Important Innovations Collection

Portable, in the Field Gadget, for Healthy Plants & Spot Disease Source:  North Caroline State University new tech for plant health First of its Kind Device to Detect Plant Disease in Minutes A new, smartphone powered device detects disease in plants.  For the first time, plant disease can be detected by a portable device, used by a farmer in the field and the analysis is done on the spot within minutes.  Up until now, plant analysis had to be done in a lab and that could take days or weeks.  This smartphone powered device reads gas concentrations in a plant in the farm field real-time that reveal the presence of disease in plants. Portable, on the Farm Device This significant innovation was developed by a team at North Carolina State University.  The device is designed to attach to a farmer's smart phone for quick crop analysis.  This real-time turnaround is  important to detect plant disease in order to limit the spread of it and the ...

US Department of Energy's R&D Center Source:  Renewable Energy stock image Transformative Energy Solutions ARPA-E is the US Department of Energy's Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy.  Like the Pentagon's DARPA (Defense Department's Advanced Research Projects Agency), the mission is to take on high risk-high reward projects to develop breakthrough technologies, in this case to improve the US energy mix. Power Plays The ranking GOP member of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology Rep. Frank Lucas (R-Okla) just introduced legislation to increase funding for ARPA-E $24 million annually for the next 5 years, with the funding topping out at $500million in 2024.  In contrast, the Trump Administration wants to close the Department of Energy's tech research hub. The Administration believes that the private sector is better positioned to finance disruptive energy R&D. Transformative Energy Solutions Lucas' bill calls upon ARPA-...

LightSail 2 - Solar Sailing in Space Source:  The Planetary Society's LightSail in Orbit Solar Powered Space Missions This green energy technology has the potential to be disruptive innovation. It's a solar powered sail invented by the non-profit Planetary Society in California, led by the Science Guy Bill Nye.  The LightSail 2 CubeSat spacecraft successfully deployed its solar sail a few days ago in space.  It's the first spacecraft to be propelled by sunlight alone.  This is very important science because the use of solar sails to convert solar wind into thrust could save fuel and provide clean solar power for spacecrafts on long space missions. Solar Sailing Source:  The Planetary Society - image from LightSail The small spacecraft is the size of a toaster.  It was hurled into space aboard a Space X Falcon Heavy rocket in late June.  A few days ago, flight controllers on the ground in California fully deployed the solar s...

NASA Spacecraft TESS Discoveries Source:  NASA Planet Hunter Extraordinary NASA's planet hunter TESS spacecraft - Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite - has just marked its first year in space and the results are extraordinary.  The spacecraft has discovered 21 new worlds outside of our solar system.  It's also spotted 850 possible exoplanets that just have to be confirmed and 6 supernovas.  For NASA the results are way beyond all expectations. Star Search TESS is focusing on stars that are less than 300 light years away.  It looks for dips in brightness which indicates that an object just passed across the star.  The data will help NASA determine which exoplanets it wants to explore in-depth and where life might exist. Historic Mission This is the most comprehensive search for planets ever accomplished by mankind.  TESS just finished exploring the southern part of the sky and will now start examining the north.  For a free Kindle ...

Smart Phone Controlled Source:  Sony's Reon Pocket Reon Pocket - Cools In Summer and Warms in Winter This is an innovative gadget from Sony that many of us could use right now in the dog days of summer.  Sony's wearable air conditioner.  It's called the Reon Pocket.  The gadget, which cools in the summer and warms in the winter, is controlled by your smartphone.  Sony says it will be launched in 2020.  Most likely just in time for the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics,  which will be showcasing some spectacular new technology. Gadget for All Seasons The device is smaller than your smartphone and is designed to be worn on your back. It promises to keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.  The miniature air conditioner/heater slides into a pocket of a specially made undershirt.  It uses a Peltier element, used in items like wine coolers, to adjust the temperature. Battery Powered The gadget's battery works for 90 minutes and ...

