Several companies are marketing waterproofing technology to protect electronic devices, an endeavor that may revolutionize the mobile market.
P2i, HzO and Liquipel are all competing for commercial clients interested in making their laptops and mobile phones fully submersible.
U.K.-based P2i is already "working with virtually all the big names," according to Applications Director Nick Rimmer, who wouldn't disclose specifics but affirmed water-repellent phones will hit the market "within months." The high prices people pay for smartphones, combined with their need to be connected to them at all times, is opening new markets for these innovations.
P2i's method for waterproofing a mobile phone involves placing the device in a vacuum chamber and spraying it with chemical agent. An electric current then pulses through the chamber, permanently bonding the waterproofing agent to every atom on the phone's surface.
P2i's competitor Liquipel, a California-based startup, lets consumers waterproof their phones at $60 per device. Liquipel is reportedly negotiating at contract with Fujitsu to coat its upcoming tablets and phones, as the company aims to expand its mail-in business.
HzO, a Utah-based company, is also developing nano-technology to waterproof electronic devices. The startup says its coating, which covers a phone's internal circuitry, can protect submerged devices for longer than P2i's technology.
"We're vastly different from P2i or Liquipel," said HzO president Paul Clayson. "We take a solid chemical, turn it into a gas and introduce it into a vacuum chamber to deposit on the electronics. Our coating is thicker, building layers on top of each other and providing a protection that can endure underwater for extended periods of time."
All three companies seek to improve upon past waterproofing techniques, like Keystone Echo's MarineCase and Grace Digital Audio's Eco Pod.
The MarineCase is a silicon cover for iPhone that lets users record videos and take pictures in up to twenty feet of water, making it a useful tool for divers.
The $50 Eco Pod is another waterproof case made of polycarbonate material that shields phones from drowning. It comes with submersible headphones too, allowing swimmers to enjoy music while doing laps.
The iPhone-specific LifeProof case works in up to 6.6 feet of water, meeting military specifications for those leading rugged and active lifestyles.
But P2i, HzO and Liquipel may make external waterproof cases unnecessary, if future phones and other electronics use nano-technology coating off the shelves.
Such a development would greatly benefit those who live in waterlogged climates, where consumers are willing to pay more for protection from the elements. And accident-prone mobile users will have nothing to fear after dropping their phones in a puddle if nano-technology waterproofing catches on.
The possible applications for solid waterproofing technology are endless, as consumers may soon find out should companies like P2i, HzO and Liquipel revolutionize the market.
Scientists are helping people with paralysis move objects with their minds, aiding the physical disabled with sophisticated tools.
Brown University researchers successfully completed a trial with two tetraplegic patients, people who have no control over their limbs. As part of their "BrainGate2" study, the researchers developed a neural interface powerful enough to translate users' thoughts to a robotic arm machine, which can complete tasks from commands given by thought alone.
The neural interfaces work through tiny devices implanted in the users' brain, requiring surgery, but the promise of the robotic arm is immense -- people who are permanently paralyzed can regain the ability to feed themselves, reach for things, and do a number of activities previously out-of-bounds.
The scientists are working to improve the accuracy and speed of the robotic arm, so users can feel confident and empowered while completing tasks with the device, which isn't the only remarkable innovation in the works to empower paralyzed people.
A few weeks ago, a paralyzed woman completed the London Marathon using the ReWalk, a bionic suit that allows people with use of their arms to control their legs. Although quadriplegic people cannot use it, paraplegic people can reap enormous benefits from the device, as they can walk around without a wheelchair.
The ReWalk, priced at over $69,000, is still prohibitively expensive for most people, and although the BrainGate apparatus is still in clinical trials, it will likely come with a hefty price tag if it becomes available for commercial use. Innovations like eye tracking may help paralyzed people use devices at a more affordable price, but eye tracking does not allow them the precious movement offered by the ReWalk and Brown University's robot.
