biodegradable
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Scientists created living robots out of stem cells
Scientists have created a new life form that's something between a frog and a robot. Using stem cells scraped from frog embryos, researchers from the University of Vermont (UVM) and Tufts University assembled "xenobots." The millimeter-wide blobs act like living, self-healing robots. They can walk, swim and work cooperatively. Refined, they could be used inside the human body to reprogram tumors, deliver drugs or scrape plaque out of arteries.
Nike's Joyride shoes use tiny beads to make your runs more comfortable
Nike has developed a new shoe technology for both casual and every-day runners. Today, the sportswear giant is taking the wraps off of Joyride, a responsive cushioning system designed to adapt to individual foot strikes and offer high levels of impact absorption as your feet hit whatever surface you're running on. Nike says the idea with Joyride is to "make running easy" and give you more personalized comfort, which is made possible by thousands of tiny, energy-packed beads that form the shoe's midsole. You can get a great look at them in the Joyride Run Flyknit pictured above, the first Nike sneakers to feature the visible and colorful beads.
Researchers turned wood into a better insulator than Styrofoam
The research lab behind the creation of see-through wood has developed a new type of material that could be used as a cheaper, stronger and more environmentally friendly insulator. They're calling it nanowood and it insulates better than Styrofoam and silica aerogels. "This can insulate better than most other current thermal insulators, including Styrofoam," Tian Li, a researcher on the project, said in a statement. "It is extremely promising to be used as energy efficient building materials."
Banana fiber sanitary pads can solve big problems in India
With its sanitary pads for the Indian market, startup company Saathi solves two problems at once. Just 16 percent of women in India use them due to poverty and other reasons, which causes health and social issues. At the same time, manufacturing them wastes millions of gallons of water, and two million tons of pads end up in landfills every year. To help with all that, Saathi's pads are affordable, made from discarded banana tree fibers, manufactured in a sustainable way and 100 percent biodegradable.
Super-thin edible sensors can monitor food temperature
Biomaterials that are rigid in form but able to degrade safely are everywhere. You can find tech like this in medical implants, environmental sensors and wearable, disposable devices. What's harder to do, though, is to make sensors that you can digest. That's exactly what Swiss researchers in Zurich have created, though: a thin, edible sensor that can attach to food and wirelessly report on its temperature. Now our fruits and vegetables can be part of the Internet of Things.
US Army wants bullets that turn into plants over time
The US military may not seem like the greenest of organizations, but if rising seas and temperatures produce worldwide chaos, they're the ones that have to deal with that shit. Now, the Department of Defense is trying to tackle environmental problems caused by spent bullets and casings on its firing ranges by using composite materials laced with seeds.
'Mutarium' prototype is the perfect farm for edible plastic-eating fungi
Biodegradable plastics exist because traditional ones take between 20 and 1,000 years to break down in the wild, often blocking waterways and killing animals as that all happens. That's why two industrial designers and a group of microbiologists have designed a way to break down plastic -- and create edible mushrooms in the process. To be precise, the team (the designers are from Vienna, Austria, while the microbiologists are from the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands) created something called the Fungi Mutarium: a glass dome that houses hollow egg-like pods containing bits of plastic in their cavities. These "pods" serve as food to nourish the fungi, as they're made of agar, sugar and starch, similar to those agar plates used to culture organisms in labs.
Drone made of fungi can disintegrate to keep its spying activities a secret (updated)
You know what's stealthier than an ordinary drone? One that can disintegrate when it needs to, in order to destroy evidence of its spying activities. A team of researchers from various educational institutions and NASA Ames Research Center has developed a biodegradable drone made of mycelium (or the vegetative part of fungi), which recently completed its first flight. According to Lynn Rothschild of NASA Ames, once the drone, say, self-destroys by diving into a puddle, "No one would know if you'd spilled some sugar water or if there'd been an airplane there."
