NEWS : TECH (NFPC)

Party Horn Only Works If You're Drunk

Now that Christmas is in the rear-view mirror, you're speeding towards one last holiday destination: New Year's Eve, typically one of the most besotted nights on the calendar.

DNEWS VIDEO: Gadgets and Gizmos

PHOTOS: Sexiest Tech and Techiest Sex of 2012

Once you make that last exit towards Boozetown, here's a little party favor that'll remind you not to get behind the wheel after you've sung those last notes of "Auld Lang Syne."

Although the Buzzed Buzzer, created by Tyler DeAngelo and Sacha De'Angeli, sounds like any old party horn blown on New Year's Eve, it only makes a sound if you're drunk. Maybe not lamp-shade-on-the-head drunk, but alcohol must be present on the breath of the reveler who's blowing it.

Unfortunately, you have to buy the materials and put it together yourself. Think of it as your last craft project of 2012.

All you have to do is take a traditional party horn, add a micro-controller, an alcohol sensor, a resistor, a buzzer, a battery and a battery charger. Yeah, I know, it sounds a little more complicated than just Scotch-taping everything together. Fortunately, there are detailed instructions on how to make your own. Just a heads up, you're going to need your soldering iron, wire cutters, wire strippers, needle nosed pliers and a computer installed with Arduino IDE and Teensyduino. You might want to do this before you start in on the cocktails.

BLOG: Hangover-Free Booze Coming To A Glass Near You?

Another word to the wise: Buzzed Buzzer is not a breathalyzer device, so don't think it's going to give you your blood alcohol level and let you know if you should drive or not. Better just to throw your keys in a bowl, uncork the champagne, get out the lamp shades and blow your horn.

Bottoms up.

via Gizmag

credit: Buzzed Buzzer

---

Email:

---

Ultrabook Charges Phones Wirelessly

Wireless charging isn’t an entirely new concept. Power mats have been around for a couple of years now. However, Intel may have simplified the wireless charging idea to the point where it could be a standard feature in future laptops. The company demonstrated a prototype Ultrabook (above) that charges smartphones wirelessly, using a built-in transmitter. When a smartphone, also outfitted with a slim transmitter, is place next to the laptop, it charges -- no cords required. A single “ping” chimes when the charging has started.

BLOG: Dogs Know When You're Sad

 If the prototype turns into an actual product, this could help out travelers, college students and people on the go, to have a reliable plan if their phone battery starts to dwindle. Murmurs along the blog-o-sphere have brought up though, that if this becomes real, it’s going to require lots of cross brand cooperation, and while convincing laptop makers may be an easy sell for Intel, asking phone makers to install the transmitter may be another story.

via The Verge

Credit: Intel

---

Email:

---

iPhones Powered by Hydrogen Fuel Cells?

Apple has applied for two hydrogen fuel cell patents. Citing consumer awareness about fossil fuel's environmental and political impact, the move indicates the company has been looking into a new system to recharge their portable device batteries for over a year.

DNEWS VIDEO: IPHONE IN SPACE EXPLAINED

NEWS: Apple Logo Features Steve Jobs In Silhouette

"As a consequence of this increased consumer awareness," one application stated, "electronics manufacturers have become very interested in developing renewable energy sources for their products, and they have been exploring a number of promising renewable energy sources such as hydrogen fuel cells."

SCIENCE CHANNEL: Future Energy – Transportation of Tomorrow

The application goes on to say: "Hydrogen fuel cells have a number of advantages. Such fuel cells and associated fuels can potentially achieve high volumetric and gravimetric energy densities, which can potentially enable continued operation of portable electronic devices for days or even weeks without refueling."

Using hydrogen fuel cells to power mobile devices is nothing new. Horizon's MINIPAK and Toshiba's Dynario have been on the market for years, yet they aren't exactly small enough to integrate with mobile phones unless you're going for the Zack Morris look, 80's brick cell phone included.

However, Apple says their sleek fuel cell design would be able to eliminate the need for a bulky battery pack.

BLOG: Rubber Band Gives Your Smart Phone A Zoom

The patent applications were published by the US Patent & Trademark Office last week. The first patent, "Fuel Cell System to Power a Portable Computing Device", was filed in August 2010, while the second patent, "Fuel Cell System Coupled to a Portable Computing Device" was filed in April 2011, suggesting Apple has had their eye on this technology for a while.

Adrianna Williams/Corbis

[Via GizMag]

---

Email:

---

Roll Out With Motorized Shoes

Sure it's great exercise, but let's get down to brass tax here -- walking is a drag.

If you've ever caught yourself thinking these sentiments at some point, think of Peter Treadway. He's got a pair of motorized shoes called spnKiX that he hopes to roll out in March 2012.

DNEWS VIDEO: FUTURE OF CARS, TRAINS AND PLANES

PHOTOS: 10 Trickiest Spy Gadgets

Over the last five years, these electric roller skates have undergone thirty prototypes and now it looks like they're gliding closer to production.

