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Electric eels might be the key to powering implantable devices
Science has been inspired by eels for aquatic exploration before, sure, and now researchers are eyeing electric eels for motivation. The idea is to create a flexible self-powering device that could keep the juice flowing through a pacemaker or an internal medicine-delivery tool, without the need for a traditional battery pack.
Plastics breakthrough could improve your car's mileage
A new thermal engineering process could make it viable to use lighter plastic product components in things such as vehicles, LEDs and computers. Until now, the material has been overlooked for certain applications because of its limitations in dissipating heat, but scientists from the University of Michigan have found a way to change plastic's molecular structure, making it as thermally conductive as glass. This advanced plastic could make products lighter, cheaper and more energy-efficient, and would be particularly useful in electric vehicle manufacturing since weight has a direct bearing on range.
Researchers debut one-cubic-millimeter computer, want to stick it in your eye
This as-of-yet-unnamed mini computer was fashioned as an implantable eye pressure monitor for glaucoma patients, but its creators envision a future where we're all crawling with the little buggers. Taking up just over one cubic millimeter of space, the thing stuffs a pressure sensor, memory, thin-film battery, solar cell, wireless radio, and low-power microprocessor all into one very small translucent container. The processor behind this little guy uses an "extreme" sleep mode to keep it napping at 15-minute intervals and sucking up 5.3 nanowatts while awake, and its battery runs off 10 hours of indoor light or one and a half hours of sun beams. Using the sensor to measure eye pressure and the radio to communicate with an external reader, the system will continuously track the progress of glaucoma, without those pesky contacts. Of course, the mad scientists behind it look forward to a day when the tiny device will do much more, with each of us toting hundreds of the computer implants all over our bodies -- looks like a bright future for cyborgdom.
Inhabitat's Week in Green: street-legal Tron lightcycles, electronic eyeglasses, and the American Solar Challenge
Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us. This week Inhabitat saw solar-powered vehicles blaze trails around the globe as the University of Michigan's sleek pod car crossed the finish line to win the American Solar Challenge. We also watched the Solar Impulse gear up for its first eagerly anticipated night flight -- a pivotal undertaking as the sun-powered plane prepares to circle the earth. In other clean transportation news, and we were stunned to see a set of street-legal electric Tron lightcycles pop up on eBay. The field of renewable energy also heated up this week as researchers revealed an innovative tri-layered solar panel that's capable of catching the full spectrum of the sun's rays. Wind power made waves as well as Principle Power unveiled a new ultra-sturdy ocean platform that's able to support the world's tallest wind turbines. Finally, we saw the light this week as Illumitex unveiled the world's first square LED bulb, which they claim is cheaper, more efficient and more practical than typical round bulbs. We also peered at an innovative new type of electronic eyeglasses that can change your prescription with the push of a button. And for all you shutterbugs looking to share your vision with the world, you won't want to miss this handy solar camera strap that ensures you'll never miss a shot.
