People have been talking about running cars on water for years, but it’s a slow march from science fiction to reality. Even on a small scale, development is difficult. But the i-H2GO is the second revision of an all-water remote controlled car that seems to actually work.
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Everybody knows about using oil as a fuel source, but London is putting a new spin on the concept. Soon the city will be mining its own sewers to bring up glorious globs of old cooking grease and melting them down into fuel. Delicious. More »
Most of us have faced that sense of dread that comes when our phones lay drained and dysfunctional right when we need them the most. Sure, we could beat ourselves up for not charging them as long as we should have (or perhaps making a bad choice of phones), but that’s where this particularly cute Kickstarter project comes into play. Devotec’s Fuel micro charger is a terribly tiny rechargeable external battery for when a smartphone’s charge goes south at an inopportune moment.
How small is it? Think “clip it to your keychain small.” And it’s shaped like a little gas can! How quaint.
As you could probably guess from its size, there’s only so much juice you’ll be able to squeeze out of this thing. The Fuel’s internal battery is only capable of holding about 220mAh worth of charge, which Devotec figures will give your smartphone up to a half hour of extra talk time — more than enough to fire off a few frenzied emails or to make a brief emergency call or two. I’ve come to appreciate bulkier fare like Mophie’s PowerStation Duo, but folks looking for a pint-sized lifesaver that won’t weigh down their bags will find something to like here.
For this first production run, Devotec is focusing mostly on churning out Fuel chargers with microUSB connectors, but the team is also plugging away on Lightning versions for the iPhone 5s in your life. There’s still no ETA on when to expect them though, so iPhone 5 owners may want to look elsewhere for now — after all, the first-party microUSB-to-Lightning adapter costs nearly as much as the Fuel itself.
Devotec’s Kickstarter campaign launched less than a week ago and the team has already blown past its $20,000 funding goal, but you can still lock in your order for a microUSB model for around $18 at this point. The final retail version will cost $25, so the cheapskates among you may want to jump on this now (like I just did).
When it comes to modern day smartphones and cellphones, the one Achilles Heel that they have would be the battery life, where for some power users, that would mean the lack of it. Well, whenever you travel, even if just for a day, it is wise and of course advisable to bring around your mobile charger as you can never quite tell just when you need more juice than normal. Most chargers have been minimized in design for some time already, but if there is a chance for change, why not?
This is where the Kickstarter project known as Fuel comes in, where it is touted to be the smallest cellphone charger in the world when realized. Devotec is the company behind its design, where Fuel would measure a mere 1” in height, and approximately 0.5” wide. This makes it tiny enough to fit onto a keychain or in a small pocket, but there is one potential drawback – its battery life, no thanks to its size. Fuel is meant to be a real emergency life saver, where it helps you run your smartphone for another 20 minutes to half an hour just in case of an emergency, which ain’t too shabby, actually, thanks to its 5C lithium-ion 220mAh rated battery.
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Samsung Sues LG For “Tarnishing” Their Brand, Moshi Unveils Luna Keyboard For Mac With Backlit Keys, 
Automatic.com has just launched an accessory called the Automatic Link which connects to your car’s on-board computer, via an industry-standard connector. From there, the Automatic Link sends information over Bluetooth 4.0 (which uses less power than previous versions) to a smartphone via an app. At the moment, only iOS is supported, but Automatic has planned an Android version “in the fall”.