Europe's Record Smashing Heat Threatens Greenland Ice Sheet Source:  NASA - Greenland Ice Sheet World's Second Largest Ice Sheet Melting Europe has been sweltering under a heat wave that has smashed temperature records.  The heat wave is now travelling toward Greenland.  The United Nations is warning that the world's second largest ice sheet is in the cross-hairs of extremely hot air and threatened. Smashing Ice The UN is warning that the hot air headed to Greenland is "absolutely incredible".  It's been moving up from North Africa this summer to Europe.  Temperatures in parts of Europe have hit record highs and surpassed them by 2, 3, 4 degrees Celsius, which is incredible.  That mass of hot air is now travelling northward to Greenland. Global Climate System The US is warning of high temperatures in Greenland and increased melting of the ice sheet.  They think it could result in record low ice levels, at or below levels se...

Successful New Round of Funding Source:  Boring Company CEO Alon Musk Plans for LA, Chicago, Baltimore and More Elon Musk's Boring Company has raised $117 million in its latest round of funding.  The money came from 20, unnamed investors in return for $120 million in equity in the company.  Entrepreneur/CEO Elon Musk has big plans for the company and the investment money to develop the hyperloop and loop. Networks of Underground Vacuum Tubes for Very Fast Transit Musk's hyperloop, which are passenger transit pods travelling inside vacuum tubes, has the potential to travel at speeds up to 760 mph.  The system would carry passengers 350 miles in 35 minutes.  He has completed testing his Loop project Test Tunnel, which transports cars through underground tunnels, parks them underground and then retrieves them for drivers.  The purpose of Loop is to reduce the number of cars on the road. Loop and Hyperloop Projects Musk has a number of projects u...

Win for SpaceX's Elon Musk Source:  Space X Starhopper Next Generation Spacecraft "Water towers can fly!"  That's what an elated Space X CEO Elon Musk had to say as his next generation spacecraft Starhopper successfully tested at a SpaceX facility in Texas.  Starhopper is a prototype meant for takeoff and landing tests.  It's the first in what's expected to be a long line of vehicles in the Starship program for trips to the Moon and Mars. Starship Source:  Space X Starship artist image Musk has big plans for Starship.  In 2023 he plans to fly a group of artists in it for a trip around the Moon.  He also expects to fly humans to Mars using the spacecraft.  In the 7/26/19 test, prototype Starhopper took its first untethered launch, climbing 65 feet.  Within a week, Musk says he'll test launch it again, targeting a height of 650 feet.  He hopes to test an orbital version by the end of this year.  For a free Kindle bor...

The Technology Being Deployed is Unprecedented at the Tokyo Summer Games Source:  Toyota Miraitowa and Someity - The 2020 Tokyo Olympics Mascots Tokyo 2020 Olympics for Athletes and Latest Technology For the Tokyo 2020 Olympics a big crowd pleaser will be the technology deployed.  The official game mascots are two adorable robots - Miraitowa and Someity, just unveiled at Toyota headquarters in Tokyo, Japan  The humanoid meeters and greeters are programmed to show facial expressions as they greet athletes and fans . There's a lot more technology beyond the mascots including a unique tele-presence for fans to remotely interact with athletes. New Automated Helpers Toyota and Panasonic are teaming up to develop automated field helpers during the games. The automated machines will help officials at throwing events by retrieving javelins and hammers during competitions.  Robots with cameras will broadcast live action and give fans a sense of virt...

Entertainment Center in Your Living Room Refrigerator, Music, LED Light s The Coosno is called the world's first lifting coffee table.  It's a sleek, futuristic looking coffee table that serves as a refrigerator, sound system, entertainment center, storage space and coffee table right next to your couch.  It's a one of a kind innovative gadget. Voice Controlled Fridge The refrigerator opens and closes by voice commands.  It can hold up to 63 cans of soda or whatever you prefer.  You don't have to leave your couch to listen to music.  The table contains a 6 speaker Bluetooth stereo system.  The table glows with LED lights that pulse in sync with the music.  There are also two wireless charging stations to power your gadgets.  There's also a built in Google Assistant and storage space. Coming Soon The Coosno will soon be available for purchase on Indiegogo.  No price is listed on the Coosno website yet.  It's available in two s...

