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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Sandwich structure enables cheaper, more efficient hydrogen fuel cells

UCF Professor Sergey Stolbov who has created cheaper, more efficient hydrogen fuel cells u...
UCF Professor Sergey Stolbov who has created cheaper, more efficient hydrogen fuel cells using a sandwich-like structure

For the predicted hydrogen economy to become a reality, fuel cells must become more efficient and cost effective. Researchers from the University of Central Florida (UCF) claim to have addressed both these problems by creating a sandwich-like structure that allows more abundant materials to be used as catalysts in hydrogen fuel cells.

iBaby monitor offers swiveling baby-watching action

iBaby is an iPhone-controlled baby monitor, which can be remotely panned and tilted
iBaby is an iPhone-controlled baby monitor, which can be remotely panned and tilted

People like their smartphones and, well, they also tend to like their babies – so, it shouldn’t come as a big surprise that we’re seeing an increasing number of baby monitors that transmit live video to parents’ phones. Recent examples have included the Smart Baby Monitor and BabyPing. The Apple device-based iBaby is the latest such system, although it’s notable in that instead of just offering a locked-off shot, the camera can be remotely panned and tilted.

Subaru begins production on BRZ and Toyota GT 86 sports cars

Subaru and Toyota celebrated the beginning of production last Friday
Subaru and Toyota celebrated the beginning of production last Friday

More than six years ago, Subaru and Toyota entered into a cooperative agreement. In 2009, that relationship bore its first concept - the Toyota FT-86. Both automakers showed the production versions of their respective sports cars last year, and Subaru has officially kicked off production on the models. In about two more months, car buyers will be able to get their hands on them.

Desktop-sized CT scanner created as a teaching aid

DeskCAT is a miniature visible-light CT scanner, designed for use in medical school classr...
DeskCAT is a miniature visible-light CT scanner, designed for use in medical school classrooms

When you're learning how to use a complex device, there’s nothing like getting some hands on play time. When it comes to CT (Computed Tomography) scanners, however, it’s often difficult to find a time when they’re not being used on patients. That’s why two biophysics professors at Canada’s Western University invented the DeskCAT. It’s a miniature CT scanner that’s small enough to sit on a desk, so it can be used in medical school classrooms.

Study suggests mobile phone use during pregnancy may cause ADHD in offspring

A study suggest mobile phone use by pregnant mothers can affect fetuses (Image: Shuttersto...
A study suggest mobile phone use by pregnant mothers can affect fetuses

While there have been – and continue to be – numerous studies examining the effects of radiation from mobile phones on users, Yale School of Medicine researchers have looked at the possible effects on fetuses of mobile phone use by pregnant mothers. According to the study, mobile phone radiation exposure in the womb can affect the brain development of offspring and potentially lead to behavioral disorders such as hyperactivity.

Skydiving from 71,500 feet: Red Bull Stratos test jump a success

Felix Baumgartner stares down the barrel of the first test jump in the Red Bull Stratos pr...
Felix Baumgartner stares down the barrel of the first test jump in the Red Bull Stratos project

Daring Austrian base-jumper and skydiver Felix Baumgartner is aiming to break a record that has stood for almost 52 years. In fact he is aiming to break four long established records, starting with world's highest manned balloon flight (120,000 feet or 36,576 meters) highest skydive (currently 102,000 feet ) and the longest freefall, which may well see him break the sound barrier as he plummets for nearly 23 miles (37 km) towards Earth. Last week Baumgartner jumped from 71,581 feet in the first manned flight test by the Red Bull Stratos project, but to reach its ultimate goal the team must beat Joe Kittinger's record for the highest freefall set in August, 1960.

Seagate demonstrates HAMR hard drive technology that promises 60 TB HDDs

Seagate has achieved a milestone 1 terabit per square inch storage density using heat-assi...
Seagate has achieved a milestone 1 terabit per square inch storage density using heat-assisted magnetic recording (HAMR) technology

Despite solid state drives increasing in capacity in recent years, the humble platter-based 3.5-inch hard drive still reigns supreme as the data storage device to beat in terms of bits for your buck. But if traditional drives are going to meet user’s ever-increasing data storage demands they will need to improve on the maximum 620 gigabits per square inch storage densities currently possible in platter based 3.5-inch drives. That’s just what Seagate has demonstrated with new technology that has achieved a milestone storage density of 1 terabit per square inch.