Scientists are making swift progress in technological advances for those with physical challenges, indicating future generations of people with physical disabilities will regain significant control of their bodies. At the same time, the fact that nobody is close to developing affordable innovations suggests the day when these remarkable products are available for everyday people with disabilities is still in the distant future.
Brainput, a device that promises to help drivers multitask, may actually put drivers in danger.
Researchers at MIT, Tufts and Indiana University created a portable brain sensor that's small enough to wrap around the forehead. Brainput recognizes when users are multitasking and feeds information to one or more devices ranging from computers to cars, promising to ease the wearer's responsibilities by automating the devices.
Brainput operates like a standard-issue brain monitor, but its software responds to brain wave activity, signaling multitasking, and sends information to one of the user's devices. Though researchers experimented with robots, they believe Brainput can help automate cars, military vehicles and a variety of other machines.
The idea of "smart cars", or partly automated vehicles, is catching on, especially for their ability to help older drivers stay behind the wheel. And Brainput can work as a smart car accessory, sending the vehicle into an automated state while the driver texts or plays a quick game of "Angry Birds."
But distracted driving deaths caused by smartphone use are on the rise, and lawmakers and police are going to great lengths to curb the destructive behavior. Although the campaigns to curb distracted driving are intense, the increasing ubiquity of smartphone use is making it difficult to stomp out altogether.
If Brainput takes hold as a car accessory, it throws a curveball at distracted driving opponents, since habitual in-car phone users can defend themselves by claiming their car was being automatically driven. As with other smart car technology, this can do more harm than good, as drivers wouldn't pay attention to the task they delegated. And if Brainput's automatic commands experienced a glitch or a delay, drivers may get in an accident.
Like Google's automated cars, currently being test-driven in Nevada, Brainput can give people behind the wheel too much peace of mind, encouraging them to stop paying attention, which leaves everyone on the road at the mercy of a computer program.
Brainput is helpful behind a desk, sending messages while attention drifts away. But when the task is as potentially life-and-death, Brainput does more harm than good.
Could a brain scan supersede the SAT college entrance exam? One professor says yes, but practical and ethical questions linger.
UC Irvine professor emeritus Richard Haier insists brain scans could replace standardized testing within a lifetime. Haier experiments with brain scans, and his decades-long research revealed brain scans show the most intelligent people often have highly efficient brains.
Haier summarized how brain scans could process data about the quality and quantity of grey matter and synapse activity to make assumptions about someone's job suitability, saying, "The brain imaging data algorithms that combine all this information could well give an accurate indication of your intelligence and your cognitive strengths and weaknesses -- maybe even your vocational talents."
The most intelligent people did not have a surplus of brain activity while they solved a puzzle, suggesting their brains needed to work less to come up with the correct answers.
Haier is overly optimistic about society's ability to rectify the tangle of social issues springing from measuring someone's worth by their brain function.
The SAT already comes under criticism for being less objective than it seems, as certain demographics receive educations that better equip them for the test than others. But for all its faults, the fact that someone of average intelligence can master the SAT if they try hard enough illustrates the test can reward both naturally brilliant people and workhorses.
Doctors use brain scans to diagnose strokes, so why is diagnosing intelligence different and far more dangerous?
Scanning the brain and coming to a conclusion about how much a person can accomplish intellectually may prevent people of average intelligence from pursuing far-fetched dreams of math super-stardom, but a brain scan determining aptitude may needlessly circumscribe the lives of a larger percentage of the population by placing limits on their ambitions.
Not everyone who comes up with a brilliant idea or implements a complex assignment accomplishes the task with ease -- hard work and luck often trump natural inclination, and telling people not to bother trying will do much more harm than good. A brain scan will measure cognitive ability, but not drive, motivation, commitment or emotional intelligence, which are all often integral to success.