Griffin brings Papernomad's durable eco-friendly sleeves to North America
As TUAW's official case-tester-in-chief, I've seen cases and sleeves for iPhones, iPads and Macs made out of just about every material under the sun. There are those beautiful wood and leather cases, and some crafted from aluminum and other materials, but the vast majority are made of some sort of plastic. That has often made me wonder where all that plastic ends up after a few years when Apple users move on to newer devices. Now Griffin Technology is making waves by bringing Papernomad's paper composite eco-friendly sleeves to North America for the first time. What makes these sleeves so different? The outer shell is made of a water and tear resistant paper composite that looks somewhat like those brown paper bags you used to get at the grocery store before you started using those reusable bags. The inside lining is a wool felt that keeps your favorite Apple product free from scratches and static. Between those two is a batting material that pads your device from bumps. Holding the device in place is a hemp twill pull-tab with a magnetic closure. So, thinking of paper getting wet probably makes you think of soggy paper that's ripping apart and dumping your groceries onto the ground -- not exactly what you'd want for an all-purpose device sleeve, right? The patented paper composite material is water resistant. Papernomad warns you not to put your sleeve into a washing machine, as you'll end up with a pile of compostable goo. However, a little rain or beer spilled on the outside is just going to give your sleeve a bit of character. Speaking of character, Papernomad sleeves have one more defining characteristic. Like just about any other paper, you can write or paint on them with a variety of media, meaning that you can create a totally unique sleeve. I have some plans for the review item I received; it's getting a marker-drawn TUAW logo, a David Lanham sticker or two, and anything else I decide to customize it with. Griffin's the distributor for the Papernomad products in North America; our European readers need to visit Papernomad.com to buy their sleeves. There are three Papernomad sleeves you can buy; Pars for iPhone 4/4s and iPhone 5 (US$39.99), Zattere for iPad ($49.99), and Tamakwa for 13" MacBook Air ($59.99). While they're not yet listed on the Griffin Technology website, there are also sleeves for iPad mini, 11" MacBook Air, and 13" and 15" MacBook Pro that should be available soon. I've got to admit that I was smitten by the simplicity and feel of the iPad mini Zattere and can see how Papernomad's sleeves could become a favorite. The best thing is, once I've moved on to a future Apple device with a different form factor, I know that this case is going to just biodegrade over time and not end up lasting for a thousand years in a landfill.
Environmentally friendly robots will feed the flowers they trample
Dr Jonathan Rossiter, a senior lecturer at the University of Bristol's Department of Engineering and Mathematics, has snagged a two-year research grant of over £200,000 to develop robots that decompose once their mission if complete. This means instead of our automaton friends rusting away, devoid of purpose, they could return gracefully (and more importantly non-toxically) back to mother earth. Not only would this be a boon to the environment, but scientists would no longer need to track and retrieve their mechanical progeny once it reached the end of its usable life, further sparing resources and allowing mass deployment. At least we know, when the day comes, the planet won't be harmed.
Tel Aviv University develops biodegradable transistor, literally man made
Blood sweat and tears go into many projects, and in this case almost literally -- although technically it's blood, milk and mucus. Yep, researchers at Tel Aviv University have created biodegradable transistors from proteins found in the aforementioned organic substances. When the proteins are mixed with base materials in the right combinations, it seems they self-assemble into a semi-conducting film. Why blood, milk and mucus? Apparently, the different proteins each have unique properties. Blood's oxygen storing ability, for example, helps mix chemicals with semi-conductors to give them specific properties, while milk and mucus (the only time we want to see them together) have fiber forming, and light-creating properties respectively. The hope is that this can lead to flexible and biodegradable technology. The team at Tel Aviv says it's already working on a biodegradable display, with other electronic devices to follow -- which should help stem the flow of waste.
