mikino

Energy-generating dance floor

An energy equipment and solutions company from the Netherlands creates clean and renewable energy-producing systems activated by movement

Called the Kinetic Dancefloor, people can create power through its smart floor panels that absorb energy.  The energy can then be used to run lights and charge phones.  The system can be temporary or semi-permanent.  It also comes in three sizes with 8, 16, or 32 tiles, generating between 160 to 640 kilowatts.  The system also comes in customizable options like LED lights to make it more fun and engaging.  

The company promotes the use of the system for festivals, company parties, and other functions where sustainability and fun can go hand in hand.  Even the band Coldplay used the Kinetic Dancefloor on its tour.  

Would you love to step on this energy-generating floor one day?  Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

Boat-like wave energy converter

A European tech developer created a wave energy converter disguised as a boat.  The design aims to produce energy while protecting the device from salty water problems.

Called Penguin, the boat features a unique asymmetrical shape designed to capture the energy in the waves from all sides.  As waves crash into its hull, it rotates in place, revolving around a central point, transferring and capturing the energy from the waves crashing into it.  Its design also considers marine hazards, including collisions and other mishaps.  Soon, the boat will be used for a wave energy wind farm project in Barbados.  

The great thing about wave energy is that it is continuous, unlike wind and solar.  That’s an essential consideration for energy planning in island communities, where suitable on-land sites for renewable energy development are limited.

Do you agree?  Let us know what you think about this innovation. 

Microrobots successfully treat pneumonia in mice

Researchers successfully directed tiny robots to clear pneumonia in mice.  

The microbots are made from algae cells covered with antibiotic nanoparticles.  The algae provide movement through the lungs, and the nanoparticles neutralize inflammatory molecules produced by bacteria and the body’s immune system.  Both the nanoparticles and the algae degrade naturally.

In experiments, the infections in the mice treated with the algae bots all cleared up, whereas the mice that weren’t treated all died within three days.  The researchers also found that the microbot treatment was more effective than an intravenous antibiotics injection.  

The outcome raises hopes that a similar treatment could be developed to treat pneumonia in humans.  Next up for the team is more research into how the microbots interact with the immune system, then scaling up the work and preparing it to be tested in larger animals – eventually humans.

Are you excited about this innovation?

Nanogenerators: producing electricity from sea waves

A team of Chinese scientists developed a device made of nanogenerators that could produce significant electricity from sea waves.

The invention consists of a spring-like coil inside a cylinder.  As the waves push the cylinder back and forth, the separate parts of the spiral come together and separate, generating a small but significant current.  So far, the device has produced up to 347 watts of power per cubic meter, double the best previously achieved record.  It’s also 30 times more than similar devices. 

The development is crucial as wave energy is one of the world’s most highly anticipated renewable energy sources.  The waves are constantly moving to a certain degree.  Therefore, if a device could harness even its most minor movements, it could be a game changer in our renewable future.

What do you think of this innovation?  Let us know your thoughts

Flying car that can fit in a garage

A Miami-based aerospace company begins taking pre-orders for its electric vertical take-off and landing or eVTOL aircraft that can fit into a garage.

The aircraft, H1, is a two-seater, futuristic-looking flying car that can carry a 500-pound payload and go up to 140 mph.  It features wheels, which is uncommon with eVTOLS, making it convenient to park in a garage and recharge overnight.  The aircraft has touchscreen monitors for navigation, landing, cameras, lights, ventilation, and more to regulate flight and user experience.  It also comes with a parachute for safety. 

Claimed to be more intuitive and simpler to operate than a helicopter or regular plane, the H1 is aimed at private pilots.  You can even fly the aircraft with a regular driver’s license after completing a 20-hour training course.

Would you be interested in flying this aircraft soon?  Let us know in the comments.

United Airlines re-orders 200 electric flying taxis

United Airlines pre-orders 200 electric flying taxis with vertical take-off.  

This is the company’s second investment with an eVTOL company, making them the first airline in the industry to do so.

The eVTOL taxis or the electric vertical take-off and landing vehicles have been in development for some time now.  United Airlines believe they have the potential to really work in the transportation market.  They also hope to have zero carbon emissions by 2050 without carbon offsets. 

With the skies above major cities set to become the next lanes of traffic, aviation authorities will need ideas about how to manage the transportation environment in a world where 500-1,000 flying taxis work in every metropolis making several trips per day.

Will more and more airline companies follow United Airlines and other airlines’ efforts toward a more sustainable industry?  Let us know your thoughts by commenting below.

Zeus – The most powerful laser in the US

Scientists will be firing up the most powerful laser in the US this week.  

Called ZEUS (Zetawatt-Equivalent Ultrashort pulse laser System), the laser creates a very powerful yet ultra-short pulse of just about 25 femtoseconds.  A femtosecond is a quadrillionth of a second.  Simply put, a femtosecond is to a second what a second is to about 31.71 million years.

With its ramped-up capabilities, researchers could eventually use the laser to study some of the most exotic phenomena of the Universe at the laboratory scale, like the physics of a gamma-ray burst or a black hole.  By the end of 2023, ZEUS should be running full-scale experiments in fields covering quantum physics, data security, materials science, remote sensing, and medical diagnostics like imaging.

Can you think of other applications for this very powerful laser?  Please share your thoughts with us. 

Scientists turn plastic into diamonds using laser beams

German researchers turn plastic sheets into tiny diamonds using laser beams.

In tests, a sheet of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) plastic used in packaging food and beverages was heated by a laser beam up to 6,000°C.  PET is made of petroleum, also known as “hydrocarbon.” The process modified the molecules of the plastic into a nanodiamond.  The laser fired ten flashes at the plastic film, after which the nanodiamonds formed and dropped into a collecting tank filled with water.  There the process decelerates, and the nanodiamonds are gathered.

The breakthrough also has implications for planetary science.  It sheds light on what goes on inside Neptune and Uranus, which contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen.  The giants’ interior temperatures and pressures are extremely high, while the outer atmosphere of gasses is frigid above.  This creates storms that produce hailstones of diamonds.

What do you think of this exciting breakthrough?

Synthetic genetic circuits help plants adapt to climate change

Geneticists at Stanford University have figured out a way to carefully control the structure of plant roots that could help them adapt to climate change.

The team created synthetic genetic circuits similar to computer codes or electrical circuits.  These circuits can help them reprogram crops to make them more resilient to climate change.  A shallower root system, for instance, could help crops better absorb phosphorus near the surface.  In contrast, a deeper root system could be better for collecting water and nitrogen.

If this technique turns out to be effective, its possibilities are limitless.  Next, the authors plan to test their reprogrammed genetic circuits on sorghum, which shows promise as a biofuel.  The team hopes to improve sorghum’s ability to absorb water and perform photosynthesis more efficiently.

Can you think of other crops that can benefit from this innovation?  Let us know in the comments.

HERO technology could rival burning fossil fuels for power

An Australian research and development company can turn green hydrogen and oxygen into a heat source that rivals burning fossil fuels for power.

The process is called the “hydrogen energy release optimizer” or HERO.  It uses a catalyst that reacts with hydrogen and oxygen to produce heat hot enough to spin turbines that generate electricity.  It creates heat from 190° to over 1000° C with no flames and only laboratory-pure water as its byproduct.

The technology can be used in different applications – from cooking to energy generation.  Existing coal-fired power plants can transition to climate-friendly, hydrogen-based heat at zero costs.  It can also deliver green electricity to the community.  Furthermore, the company is developing more technology applications for heating, cooling, desalination solutions, and powering data centers. 

As the process relies on a secret catalyst, we hope the technology is safe.

Are you excited about this innovation?