NEWS : TECH (NFPC)

This Ice-Cold Record Actually Plays

Trust a Swedish band to come up with this one: the new record for the Shout Out Loud's single called "Blue Ice" is actually made from ice. And it plays.

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The process wasn't easy but the indie band from Stockholm produced 10 "secret" kits to make the 7-inch "Blue Ice" record from their forthcoming album "Optica." They're sending kits to groups of fans and press around the world, according to a video showing how it works:

Each kit contains a mold and a bottle of water, along with instructions on how to fill, freeze, and prepare the record. Working with the ad agency TBWA Stockholm, the band came up with a special silicone cast for the ice and determined that distilled water would prevent bubbles from forming that would ruin the track, wrote Jordan Kushins in FastCo.Design.

The song about fading love, which I found both melancholy and memorable, seems to work in the ice format. "You keep fading away, fading away, fading away," the lyrics go. "It always ends in the same way: The sun gets in your eyes."

Watching the video demo, the scratch and hiss heard over the lyrics just added to the sentiments in the song. After one play, the ice record is pretty much done. While an ice record isn't exactly practical, the kits seem to be getting the song a wider audience.

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The band recently wrote on its website that one of the 10 kits was auctioned off by a Swedish radio station. Proceeds went into projects to improve clean water access for children in slums around the world. Now that's cool.

Photo: The ice record playing. Credit: The Shout Out Louds (video)

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A Way for Buildings to Sweat, Cool on Hot Days

Sweating is a strategy used by many animals, including humans, to cool off without expending loads of energy. So why not do the same for buildings?

Researchers at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, led by Aline Rotzetter, have developed a special polymer that soaks up water in the rain and "sweats" when it gets warm. The evaporating water works to cool the house, eliminating a lot of the work of an air conditioner and saving energy in the process.

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The polymer is called Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide, or PNIPAM. It is made into a mat and covered by a membrane that allows water to soak through it. When it rains, the mat acts like a sponge, soaking up water. But put it in direct sunlight at a temperature of 32 degrees Centigrade (89.6 degrees Fahrenheit), and it shrinks while taking on hydrophobic properties, squeezing the water out, essentially sweating.

The mats were tested on small, model houses -- the size of those used on model train sets -- and was able to cool more efficiently than conventional polymers. It also insulated the houses so that they heated up more slowly.

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The next step is to test the mats in the cold -- it is not clear yet how they might react to being frozen. Even so, if it can be made on a large scale such mats would be useful for people who live in rainy, tropical areas where there is a lot of rain and heat, and where air conditioning is expensive to install.

The research was published online in the journal Advanced Materials.  

via: ETH

Credit: Aline Rotzetter / Advanced Materials

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Environmental Efforts Power the Olympics

We’re seeing a lot of gold at this year’s Olympics, but behind the scenes, it’s all green. From environmentally responsible energy to recyclable venues, the London 2012 Olympics could be one of the most eco-friendly games yet. Two areas stand out when talking about sustainability and the Olympics, transportation and architecture, and here’s a few ways London is keeping them green:

Transportation

BMW is providing two-hundred zero-emission electric cars comprised of 160 ActiveE First Drive and 40 Mini Cooper Mini Es (right). GE has placed 120 of their DuraStation EV chargers throughout the Olympic Village to keep the cars juiced and ready to go.

An even cuter “mini-er” Mini Cooper (right) is being used to transport athletic gear. According to Edmunds Inside Line, the radio-controlled electric vehicles are small enough to carry equipment like a single discus or two javelins, which can be accessed through a sunroof. Charging up in about 80 minutes, the cars can carry up to 18 pounds and have a range of around 109 yards.

Architecture

All of the structures built for the London 2012 Olympics were done so with environmental sustainability and energy consumption in mind. Both the Velodrome (above), home of indoor cycling, and the Copperbox, venue for handball and badminton, collect rainwater from their sloped roofs for indoor plumbing usage, which cuts water consumption by 40 percent annually. Using a natural ventilation system, outdoor air is used to keep the more than 6,000 visitors to the Velodrome cool -- no A/C needed.

Two buildings in Olympic Park won’t last long after the closing ceremonies -- and that’s ok. The Water Polo Arena (right) and the Basketball arena will be torn down immediately after the Olympics are over. Both structures were built with PVC fabric that’s highly recyclable and will be reused for other construction projects. The wings of the exterior of the Aquatic Center will also be removed and the main structure will be used for other London community events. 

So, whether you’re watching at home or from the stands, remember that not only are these games making athletic history, they are also making environmental history. 

Credits: Edmund Sumner/View/Corbis (top); BMW North America (middle); London 2012 (bottom)

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Geoengineering Soaring To New Heights

I come from a pasty Norwegian breed. In my younger, devil-may-care years, I used to scoff at wearing sunscreen with the belief that the quickest way to skin cancer a bronzed bod was roasting myself at the beach without a drop of SPF in sight.

