China Makes Steps Towards A Moon Base

In December of 2013, China landed a rover on the moon's surface to explore but also to make the first step towards building a base there. The United States has been working on the same idea with Mars. So why are the nations of the earth worried about building bases on different moons and planets? Early in the search to explore space, it was evident space travel is to be close behind. Discovering the needs of space travel like hydrogen for power and water for nourishment, has become a real concern. Think of it like when you travel on earth. You need fuel and nourishment to make the trip. Energy companies on earth are funding the exploration technologies for space as the next concern to find hydrogen fuel stations in space. If you own the only spot in that area of space for fuel or water, you charge what you want. Taking it to down to another level with the moon, China could be providing a lot of the needed essentials for the next step of local space station developments, or asteroid defense systems for earth. It all seems like some science fiction movie, but when nations spend a part of their treasuries, it is no longer fiction. It is a plan, the basis for the completion of any innovation.

Inductive Charging Soon To Be Used In Electric Cars In your Town

Cities in their efforts to encourage electric cars are installing chargers near parking stalls. The first units have been poles with plug-ins which require cords and leave them open to vandalism. Items like electric tooth brushes and cell phones have started using inductive charging to charge up their batteries already. Toothbrushes use the technology for safety so the user don't get electrocuted plugging in a cord. Inductive charging, often called wireless charging uses magnetism to get the power from the power grid to the batteries without cords. The manhole cover in this case has a coil that creates a magnetic field that the electric cars coil can pickup and transfer the power to the battery.

The vehicle has to equipped with the coil for the system to work. The system will eliminate the need for poles. The system can be fully automated to identify the users and activate the system from inside the vehicle before leaving. New Yorkers will be a great place to try this out. Manhole covers will be a bit harder to vandalize. This technology makes electric cars even more easier to maintain power.

Resembling a manhole cover allows for the surrounding aesthetics to not be affected by the technology. 

Visit Hevo Power, the company behind the product!

Smarter Windows for Smart Homes and Smart Business

Windows can be a very important part to the Smart Home idea that was proposed as the future goals of companies like Microsoft. A smart home will be able to save building owners and occupants, energy by auto darkening in hot sunny times. Auto opening windows allow cooling or heating changes. Better visual and comfort conditions will be improved by smart windows. Up to now it has been difficult to have the window do all the things they want it to do while generating electricity. But now engineers have figured out a way to generate electricity at the same time they are using the smart windows. By incorporating another film on the glass the sun can be used to generate electricity and not effect the other functions of the window. Check out these links, Smart windows generate electricity , Solar cells in windows , Science reports breakthrough!

Smart homes controlled by your computer can use several different methods to cool, heat or control ultra-violet penetration in the living or work space. Can you think of other ways a computer controlled home can positively affect your life while leaving a smaller carbon foot print? Will this idea be carried over to automobiles?

Boston Dynamics Creates The Wildcat - Perfecting Robotic Mobilization

Duplication of human, insect and animal motions to accompany robotic abilities is what this company is pursuing. The Boston Dynamics company is hoping this could be used in assisting Fire and Police Departments rescue people. The military and agriculture could also find uses for this unique robotic transportation. The robot carries its own power source and is able to handle all types of terrain. The Wild Cat can do 16 mph with amazing agility and can use different gates and gallops to achieve its destination. Check out the other fascinating robots at Boston Dynamics website. The Sand Flea is amazing for its size. BostonDynamics.com

The Sand Flea, small in size yet can leap on to roof tops or high cliffs.

Affordable Healthcare Is Here! An Innovation/ Change Lesson

There are politically contentious, argumentative discussions and concerns about the Affordable Care Act from those who are finding change difficult. No matter what camp you are in, this change has great lessons for helping all change for innovations happen. Like any change with innovation there are people who will oppose or do not want change because it’s not the way we have done things in the past. Change can be scary. With change there are new parameters to live and think. But that is not a reason to resist change. Fear of doing nothing to solve the world’s problems should be the scariest of all. Humans are hardwired to find consistency and repetition as a sense of comfort. I remember when my children were small and in school, systematic timing and procedures helped them feel secure and more teachable. So the question is how do we teach change? Communication is key.

Could we just imagine if before my children left for school I would have told my children, "school is very scary", "the teacher is going to play tricks on you", or "the other kids are going to laugh at you." The chances my children would want to go to school would be very slim. We are seeing this take play in the USA with the Affordable Care Act. Communication takes place in many arenas. Depending on the innovation you are trying to implement and to whom it effects depends on the venues you will use to help change happen.

Depending on which state you reside in the USA, it will depend on the communication you have received on the Affordable Care Act. If your in a state like Wisconsin with majority political leaders that want to see the Affordable Care Act fail, you will hear the scary stories and have people resort to the Federal website to get your information. See the Federal website at: Federal Affordable Healthcare Act Website.

