Features
Full steam ahead for the Navy’s controversial “Great Green Fleet”
July 30, 2012 4:43 pm | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsThe Navy has embarked on an ambitious green energy program, which could cost upwards of $2 billion per year. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus must convince a skeptical Congress, Senate, and public that investing in pricey alternative fuels — in the midst of the worst recession in decades — will reap dividends.
Why YouTube should remain anonymous
July 27, 2012 9:45 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsAnyone who has ever spent any time on YouTube reading the comments is familiar with—as Slate calls it-- the “abandon all hope ye who enter here” atmosphere of the community. When you dare scroll down past the episode of Hogan’s Heroes you’ve been watching, you’ll find all manner of misogynistic, racist, homophobic, anti-liberal, anti-conservative, anti-religion...
NIST measurement advance could speed innovation in solar devices
July 26, 2012 2:21 pm | News | CommentsA new versatile measurement system devised by researchers at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) accurately and quickly measures the electric power output of solar energy devices, capabilities useful to researchers and manufacturers working to develop and make next-generation solar energy cells.
New method to encourage virtual power plants for efficient renewable energy production
July 26, 2012 10:06 am | News | CommentsResearchers from the University of Southampton have devised a novel method for forming virtual power plants to provide renewable energy production in the UK. In the last decade, small and distributed energy resources (DERs), like wind farms and solar panels, have begun to appear in greater numbers in the electricity supply network (Grid).
Global PV inverter market to return to growth in 2012 and exceed $7 billion, according to new IMS research report
July 25, 2012 9:01 am | News | CommentsThe global photovoltaic (PV) inverter market is predicted to grow by 23 percent in 2012 and hit almost 32 GW according to the 5th edition of IMS Research’s annual report on this industry. However, the report, The World Market for PV Inverters provided a much more sobering outlook for industry revenues which are forecast to grow by just 3 percent in 2012 to hit $7 billion for the first time.
Brainstorm: Power
July 23, 2012 1:44 pm | Articles | CommentsPower sources in the future will be used and developed based upon economic, political, environmental and technological considerations. Changes will be dramatic but evolving over decades; the changes will be both in the sources of power and perhaps more so in the consequences of creating and using that power.
In what application areas are end users getting the most ROI from green technology?
July 18, 2012 11:54 am | Articles | CommentsThe greatest ROI in green technology is undoubtedly in the manufacturing sector. First, “green” technologies provide great branding and a competitive advantage. Taking advantage of advanced low-power electronics is one major way to do this. With the added intelligence of programmable devices, manufacturing becomes more efficient, faster, and more flexible at the same time.
Near-field communications
July 18, 2012 9:29 am | by Jon Titus, Technical Contributor | Articles | CommentsNear-field communications, which arose from earlier RFID applications, have gained in popularity as manufacturers added NFC capabilities to smart-phone and tablet-computer and as merchants have installed NFC payment devices. So instead of carrying a wallet full of credit and debit cards, consumers can use their smart phones as a mobile-payment "account"...
China PV market set to boom as government raises 2015 installation target to 21 GW
July 16, 2012 3:47 pm | News | CommentsPhotovoltaic (PV) installations in China are set to reach over 4 gigawatts (GW) in the second half of the year, according to a new report from IMS Research (recently acquired by IHS Inc. (NYSE: IHS)). The latest version of China’s Five-Year-Plan for the PV industry reveals that China’s regulatory and planning body, NDRC, has lifted its installation target from 15 GW to 21 GW by 2015. This positive guideline will
China PV market set to boom as government raises 2015 installation target to 21GW
July 16, 2012 11:33 am | News | CommentsPhotovoltaic (PV) installations in China are set to reach over 4 gigawatts (GW) in the second half of the year, according to a new report from IMS Research (recently acquired by IHS. The latest version of China’s Five-Year-Plan for the PV industry reveals that China’s regulatory and planning body, NDRC, has lifted its installation target from 15 GW to 21 GW by 2015.
What’s the deal with Apple’s environmental policy?
July 16, 2012 8:44 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsYou may have heard that Apple recently asked environmental watchdog EPEAT to remove 39 of its products from its registry and informed the organization it will no longer submit its computers for testing. It seems like an odd request, considering Apple helped create EPEAT in 2006 along with the government and several other big computer players.
Who is minding the Fourth Amendment gate?
July 13, 2012 9:33 am | by Chris Warner, Executive Editor | Articles | CommentsFor all the cool and exciting features that our smart phones provide, it’s easy to forget that these pocket-sized computers/entertainment centers aren’t always as liberating as they seem – and I’m not just talking about the burdens that come with the data plans. Recently, Rep. Edward J. Markey, co-chairman of the Bipartisan Congressional Privacy Caucus, requested the 2011 surveillance records from the nation’s cellular carriers.
Researchers develop new possibilities for solar power
July 10, 2012 2:12 pm | News | CommentsTwo Queen's researchers have contributed to a significant breakthrough in solar technology. Their research has led to a new solar photovoltaic thermal (PVT) system that generates both electricity and heat. Solar PVTs are normally made with crystal silicon cells which generate electricity, but little heat. Stephen Harrison and Joshua Pearce (Mechanical and Materials Engineering) designed and tested amorphous silicon cells in a PVT system.