Replacing the SAT with a brain scan would hurt people who are not natural savants, but who work incredibly hard to maximize their potential. The world needs both kinds of people, and judging students and potential employees only on their natural aptitude may reward people who are content to rest on their laurels, and punish people who work hard to learn new things, which will make for a less-balanced society.
Students who want to understand how their brains work may want to take the brain scan as a diagnostic test, but parents, admissions officers and job boards should not use the scan to decide where or what children study, or what jobs are suitable for certain candidates.
Scientists have developed virus-powered electrical chargers capable of harnessing energy from footsteps, a milestone in the continuing advancement of green mobile technology.
The stamp-sized generator, created in Berkeley Labs, relies on the piezoelectric M13 virus to produce electrical charge when pressed. Fitted to shoe soles, it may one day allow users to power mobile electronics as they walk.
The key to improvements lies in modifying the harmless virus, whose rapid reproduction and natural orderliness make it ideal for bioengineering. But M13 is not alone in its power-producing capabilities, as researchers around the world are demonstrating in their rush to develop green mobile charging technology.
Last week, 24-year-old Anthony Mutua of Kenya announced a shoe-powered cell phone charger that also generates electricity under pressure. Mutua's $46 device, slated for mass production, relies on a thin crystal chip to extract power from footfalls.
InStep NanoPower, a company created by University of Wisconsin students Tom Krupenkin and Ashley Taylor, is also joining the race, seeking to market thermodynamically powered "in-shoe" technology by 2013.
Besides using chip-fitted shoes to charge cell phones, scientists are developing clothing and exercise machines that can extract electricity from human movement.
The U.S. military is working to develop movement-sensitive e-textile fabric for its soldiers that will allow them to charge mobile devices in the field without cumbersome cords and wires.
Even concert-goers can benefit from such technology, using piezoelectric shirt pockets to harness vibrations from drums and guitars to charge cell phones.
And German-made Silverback "Starke" bicycles, along with treadmills at England's Green Heart Gym, now use movement-generated energy to power portable batteries and LED lights.
Developments like these herald a new era in mobile technology. Movement-powered cell phones will likely reduce the need for fossil fuel-based electricity, resulting in less environmental pollution as well as promoting human health with increased exercise.
Furthermore, in today's gadget-centric world, green charging technology may enable users to stay even more digitally connected than they are now. This development would certainly benefit the entire mobile market, which may see higher profits as a result of their products' ability to organically keep a charge.
Currently, the prototype virus-powered device produces one-fourth the voltage of a triple A battery, only enough to run a small LCD. As Berkeley scientist Seung-Wuk Lee joked, "Do not expect this virus-based device to run your water heating unit."
But Lee, along with Byung Yang Lee and Ramamoorthy Ramesh, are still experimenting in hopes that the virus-coated generator will revolutionize the mobile industry.
"Because the tools of biotechnology enable large-scale production of genetically modified viruses, piezoelectric materials based on viruses could offer a simple route to novel microelectronics in the future," Lee predicted.
A new initiative in England combines sustainable power and healthy living, demonstrating how alternative energy sources can spring from unlikely places.
The Green Heart Gym in Hull, England uses energy generated by movement on its exercise machine to power the site's LED lights, and officials say the gym is working to power other parts of the community as well.
The Great Outdoor Gym Company, which builds the green exercise stations, is planning on expanding to over 100 locations in the next year, harnessing energy from a wider user base. Although users' exertions on the individual exercise machines do not generate an enormous amount of energy, it is enough to offset costs and diminish dependency on less sustainable sources, and serves as an example in changing the way we think about generating power.
The gym may take a page from innovators making progress with sustainable ways to charge personal mobile devices. Two separate projects using the power generated by footsteps to charge smartphones are in the works -- one from the U.S., and the other from Kenya -- and green entrepreneurs also invented several solar-based solutions. The Green Heart Gym, however, goes beyond charging personal mobile devices, and aims to charge larger public amenities.