Other states that have bought into the change have accelerated the communication process. Because of the state involvement, the USA Today newspaper reported that people could purchase health care insurance for less than $100 a month in their panels.USA Today - $100 a month?!  New York Reports 50% Decrease! Minnesotas own Health Care Website In Wisconsin the people in charge are saying prices are going to rise. WI Insurance Commissioner Faq Sheet The communication makes a huge difference when exciting change and promoting innovation. Simple WEB MED Video Explanation.

 

3-D Printers Move Forward Building Their Own Components

As the evolution of the 3-D printers moves forward the Internet community is playing its part. Sharing product programs seems to be still working. G-Max has developed a long awaited affordable 3-D printer to help this continue at a larger scale. This unique machine is printing its own parts. Need to modify a car part or a make your own shoe design, this printer is big enough to do it. When I first reported of the new 3-D phenomenon and its possibilities the products were small. Its exciting to see its transformation unfold. This machine does not have the multi product components yet to print the metal solder material for printed circuits to be embedded in the plastic for electrical features or product strength components needs. I think that is the next step in its evolution. We are stepping closer to robots creating themselves, but we are not there yet!. Check out its website: GMAX printer

Drone Wars in Next Big Conflict?

The next big conflict could bring lasers and drones from friction movies to reality. Drones have been in the news as the US uses the technology to eliminate terrorist threats. USA is not alone in this technology. Iran captured a US drone and is trying to duplicate the technology themselves. Watch Iranian video: Iranian video of captured drone. China has been perfecting their own. Many reports show they resemble the US aircrafts, but they design their crafts to target the USA Naval destroyers. Kamikaze pilots inflicted great damage in World War II skirmishes. US Destroyers are equipped to use lasers to stop drone attacks. Checkout Laser strike video:Laser destroys drone.  As global conflicts arise, United Nations negotiations become more important. Gone is the "jump to conflict" philosophy once thought as a smart idea. Technologies can give the smaller radical groups the ability to inflict substantial damage. While drones spare pilot deaths they also add a different dimension to moving Naval destroyers into arms way.

Chinese Show of Drone Power.

Russian Space Suit Innovation Comes Through For Space Station

New Russian Suit was tried out this week with success. The need was for a reliable space suit that give astronauts the maneuverability outside the space station the Russians stepped it up. It was a confidence upgrade from the USA space suit. Read more about 2012 USA suits in this article: Gizmag.com article.

Space suits are tested under water to assure there are no leaks. Yet in a recent space walk, the USA suit almost drown a Italian Space walker, "in space." NASA thinks that water may have leaked from somewhere in the cooling system area inside the suit. Repair kits were rushed to get them on the space craft going to space station crew from Russia. Work can't wait because of expensive space construction schedules. It was the time for the Russian suit to shine. The Russian space walkers with Russian space suits set a Russian record of 7 hours and 16 minutes with todays walk. Even though American suits hold a record of over 9 hours, dependability becomes a big concern when your life depends on it. NASA will have to work to do upgrades to regain confidence that the USA suit can be safe again. The USA suit is less bulky and has the comfort and maneuverability down, but has to fix the functionality.  Read more at: PHYS.org

Space Suit Basics

How Many Ways Are Stem Cells And Genetics Changing Human History?

I was contemplating the effects of the Stem Cell technology discovery. I was surprised at the many I discovered and imagine the possibilities I didn't find. Not to mention the many of Gene related discoveries and innovations that are cropping up each day. Here are the few I came up with:

1. Medical therapies for diseases, treatments and conditions
2. Medical advancements for the human condition
3. Pharmaceutical advancements
4. Human and animal blood production
5. Plant advancements
6. Plant variety creations
7. Animal genetic advancements
8. Matching human body organs and parts
9. Human and animal prostheses
10. Animal meat generation for human consumption
11. Milk creation and production
12. Milk creation improvements to eliminate adverse human consumption conditions
13. Nail and Hair production for wigs and cosmetics
14. Human capabilities increased physical and mentally -
15. Product enhancements - (Better foods, better human and animal affecting uses).
16. Geological historical rejuvenations - (Bring back extinct animals) 
17. Memory enhancements - (Using Stems to enhance the brains ability to store more information)
18. Tremendous new job creation for many new industries as the technology creates itself
19. Creation of  better plant products
20. Advanced production of stem cells for readily excepted within human beliefs   

    

    Coloured scanning electron micrograph of human embryonic stem cells (Image: Miodrag Stojkovic/Science Photo Library)

How many more can you come up with?