Tracks Your Pet's Location and Their Health Source:  Whistle Whistle Wearables These new gadgets, The Whistle Go and Whistle Explore, help you keep track of your pet's health and location simultaneously.  The device provides location alerts, real time tracking, fitness features, escape alerts from their space and health monitoring.  The battery lasts ten days and the device is waterproof.  It may be Fido's new best friend for protection. GPS Tracking These devices have real-time GPS tracking.  The Whistle Explore is designed for athletic, outdoor dogs that run longer distances in rural locations and rugged environments. Whistle Go Whistle Go is designed for more typical dogs that stay closer to home.  It has GPS but it also monitors your dog's behavior like scratching and sleeping.  It also has an updated app system including weekly heat maps, the dog's daily trips and the progress that your pet is making toward health goal...

Mind Over Matter with No Surgery Source:  Carnegie Mellon University Electrode Cape A new, noninvasive electrode cap - a brain computer interface (BCI) - enables the person wearing it to control a robotic arm by their thoughts.  It's breakthrough technology invented by engineers at Carnegie Mellon University.  It's the world's first, noninvasive mind controlled robotic arm.  No brain surgery or brain implants are involved. Helping Those With Mobility Issues The BCI system was developed with the goal of it helping people with mobility issues.  The electrode loaded cap can sense the brain's activity through the scalp.  The  Brain Computer Interface cap is able to make the robotic arm continuously and smoothly track and follow a computer curser by conveying the thoughts of the person.  To develop this system the team used novel sensing and machine learning techniques. Pervasive Assistive Technology The engineering team believe the BCI ...

Human Bases on the Moon Powered by Available Lunar Materials Source:  Stock Image of  Future Lunar Bases Fascinating Research by the European Space Agency Administrators of the European Space Agency (ESA) believe that the next step in space exploration is building lunar bases for astronauts.  To do that a sustainable source of energy is required to sustain human life and power for rovers and landers.  ESA scientists think that they have one, using the surface of the Moon.  ESA scientists have created bricks composed of lunar regolith, which is the soil, dust and rocks on the surface of the Moon collected on past lunar missions.  In testing, the bricks are able to store solar energy and generate it for use as power, heat and electricity.  It's possible this innovation could provide future lunar bases a sustainable energy source.   Scaling Up the Technology  The ESA team is now scaling up the process and efficiency of their heat ener...

Ring Shaped, Bicopter Drone Source:  EPFL - Samir Bouabdallah & his Ring Drone Flybotix This new, novel drone Flybotix can fly twice as long as conventional models, including a quadcopter of the same size.  The drone is only a foot wide and flies with two, counter-rotating propellers that are stacked inside the body of the drone.  It also has an advanced, algorithm-based stabilization mechanism that enables it to double the flight time of conventional drones. The propulsion system is modelled after helicopters. Swiss Invention The drone was developed by the startup FLYBOTIX.  The founder and inventor is Samir Bouabdallah, who worked at ETH Zurich and EPFL for over twenty years, developing drone technology.  The propellers in his "bicopter" are longer than what's used in a similarly sized quadcopters.  That gives the drone more lift and greater battery energy efficiency.  It appears to be an ideal drone to inspect hard to reach and fragi...

Dermal Sensors Source:  German's Technical University of Munich Tattoo Health Technology Dermal sensors, that are essentially permanent tattoos, have been invented by scientists at Germany's Technical University of Munich.  The tattoos with their specially designed ink provide constant monitoring of patients with chronic health conditions. Monitoring the Bloodstream The tattoos base color is yellow.  It changes color in response to certain biomarkers.  Specifically changes in the levels of specific metabolic substances in the bloodstream.  The tattoo changes to the color green for conditions like high glucose levels.  And if the skin's pH level goes up, it turns to blue. Medical Innovation with Smartphone App These new health tattoos have the promise of being a great new medical innovation.  They offer the possibility of low cost, permanent monitoring of chronic health conditions like diabetes, kidney and liver failure, low electrolytes, ...