Each "shoe" consists of a frame made out of reinforced nylon that lazy tech-savvy walkers riders strap on. If a pair of ski boots, a wheel chair and a pair of sandals got together for a threesome, spnKiX is what their baby would look like.

Each shoe contains a wheel motor and a battery pack. A wireless handheld remote control adjusts the speed. Want to go out for a night time stroll? No problem. SpnKiX have a reflector on the back of each shoe.

If you're planning to use them as transportation, don't sell your car or bike just yet. The rechargeable lithium battery is good for 2 to 3 miles and it takes 2 to 3 hours to recharge. However, sidewalk drag-racing is another story. These puppies can hit blistering speeds of up to 10 miles per hour. But lay off the cookies this holiday season, because the maker recommends riders should weigh no more than 180 pounds.

If you're done with your Christmas shopping and have extra cash laying around, then you might want to consider placing a $375 pre-order, because once spnKix go retail, their price will be $649.

BLOG: Sweet Tires Made From Sugar

The first 100 units are slated to be shipped out by March 12, but that's all contingent on whether the company can raise the $25,000 needed to get them into production. So far they've raised $13,000 with 42 days left to go. Head over to their Kickstarter page if you want to help them get spnKiX off the ground.

[Via GizMag]

Credit: spnKix

---

Email:

---

Paper Powers This Battery

Electronics giant Sony has demonstrated a battery that runs on shredded paper and produces water as a waste product.

At the Eco-Products conference in Tokyo, Sony had a group of kids put paper in a solution of water mixed with enzymes that break down the cellulose and generate current. In the demo, it powered a small fan.

PHOTOS: Top 10 Disruptive Techs From the Last Century

Sony’s spokeswoman told Agence France-Presse that the mechanism is similar to the one used by termites to digest wood. In this case, though, the enzymes eat the paper and make electrons and hydrogen ions. The latter mix with air and produce water, while the electrons make a current just like any other battery.

DNEWS VIDEO: IPHONE IN SPACE EXPLAINED

Biological-type batteries have been demonstrated before. In one case, French scientists created a biofuel cell that was almost strong enough to power a pacemaker, and Sony developed sugar-powered batteries back in 2007. The reason they haven’t been used widely is that they don’t -- yet -- produce the heavy-duty power necessary to run most electronics for an extended period of time. (Though Sony says its latest battery could power an MP3 player, it isn’t clear whether they mean something like a Zune or an iPod Touch. The latter is much more power-hungry.)

The demonstration, however, shows that the technology is now compact enough to fit inside a small device, so the next step will be boosting the power output. 

Water Converts Wood to Biofuel

If Sony's bio battery works, it will be a welcome change from the current battery technology, which uses chemicals that are sometimes pretty toxic and for which recycling can be complicated. Even though lithium-ion batteries aren’t classified as hazardous waste, throwing billions of batteries a year into landfills is a less than optimal solution from an environmental perspective.

Via Agence France-Presse / Physorg.

 

---

Email:

---

Batteries Last a Week After 15-Minute Charge

Imagine if your phone's battery could hold a single charge for a week after being plugged in for only 15 minutes. According to some engineers at Northwestern University, this is no stretch of the imagination. They've created an electrode for lithium-ion batteries that extends their lasting life by ten times after only charging them for one-tenth of the time it normally takes.

BLOG: 10 New Gadgets Ready for Their Close-Up

"We have found a way to extend a new lithium-ion battery's charge life by 10 times," wrote Harold H. Kung, in a paper published in the journal Advanced Energy Materials. Kung is professor of chemical and biological engineering at Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science. "Even after 150 charges, which would be one year or more of operation, the battery is still five times more effective than lithium-ion batteries on the market today."

DNEWS VIDEO: Gadgets and Gizmos

Lithium-ion batteries in our devices have two major flaws: limited energy capacity and a slower-than-molasses recharge rate. This electrode eliminates these problems. Here's how:

When you're charging your device, lithium ions are being sent back and forth from the ends of the battery -- the anode and the cathode. When all the ions make it to the anode, the glass is full, so to speak. Once you start using your device, the ions begin trickling back to the cathode until your battery is dead.

Because the anode can only accommodate one lithium atom for every six carbon atoms, battery charge density is hindered. Scientists have tried replacing the carbon with silicon because it can accomodate more lithium. But silicon expands and retracts during charging, which causes the battery to lose its charge very quickly.

NEWS: Hands Down, Lithium-Ion Batteries Are Better Than Gas

Kung and his colleagues solved this problem by sandwiching the silicon between sheets of graphene, which is a form of carbon. This stabilized the silicon and maximized the amount of lithium ions that could travel between the two sheets.

Kung's team also sped up the recharge rate by poking microscopic holes in the graphene sheets. This gave the ions a shorter secondary route to the anode, drastically reducing charge times by 10 times.

Expect the technology to hit marketplaces within the next three to five years.

In celebration of our batteries becoming harder, better, faster and stronger, let's all boogie to some Daft Punk, shall we?

