Cacophony

8bitfuture:

‘Vacuum Tube’ processor 12x faster than silicone based transistors.

Vacuum tubes were used in computers until around 50 years ago, when transistors were found to be able to be mass produced onto silicon more cheaply and effectively. Now vacuum tube techniques have been used again to create a device able to operate at up to 0.46 terahertz - more than 12 times faster than the latest Ivy Bridge range of processors from Intel which operate up to 3.8Ghz. 

…it is created by etching a tiny cavity in phosphorous-doped silicon. The cavity is bordered by three electrodes: a source, a gate, and a drain. The source and drain are separated by just 150 nanometers, while the gate sits on top. Electrons are emitted from the source thanks to a voltage applied across it and the drain, while the gate controls the electron flow across the cavity.

Because the device is so small in size, the team found they didn’t need a true vacuum to make it work, as the risk of electrons colliding with any atoms in the air is so low at the nanometre scale. This means they would be more suited to cheaper mass production.

This work is of particular interest to NASA and other space agencies, as traditional computers need to be radiation-proofed before leaving Earth’s atmosphere - this wouldn’t be a problem for the new device, potentially saving them time and money by enabling space-ready computers.

(Source: news.sciencemag.org)

futurescope:

3D print an entire room

A collaborative project to build the world first movable pavilion that can 3D-print entire rooms of plastics. The KamerMaker should be able print small interiors, measuring up to 2.4 meters x 3m x 3m.

(via)

prostheticknowledge:

Shadow QR Code 

Promotional physical installation casts QR Code at specific time of day to encourage business during downtime. From Springwise:

Periodic lulls in business are a fact of life for most retailers, and we’ve already seen solutions including daily deals that are valid only during those quiet times. Recently, however, we came across a concept that takes such efforts even further. Specifically, Korean Emart recently placed 3D QR code sculptures throughout the city of Seoul that could only be scanned between noon and 1 pm each day — consumers who succeeded were rewarded with discounts at the store during those quiet shopping hours.

Dubbed “Sunny Sale,” Emart’s effort involved setting up a series of what it calls “shadow” QR codes that depend on peak sunlight for proper viewing and were scannable only between 12 and 1 pm each day. Successfully scanning a code took consumers to a dedicated home page with special offers including a coupon worth USD 12. Purchases could then be made via smartphone for delivery direct to the consumer’s door.

More info (and cheesy video) can be found at Springwise here

wildcat2030:

Berkley’s Floating Sensor Network project launched 100 floating robots equipped with GPS-enabled smartphones down the Sacramento River on May 9. The launch was designed to test a new generation of water monitoring technologies. The 12 inch robots, called Drifters, are designed to provide real-time, high-resolution data of hard-to-map waterways. One of many possible uses is locating breeches in levee systems quickly enough to allow repair, before erosion destroys the levee. Other uses include identifying contaminants. Andrew Tinka, lead graduate student on the project notes: “If something spills in the water, if there’s a contaminant, you need to know where it is now, you need to know where it’s going, you need to know where it will be later on. The Floating Sensor Network project can help by tracking water flow at a level of detail not currently possible.” (via robots.net - Berkley Sends 100 Robots Down River)

futurescope:

New Light-Powered Eye Implants Use Infrared Pulses to Restore Sight

via wildcat2030:

Tiny “solar panels” implanted into the eye could one day restore vision to the blind without the need for any ugly wires. Around 15 million people worldwide have some form of blindness. In people with these conditions the retina’s photoreceptors, which transform light hitting the eye into electrical impulses, are often damaged, preventing visual information from being sent to the brain. Several companies, such as Second Sight in Sylmar, California, have developed prosthetic retinas, some of which are currently in clinical trials. Such technologies generally use a camera to detect visual information that is then relayed through a wire to an implant inside the eye. The implant effectively replaces the damaged photoreceptors. However, these prostheses tend to require numerous wires to connect the implant to an external power source and to transmit information from the camera to the implant, says James Loudin of Stanford University in California. (via ‘Solar panel’ eye implant promises sight without wires - tech - 13 May 2012 - New Scientist)

[more @kurzweilai @popsci] [paper]

wildcat2030:

Does nanotechnology offer athletes more than a sporting chance? From bicycles to swimsuits, nanotechnology can be used in almost every sport to improve the performance of competitors. So should governing bodies be concerned? (via Does nanotechnology offer athletes more than a sporting chance? | Nanotechnology world | guardian.co.uk)

hypna:

Bitly, the URL shortener of choice for most people, has analyzed its click-tracking data to find the optimal days and times for posting links to social media. The results show interesting, distinct patterns among Twitter, Facebook and Tumblr.

On Twitter, the best window is 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Facebook was hot at 1 to 4 p.m. And Tumblr is a night owl, with posts doing best after 7 p.m. 

I <3 bit.ly

(Source: poteau)