New Robotic Service Economy - The Czech Republic's Robotic MegaClubs Source:  Karlovy Lazne Music Club Two Robotic Bartender Megaclubs in Czech Republic It's called the Karlovy Lazne Music Club in the heart of Prague, Czech Republic.  Two years after introducing their first robotic DJ, the megaclub now has a robotic bartender to mix up cocktails for the clubbers. Robotic Drinks The cocktail menu is impressive.  16 different mixed drinks can be ordered by touchscreen terminals.  Everything is programmed so the drinks should be exactly to order.  The bartender is two robotic arms strategically situated below a mass of liquor bottles.  The robot can churn out 80 drinks an hour. Robot Saloon Elsewhere in Prague, there is The Cyberdog.  The big star there is the robotic bartender who mixes up drinks ordered through a phone app.  Not only does the robotic arm mix drinks.  It opens bottles of wine and pours four glasses...

Get - A Very Smart  Gadget Source:  Get - Touch Your Ear, Hear Phone  Receive Phone Calls Without Answering the Phone Get is a high tech bracelet developed using bone conduction technology.  It passes audio through the bones in your wrist and is conveyed to your ear.  The bracelet decodes sound waves and converts them into vibrations. The gadget enables you to take phone calls without using or pushing a button on your phone, listen to audio and test messages and make bill payments.  All of these functions are happening while the bracelet is tracking your physical activity, health, biometrics, hydration and later in the day your sleep. It was invented by a team of scientists in Turin Italy.  They say it's a hybrid solution between a smartwatch and smart bands. Phone Calls The wearable device has the functionality of a smartwatch with a lot more.  You can leave your smartphone in your pocket.  You take phone calls by simply touch...

Second Lunar Mission in a Year Source:  NASA image of the Moon To Explore Moon's South Pole - Unchartered Territory India is gearing up to launch its second Moon mission within a year on Monday, July 22.  The mission is daring, ambitious and exciting.  India will land a rover on the Moon's South Pole which is unexplored territory.  The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) categorizes the mission as "Boldly going to where no country has gone before".  The aim is to explore for water and helium 3.  That isotope is so abundant on the Moon, that it has the potential to meet global energy needs for 250 years.  That is if the substance can be harnessed. Staking Out Space Leadership India is establishing itself a position of leadership in space, alongside of the US, Russia and China.  It has ambitious plans including a manned space mission by 2022.  All of the technology it is using for the July 22 mission was made in India, accordi...

Moon is a Waystation to Mars Source:  Artemis on the Moon Artemis Lunar Program NASA has announced that it intends to build a long term presence on the Moon.  The Agency says that will eventually help humans to get to Mars.  NASA has a strategy.  The Moon will provide a waystation to Mars and it will serve as a testing ground for the technology needed for interplanetary exploration and habitats. Sustainable Architecture for Humans in Space According to the Administrator of NASA Jim Bridenstine, NASA is working to build "a sustainable open architecture" to return humans to the Moon by 2024.  Mr. Bridenstine testified this week before a US Senate committee in Washington, DC.  He said that NASA is building for the long term on the Moon  and then is going to use the Moon as a base to go to Mars and beyond. Outerspace Technology Testing Site NASA considers the Moon a testing stage where new technologies can be proven before going to Mars....

Dumping Trillions of Tons of Artificial Snow on the South Pole Ice Shelf Source:  West Antarctic Ice Shelf New Scientific Study & Novel Recommendations International scientists have just released a study with an approach they believe could prevent a disastrous meltdown of the West Antarctic Ice Shelf at the South Pole.  The approach is novel. They want to dump 8 trillion tons of artificial snow on the ice shelf over the course of ten year. 12,000 Wind Turbines The scientists would use 12,000 wind turbines to pump seawater up to the surface where it would be frozen into snow.  Their theory is that the artificial snow would weigh down the ice shelf enough to stop it from collapsing.  According to the co-author of the report Anders Levermann of Germany's Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, "we are at the point of no return if we don't do anything."  The study was just published in the journal Science Advances. Coastal Cities in Danger ...