Paper alloy takes shape for biodegradable consumer electronics (write your own origami joke)
So you're anxiously awaiting your biodegradable car and your biodegradable 3D glasses, waiting for the day when everything you own can return to the loam from which it sprang. But, what about the computer you're using this very moment? It's probably made of non-green materials like injection-molded plastic, and slapping some bamboo on it isn't fooling anyone. Design and engineering firm PEGA comes to your rescue with a new composite material made of recycled paper and polypropylene alloy. Lightweight, durable, and inexpensive to produce, it acts just like typical ABS plastic -- and it even comes in the classic soul-killing beige. Maybe this is what Apple's been waiting for.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: solar paper planes, Denmark's flaming tower, and used coffee power
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. Green power lit up the world this week as ZenithSolar smashed the record for solar efficiency with its massive parabolic mirrors and Denmark unveiled plans to construct a towering "cathedral" that will transform waste into energy. We were also all abuzz about these batteries made from used coffee capsules and MIT rolled out a new type of foldable paper-thin solar cells. Speaking of super-thin foldable tech, this week we showcased the world's first biodegradable paper watch and we spotted an ingenious folding beer box that can transform a six-pack into a pitch-perfect xylophone. And while you're working on that one, you can keep your rowdy kids busy with our Top 5 smart smartphone apps for kids that educate and entertain. High-tech lighting was another hot topic this week as GE launched a new super-bright LED bulb that harnesses jet engine cooling techniques to cut its energy use. GE also flipped the switch on its funky new hybrid halogen-CFL light bulbs, and we saw San Diego blaze a trail for energy-efficient lighting as they unveiled plans to construct the nation's largest interactive LED light show - on a bridge! Finally, we wrapped up this week's Apple news with a look at a chic new laptop bag courtesy of vegan handbag company Matt & Nat.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: the world's largest laser fired, icy roof tiles admired, faucet lamps inspired
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green. This week scientists took a step towards unlocking the holy grail of alternative energy as they unleashed a one megajoule test blast from the world's largest laser. We were also excited to see the DOI give the green light for the first solar-thermal power tower in the United States, and we saw big things brewing beneath West Virginia as a project funded by Google discovered massive geothermal vents that could double the state's energy generation capacity. Not to be outdone, Oregon announced plans for a 845 megawatt wind farm that stands to be the largest in the world. We also watched the world of architecture heat up - literally - as Soltech unveiled a set of glimmering glass roof tiles that can capture solar energy to heat your home. We also checked in on the development of Masdar, the world's first carbon neutral zero-waste city, and we were shocked and appalled by the recently completed largest and most expensive house in the world. In other news, this week we showcased a dazzling array of energy-efficient lights - from an amazing animated LED pillar to a set of liquid lights made from recycled faucets to a chandelier decked out with luminous dandelions. We also kicked up our heels for a vending machine that dispenses biodegradable shoes and we saw a set of ghetto-fabulous boom boxes made from old suitcases hit the streets. Finally, we rounded up a gaggle of our favorite smartphone games that are perfect for keeping kids entertained!
Self-assembling nanodevices could advance medicine one tiny leap at a time
Seems like Harvard wasn't content with making robotic bees, and has taken its quest for miniaturization right down to the nanoscale level. One nanometer-wide, single-stranded DNA molecules are the topic of the university's latest research, which sets out a way they can be used to create "3D prestressed tensegrity structures." Should these theoretical scribblings ever pan out in the real world, we could see the resulting self-assembled nanodevices facilitating drug delivery targeted directly at the diseased cells, and even the reprogramming of human stem cells. Infusing a nanodevice with the relevant DNA data passes instructions on to your stem cells, which consequently turn into, for example, new bone tissue or neurons to augment your fleshy CPU. Yes, we're kinda freaked out, but what's cooler than being able to say you're going to the doctor for a shot of nanotransformers?