Not any more. I've read the reports and even witnessed my dad, who has a similar complexion, receive skin test results that came back malignant. Now I'm a liberal sunscreen applier when I go out. Plus, sunscreen makes you smell like you just came from the beach, and I like that. It's my new cologne.

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In some ways, our planet is of a pasty breed and needs adequate protection from the sun, too. Many scientists say our planet is getting hotter, compliments of us industrious folks who call Earth home.

Here in Missouri, the grass is brown and the leaves on the trees are wilted. The USDA has declared every county in the state as disaster area because of the drought. Just a random old hot-and-dry summer or the consequences of human-induced climate change?

Well, a couple of Harvard engineers aren't waiting around for your opinion. David Keith and James Anderson are preparing to spray thousands of tons of sun-reflecting sulphate aerosols into the sky over Fort Sumner, New Mexico. Why? They believe the particles will reflect the sun's rays back into space and help lower the Earth's temperature.

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They plan to do so by using a balloon flying 80,000 feet above the Fort Sumner. The geoengineering project aims to mimic the effects of volcanoes spewing sulphuric ash into the air.

Keith says the project could be an inexpensive way to slow down climate change, however other scientists warn that his methods could have dire effects on the planet's weather systems and food supplies. Environmentalists fear Keith's method is merely a stopgap that undermines efforts to accurately fight climate change by reducing carbon emissions.

The experiment will take place in a year and see the release of tens or hundreds of kilograms of particles that, besides measuring impacts on ozone chemistry, will also find ways to make the sulphate aerosols the correct size.

"The objective is not to alter the climate, but simply to probe the processes at a micro scale," Keith told the Guardian. "The direct risk is very small.

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However, Pat Mooney, executive director of the technology watchdog ETC Group, begs to differ:

"Impacts include the potential for further damage to the ozone layer, and disruption of rainfall, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions – potentially threatening the food supplies of billions of people. It will do nothing to decrease levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere or halt ocean acidification. And solar geoengineering is likely to increase the risk of climate-related international conflict -- given that the modelling to date shows it poses greater risks to the global south."

What say you? Let the balloon fly or pop it with a BB gun before lifts off?

via the Guardian

Credit: NASA/Roger Ressmeyer/CORBIS

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Smart Vending Machine Lowers Prices on Hot Days

A Spanish marketing agency has started installing several smart vending machines around the country that lower the price on cold drinks when the temperature starts to rise. The hotter the temperature, the bigger the discount.

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Each machine displays both the temperature and the price, with three different price levels depending on just how hot it is. Up to 77 degress Fahrenheit and the price is 2 euros or about $2.45. From 78 degrees F to slightly above 84, the price lowers to about 1.4 euros or $1.70. Anything over 86 degrees F and the drinks are 1 euro or $1.22. Special software allows the machine to automatically adjust. Hat tip to Ubergizmo's Edwin Kee.

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This rollout is the brainchild of marketing agency Momentum for Minute Maid's Limon & Nada lemonade. (Minute Maid is owned by Coca-Cola.) So far, 18 smart vending machines have been installed around Spain, primarily in water parks and amusement parks, according to an article on MarketingNews.es. Temperature-dependent prices will be in effect from July through September, when the weather hopefully begins to cool down.

Fortunately the machines primarily sell lemonade and not soda, which can make dehydration worse. To be clear, I'm not promoting this lemonade brand by highlighting these machines -- I've never even tried it. My favorite lemonade is the kind made on the spot at street festivals from fresh lemons, sugar, water and ice.

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With temperatures rising again after a rainy spell here in Colorado, I wish we had smart vending machines that could do the same thing, only with frozen treats. Drop in some coins and out comes an ice cream bar or a frozen fruit pop. Put one of those around the corner from me and that would spell some tasty trouble on a warm day.

Credit: MarketingNews.es

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Energy-saving coolNYC Program Launched

ThinkEco Modlet

A cold, hard fact: It's almost that season when New York City gets uncomfortably hot. OK, that's not a cold fact. And maybe it's not that hard. Because utility company Con Edison and green gadget vendor ThinkEco have partnered to make it easier for New Yorkers to save money this summer on energy costs, by creating the coolNYC program.

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On a first-come, first-served basis, Con Edison will be generously doling out several thousand smartAC kits free of charge to incentivize eligible NYC residents to better control their window air conditioners. The kits include ThinkEco's Modlet (i.e. modern electric outlet), which feeds info wirelessly to a special USB plugged into a personal computer. Through either a Web interface or a smartphone app, users will be able to power their window AC on/off, see its real-time energy usage and set the temperature remotely.

By working with large apartment building owners and tenants throughout New York City, Con Ed anticipates reducing this summer's demand for electricity by 5 megawatts. (Not bad, considering this program represents a tiny fraction of the 6 million window AC units in the utility company's service area.) Much of the expected savings will come from a combination of customers not incessantly overcooling their apartments, along with Con Ed's ability to adjust these networked air conditioners' temperatures during heat waves.