70 Percent Of Agricultural Land Raises Livestock. Can We Do It Better?

When corn was 7 to 8 dollars a bushel, you could hear farmers say, "Why would I raise $7 corn to feed it to cows to make $2 milk?" Well Dutch Scientists are saying, Why can't we take one cell from a animal and multiply it into 40 billion cells." They did and they ate a hamburger they made by doing just that. This proves that it can be done and that there are some improvements to be made, but it can be done. Next they will do the same with milk. Will the next farms look like huge laboratories run by robots to make our produce and animal products? Checkout the innovation to change farming: Expensive Bugers

Watch the video: How did they do that?

Yummy Burgers from scratch!

Tube Travel Was A Dream of the Past and Now the Future

New ideas coming from the original Elon Musk, Pay Pal creator, Tesla Car Company mogul and future inventor of a new transportation mode that verge the air hockey table, office mail shuttle, subway and a high speed train.When I watched the high speed trains of China cruise through the country side with cows and animals nearby, I could only see future troubles. This idea has possibilities just for safer high speed rail. Read more at: Bloomberg Business
Still more at:Hyperloop Defined

Top Innovator Of Today Inspires Others To Impact The World

Everyone probably knows Bill Gates, but not everyone knows of his personal website that inspires, promotes innovation and encourages reading to improve personal intelligence and help cure curiosity of the unknown. He has retired from his corporate creations to have a focused pursuit of curing diseases plaguing people of 3rd world. While charging forward to cure, he has been creating unique solutions to help him get closer to success. Personal cooling device to keep antibiotics cool without electricity and toilets without plumbing are a few to help 3rd worlds in disease prevention. You can follow his journey and learn from one of the great minds of this century. Innovation is a journey, the path is easier to follow if there are footprints to follow. I encourage you to checkout: TheGatesNotes.com

Germany Sets A New Solar Record 7-7-2013

Germany produced a output of 22.68 Giga watts in solar power to achieve a daily peak output a record in the month of July 2013. That means it is creating nearly half of its electrical needs in the summer. Germany has a public Photovoltaics tool for people to monitor the solar output of their country. Go to: Germany Solar output tool. Germany is a world leader in solar production, however other Euro -countries are closing in on them. How did they do this amazing feat? With the country's geographical position on the globe, how can they be that successful? Check out the full details at this link: 10 ways to get Germany's success!

Brief Summary of the Ten Ways To Make Solar Work

1. Government support with tax and financial incentives
2. Develop a mature solar market to lower prices
3. Streamline the permitting process
4. Subsidized Tariffs on solar products to help common man
5. Educate the public now that they're interested
6. Design the grid to handle it
7. Level the playing field for power bidding process
8. Don't allow geo location to be a reason not to
9. Never give up, Coal & Oil companies will always be trouble
10. Polls show the masses prefer solar, use that! 

If you are not located in an area of sunny days you can import it. Part of Germany's effort to help Greece during their economic down turn are plans to develop about 20,000 hectares of solar power parks for exporting renewable energy to Germany. With the Greek economy poised to contract for a fourth consecutive year, officials say green energy could create 60,000 jobs at a time of record unemployment in Greece. Turning Despair to DE- Light

This Solar field in Spain is very similar to the new solar fields being installed in California, USA backed by Google 

Cambodian Innovation In Business Management, We Could Learn From!

Like many travelers going to a hotel they have never visited, a person will read the ratings a hotel has been given by the previous visitors. On my last travel to Washington DC, USA, I found very few hotels along my travel route with a 4 star rating. Most had a 2 or three star rating. To find a hotel with all 4 and 5 star ratings was almost non-existent. I recently found a 4 to 5 star rating hotel in Siem Reap, Cambodia of all places.

I have to submit part of a 5 star rating so you can see where I am going with this:
***** "Wonderful place - hotel with heart”
Reviewed June 1, 2013

 "I would highly recommend staying here! This is a hotel with a social conscience. Can't say that about many hotels. It is 51% employee-owned, has educational programs for the employees, and works with many charities. Check out their website. thesoriamoria.com

We had a free hotel pick-up which was nice. We were glad to see the driver waited around despite our rather long delay getting out of the airport. When we arrived we were warmly greeted.

One very nice thing for us is that we were able to stay in a triple. We have 4 kids (the eldest being 13) and trying to get this many people into one room typically causes a problem. (Not for us but for the hotel.) They did ask if we'd rather book 2 rooms but were fine with us in one.

 I don't think I've stayed anywhere where the staff were so friendly or concerned about our happiness. They also are able to help you book any trips you want to take. They have a nice brochure with helpful information and a whole array of trips. We hired a wonderful driver and a tour guide to Angkor Wat and everything was charged to the room. No fuss!" ......etc. Trip Advisor

The hotel was owner by Norwegian owners, who decide to move back to Norway, but do something very innovative. They feared that the hotel would get sold  to someone that may take the hotel staff down the path of other hotels that were taking advantage of the employees. They devised a plan to give the employees 51% of the ownership. Combining money made and years worked they were awarded points. These points carried stock and voting power in the company. This ownership transformed the employees to take an even more concerned approach to the success of their business. You have to read or listen to a complete story at: Who's the Boss? We Are!

