50% on 07 latter halves. 　In addition, other than adoption of LED back light, use of the thin-shaped glass below 0.3mm, in addition reduction and optimum arrangement design of the component are done for lightening, in the product of 10.4XGA with 120g and 12.1XGA 135g is actualized. And, we actualize thickness 2.5mm level because of this with the liquid crystal display product. While and, light weight, assuring thin-shaped conversion, it actualizes the high brightness of 200~300cd/m2 regarding brightness. 　At this corporation, in order for us to be able to answer the needs of the customer precisely, continuation thin shape, the usability improvement of Mobile PC is supported positively by the fact that the product which actualizes lightweight/low electric power consumption consecutively is added to line-up. [The liquid crystal display product line-up for note PC of LED back light use]

Picture size	Picture prime	Mass (g)	Brightness (cd/m2)	Electric power consumption (W)
26cm (10.4 types)	1024×768/XGA	120	240	2.4
31cm (12.1 types)	1024×768/XGA	135	300	3.1
23cm (8.9 types)	1280×768/WXGA	130	200	2.9
27cm (10.6 types)	1280×768/WXGA	150	300	2.8
28cm (11.1 types)	1366×768/WXGA+	146	240	3.7
31cm (12.1 types)	1280×800/WXGA	183	300	3.5
34cm (13.3 types)	1280×800/WXGA	225	300	4.0

Information of press release statement (contents of quotation for finished goods/specification and service, ahead inquiring, it is), information as of announcement day such as URL. Because notice dying there are times when it is modified, please acknowledge beforehand. Ahead the up-to-date inquiring, we ask from the inquiry of the top page.

Alaska Department of Revenue vaporizes $38 billion account

Posted Mar 22nd 2007 5:21AM by Darren Murph Filed under: Desktops, Storage

The Last Frontier is no stranger to computer failure on a noteworthy scale, but the latest mishap far exceeds the severity of yet another e-voting failure. A quick-fingered technician at the Alaska Department of Revenue reformatted a hard drive while handling "routine maintenance work" that contained an account worth $38 billion -- yeah, with a B. To make matters exponentially worse, he / she also deleted the backup drive for reasons unbeknownst to mere men, and we can probably assume that at least a few individuals in the department suffered a near-heart attack when they found the backup tapes completely unreadable. The only remaining proof of the oil-funded account was in 300 boxes of paperwork, which had to be digitized yet again by staff members working incredibly long hours completing work that had just been done a few months earlier. Incredibly, no one was reportedly punished for the incident, and while the recovery efforts were actually finished in just six painstaking weeks, the damage inflicted by a few careless keystrokes totaled $220,700 in excess labor costs. Ouch. [Via Fark]

Tyan's 40 CPU Core Personal Supercomputer -- now shipping

Posted Mar 22nd 2007 9:43AM by Thomas Ricker Filed under: Desktops, Misc. Gadgets

Sure, you probably don't currently have a need for 256 gigaflops of processing power in your home. Rest assured, you will -- just as certain as the day when robots will care for our children and decorate our Christmas trees. So go 'head, raid the education fund and future proof your domicile by picking up a TYANPSC T-650 series computer from Tyan -- "PSC," as in Personal SuperComputer. Prices start at just $20,000 for a 40 CPU Core (10x quad-core Intel Xeons) system configurable with up to 60GB of RAM and a power draw of just 15A. And it's "portable" in the same way a refrigerator is portable: it has wheels. Who knows, maybe you can put those spare cycles to use by solving the traveling salesman problem. Better yet, join Engadget's Folding@Home team for some hardcore protein folding fun. [Via 64-bit-computers]

SilverBrook Designing World's Fastest Printer

SilverBrook may be a no-name in the world of tech (they've never released a single product), but all that can change if this baby comes to fruition—it's a super-fast "memjet" printer capable of shooting out two pages per second. Memjet refers to the technology behind the printer, which is a cousin of the inkjet. The difference is that this memjet printer uses a print head that spans the width of a standard-size page. The printer is expected to debut for $200. Smells like vaporware, but I hope it's not. – Louis Ramirez

Gallery: Nokia's Flagship N95 Launched Internationally

Here's a gallery in celebration of Nokia lauching the H.M.S. N95, the follow up to their N93, and the latest in their line of huge multimedia phones (Previously mentioned specs here). These are aircraft carrier class gadgets. I'd never be able to fit on in my skin tight lycra suit pockets. But I still want one oh so badly. Dual slider action? Yes, please.

Depending on how it works, I'd consider this instead of an iPhone...if it ever comes state-side.

Nokia N95

(Please, when you leave your Lam is a Fanboy posts below, make em original and entertaining.)–Brian Lam

Hammer Storage's 2TB Network Drives Are Big Like a Large Object

This Hammer (don't...) Storage myshare NAS seems to be one of the few home and small business units to offer up to 2TB of storage. The unit itself takes 2 hard disks to form anywhere between 320GB and 2TB of storage, with an extra USB expansion port in the back for printers or even more space. Best of all, the NAS has Gigabit Ethernet and RAID 0/1 support, so the performance will be (theoretically) pretty solid.

The 1TB version is on sale now for $499, and the 2TB will be shipping in August. We're always looking for more storage for all the crap we amass from being on the Internet 18 hours a day (we went on a Batman comic downloading spree last week). – Jason Chen

Product Page [Hammer via Electronista]

Touchscreen Smart Mirror: Widgets in the Mirror

A team of students at the University of Waterloo, lead by William Lam (no relation to our Brian Lam), have designed a touchscreen Smart Mirror. Widgets can be placed on the mirror and it can also play music, video and more. Check out the video above and see for yourself. –Travis Hudson

Installable Grid of Thumbnails - created by FlickrCash

Multi Touch User Interface

Jeff Han demonstrates—for the first time publicly—his intuitive, "interface-free," touch-driven computer screen, which can be manipulated ... all » intuitively with the fingertips, and responds to varying levels of pressure. Han is a research scientist for NYU's Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences. (Recorded February 2006 in Monterey, CA. Duration: 09:32) closeup of usage of multi touch interface

longer presentation at TED Conference

Human Computing - by Prof. Luis von Ahn

ABSTRACT Tasks like image recognition are trivial for humans, but continue to challenge even the most sophisticated computer programs. This talk introduces a paradigm for utilizing human processing power to solve problems that computers cannot yet solve. Traditional approaches to solving such problems focus on improving software. I advocate a novel approach: constructively channel human brainpower using computer games. For example, the ESP Game, described in this talk, is an enjoyable online game -- many people play over 40 hours a week -- and when people play, they help label images on the Web with descriptive keywords. These keywords can be used to significantly improve the accuracy of image search. People play the game not because they want to help, but because they enjoy it.

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