Dolphin 1 Smart Lifebuoy Source:  OceanAlpha Smart Rescue Gadget for Swimmers in Distress New innovation, the Dolphin 1 Smart Lifebuoy, is remotely controlled to reach a swimmer in distress and bring them into shore safely.  The company behind the invention is OceanAlpha. It's headquartered in China and is a leading global player in unmanned surface vehicles (USV) for water quality monitoring and oceanographic surveys.  The company says Dolphin 1 works in various water conditions including rough seas. Propeller Swimming The device is dropped in the water and steered remotely to the struggling swimmer.  The gadget moves with two onboard propellers.  When the swimmer grabs on to the device, it pulls them to shore and safety.  The propellers on the device are enclosed and the front bumper is soft to protect the swimmer from injury.  This is innovative technology - a life saving device with propellers and a smart remote control system t...

Evijan - EV that Goes  0 to 62 mph in 3 Seconds Source:  Lotus Lotus' 1st Fully EV Under Chinese Ownership This is a fully electric sports car with top speeds up to 200 mph by the British sport car maker Lotus.  They call it the Evijan hypercar, which means top-tier sports car.  And it's being launched in conjunction with the Chinese automaker Geely that bought Lotus in 2017. The car is elegant, powerful and expensive. It showcases the future of electric vehicles with speed and energy efficiency.  In three seconds, the car accelerates from zero to 62 mph.  The powertrain is electrified and packs 1,973 in horsepower. New Tech They'll start with manufacturing 130 cars in 2020.  Obviously, the customers are millionaires ++. The cars will be built in England.  The cost per car is $2.15 million and the range is over 250 miles on a charge.  With an 800 kw charger, it takes only 9 minutes to fully charge the vehicle. Lotus exe...

To Roam the Moon, Mars and Asteroids Source:  ETH Zurich Dynamic Walking & Flight Phases The Spacebot, a quadruped robot, was created by students at the ETH Zurich and ZHAW Zurich, Switzerland.  It's designed to travel in low gravity environments like the Moon, asteroids and Mars.  It travels by "Dynamic Walking" similar to the travel methods used by the original lunar explorers, the Apollo 11 crew, who used a hopping gait in the low gravity environment of the Moon, 50 years ago. Dynamic Walker The bot travels by leaping.  All four legs leave the ground and leap to heights over six feet.  This allows for full flight phases with all legs off the ground.  The lower the gravity the longer the flying time.  The Spacebot is currently being tested at the European Space Agency (ESA). The Swiss team says the robot basically behaves like a mini-spacecraft.  They add, this type of dynamic walking is more efficient and saves energy in low gra...

NASA Funded Project Source:  Stock image of  Moon Telescopes to Look Deep Into the Universe A NASA funded lab at the University of Colorado is developing robots to deploy small, highly advanced telescopes on the far side of the Moon.  In the next ten years, the NASA team will send a rover aboard a lunar lander spacecraft and place it on the dark, far side of the Moon. Humans & Machines Working Together The plan is to set-up a network of small telescopes.  The deployment will be performed by the rover's robotic arm.  The arm will be controlled by astronauts in an orbiting lunar station called Gateway.  Gateway will serve as transit to and from the Moon and as a refueling station for deep space missions. New Telescopic Views of Deep Space On the far side of the Moon, the telescope will be free of light and noise.  That will enable a unique and pristine gaze into the deep reaches of space.  It's a leading edge example of projects un...

Hydrogel Invention from Singapore to Harvest Fresh Water from Ocean Air Source:  Stock Ocean Image Huge Water Resource Scientists from the National University of Singapore have invented a system to pull fresh water out of ocean air.  They've developed a hydrogel using a zinc based material that is able to absorb more than four time its weight in water.  Huge amounts of water evaporate every day from the ocean, lakes, rivers and reservoirs.  The team in Singapore has found an innovative way to harvest the water in the humid surface air above the water surface. Secret Ingredient - Sunlight The system has been successfully tested.  The team put the gel in devices floating on the ocean surface where it collected water vapor created during evaporation.  By placing the gel in a glass container in sunlight, fresh water was created and harvested.  The salt content in the water was negligible. Renewable, Reusable Energy Rather th...