Source: http://www.engadget.com/2010/03/16/lenovo-thinkcentre-a70z-review/
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Lenovo ThinkCentre A70z review originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 16 Mar 2010 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | | Email this | CommentsThe nifty program takes advantage of accelerometers built into many newer laptops
The accelerometers that are embedded in everything from iPhones to the Nintendo Wii aretiny devices that detect movement. Having software that takes advantage of the tiny devices on thousands of laptops could complement the current system of earthquake sensors installed along fault zones.
Elizabeth Cochran, an earth scientist at the University of California in Riverside, got the idea of harnessing accelerometers for an earthquake network by watching the "Seismac" program on a friend's MacBook. But whereas Seismac allows you to shake the MacBook and get accelerometer readings for giggles, Cochran hopes "Quake Catchers" can help science and maybe save lives.
The "Quake Catcher" software is designed to record all vibrations on a computer, but only uploads the info if many computers in the same geographic area record "dramatic shaking."
If the idea catches on in schools, businesses and homes, it might even become part of an early-warning system that detects the outward ripple of an earthquake. Even laptops that don't have accelerometers can get a $50 sensor with a USB cable that acts similar to an accelerometer.
About 1,000 people have already signed on as "Quake Catchers," and Cochran's group hopes to possibly blanket California and beyond. That doesn't mean we won't still need our quake-proof buildings, but the software represents readily adaptable technology that's available now. We'll just keep dreaming of our active cloaking that counters earthquakes.
Check out the Quake-Catcher Network here.
[via Los Angeles Times]
Source: http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-03/tiny-flaws-make-rfid-tags-physically-unclonable
Can't touch this
Miniscule flaws because of a slightly thicker or thinner wire can mean tiny variations in how fast a circuit works on a chip. Srini Devadas, an electrical engineer at MIT and Verayo founder, saw that as as the key to creating physically unclonable devices.
Devadas realized that running a series of signals through the imperfect circuits can create a string of numbers unique to each circuit. The string of numbers became the basis for a whole series of mathematical equations that create many challenge and response pairs unique to the security of each chip.
That means a forger can't hope to copy an RFID chip even if he or she intercepts the RFID signals being transmitted, because it's literally impossible to perfectly replicate each and every flaw.
Someone could still beat the system by getting their hands on the challenge-response pairs for RFID tags. But these imperfect circuits should form just one part of a much larger defense against counterfeiting, experts say.
Verayo already has contracts for even more sophisticated systems with the U.S. Department of Defense, and other companies have begun developing physically unclonable security systems.
If you're not as worried about counterfeiters, and just want to keep track of all your personal gear, there are already DIY RFID kits that have you covered.
[via Technology Review]
"This is a new phenomenon, converting mechanical energy directly to chemical energy," said Huifang Xu, a geologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He and his colleagues have dubbed it the piezoelectrochemical (PZEC) effect.
The usual brittle nature of crystals such as zinc oxide and barium titanate gives way to more flexible fibers at tiny scales. The Wisconsin researchers found that the tiny nanocrystal fibers can scavenge energy based on small mechanical "noise" such as vibrations or flowing water.
The chemical energy of hydrogen fuel also represents a more stable method of storage than an electric charge, Xu explained.
This represents perhaps another small (hah!) step toward squeezing energy from many tiny sources. People have harnessed mechanical energy for centuries on the large scale by using waterwheels and dams, but even raindrops should theoretically work in this case.
Perhaps the bigger question mark still hangs over the viability of a hydrogen economy. Other research teams have investigated ways of producing hydrogen through artificial leaves, as well as storing hydrogen within new types of solids. But even with hydrogen fuel-cell cars hitting the road, the supporting hydrogen infrastructure such as refueling stations remains in its infancy.
[via ScienceDaily]
Source: http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2010-03/china-and-us-race-burning-ice-fuel
Methane hydrate crystals show promise as a clean energy source
As explained in this comic, there's 85.4 trillion cubic feet of methane hydrate buried under Alaska. That's equivalent to 3 billion tons of oil, or enough to heat 100 million American homes for a decade. According to the Xinahu article, reserves of methane hydrate in China's Qinghai province are equal to 35 billion tons of oil, enough to supply China for 90 years.
Unfortunately, China lacks the capability to excavate the mineral. Even at an expedited pace, China's Ministry of Land and Resources estimates it could be 10 to 15 years before any hydrate-derived gas finds its way into Chinese homes.
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