CCID Consulting: China's test and measurement instrument market expanded significantly in 2011
July 9, 2012 11:19 am | News | CommentsChina's test and measurement instrument market saw a significant expansion in 2011, with its market size up 13.5 percent year-on-year to reach RMB 7.41 billion, thanks to the stable macro economy, the growth of the terminal product (such as smart phones) market, the continuous introduction and the commercial use of the new-generation telecommunications standards.
Advantest breaks ground for Cheonan, S. Korea factory
July 5, 2012 10:42 am | News | CommentsAdvantest Corporation announced that its South Korean subsidiary, Advantest Korea Co., Ltd. (Seoul, South Korea) broke ground on June 28 for its new factory in Cheonan City, Chungnam Province, South Korea. The ground breaking ceremony was
$1.6 million for sustainability
July 3, 2012 2:48 pm | News | CommentsFrom solar energy to water treatment, from smarter buildings to electric cars: at Concordia University, "sustainability" is more than just a buzzword. On June 26, the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) announced that Concordia had received $ 1,643,700 in support of research and training via an Institute in Water, Energy and Sustainability.
Mobile payment apps: Good for the seller, good for the buyer
July 2, 2012 4:35 pm | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsA few months ago, I was buying a large photograph for my dad at a Christmas market in Bethlehem, PA. When it came time to pay, the vendor gave me the “cash or credit” option. Intrigued by the lack of a credit card machine and rarity of having the credit option at a craft show, I went for my card. The vendor whipped out his iPad, swiped the card through a Square card reader attachment...
Wireless networking's effect on the industrial environment
July 2, 2012 10:46 am | by Brian Buchanan, On Semiconductor, www.onsemi.com | Articles | CommentsWithin the Industrial segment, there are many functional wireless networks deployed and many more in the various stages of deployment. A system of connected machines can increase productivity, reduce costs and improve operational efficiencies for the industry. The idea of machine-to-machine landscape has the potential to allow multiple devices to communicate through a common network feeding real-time data back to processing centers.
Audi R8 e-tron sets world record for a production vehicle with an electric drive system
July 2, 2012 9:19 am | News | CommentsThe future of electric mobility at Audi is highly dynamic: The R8 e-tron has set a world record for a production vehicle with an electric drive system on the Nürburgring Nordschleife – the toughest test track in the world. Racing driver Markus Winkelhock piloted the high-performance, all-electric-drive sports car around the demanding 20.8-kilometer (12.92-mile) track in 8:09.099 minutes.
Voltage regulators intended for netcom, server, and storage applications
June 29, 2012 10:16 am | International Rectifier | Product Releases | CommentsInternational Rectifier today introduced its third generation of integrated, feature-rich SupIRBuck synchronous buck voltage regulators designed to address the new requirements of emerging energy efficient netcom, server and storage applications. The new SupIRBuck single output devices feature a newly patented modulator scheme that generates the industry’s smallest, jitter free pulse widths.
What happened to transflective displays?
June 29, 2012 9:40 am | by Jason Lomberg, Technical Editor | Articles | CommentsThe most notable feature of this year’s SID Display Week was what wasn’t there: transflective displays. Sure, they were somewhere, tucked away in a corner or hidden in plain sight. But no one was talking about them anymore. Their conspicuous absence was underscored by their ubiquitous presence at the last two Display Weeks. So why did transflective displays abruptly disappear?
Data acquisition vendors let users phone-in for increased productivity
June 27, 2012 10:18 am | Articles | CommentsData acquisition continues to migrate from the desktop to smaller, portable solutions. This portability, combined with advances in USB and wireless connectivity plus applications for smart phones and tablets, has made the process of gathering and analyzing data from remote locations simple and ubiquitous.
Why Canon should kill its mixed reality glasses product
June 27, 2012 8:48 am | by Kasey Panetta, Associate Editor | Articles | CommentsCanon is debuting their Mixed Reality Glasses—just in case you suddenly have the desire to totally throw off your entire vestibular system and sense of reality. You know, like at a fun weekend party. The goggles fall somewhere between Google Glass and RED Classic ViewMaster 3D Viewer and Collector Reel. If you’re still not experiencing a vivid mental image, they look awful, heavy, and awkward...
Crystalline PV module profits fall to single digits
June 26, 2012 1:06 pm | News | CommentsAverage gross profits of crystalline photovoltaic (PV) industry module manufacturers fell to just nine U.S. cents per watt in the first quarter of 2012, putting huge pressure on suppliers according to the latest quarterly report from IMS Research, recently acquired by IHS
Fitness monitors: Moving beyond glorified pedometers to maximize performance
June 25, 2012 4:28 pm | by Clara Ennist, Editorial Intern | Blogs | CommentsMost people overestimate the calories they burn during workouts and underestimate the calories they consume. Even as a longtime ballet dancer and avid devotee of Bikram yoga and Pilates, I too have been guilty of the occasional post-workout overindulgence. Online information, while helpful for a rough estimate of calories burned, is often incorrect or misleading.
