Magnetically lifted graphite moves by laser, may lead to light-based maglev vehicles (video)

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/28/magnetically-lifted-graphite-can-move-by-laser/

Magnetic levitation is central to the fastest trains we know today, but it's that dependence on electromagnets and rails that limits how and where it's used for transportation. Aoyama Gakuin University has a unique alternative: changing the material properties themselves. By floating graphite over a bed of circular magnets, taking advantage of its tendency to generate an opposing magnetic field, researchers can move the graphite just by blasting its edge with a laser. The heat skews the magnetic behavior of that area enough to unbalance the graphite, either in a specific direction or a spin. The research team believes it could lead to maglev transportation or even energy converting turbines that are steered solely by light, with no contact or outside guides: maglev vehicle pilots could have much more control over where they go. Getting to that point will require a much larger scale, but successful development could give technology a very literal lift.

Continue reading Magnetically lifted graphite moves by laser, may lead to light-based maglev vehicles (video)

Filed under: Transportation, Science, Alt

Comments

Via: Phys.org

Source: JACS

Read More...

Summary only...

How Much Do Americans Read? (And How Much of That is with eBooks?)

Source: http://gizmodo.com/5971608/how-much-do-americans-read-and-how-much-of-that-is-with-ebooks

New research from Pew Internet says that ebook readership is up (duh), and overall we own more tablets and ereaders. That's not all that surprising, really. Still, here's a look at how America reads.

According to data gathered from more than 2,000 participants in the Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project, the number of people who read ebooks increased to 23 percent of Americans 16 and older, from 16 percent last year. That's a big jump statistically, and coincides with the number of people who own a tablet or ereader going from 18 percent to 33 percent. And tablet owners actually passed ereader owners this year too, which makes sense given ereaders had a few-year head start, and this is the year inexpensive tablets actually got good with the Nexus 7 and Kindle Fire HD.

The study also said that 75 percent of Americans have read a book in the past year, which seems, weirdly, both surprisingly high and surprisingly low at the same time (the number was 78 percent for 2011). Here's how that breaks down by number of books:

7% of Americans ages 16 and older read one book in the previous 12 months
14% had read 2-3 books in that time block
12% had read 4-5 books in that time block
15% had read 6-10 books in that time block
13% had read 11-20 books in that time block
14% had read 21 or more books in that time block

Hey now! Literate Muricans! The one sad thing in all this is that printed books continue to fall. They went from being read by 72 percent of Americans to 67 percent this year. And unlike the drop from 78 percent to 75 for overall readership, Pew finds that statistically significant. So! Great year for ebooks, really great year for tablets, and one more depressing rung down for paper books. [Pew]

Read More...

Summary only...

Secom offers a private security drone, serves as our eyes when we're away

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/27/secom-offers-a-private-security-drone/

Modern security cameras are rather limited: if an incident doesn't happen within a pre-defined field of vision, a company won't know what's happening until it's too late. Secom is giving anxious offices a rare solution in what's supposedly the first airborne drone for private security. Its customized Ascending Technologies quadrotor can take to the air if there's a break-in and record what's happening, even in areas that would normally represent blind spots. The automaton can also track moving subjects with a laser sensor and knows enough to keep its distance. Japanese firms wanting Secom's robot sentry will have to wait until after April 2014, when they can rent one at about ¥5,000 ($58) per month; the investment could be worthwhile just to freak out a few would-be burglars.

Filed under: Robots

Comments

Via: Phys.org

Source: Secom (translated)

Read More...

Summary only...

Westinghouse 110-inch 4K TV to ship alongside 65, 55 and 50-inch models in Q1

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/27/westinghouse-4k-tvs-at-ces/

Westinghouse has yet to become the premium HDTV manufacturer it one day hopes to be, and if the past is any indication, flooding the market with low-cost sets won't drive you to the top. But the promise of high resolution might at least yield a modest bump. The company's 2013 lineup is set to be dominated by 4K models, each packing 3840 x 2160-pixel panels for an "amazing" and "affordable" experience. The company's flagship rings in at a massive 110 diagonal inches and will be available for custom order beginning sometime in Q1. 50, 55 and 65-inch versions will also ship within the same timeframe, offering the same resolution and a modest 120Hz native refresh rate. We're still waiting to hear back on pricing and a hint of where you might be able to pick one of these UHDTVs up beginning early next year, but if the press release after the break is any indication, we're about to be inundated with high-res, low-cost televisions at next month's CES.

Continue reading Westinghouse 110-inch 4K TV to ship alongside 65, 55 and 50-inch models in Q1

Filed under: Displays, Home Entertainment, HD

Comments

Read More...

Summary only...

ZTE Grand S should be just 6.9mm thick, wield a 13MP camera

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2012/12/27/zte-grand-s-should-be-just-6-9mm-inches-thick-wield-13mp-camera/

ZTE has been more than willing to spill the beans about the Grand S ahead of CES, and it's not stopping with the mention that the phone exists. The Chinese phone maker has confirmed that its 5-inch smartphone measures just 6.9mm (0.27in) thick -- that's a sight slimmer than the Droid DNA and Nubia Z5. There's also mention of a 13-megapixel camera that explains a slightly visible rear hump. While we don't yet have confirmation of the rumored quad-core Snapdragon S4 Pro and 2GB of RAM, ZTE has left clues that the flagship could undercut typical pricing with a ¥2,799 ($449) off-contract cost in China. We may only know the full details in Las Vegas, but there's every indication that the Grand S hardware could justify a boast or two.

Filed under: Cellphones, Mobile

Comments

Via: Engadget Chinese (translated)

Source: ZTE (Sina Weibo), MyDrivers (translated)

Read More...

Summary only...