Credit: John Rensten/Getty Images

 

[Via GizMag]

---

Email:

---

Inflatable Solar Light is a Major DoGooder

LuminAID: $25.00

Admit it, you take light for granted, most of us do. All we have to do is flip a switch and our little corner of the world is illuminated. Disaster-stricken areas don’t have this luxury and can face days, if not weeks and months without light. The design studio at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture developed the LuminAID solar light to help give this basic need to those who need it most. The solar light uses photovolactic film laminated to PEVA to create a solar panel that can charge in six hours and provide five hours of light. 

SCIENCE CHANNEL: Solar Power Quiz. How much do you know about one of the oldest, and newest, forms of energy known to man?

When the light is inflated it diffuses light similar to that of a handheld lantern, it’s also waterproof and can float. This light is ideal for camping or any other outdoor activity, but you know what it’s really good for? Helping people! It can help them see, write, read, cook and live some sort of normal existence in what's definitely a really low time in their lives. For every light sold, one will be sent to a person in a post-natural disaster area, someone who, even if it's just a little while, doesn't have the luxury of complaining about an electricity bill. 

Via: Gizmodo

Credit: LuminAid

---

Email:

---

Bug Circus Charges Smart Phone

What happens when a pedaling preying mantis, a tarantula on a treadmill and a spool walking scorpion join the circus? Well, they team-up with other creepy crawlies who balance on ping-pong balls and get shot out of a cannon. All in the name of putting on the second Greatest Show on Earth...and charging a smart phone.

PHOTOS: Five Must Have Back-to-School Gadgets

DNEWS VIDEO: Gadgets and Gizmos

This may sound like Pixar's next blockbuster script, but it's actually an ad for Qualcomm's Snapdragon micro-processor.

While Qualcomm ring-masters certainly took a few creative liberties with the skill range of their "performers," the Rube Goldberg-esque "Bug Circus Generator," nonetheless, is sure to get at least a standing ovation for sheer daredevilry.

QUIZ: Which Ugly Bug Should Be Your Mascot? Why should only schools and certain groups have a mascot? Find out which ugly bug should represent you.

Though functional, the big-top charging contraption obviously falls a little flat in the form category. That is, unless you're Pee-wee Herman, because the "Bug Circus Generator" would fit nicely into his morning routine. 

 

[Via Gizmodo]

---

Email:

---

Sony Backup Battery to Run Home Appliances

Sony Home Energy Server: $2,000 (estimated)

March's earthquake in Japan and the resulting tsunami which caused power outages and nuclear meltdowns have forced the country's residents to not just rebuild, but also rethink their preparedness. Two of the biggest concerns to emerge are detecting radiation and stocking emergency power. Speaking to the latter, Sony is rushing to market their Home Energy Server, which they plan to launch in Japan this month.

NEWS: 7 Places Poo Will Power the Future

Sony's relatively portable new Lithium-ion power block will be roughly 14 inches tall, 26 1/2 pounds and come with operating instructions printed right on it. After taking about six hours to fully charge, the device will provide 300 watt-hours, supposedly enough to run a 40-inch LCD TV for an estimated 2 1/2 hours or charge a smart phone up to 30 times. By comparison, APC's Power Saving Back-UPS Pro 1500 uses a Lead-Acid battery, which is about three pounds heavier and offers approximately a third the watt-hours. Although to be fair, an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) serves a somewhat different use case most of the time. When will this new power pack be available in the United States? Sony told IDG News Service, "We are planning to launch this product in other locations, but have not decided on any specific country or date."

Credit: Sony

[Via IDG News Service]

---

Email:

---

Backpack Holds, Juices Up Electronics

ful Powerbag Deluxe Backpack: $169.99

You have to watch out for combo devices. If one part fails, you might find yourself totally S.O.L. (Printer-copier-scanner-faxers, I'm looking in your direction.) Another common problem with multi-minded gizmos is having to sacrifice separate functionality for the sake of combining them, such as the photo quality of early camera phones. Conversely, well-designed combination devices are valuable in how well their functions both perform independently and are integrated together. In the case of the Powerbag Deluxe Backpack, it's a comfortable carry-all with good storage, provides respectable portable power and features intelligently built-in circuitry. In other words, it's not just a bag with a battery dropped in.

PHOTOS: Wind Power Without the Blades

The Powerbag's 6,000mAh battery resides in a special pouch within the main compartment and offers twice the capacity of a popular solar backpack. The side pouch has Mini-USB, Micro-USB and Apple 30-pin connectors wired right in, making it the best place to store/restore your phone, camera and/or iPod. A dedicated tablet compartment (also good for e-readers) is conveniently located close to the 2.1A output USB port. To charge the system, uncap the water-resistant AC power port and plug in the handy adapter (included). Press the power button on the outside of the bag and lights through the fabric indicate the battery level -- hold it down a couple of seconds to start it charging your devices. Naturally, this backpack also has all the requisite pockets for mints, pens, cards and other business paraphernalia, including a back compartment that easily stows up to a 16-inch laptop.

Credit: ful

---

Email:

---