2012 Wild Asia Responsible Tourism Awards Winner: Best in Community Engagement and Development

Soria Moria Impressive Award

Crowdfunding Can Make Your Innovation Come to Life!

One of the highest hurdle you may have is funding your idea. Thanks to the Internet and other organizations your innovation could be a reality. Banks may not want to take the full risk or may not find your ideas as profitable as you know they will be. Crowd funding is rapidly becoming the answer you are looking for. Details for Crowdfunding

Places for Crowdfunding.
www.crowdsourcing.org
www.fundageek.com
www.techmoola.com
www.rockethub.com
scifundchallenge.org

Finding money for a business:
www.fundable.com
How to find Angel investors - WSJ
www.go4funding.com
www.angelcapitalassociation.org
netpreneur.org

These are just some of the links to getting your innovative ideas moving. For me I found the idea that selling a idea to many people over the net is just the outside the Wall Street box that could just work. Good luck!

How Do They Fry My Fast Food Perfect Every Time?

Fast Fry by MTI seems to lead the industry in this technology.

Innovation in commercial food preparation continues because the fast food margins are thin. They strive  to save time, product waste, and provide perfect temperature for safety and taste. When I first worked in a kitchen for a club I belonged in, I found myself manning the old drop fryers that required very large vent hoods. A operator had a audible timer and had a eye on the oil temperature. It relied on the operator to master the fry with a reasonable chance for under frying or over frying. At the end of the night the operator smelled like a fry vat and you could even taste it in your mouth for a week. If the oil splattered on you you felt it or in one case a employee had to be brought to the hospital because of a burn.

Recently I was in a newer restaurant and was fascinated with the new auto fryers. Resembling a strange microwave they operated in a similar fashion. The machine monitored time and temperature. A person drops the food to be fried through the front door. The totally contained unit is vent less and with no smell or noise pollution. The operator punches in the time for the material to fry and the chicken strips,  fish or fries appear on the heating tray waiting to be served. This innovation is safe, with a perfect product. The machine easily pays for itself because it enables a kitchen to be run with one less employee. The food quality and taste is maintained. I'm surprised to see so many restaurants and bars still using the old firers. Read more about MTI firers and other products they make at: mtiproducts.com

Australian Solar Bus Keeps Rolling After 5 Years

"Tindo" which is Aborigineze  for "Sun" is the name for this transportation innovation. The bus has been carrying tourists through Australia's 5th largest city, Adelaide. Each night the maintenance team recharges the sodium-nickel batteries using the power generated by the solar panels mounted on the bus station. The bus can travel 125 miles before a recharge is needed. It also uses the same kind or brake electric generation system used on cars like a Toyota Prius. You apply the brakes and it generates electricity. This helps is extent its travel time. No pollution, no carbon foot print, no fuel bills. If every large city in the USA had a bus like this, think of the environmental impact and reduction in noise pollution. Read more at: www.adelaidecitycouncil.com

More Proof Solar Works With Oceanic Cruise On Planet Solar

This Swiss boat "Planet Solar" is sailing across the Atlantic ocean to draw attention to its unique ability to travel using only solar power. The 15.9 million dollar craft sails with the quietness of a sail boat. Its 5000 square foot of solar panels pushes the huge catamaran with two huge electric motors that turn two six and a half foot propellers. The next trip starts in Florida, travels to Canada then across the Atlantic to Europe. The challenge is to chart and watch the weather  for sunshine. Its batteries have power storage for travel without sunshine, but they have limitations. The 8 person crew will travel without fossil fuel and leave no carbon footprint. There are a lot of boats out there that wish they had zero fuel bills at the docks. For more information : Solar Navigator Website
Follow the trip: www.planetsolar.org

Drones Used in Agriculture Gives Farmers Eyes in the Skies

We have heard of drones in the military, however the technology is helping farmers around the world and soon, (we hope), in the USA. The FAA rules are holding back the authorization of such equipment for farm use in the USA. In other countries where these drones are used, farmers can identify crop conditions to determine, fertilization, field drainage needs, find livestock, with huge time, material and financial savings for improved profits. Click on the link for more information: Flying Farm equipment. 

 

Smart Phones, Now Smart Guns?