Since the Green Heart Gym encourages sustainable energy use and a fit lifestyle, it captures the essence of a "win-win" situation. Though the expansion is only planned for England, it would not be surprising if Michelle Obama decided to champion this type of gym as part of her fight against childhood obesity, or other policy makers in the U.S. adopted similar innovations.
Perhaps citizens using these self-generating energy sources could reroute the energy created for public use and collect a stipend for their good work, in efforts to curb government dependency on bad energy sources.
This innovation may hearten environmentalists and public health advocates alike, as it promotes two worthy causes and may save local governments money. Savvy administrators would do well to adopt similar programs around the world as the public grows increasingly receptive to new ways to power gadgets and facilities.
A Kenyan man invented a shoe-powered charger for phones, joining other inventors in making mobile technology greener and more independent of traditional infrastructure.
24-year-old Anthony Mutua developed a thin crystal chip that fits into shoe soles and generates electricity under pressure.
The $46 device connects to a user's phone via a thin extension cord, ultimately allowing people to charge their mobile batteries while going for a walk. Mutua says the chip fits into all footwear except bedroom slippers and will last for almost three years provided the shoes don't wear out first.
Mutua first unveiled a prototype at the Science and Innovation Week in Nairobi and has since patented the idea in preparation for mass production. He predicts the device will prove popular as a commercial enterprise, as people can use it to charge several phones during one walk.
Mutua's chip joins similar cell phone charging inventions that may soon "greenify" the mobile market.
Tom Krupenkin and Ashley Taylor at the University of Wisconsin at Madison, for example, developed similar "in-shoe technology" that harnesses the thermodynamic power generated from footsteps. The engineering students have already founded a company called InStep NanoPower and plan to sell the device in 2013.
Besides shoes, concertgoers' t-shirts are now capable of powering their cell phones, as demonstrated last year during England's Glastronbury festival. The shirts captured sound vibrations and produced electricity using a piezoelectric pocket to reboot attendees' mobile phones.
Solar solutions, like Ralph Lauren's mobile charging backpack and Vivian Muller's solar panel Bonsai charger, are becoming increasingly popular with cell phone owners in sunny climates.
And the German company Silverback recently unveiled a line of "Starke" bikes that harness pedal power to charge smartphones during long rides as the need for connectivity continues to grow in places where traditional power sources are scarce.
Charging solutions like these not only help the environment by encouraging exercise and decreasing electrical consumption, they may also prove vital in countries lacking solid infrastructure.
In Kenya, for example, mobile phones are already helping citizens navigate health and safety issues, but many villagers lack the constant power supply needed to keep their phones at full battery.
In countries like India, too, government-run electrical lines are often unreliable and costly, making it difficult for very poor people to keep their phones working.
A shoe insert like Mutua's may change all that, by giving users direct control over their power usage. And once people can harness energy from their footsteps, they can use this power to change their circumstances.
Caltech researchers developed technology that mimics the human and canine nose, identifying harmful diseases, and dangerous bombs and chemical agents, without putting real lives in harm's way.
Nate Lewis, a Caltech professor of chemistry, created the "eNose" to alert law enforcement officials of potential threats. ENose, which is being considered for an iPhone app, may also diagnose medical and bomb threats, and is ideal for use in dangerous areas as well as home security systems.
Doctors and nurses are already adopting mobile technology to assess patients, and researchers just found a way to detect autism using Microsoft Kinect's gaming technology.
Since hospitals are already experimenting with iPads to replace traditional medical check-ins, putting eNose technology in the tablet could send information to doctors about patients' potential diseases as they fill out their paperwork, serving as an added diagnostic tool.
In the future, doctors may install eNoses in all their waiting rooms, to get a head start on treating their patients by identifying diseases early based on the information relayed by the sensors.
For police officers, the eNose can complement their canine forces, or replace bomb-sniffing dogs when dangers are near. In buildings identified as potential terrorist targets, for example, police can discreetly set up eNoses to keep abreast of threats.