Of course, consumers both not chosen for the program and outside the New York area can also save energy and money and help the environment. Individuals can purchase Modlet Home Starter Kits for $60 (including shipping) to monitor any electrical appliance's use wirelessly. And through its socially competitive Modlympics program, ThinkEco is encouraging/challenging schools and businesses to track and control their electricity savings throughout the year.

Credit: ThinkEco

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Sunlight Powers Motorized Window Shades

WireFree Solar Pack: $220

An international manufacturer with headquarters in New Jersey is up to something shady -- but in a good way. The company, Somfy Systems, specializes in motorized window coverings. And they've come up with a solar solution kit for powering those coverings.

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The kit consists of a photovoltaic panel, 'Y' harness connector, Ni-MH rechargeable battery and battery tube. It's made to power Somfy's both new and existing WireFree window coverings year round, in both high- and limited-sun areas. The solar panel, which is about a foot by an inch-and-a-half, is mounted inside the window and can be exposed to any direction.

Both the home automation factor and not having to replace battery tubes in potentially hard-to-reach areas are convenient. And yes, it saves money and energy. But we really like the idea behind this product for the same reason we like the elliptical that doesn't require outside power: It takes advantage of its very nature to be self-sustaining.

Credit: Somfy Systems

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SunGlacier Aspires To Deep Freeze The Desert

A giant dune-spanning, solar-powered leaf could turn even the most parched desert outpost into a fertile oasis of ice. 

The concept (and the above image) certainly seems like a scene Salvador Dali would have painted, however, this is no surrealist figment of the imagination. It's an actual project called SunGlacier that Dutch artist, Ap Verheggen, has hatched with Cofely Refrigeration to make the impossible possible.

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Verheggen wants to design a 2,153-square-foot structure covered in solar cells that would power cooling condensers on its under belly.

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Sounds like a hair-brained theory, but in an experiment, Verheggen and his team of engineers produced a 4-inch thick layer of ice on an aluminum slab. They tricked out the inside a shipping container to simulate the same summertime conditions as found in Aswan, Egypt, where the relative humidity is typically 22 percent. To simulate desert winds, they pointed a fan at the aluminum slab.

In the room, they installed a metal cooler connected to a cooling machine outside that pumps cold fluids at a temperature as low as -20 Celsius. It took just a few minutes after the machines were running for a layer of ice to start to grow. The teams says that in order to produce this effect in an actual desert, they would need to build a structure that has 200-square meters of solar panels, which would produce 20-square meters of ice in the shadow.

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SunGlacier is not necessarily meant to be a solution to the world's water shortages. It's more of a statement of innovation, meant to spur others into thinking creatively about tackling climate issues.

"The project demonstrates that in a totally hopeless environment you can still generate hope. The message is that what many call the looming water crisis is not inevitable. There are solutions, and it all depends on human ingenuity. It all depends on us," Verheggen told the New York Times.

So far, the SunGlacier leaf exists only in sketches and artist renderings, but once tests are finished next year, sculpting the enormous structure will get underway.

[Via Inhabitat]

Image: Ap Verheggen

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Facebook Taps Arctic Air to Chill Out Server Farm

Consider all the status updating, picture posting and wall writing you do daily on Facebook. Now multiply that by the social media site's estimated 800 million users and you can imagine Facebook's computer servers give off their fair share of heat.

That's why the Internet empire announced that they're building their new eco-friendly server farm in Lulea, Sweden, a place where the computers can chill ... literally.

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The city is within spitting distance of the Arctic Circle and averages 35 degrees Fahrenheit year round. The cold air will help sustain the air conditioning system in charge of cooling the server farm, which will span 175,000 square feet over three buildings. Even with the Arctic air helping to cut down on the energy bill, cooling a space equivalent to 11 football fields is not cheap. The server farm will cost $75 million a year to operate.

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Also appealing to Facebook are the benefits of the nearby Lulea River and its potential to offer cheap, hydroelectric power.

[Via Inhabitat]

Image: AP, The Node Pole, Scanpix, Sweco

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iPod Maker Designs Smart Thermostat

The Nest Learning Thermostat: $249.99

The innovative and intuitive technology that has come out recently serves the purpose of making life better and smarter. Every aspect of modern life has been improved upon by tech, but one important device has been barely updated: the lowly home thermostat. Enter the Nest. The Nest Learning Thermostat was created by Tony Fadell, former Apple SVP who had a big hand in creating the iPod.

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The thermostat learns from the heating and cooling preferences of home owner to create a custom heating and cooling schedule. It programs itself based on the temperatures set and learns the homeowner’s schedule throughout the week, which means it can turn down heating or cooling when you’re not home to save energy. Its simple design is in keeping its Apple cousin, just an outer ring to adjust the temperature and a color change, red for heating and blue for cooling. The Nest menu can be accessed by pushing on it, or through Wi-Fi to adjust schedules, temperature and check energy usage. No doubt this will be the “Dyson” of thermostats, it’s cleanly designed, smart and energy efficient. It also costs about three times more than a typical programmable thermostat.

Via: Reuters 

Credit: Nest Labs

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