Just when you thought it couldn't get easier for the hunter, along comes the computer controlled rifle to eliminate any waste of bullets and guarantee the one shot kill. A person has to question the idea of sportsmanship with this degree of accuracy. This gun uses the red dot technology that already exists , for the hunter to locate the target lock in the target. The computer "Smart" technology then will fire the weapon only when the firearm is pointed in the correct trajectory to the target. Link to more information and video : Tracking Point Firearms

Fun gunners like to think they are saving high cost ammunition and eliminate accidents by hitting only what they have intended it to hit. Concerned public safety activists fear that in the wrong hands the weapon can be deadly to victims in the line of fire from a suicidal homicidal killer. In the Newtown event, it was the empty clip that allowed the demise of the killer. In different situations where the shooter could be firing from a distance, this rifle could be devastating. Every shot guarantees a kill, allowing every bullet in the clip to do damage.The company says it will control who buys this gun and it will require a password to fire the gun. This handles theft, but does not address the issue that background checks are not required at many State gun shows. So yes, they could be bought second hand by unidentified killers at the local gun shows.

It will be interesting to see the waves of controversy this innovation could make in the next few months.

The Solar Impulse Proves Solar Is An Energy That Works!

Like the Daimler Hydrogen car of the early 2000's that journeyed across the USA at record speed and traveled into Washington DC it attempted to prove to the American people and its government that the technology was here. "Now, just put the hydrogen infrastructure in the USA, so that the cars can be made and bought by the consumers of America," they requested. Instead the Bush Administration designated tax payers monies to a hydrogen research center to research and develop the technology. The designation was enough of a payoff for about 5 years of research. This bought five years for the oil companies to continue destroying the globe for the next generations. Now Ford is boasting that by 2017 the cars will be hydrogen and self driven by electronics. They are asking Washington / Congress to develop the hydrogen station infrastructure to support the cars that will supply environmentally safe energy. The oil companies will continue to try to delay the top customer, the USA, from cutting back on their product. While USA car manufacturers, produce hydrogen cars for Europe, Republican politicians will continue to chant "Drill bay Drill," at their national conventions. The oil companies will not stop at this gullible coupe, yet target others in need of their seemingly unending piles of money.

It is to this cause to defeat the oil giants at their ruthless en-devour to fill their greedy pockets, that there is a extra delight.The Solar Impulse is causing Americans to second guess the oil liars. The Solar Impulse crew are more than the equivalent of the Wright Brothers. They are solar technology with a message. They are not just powering up a transistor radio with solar power. They are lifting two tons into the sky and flying crossed the USA, but with first solar flight around the world in their sights. They are doing this with not one drop of black crude. So with each city they land in their journey is more than hope for another generation, it is a serious blow to the effort to misinform the American public. Innovation can sometimes more than difficult technical task, but require the courage and perseverance to over come the adversaries with a different agenda. Hats off to the crew of the Solar Impulse.  

    Flow the trip on the map with this link:Fly Big Solar Bird, Fly!

Black Water Filtration Systems Could Be A Part Of The Hybrid Home Future

If you live in a urban area, chances are you are hooked up to the sewage purification system of your town. If you live in the USA and in the country, you may have a primitive septic tank or some sort of mound system. These systems strive to clear the water up before it enters into the local aquifer. During the 1980's under the Reagan administration, the Great Lakes and USA Shorelines Cleanup Initiative was De-funded. The effort was to have cities along shorelines restructure there sewer systems to handle the growth of the cities. Because improvements were not made to municipal sewage systems, when it rains over 1/4 inch many cities are forced to release excess raw sewage into water ways. Link to SAFE WATER Report that explains the extreme need for future change. The amount of overflow depends on the individual cities attempts to overcome this. Link to the the old way to get rid of black water in the USA non-urban areas.

As water becomes more valuable because of scarcity, the purification of water will become even more important. New technologies can be large efforts that urban areas are trying, to smaller individual home or building units. All units have to go through a series of processes to make the water usable again. Here is a detailed article on this process: Black Water Purification.

I would think that future waste transportation systems will use other methods to carry waste away. Maybe instead of a garbage disposal system in sinks, the waste material would be carried away by augers or  pressure to transport the waste to a composting container. The future homes will have to use ideology of aviation and space programs that have self-sustaining contained water/ sewage systems. Maybe chemicals and pharmaceuticals will need to use 50% less water to apply or transport the product to its needed function. Maybe the solids from the black water could be separated and burned for another home energy or heating source. Link to waste energy study.

