Hasta La Gadget!

It may look like some sort of Transformer, but this concept from Pope Design is actually a mobile wind generator. Unlike traditional wind turbines, which are stationary, the Mobile Wind Turbine can be moved around in order to be wherever the wind is the strongest.

Essentially, the concept is simply a turbine on the back of a large truck. It features a hydraulic system that is able to erect the turbine when the truck is in position. The creators say that the mobile turbine could potentially be used to help power temporary settlements, such as camps or military bases. A smaller version could also be used to power schools and small businesses, as a way to utilize wind power without the high costs associated with a permanent wind turbine installation.

Via Inhabitat.

If you just so happen to be in the market for a new yacht, you may want to consider the Tang: a new green alternative from International Battery and Electric Marine Propulsion. The 60 foot long, carbon fiber boat is currently being tested in South Africa.

The Tang features propellers, which turn a pair of 18-kilowatt propulsion motors that then send the electricity to the boat’s lithium battery. It provides enough power that yacht owners won’t have to give up their luxurious lifestyle, as the system is able to provide enough electricity to power items such as “a 37 inch flat screen TV, Bose entertainment system, LED lighting, café-size espresso machine, two refrigerator-freezers, dishwasher, microwave, conventional oven, gas or electrical burner top, washer-dryer, air-conditioning, and a water maker,” according to International Battery.

Additionally, the batteries can also be charged either through the traditional plug-in method, or via on-board diesel generators that kick in in the event that there’s not enough wind.

Via CNET.

In an attempt to raise awareness for the current global water crisis, two men are biking from Alaska to Argentina. And if that wasn’t enough, they’re doing it on bikes made of bamboo.

The project, appropriately dubbed Cycle For Water, actually began back in July when Joost Notenboom and Michiel Roodenburg began biking south starting in Deadhorse, Alaska. The entire trip is expected to take 18 months to complete and, according to their website, the goal “is to take one bottle of icy Alaskan water from the Beaufort Sea down to the seas around Tierra del Fuego in a symbolic effort to complete the natural water cycle and raise awareness for the global water crisis that is leaving over [one] billion people around the world without access to safe and clean drinking water.”

The duo are making the trip on bikes created by Calfee Design, each of which has a unique bamboo frame. Not only does this give the bikes a smaller carbon footprint, but it also provides vibration dampening to make for a smoother ride. The two are currently making their way through California.

Via Inhabitat.

The New York Jets have entered into a partnership with Yingli Solar to make their headquarters just a little more green.

Yingli has installed more than 3,000 solar panels at the NFL team’s HQ and training facility in Florham Park, NJ. The new installation is expected to provide 750,000 kilowatt-hours of electricity to the facility each year, as well as reduce CO2 emissions by 540 metric tons. The Jets will also be saving quite a bit of money, with the savings expected to be in the five figure range.

“The New York Jets are excited to be at the forefront of incorporating solar energy into the NFL. When we decided to add solar energy to the Atlantic Health Training Center, going green was the catalyst,” said Thad Sheely, New York Jets’ Executive Vice President of Finance and Stadium Development. “This project is the first of many green initiatives on behalf of the team, and we are proud to be green in color and also in deed. We chose the right partners and are thrilled about what this installation will do for our organization, our community, and hopefully for inspiring the entire league.”

The new solar set-up is largest of its kind amongst the 32 NFL teams. Installed in June, the installation actually began providing power for the Jets eight weeks later.

Via CNET.

In conjunction with the Air Force, nanotech researchers at the University of Michigan have created a new super-efficient ultra-thin display technology. The new “plasmonic” technology is far more versatile than any currently available display technology and will allow for the projection of high quality images and video the size of a stamp.

The Air Force is interested in utilizing the tech to project virtual displays onto pilots’ windshields. For us civilians, the tech could also be incorporated into clothing to create wearable computer screens–your shirt could be your smart phone. It will also allow for very tiny displays. If people are still sending letters in 10 years, it may be possible that the post office could create a commemorative stamp for the 10-year anniversary of Avatar that will actually show Avatar.

And the displays will be very high quality. The tech uses pixels 10 times smaller than those of your average
desktop and more than eight times smaller than displays currently
available on most smart phones.

What makes the tech so versatile is its efficient use of light. The new technology quite handy at trapping and transmitting light–they make the current technology seem sloppy. For
example, in current LCD displays, only about five percent of the
backlighting makes it through to the viewer. The rest is lost in the process.

The nerdly whats and hows are a little
complicated, but for those who are interested, the deets are available over at Physorg.