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JB
 
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A new CO2 scrubbing filter inspired by bird lungs could be applied to both power plants and automobiles. The scrubber will be based on the tiny tubes inside the lungs of birds, called parabronchii. The tubes, with their large surface area, are very efficient at filtering oxygen from the air--a necessary adaptation since birds fly often fly at altitudes where there is very little oxygen. Using the lungs as a model, it will be possible to design filters made of different-sized...
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JB
 
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Air travel may soon be a bit less traumatic with the development of laser based system able to detect clear-air turbulence. Not only can clear-air turbulence occur when no clouds are visible, studies indicate that the phenomenon may become even more common due to climate change. To help decrease the dangers of a plane entering an area of clear-air turbulence, I suggest using a laser-based measuring device to detect it. The device will emit short-wave ultraviolet radiation in the...
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JB
 
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There is a way to create electricity from carbon dioxide while also preventing the gas from entering the atmosphere. The technique will involve a system of membrane and water. Tanks will be filled with water, with each one sandwiched between a pair of membranes--one that will allow the passage of positive ions and one that will allow negative ions to flow through. An electrode will be positioned beyond the membranes, and when the carbon dioxide is moved through the water it will...
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JB
 
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By building wind turbine towers from concrete instead of steel, the top height of a turbine column could be increased by 20 meters. To determine if concrete would be a viable replacement for steel, hydraulic equipment was used to test the load-bearing capabilities of three column-and-panel segments connected in different ways. All three versions were able to withstand 150,000 pounds of lateral load, with is 20 percent more than the maximum load of current turbine columns of the...
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JB
 
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The idea is to develop a way to turn ordinary paper into conductive graphite. This will open the door to a new generation of electronic components house in inexpensive, everyday objects. It is possible to change the cellulose of the paper into conductive graphite using an ordinary inkjet printer loaded with a cartridge of an iron nitrate catalyst. The designs will be printed on regular paper, which will then be heated to 1,472°F in an oxygen-free environment. This extreme heat will...
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JB
 
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Designed for the visually impaired, the portable Access Lens system will use vision-based tracking to enable people to access paper documents with gestures. The system will feature a camera that will scan the documents and software that can identify text and track gestures. A computerized grid will be laid over the document, which the user can move their finger over in order to hear the content read aloud or receive directional commands. The system will cross-check the text against...
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JB
 
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04/01/2013
Drones may become a kinder, more peaceful way for rescuing drowning victims. The robot will carry three life preservers and will be equipped with artificial intelligence, autopilot search and rescue and a wide range of sensors, including a heat-sensing camera to locate victims at night. The victim will be able to call out to the drone once they have been located, triggering it to respond by dropping a life preserver.
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JB
 
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A vibrating steering wheel designed to help a temporarily blinded driver navigate could help to reduce the amount of accidents caused by glare. The steering wheel will use GPS sensors and lane-monitoring cameras to map out the road ahead while it will monitor for potential glare situations. If the sensors notice the car is beginning to veer out of its late, the wheel will vibrate on the corresponding side to warn the driver of the drift. Once the driver has corrected the veer, the...
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JB
 
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01/22/2013
The newest in a flurry of integrated bike locks, this one may be the fastest and easiest to use. The lock is built into the kickstand and features a built-in combination lock. When the biker reaches their destination they simply push down on the device, which slips through the rear tire to function both as a kickstand and an obstacle to keep the bike from being ridden away. Although the lock does not prevent anyone from picking up the bike and carrying it away, it does help to...
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JB
 
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Conductive cables able to stretch up to eight times their original length could make electrical outlets more accessible--and let you share your headphones with your friend seated three rows back. The idea is to develop the wire by filling a thin tube made of an extremely elastic polymer with a liquid metal alloy. Made of gallium and indium, the alloy is a good conductor of electricity, and keeping the materials separate rather than embedding the metals directly into the elastic...