European homes are already using in home black water /purification units. Public rest rooms can be built and not hooked to the grid. This may not mean much at first glance, however hooking to the grid costs all taxpayers over decades of use. Not to mention the actual cost  to hook the unit to the grid. Like cars that verge several different energy supply sources and different methods to achieve the transportation need, homes will have to become more complex as well. Smart homes will be equipped with sensors in the waste plumbing to determine matter density and decide to dispose or direct it in a manner most effective to achieve efficient process for water purification and/or usage . Link to Hybrid Homes

European Weather Predictions Excel Because Of Reanalysis

In the 1980’s movie, "Back to the Future," the date that Doc and Marty travel to in the future was April 13, 2013. In the movie the future of the vision was flying cars and weather forecasting to the second. In real life political elections can change what a future may look like. In the decade of US, 2000-2008, of Republican control, they defunded the NASA "Super Skyway" that killed the flying cars idea and also defunded the investment of the US weather forecasting plan. It sounds like we should have the time machine to go back and change the outcome of the Bush-Gore 2000 election! The super close election propelled the country into a very different future. The political position that killed weather prediction funding is tied to the element Europe uses to make its weather system work so well, “reanalysis”.  Forecasters pretty much agree that the USA weather forecasting is way behind the European forecasting model. Europe decided that weather was worth investing in when USA didn't. 

The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) is an independent intergovernmental organization supported by 20 European Member States and 14 Co-operating States. The headquarters is in Reading, England, and has one of the largest supercomputer complexes in Europe that is linked by high-speed telecommunication lines to the computer systems of the national weather services of its supporting states. The Centre's computer system contains the world's largest archive of numerical weather prediction data. The information center accumulates all the data provided by the co-operating states and combines the information with reanalysis data. Together they are providing very accurate forecasts 15 day, 30 day and seasonal, annual forecasts. American television forecasters are checking their predictions against ECMWF whenever possible.

Understanding the reanalysis process is important. ECMWF makes significant contributions to support research on climate variability. ECMWF has pioneered an innovative approach known as reanalysis. Reanalysis is accumulated historical weather data to determine climactic changes that will affect present changes of weather. This becomes mathematical evidence of global climate change. This is why I believe there was a concern for the global climate change denying Oil Company backed Republicans who blocked the USA weather forecasting advancements.

The ECMWF combined satellite, super computer infrastructure and historic climactic trending to make great advancements in forecasting. You might say they were looking forward and backward. Maybe the saying could be said again, “When going forward never forget where you came from.” Still another thought could be when we are looking ahead for answers for innovation we can look for answers in previous findings. Thus giving us reason to reexamine the why, what and when that caused other innovations to fail.

New Hybrid Without Batteries, Another Step In The Evolution

In a earlier post, I talked about compressed air only vehicles. They had limitations of speed and distance. But  they worked well for city transportation, using no fuel. Why not verge the technologies to utilize the advantages of all technologies we know, to propel the human bodies to their destinations. Could we ever combine the solar, perpetual motion, compressed air/gasses, battery, hydrogen with a gasoline/ diesel backup? Maybe that will be the 2020 versions we see for transportation. As the ideas evolutionalize in front of us, the destination is less reliance of carbon based fuels at the demise of oil giants. It is more power, safety and speed without an adverse affect on our planet. It is style, design and acceptance for profit of entrepreneurial efforts of free enterprise.

 Compressed air with gas engines seem to be a common sense plan in stepping us closer to that goal, that does away with the battery concerns of other hybrid cars. Peugeot introduced their car that saves fuel by using gas powered engines assisted by compressed air. Read more at: Peugeot Introduces Air Assisted Cars

More information can be read at: More about the New Peugeot-Citroen and Bosch Drive Trains

Why Government Funding Is Important To Innovation

It is important to understand the challenges to funding large innovation projects. With my research of innovation it has become apparent that funding innovation is as important to success as the actual scientific and entrepreneurial exploration procedures. With some private and corporate funding the findings become the property of the fundraisers. It is either about profit or credit. If the money drops off, the progress of the innovation can be locked up, not to be shared. Right now we see some very impressive brain studies and brain function research. The problem is that a lot of the findings are not shared, which leads to a duplication of efforts to find answers to similar questions. Parts of the puzzle, not found or missing by others slow the assembly of the complete puzzle. Recently some larger efforts are being funded by trusts that where created by groups of scientists that are aware of the funding hurdles to innovative creations. Even these can be challenging. Deals have to be made ahead of time to confirm the intellectual property rights.

In April 2013, President Barrack Obama decreed he would pursue government funding of the mapping the functions of the human brain. This will be as massive an effort as was the human genome project. This effort like the study of outer space itself demands the direction and funding of a large government to make it even possible. The findings will be a tremendous asset to life on this planet and for the greater good of the USA. Not only will it be good for the economy but healthcare, technology, communication and human advancement. 