In home security, eNose sensors placed around the home or office may work as an alternative system to carbon monoxide sensors, since they can detect a range of potent toxins. With "smart homes" catching on, connected appliances and accessories are linked to networks and mobile technology, and eNose can offer comprehensive coverage to different parts of the home.
ENose isn't ready for commercial use yet, but when it is, the technology offers an excellent system for people concerned about lethal fumes, as well as medical and law enforcement professionals.
Sick of neighbors stealing your Wi-Fi? New wallpaper may fix that.
French researchers developed Metapaper, which blocks Wi-Fi signals from escaping the home, ramping up security for the same price as traditional wallpaper. The paper, which still allows TV and radio waves to pass through, will hit the market next year, distributed by Finnish company Alstrom.
Even though setting a password on Wi-Fi is cheaper than installing yards of wallpaper, this innovation demonstrates the rising concern about connection security, and may appeal to consumers looking for added protection as they redecorate.
Wi-Fi is the most common Internet access point for mobile devices, and unsecured connections open up their hosts to a bevy of security threats. Hackers can sometimes dig up personal information just by accessing the same network connection, as the case was when Android endured a security breach on unsecured Wi-Fi networks.
Tech companies such as Google and home goods retailers like Lowes are drumming up "smart home" systems, using the Internet and mobile technology to make appliances and home devices work better. These smart home technologies can incorporate Wi-Fi into the way appliances like dishwashers, TVs and stoves work, making network connections even more crucial to domestic life, and possibly creating a market for a slew of new products to stylishly protect the home's network.
As different parts of homes become increasingly reliant on network connections, products like Metapaper offer home protection, so keeping Wi-Fi secure may also become more important.
For homeowners looking for added protection, this wallpaper may have massive appeal, and as home connections are increasingly used to monitor expensive gadgets more protective measures like this may hit the scene. Along the same lines, people who steal Internet from their neighbors are probably going to have to contend with products like Metapaper in the future.
Can gaming equipment diagnose autism? Scientists say yes, illustrating how mobile technology meant for entertainment can have wide-ranging medical applications.
University of Minnesota researchers harnessed the sophisticated motion sensors on Microsoft's Kinect to develop a system of detecting autism.
Researchers set up Kinects throughout Minnesota's Institute of Child Development, and use the devices to see children's interactions with them to find behavior patterns that fall along the autism spectrum. Detecting behavior along the autism spectrum disorder can take a long time, since many of the tell-tale signs are subtle and easy to miss unless the children are subject to lengthy, intense observation.
The Kinect experiment processes the children's movements and submits the data to an algorithm that can sort out potential cases of autism, alerting the scientists about children who need further study.
If this monitoring method catches on, it may help detect autism early, since it streamlines the processes of determining which children exhibit behaviors that need further examination. This is important, because detecting developmental delays for children on the spectrum as soon as possible help them get better treatment earlier.
This is the first time researchers used gaming devices to identify autistic characteristics, but autistic children are reaping widespread benefits from the rise of mobile technology, particularly tablets and portable gaming devices.
Studies indicate autistic children can hone their social skills using interactive games, and communicate better through apps specially designed to help them articulate their thoughts.
This diagnosis strategy could also be adopted in other areas, with hospital waiting rooms installing Kinect sensors processing multiple patients and several different algorithms, creating a sort of automated triage system.
Medical centers are using iPads to check patients in instead of traditional paperwork, and since Apple is also developing a motion sensor system similar to Kinect, the next generations of iPad may come equipped with Kinect-like sensors so patients waiting for treatment could be assessed through sensors to determine their situations while they wait.
Doctors still need to examine patients personally in most cases, but this method can help root out children and patients who likely require extra medical attention. If this observation strategy catches on for doctors looking at autistic patients, it may also catch on to identify and treat other ailments, potentially improving health care diagnosis on a wide scale.
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