Technology Archives - Page 3 of 7

Supercapacitors from Hemp Fiber Could Be Half the Cost

August 25, 2014

by Derek Markham

Hemp. Is there anything it can’t do? Hemp may not be able to save the world on its own, as some proponents claim, but it certainly can yield affordable and planet-friendly solutions for everything from building to clothing to food to paper products, and recent research suggests that it could also provide a low-cost material for high-tech energy storage. The future of energy storage, at least for mobile devices and electric vehicles, lies in the development of supercapacitors, which have…

Could This Little Gadget Clean Up Our Car & Truck Engines?

August 8, 2014

by Derek Markham

Aside from purchasing a new vehicle with cleaner emissions and higher efficiency, how can one reduce the amount of harmful tailpipe emissions? If this crowdfunding campaign succeeds, you may be able to add this little machine to an existing car or truck engine, which is claimed to reduce particulate matter emissions, increase combustion efficiency, and produce breathable oxygen, without reducing the performance of the vehicle. The LeefH2 takes aim at the emissions of the dirty internal combustion engine, especially diesels,…

EveryDrop App Puts Power of Water Conservation In the Palm of Your Hand

August 4, 2014

by Derek Markham

If you’ve been paying attention to the news at all over the last year, you’re aware that the drought conditions, especially in states like California, are putting lots of pressure on local water systems. The answers to reducing that pressure, and to coming to terms with a drier future, are many, but one of them, a citizen platform for reporting water waste, could be an effective method of addressing the issue of wastage and raising awareness. A free app, EveryDrop,…

Cervical Cancer Screening Devices Made From Smartphones: MobileOCT

July 8, 2014

by Derek Markham

For a relatively small amount of money, the average smartphone, just like the one in your pocket, can be converted into an advanced cervical cancer screening tool that has the potential to save many lives, especially in places where access to medical care is extremely limited. The key to successfully treating many types of cancers, including cervical cancer, is early detection, and for a lot of women in the developed world, with access to doctors and clinics and regular checkups,…

Independence LED Lighting Launches $10 Million “Energy Independence Day” Program

July 2, 2014

by Derek Markham

Instead of buying fireworks and red, white, and blue party favors, one American LED lighting company is honoring the 4th of July by celebrating a different kind of independence. The Energy Independence Day program, from Independence LED Lighting, could be worth up to $10,000 in savings for each business that participates. The energy and cost savings that businesses can achieve by switching over to LED lighting can be quite significant (over 50% in many cases), but because LED lighting technology…

Infinite Light Concept Combines Solar Power with Plastic Water Bottles

June 30, 2014

by Derek Markham

It’s hard to believe that in this day and age, there are still large areas of the Earth without access to electricity, and many people living without even the most basic technology, such as a way to light up living and working areas. One solution, the solar bottle bulb, is designed to bring daylight into buildings by repurposing plastic water bottles, without the need for any power supply, but this next design, which also uses plastic water bottles, takes a…

Fair Trade 3D Printing Filament Is Made from Waste Plastic

June 19, 2014

by Derek Markham

In a forward-thinking move by a social enterprise in India, a waste picker cooperative is engaged to collect and recycle waste plastic, which then gets converted into an “ethically produced fair trade” 3D printing filament. Protoprint, based in Pune, India, aims to empower urban waste pickers with its 3D printing operation, which essentially provides them with a sustainable income, and in essence, turns these pickers into microentrepreneurs. While 3D printing is often hailed as the holy grail of prototyping and…

Real-Time Air Quality Sensor Network Launched in Boston

June 16, 2014

by Derek Markham

A network of real-time air quality sensors, capable of taking readings every 20 seconds, is now online in Boston, MA, giving citizens up-to-the-minute data on the air they breathe. The Elm network consists of a series of connected sensors capable of measuring seven different air quality indicators, including particulates, nitrogen dioxide, nitrous oxide, ozone, volatile organic compounds, noise levels, temperature, and humidity, and uploading the data to a secure network, where it can be viewed and analyzed by anyone. While…

More Efficient Clothes Dryers Could Save $4 Billion in Energy Each Year

June 12, 2014

by Derek Markham

One incredibly common household appliance, the electric clothes dryer, is responsible for a whopping 2% of electricity consumption in the US, often consuming as much as the refrigerator, washing machine, and dishwasher combined. And while many other appliances have received much more attention, and therefore benefited from advanced energy efficiency technologies, electric clothes dryers have lagged far behind in the United States, especially when compared to more efficient versions sold overseas. A recent report from NRDC found that when compared…