news and stuff

Microreactor for biodiesel production
(link to this article)

April 21, 2006 Another wonderous enabling technology has been
announced - a microreactor, about half the size of a credit card that
produces biodiesel by combining alcohol and vegetable oil directly,
greatly speeding and simplifying production compared to traditional
methods. By stacking many of these microreactors in parallel, a
device the size of a small suitcase could produce hundreds of
thousands of gallons per year of biodiesel – enough to power several
farms. The device could significantly reduce farmer dependence on
mass-produced petroleum. "This is all about producing energy in such
a way that it liberates people," said inventor and OSU Professor
Goran Jovanovic. "Most people think large-scale, central production
of energy is cheaper, because we've been raised with that paradigm.
But distributed energy production means you can use local resources -
farmers can produce all the energy they need from what they grow on
their own farms." Jovanovic is seeking to partner in order to
commercialize the technology.

http://tinyurl.com/njtkn

High efficiency flat light source could be the end for the light bulb
(link to this article)

Page: 1 2

April 19, 2006 The end of the lightbulb is nigh! Scientists studying
organic light-emitting devices (OLEDs) have made a critical leap from
single-color displays to a highly efficient and long-lived natural
light source. The invention is the latest fruit of a 13-year OLED
research program led by Mark Thompson, professor of chemistry at USC
and Stephen Forrest of the University of Michigan. If the device can
be mass-manufactured cheaply - a realistic expectation, according to
Thompson - interior lighting could look vastly different in the
future. Almost any surface in a home, whether flat or curved, could
become a light source: walls, curtains, ceilings, cabinets or tables.
Since OLEDs are transparent when turned off, the devices could even
be installed as windows or skylights to mimic the feel of natural
light after dark - or to serve as the ultimate inconspicuous flat-
panel television.

http://tinyurl.com/p4vmx

Cognitive Tutor 2006 Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II mathematics
curricula
(link to this article)

April 20, 2006 Mathematics underpins our understanding of the
universe – it provides a lingua franca for everything we can measure
and visualize. Which is why we think the new Cognitive Tutor 2006
software of the Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II mathematics
curricula are so very important. Having an enthusiastic and
knowledgeable teacher/mentor is something few people get to
experience with mathematics. Having such attentive coaching and
guidance available 24 hours a day during those structured learning
years is a gift and it is now available in an extraordinarily
advanced form. Carnegie Learning's curricula are based on more than
two decades of cognitive science research at Carnegie Mellon
University studying how students think, learn, and apply new
knowledge in mathematics. The instructional format was developed
around an artificial intelligence model that identifies weaknesses in
each individual student's mastery of mathematical concepts,
customizes prompts to focus on areas where the student is struggling,
and prescribes new problems addressing those specific concepts. A
Teacher's Toolkit provides the instructor with a report on each
student's progress in each area on an ongoing basis and this works
particularly well for gifted students – results with exceptional
students are also exceptional. If you are a student or have a child
who is a student, this is worth a look.

http://tinyurl.com/o8ppw

scratch built rc helicopter

posted apr 24, 2006, 11:00 am et by eliot phillips
related entries: misc hacks


ben hui had been planning on purchasing an rc helicopter, but with a
little more reading he was determined to build his own (cache). most
of the bracketry is built out of the fiber board base used for pcbs.
he has details of how he constructed the swashplate, rotor head, tail
rotor, and how to make your own blades. he eventually modified a
brushless cdrom motor to drive the main rotor.

[thanks jan]

http://tinyurl.com/nxoob

12” rc ornithopter

posted apr 22, 2006, 11:00 am et by eliot phillips
related entries: misc hacks


there was a little interest in graham’s 3d scanning probe, but this
is what he is normally using his tiny cnc machine for: manufacturing
components for a tiny rc ornithopter. the scale of this thing is
amazing. from the tiny gear train to the 0.5mm carbon spars the frame
is constructed from. the rudder control only weighs one gram and the
entire device comes in at 17 grams.
http://tinyurl.com/rxymw

Adventure Medical Pocket Survival Medical Pack
http://tinyurl.com/nmktk

Swiss Army Shirt


This Swiss Army photojournalism/travel shirt has as many uses as the
knife. Several utility pockets. A camera strap restraint. Anti-
microbial, self-cleaning finish. Six film canister pockets. Passport
pocket.

http://tinyurl.com/m8776

How far can you drive on a bushel of corn?

http://tinyurl.com/zxmgq

COLOR box : a color theory game

http://tinyurl.com/p4yjy