Making Animals Smarter Using Human Brain Cells

It sounds like something from a Disney family movie, but it is really happening. Some Canadian scientists planted some human brain cells into a baby mouse. The brain cells fully bonded with the mouse brain cells resulting in very mentally advanced mice. They were able to travel through a maze in two tries instead of the many tries that it would normally take a normal mouse. The brain cells they transplanted were largely ignored in brain studies before, because the focus was on the neurons rather than the gray matter. The human glial progenitors or glia gray matter was the material implanted into the brain.

What can we use this for in the future. Could the factories of the future be filled with monkeys assembling products. Could we use animals to fly, hunt, fish and entertain us even more than we do now. Is it moral? The future could literally go to the dogs!! One of many links on the finding: Mice get smarter audio and story! 

Harnessing The Power Of Lightening

The astronauts have often been astonished at the amount of visible lightening bolts that hit the earth each day around the world. It is estimated to be over 11,000 bolts flash everyday. Can we capture that energy? Can it be done? It is truly an area of untapped potential for a huge energy source for the whole globe. Towers around the globe take many hits to survive and disperse the energy by cables to the ground. Many have thought we could harness it to generate hydrogen.

I have not been able to find any confirmation that anything is underway with this idea. Everyone is looking at trying to use one individual device to capture lightening bolts. We do it to some degree when we put lightening rods on tall buildings. We have used small capacitors to capture and store energy in automotive points and ignition systems in older cars, before electronic ignition systems. We have millions of miles of electric infrastructure in all countries around the world. What if we use these lightening rods throughout the system hooked with capacitors. The network could use other nearby capacitors in the network to share and dissipate, then store the lightening charges. The capacitors in collaboration with transformers already used in the electrical infrastructure could release the electricity in a useable state. By using this idea, countries could discover green energy savings over time. It just seems to me that the theory is right. Could this be an idea for a innovation hub to confirm and design. It would take a massive manufacturing effort to equip the systems with the appropriate equipment.

Check out lightening spotted from a night orbit from space!

Building Innovation Hubs In the USA

In the last decade, the United States has lost over 1/3 of its manufacturing jobs. In the Presidential address the President mentioned an initiative to create innovation hubs to work on bringing back those manufacturing jobs. The idea isn't new. Many other countries are trying the same thing. This same manufacturing, job creating engine was one provided by NASA and the Defense department research spending. As these budgets have become cut drastically, so has the engine to discover and create USA manufacturing ideas. Governmental funding will instead be spent to get private enterprises to push the envelope of profits for ideas. I think the trick to that success will be in the patent controls so the research and development expenses will be recovered on the backside. After all private enterprises survive on profit only. More information on how this might work can be found at this link: Brookings Institute calls for 25 us innovation.

Brain Scans to Determine Political Affiliation?

Will businesses request a brain scan to determine the political party affiliation of its employees? In the future, will the voting booth sense the differences in the brain and vote automatically? Could parents determine the political affiliation of the unborn baby and abort the fetus. Would pro-life Republicans justify abortion if they know the baby is a democrat? A current study if a science journal says that there was a connection between brain structure and the political leaning of the individual.

• ^{Study in the "Current Biology," Scientific Journal, vol. 2, Issue 8, 677-680, 07 April 2011} 
• ^{Political orientations are correlated with brain structure in young adults.}
• ^{Democrats were associated with the gray matter volume of the anterior cingulate cortex.}
• ^{Republicans were associated with increased right amygdala size.}
• ^{Read more at: Ryota Kanai Study}  

Australian Synchrotron Used in Latest Cell Discovery

This month scientists at theWalter and Eliza Hall Institute used the Australian Synchrotron located in Melbourne, Victoria to make a discovery of how a cell dies. The Australian Synchrotron is a complex structure built in 2006 and opened in 2007, that enables scientists to use high intensity light beams to discover the microscopic secrets of life. Link to the Synchrotron: Thunder down under making a lot of noise!

Why is this a big thing? In the science of curing cancer, scientists are getting close to finding out how to better kill selective , aggressive cancer cells. They have to understand how certain protein cells kill other cells. It is one thing to speculate how the death is taking place, it is another to see it. Link to February 2013 Cell Discovery, click: Science News 

1969 Electric Dune Buggies? Out of This World!

Electric vehicles are suppose to be a recent thing right? Not really. In 1972 the Apollo 16 moon rover traveled around the moon. Recently the NASA agency released some new video restored in  High Definition for the public to watch. Here is the link to the released You Tube video from NASA: Moon rover action!

Boeing and General Motors teamed up to make 4 of these Lunar rovers to be used on the Apollo 15, 16 and 17 missions. There was a great amount of tax dollars spent to research and construct these vehicles. How could this technology not have been used earlier for the consumers on earth? Link to Moon Buggy NASA Historical document

Building Your Own Solar Panel Is Easier Than You Think!