Oculus3D vies to be the greener solution in disposable 3D shades
As of December, RealD cinemas alone served 100 million moviegoers, and even if the vast majority recycle, that's still a ton (probably several thousand tons, in fact) of plastic 3D glasses. According to a company called Ceroplast, those glasses aren't biodegradable; if so many as 10 million pairs end up in a landfill, it would result in C02 emissions equivalent to burning 50,000 gallons of gasoline. Of course, Ceroplast wouldn't be quoting statistics if it didn't have a greener solution. Under the brand of partner Oculus3D (whose co-founder Lenny Lipton is RealD's former CTO), it's presently making biodegradable polarized shades out of polylactic acid that it intends to deploy -- along with the company's proprietary OculR projectors -- as early as summer of this year. As for which theatres you should expect to see them in, well, we're still in the dark on that one.
Ultrathin, algae-based batteries could charge things you never thought possible
Somehow or another, we've figured out how to send mere mortals to the moon, create (and mass produce) a laptop thin enough to floss with and add multitouch capabilities to a mouse. But for whatever reason, we're still stuck using AA batteries that last approximately one-fifth as long as you need them to. Outside of a few breakthroughs here and there, the battery industry at large has found a holding pattern that digs at consumers and likely fattens the wallets of those in charge. Thanks to new research surrounding the use of Cladophora (green algae) in a flexible, ultrathin alternative, it looks as if we may finally be onto something good. Researchers purport that these super skinny cells could be placed in areas where batteries are currently unable to go -- think of perpetually charged wall sensors, energized clothing or even light-up wrapping paper. Better still, prototypes have shown the ability to hold a significant charge, but unfortunately for us all, no specific production date has been pegged. A boy can dream though, yeah?
Hoshino debuts "biodegradable" FD-300 flash drive
It's far from the first company to attempt to make a more environmentally-friendly flash drive, but given the near disposable nature of them these days, that's not exactly a bad thing. This latest drive from Hong Kong-based Hoshino also takes a decidedly different approach than other drives that simply keep the hazardous chemicals and whatnot to a minimum, with it actually constructed out of polylactide (or PLA) made from corn that is, technically, biodegradable. The downside is that in order for it to be broken down, PLA needs to be blasted with heat for ten days on end at a specialized facility, which isn't exactly the most direct route back into the ground, or an accessible option for everybody at the moment (there's also the small matter of it being based on a food product). The drive also apparently isn't available to the general public just yet, but companies interested in doing business with Hoshino can contact 'em for more details.[Via Everything USB, background on PLA via Smithsonian Magazine]
The corntop lives: Fujitsu showing off mostly-biodegradable notebook
We're not exactly sure what became of that biodegradable laptop being touted by NEC all the way back in 2004, but the concept of corn-based notebook casings is far from dead, with Fujitsu showing off just such a machine at this year's CES. According to Inhabitat, "the main component is polylactic acid, also known as PLA, a resin that comes from the fermentation of the raw biomass from plants," although a small amount of nasty fossil fuels must still be mixed in to create a housing with the proper structural integrity. Fortunately, once the rig is ready for the great gadget heaven in the sky, the plastic can be separated from the PLA so that the latter material can be left to safely biodegrade. No word yet on when we'll see these edible inedible lappies hit the market, so for now we'll have to continue kicking Mother Nature's ass with our biannual tech upgrades.[Via, and image courtesy of, Inhabitat]
Foster's to aid in first "beer battery" fuel cell project
While it's certainly debatable whether beer is to thank for the explosion in the consumer electronics industry, it looks like we'll be thanking the beverage without hesitation for making our world a little greener. Oddly enough, "scientists and Australian beer maker Foster's are teaming up to generate clean energy from brewery waste water by using sugar-consuming bacteria," and better yet, the University of Queensland will host a microbial fuel cell at a Foster's Group brewery near Brisbane. Essentially, the cell will consume brewery wastes such as sugar, starch, and alcohol, while producing clean electricity by harnessing the energy released from the organic materials coming in. The device is expected to produce two-kilowatts of power, and while hopes are to bring the technology to other breweries and wineries around the country, this iteration should crank up sometime in September.[Via Physorg, thanks Michael T.]