Automatic Driving Assistant uses real-world data from the car’s on-board computer to provide feedback on factors that impact fuel consumption (and therefore money) like speed, braking and acceleration. Typically, each car has its own optimum fuel efficiency speed, so the app can keep an eye on whether or not you are driving close to it. Sudden accelerations are also known to consume much more fuel than smooth accelerations. (more…)
By Ubergizmo. Related articles: Parrot ASTEROID Lineup, School Bus Driver Caught Texting While Driving,
Move over, Canadarm. You may have helped the space shuttle fleet repair the Hubble Telescope and build the International Space Station, but there’s another robotic tool that’s the apple of the Great White North’s eye. Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency’s dual-armed mechanical “handyman,” has successfully refueled a faux satellite from the ISS as part of NASA’s and the CSA’s joint Robotic Refueling Mission. Not only did the exercise demonstrate how satellites could be juiced up in space and have their lives extended, but the CSA says it’s a first for the history books, to boot. Since 2011, Dextre completed a trio of tests to show how it could service satellites that weren’t built for being pried opened in space. Late this week, NASA and CSA robotics controllers removed two safety caps from a washing machine-sized mock satellite, snipped two sets of retaining wires and pumped in a bit of ethanol. Sure, you could take a Frankenstein-like approach and cobble together new satellites from old ones, but Dextre’s trials indicate there’s promise for a proactive tactic that would keep existing hardware humming.
Dextre Successfully Refuels Mock Satellite and Aces a Major Test for Space Robotics
Longueuil, Quebec, January 25, 2013 – Dextre, the Canadian Space Agency’s robotic “handyman” on board the International Space Station (ISS), made space history last night by successfully refueling a mock satellite on the exterior of the station. Topping off the satellite’s fuel tank was the pivotal task in the experimental Robotic Refueling Mission (RRM), a collaboration between the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) to demonstrate how robots could service and refuel satellites on location in space to extend their useful lifetime.
For RRM, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center designed a module simulating a satellite, as well as custom power tools for Dextre. Since RRM operations began in 2011, Dextre has performed three series of tests to show how a robot could service satellites, which were designed never to be opened in space. In this latest set of operations, Dextre removed two safety caps, cut through two sets of thin retaining wires, and finally transferred a small quantity of liquid ethanol into the washing machine-sized module. The latter maneuver was particularly tricky, since handling liquids in space required perfect precision to prevent dangerous leaks. The specialized tools built for the job allowed Dextre to seal the connections between the tool and the fuel valve to eliminate the possibility of leaks. Adding to the level of difficulty was the fuel hose itself, which adds additional forces that tend to pull Dextre’s hands. It took the combined skills of the experienced NASA and CSA robotics controllers to pull off this first-of-a-kind space refueling demonstration successfully and without any mishap.
RRM is a significant step in pioneering robotic technologies and techniques in the field of satellite servicing-saving ailing space hardware by refueling or refurbishing them before they become space debris. The ability to refuel satellites in space could one day save satellite operators from the significant costs of building and launching new replacement satellites. With over 1100 active satellites currently operating in the near-Earth environment (many of them worth hundreds of millions of dollars), and an additional 2500 inactive satellites still orbiting around our planet, the savings could be substantial.
Via: CNET
Source: Canadian Space Agency
It just happened at a gas station in New Jersey: cars got filled with kerosene after a delivery tank truck mistakenly filled one of the pumps deposits with jet fuel. So what happened next? Did the cars explode in flames? Did they run faster? More »
Hidden away in sleepy northern England is an engineering company with a radical idea: it claims to be able to make gas, to run your car, out of air. Is this the solution to the global fuel crisis, or wild hyperbole? More »
The good news is that Nike is adding some new colors to its Nike+ connected FuelBand and SportWatch GPS lines so your wristwear can more closely match your kicks all winter. While the original translucent limited edition Nike+ FuelBand Ice won’t be returning, at the end of October it will be available in new White Ice and Black Ice colors, with distribution expanded to more Nike stores in the US, Canada and UK. If you prefer GPS, precise timing and a multiplatform Nike+ Running app to LEDs, the TomTom-powered Nike+ SportWatch GPS is rolling out a new white/silver colorway. The bad news? If you were waiting for other updates, like a FuelBand with GPS, SportWatch that can pump out some MP3s while you run, FuelBand app for Android or really anything other than cosmetic changes, you’re out of luck. We wouldn’t let that get in the way of a workout however, check below for more details on each or return to customizing some NikeiD Lebron Xs — your choice.
Continue reading Nike+ FuelBand, SportWatch GPS add some new colors for the holidays
Nike+ FuelBand, SportWatch GPS add some new colors for the holidays originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 10 Oct 2012 07:26:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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