Product Inspiration

Piezoelectric materials generate a voltage when compressed, and expand when a voltage is applied to them. This unique effect holds lots of value for generating electricity from everyday motion such as walking and pushing buttons. Unfortunately, the power generated by this material is extremely small, and very few practical applications have been made which are powered by piezo-based generation.

This new material improves both the form and the electrical output of piezoelectric materials, putting them one step closer to lots of real world applications. Instead of the typical thin, fragile strip of crystals, this new material is flexible and robust, capable of performing in a wide variety of conditions. While it will probably not be the market busting breakthrough that piezo enthusiasts such as me are looking for, its a great step in the right direction, and keeps the flame of hope alive that the (practical) walking-powered human computer is not too far away.

http://blog.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/12/micro-fiber-com.html

This handheld device acts as x-ray vision, allowing you to see through walls and boxes and get a glimpse of what’s on the other side through its LCD screen. In yet another great example of biomimetics, the developers used lobster vision as the inspiration for this gadget, and use X-ray reflection to create an image.

There have been a few other interesting devices in the last few years which claim to give the same ’see through walls’ ability, such as this x ray scope which uses RF reflection and refraction for building the images. While the lobster vision device seems like it may have better image quality, the dangerous nature of x-rays will probably keep it out of our civilian hands indefinitely.

http://www.poc.com/emerging_products/lexid/default.asp via therawfeed

In the last few years of doing research for medical companies, I’ve been amazed how many medical electronic and wireless monitoring devices are coming out It seems almost daily that there’s some new monitor, expected to blow the doors off the industry with wireless insulin monitoring or remote EEG capabilities. The problem is that very few have more than one function, and many are bulky and require the users to not get the device wet and charge it frequently.

So, while this is a very crowded market, this particular device seems a bit stronger than much of its competition. It is small and unobtrusive (the size and shape of a band-aid), provides multiple sensing capabilities, and sends the data without requiring the patient to carry a purse-sized battery pack or plug into a phone line for 15 minutes.

http://www.physorg.com/news116599667.html

While oil is the crucial material for both keeping cars running and lubricating the many moving parts, the molecular structure of the compound doesn’t always play nice with soft rubbers and plastics. Its potent chemical nature can break down and dissolve many different materials, making a need for frequent repairs and gasket replacements.

Unlike water, oil has a very low surface tension, which is why it spreads out so smoothly and evenly on flat surfaces (hence, why its a great lubricant). This new material repels oil by cradling droplets in a fabric of tiny fibers which have very low surface energy. The new material and related discoveries could lead to all kinds of applications from new gaskets to cleaner mechanic clothing by resisting oil’s tendency to grab and spread all over surfaces and fabrics.

http://www.physorg.com/news116172451.html

Technorati : fabric, oil repellant

While we’re on the topic of energy absorbing materials, here’s a cool hat which saves your noggin from injuries during contact sports such as football and biking, or in my case, getting a drink of water in the middle of the night. The hat contains a semi-rigid foam which is flexible when not under high amounts of stress, but stiffens and absorbs lots of energy when it is hit by a strong impact.

Shear-thickening material like this that stiffens under impact has also been used to make better skiing pants and other sports gear. Perhaps, we will see football and hockey equipment in the future that is much smaller, letting professional sports players run faster without adding extra risk of injuries. For klutzes like me, it would be nice to have an entire wardrobe made of this stuff.

http://www.coolest-gadgets.com/20071202/shock-absorbant-woolly-hats/

Technorati : absorption, impact, rheology, shear thickening

Here’s a great new fabric that can withstand huge amounts of force without breaking. The linked article has a great explanation of how it works, so I’m not going to try to re-hash their discussion, but it suffices to say that the simple geometric design seems very reliable and relatively cheap to produce.

Over the last few decades, fabric-based structures such as tents and awnings have transitioned from temporary to permanent fixtures. With this new material and other, similar advancements in materials science to improve the strength, weight, etc., there will be even more fabric - based permanent structures in the years to come. While it may feel weird to know that your wall or car roof is made of fabric, at least you can be comforted by the fact that it can withstand the blast of a bomb.

http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/blast_proof-fabric-defies-belief/zetix-blas t+proof-fabric-resists-multiple-car-bombs-makes-our-heads-explode-3303 43.php

Technorati : bomb proof, fabric, textile

A new startup has announced that they are now selling a new, much cheaper solar panel. Their manufacturing method allows the panels to be printed onto sheets of aluminum, which is MUCH cheaper than the traditional methods. Cost estimates are around $2 a watt for a full system, which falls slightly under coal’s $2.1 a watt (which seems a bit suspect), and much less than solar’s traditional $4 per watt.

Printable electronics, solar panels, and other goods which conventionally require lots of assembly and effort during manufacturing will make a huge impact in the next 5 years. The methods have been under development for quite a few years, but we are finally seeing some practical applications. The good news is that manufacturers will continue to get better and better at printing new complex goods for the next 15 to 20 years, so ideally the prices we pay for electronics (and solar power) should continually drop. Maybe the big talk will prove true, and solar will actually compete as a major power source…

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/18/technology/18solar.html?_r=2&ref=tec hnology&oref=slogin&oref=slogin via gizmodo

Technorati : printable, solar

Here’s another great technology from the movies that’s been made into reality. It uses a focused microwave beam to remotely disable a speeding vehicle, allowing the police to stop a fugitive’s car with much less risk than the typical tire puncturing tools.

The beam of microwave radiation is aimed at places where the car’s electrical system is exposed to the outside environment, such as the headlights, antenna, and exposed nuts and bolts. The microwave energy then overloads the circuit, damaging the wires or central processor. It works from 10 to 50 feet away in just 50 nanoseconds, and is not harmful to people.

Future plans for the device are to shrink it from 200 to 50 pounds, and to increase the range up to 600 feet. While I can’t think of much practical use for this technology aside from a tool for both cops and robbers alike, maybe there are other places where we need the ability to remotely kill some electronic system. Remote bomb diffusing, perhaps?

With this gadget, doctors can remotely monitor various things about their patients remotely. Instead of the bulky machines that are currently used in hospitals, this product condenses ECG, temperature, repiration and physical activity monitoring into a small band-aid size device. It uses active radio frequency transmission to send the data to a base station wirelessly.

Honestly, while I think this is a cool new device, it seems that there is some new wireless medical monitoring gadget coming out every day. They range from highly impractical mini-purses that you have to carry around with you, to small unnoticeable pads such as this. Similarly, the data they collect range from insulin levels (a VERY hot area) to alcohol abuse.

At any rate, these new devices are here to stay, and should grow pretty steadily in use over the next 10 years. Let’s hope our doctor insurance company prescribes us these pads over the bagphone models!

Unlike conventional glow in the dark material, this new stuff doesn’t need any exposure to sunlight or artificial light to give off useable light for over 12 years. It uses microspheres which house some radioactive gas to produce the light. Luckily, the sphere construction prevents rupture, so there’s no worries about getting accidental exposure to unwanted radiation.

A while back, electroluminescent materials were the new ‘big thing’, and while they provided a cool lighting effect for a low price, they still need power to run. If the claims hold true for this material, we could have a very useful and widespread tool for emergency lighting and safety markings in a few years.

http://www.treehugger.com/files/2007/12/new_light_glows.php

Technorati : betavoltaics, glow in the dark