Imagine using recycled materials to generate heat, to heat up a building made 80% of recycled materials. A friend near Chilton, Wisconsin showed me his newest recycled invention. With outdoor temperatures at -10 degrees F below zero, he he has able to raise indoor temperatures to 80 degrees F With the inlet for the panel bringing in out door temperature. The 8 ft x 8ft. panel has a outlet temperature at 160 degree temperature. The glass is used thermal glass panels from a old store that was tore down. My friend told me that he would not use newer panels that cut down on solar radiation. The air flows through pvc tubing with holes drilled to force air to flow through the maize of soup cans he collected from the schools in his area. He said that he had some trouble with paint fumes until the paint was thoroughly dry. The box was made from 10 x 2 pine boards. He is planning to add another panel while keeping the small electric fan he uses to pull the warm air through the panels on the outlet inside the home. One revision he is looking to add on the second panel is dark rocks added to the top soup cans to see if he can keep the unit heating for a while after dusk. This proves that with little money you can save a lot of energy costs. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, and witnessed its performance.

Solar Stadium in Taiwan

Could we help power cities by using public building structures to produce electricity? They are doing it in Taiwan. The dragon-shaped stadium utilizes an array of nearly 9,000 solar panels to generate electricity for lighting. The power comes through the use of photovoltaic technology, which converts the solar input into 3,300 lux energy. The structure was designed by the firm of Toyo Ito and seats 50,000 people.

 When not powering the stadium lights, the power is funneled into the local power grid and is expected to meet almost 80% of the neighboring area’s energy requirements. It is estimated that this stadium will prevent 660 tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) a year from being released into the atmosphere when compared to a traditional powered stadium of this size.

The stadium site boasts many other green features including permeable paving, green spaces, and the extensive use of reusable, domestically made materials. They even went so far as to transplant all of the vegetation that was on the site before the construction.

 Kaohsiung City, Taiwan  where the stadium is located has an average of 2,282 hours of sun per year, averaging 5.6 hours daily. If the solar energy plates receive enough sunlight, they will be able to provide 80% of the electricity needs during the operation of the stadium and 100% during the remaining time. While maybe not practical in certain areas of the United States. In some areas saturated with sunlight we could save money and the environment at the same time.

Saying Good Bye When You Die APP?

A few years ago I lost a close friend that was a professor at UWGB in Wisconsin. He was a computer technology guy, that taught me a lot about websites and software programs. I can only imagine if this APP was around back than he would have said good bye when he lost his battle with cancer using this APP. It is FACEBOOK's only video APP to date. It allows you to say good bye to all your friends with the OK from 3 of your per-established friends. Check it out at the link: Say Good Bye!

This APP made made me think what other new technologies are catching on with death. Electronic methods of video wills are not legal everywhere. As of 2010, approximately 11 states accepted nuncupative, or oral, wills under certain circumstances: Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas and Vermont. The state of Washington also accepts them, but only from members of the United States military.So because of the laws of the land, I don't think they could use this sort of APP as a will. Right now you still need to use paper for that process. I am still looking for cemetery headstones to have a goodbye message spoke by the person who died. Here's to wishing you many more years before you have to worry about this! 

Clothes That Heat Up Add Value To Winter

In the Wisconsin winters, many people become cabin bound because they don't like the cold. Could that change if cold was eliminated? I'm not suggesting that we change the temperature or the climate of the outdoors. I am suggesting wearing clothes that take away the cold. I live in Wisconsin and dread the Packer games with the freezing temperatures during the game. For some the weather doesn't seem to bother them. Science has indicated that people who subject themselves to the cold more often, build a yellow fat in their spinal area that seems to give them a greater tolerance of colder temperatures. Eskimos tolerate the cold better than someone residing in Miami, Florida.I call it the "penguin paradigm." If you are like me I don't have the desire to build my "PP."

The disposable chemical inserts for the feet and hands do help the cold go away for the hands or the feet. These are great if you are not generating any heat of your own. Disposable chemical inserts keep a constant non-controllable heat in the areas where you insert them. Here is a link where you can check them out: Chemical foot warmers are affordable body warmers sold everywhere.Where the problem comes in skiing, walking to the stadium, or walking to the deer stand, is you generate your own heat and start to sweat. Eventually this complicates the attempt to stay warm because now you have moisture that cools the area. Imagine if you have adjustable electrified heating panels in your clothes to keep you warm. I reported earlier of clothing with floating devices to save water victims. Clothing manufacturers are now offering heating elements to protect people from the cold.

Columbia outer wear has started installing adjustable heating elements in their outdoor wear. Click on this link to explore the explanation of how their equipment works: Columbia Uses Omni-Heat Technology

Other Companies are incorporating batteries in the clothing to avoid carrying a clunky lithium batteries (they say). Here is a link to their sight: aevex.com

Stay warm and enjoy the winter outside!