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Showing posts from January, 2021

Insect Kids: Sustainable, Recyclable Toy

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Winner of Audi Innovation Award                                      Source:  Audi Innovation Award Innovation From Jordan Insect Kids is a biodegradable, recyclable ad reusable toy designed to benefit kids, their parents and the planet.  The toy is the creation of a brother and sister team Ahmad and Rasha Jarrar of Jordan.  They have received the prestigious Audi Innovation Award for their invention.  The focus of the Audi competition was "circular models", meaning that the materials and resources used for the design would be reusable over the long term, yielding their maximum value. A Toy That Eliminates Clutter and Plastic Waste The Insect Kids toy can be constantly reused and disassembled when not in use to avoid household clutter.  The toy is sustainable and recyclable.  The inventors used flatpack technology and biodegradable materials that help maintain a minimalist clutter free home.  It also benefits the planet by, according to the Jarrars, "removing the toxic c

The Moon & Human Behavior

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 Inner-connectivity of the Moon & Humans                                  Source:  Stock image of Wolf Moon New Scientific Evidence of Ancient Superstitions About the Moon Ancient civilizations believed that the phases of the Moon triggered certain events.  They also believed that certain things happened only during specific phases of the Moon, like the full Moon.  New scientific research is providing credible evidence to support some of these superstitions about the interconnections between humanity and the Moon. Sleep Patterns A new study just published in the journal Science Advances demonstrates the impact of the phases of the Moon on sleep patterns.  100 volunteers from Argentina's indigenous communities and 450 volunteers from Seattle, Washington wore sleep trackers for two months to track their sleep patterns during the phases of the Moon.  The results are very surprising. Full Moon: Loss of An Hour's Sleep The indigenous people who participated in the research had v

Xiaomi's Remote, Wireless Charging System

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Mi Air Charge Wirelessly Charges Devices Over Several Meters                                             Source:  Xiaomi Breakthrough Charging Device Beijing based, multinational electronics company Xiaomi has invented  a breakthrough remote, wireless charging system.  The company says it can charge multiple devices simultaneously over "several meters", according to Xiaomi.  The radical new technology is called Mi Air Charge.  It's a wireless charging system that can charge devices at 5W.  The company says physical barriers like furniture don't reduce the charging capability. Wireless Living Rooms Xiaomi says their goal with this new technology is to create truly wireless living rooms with lamps, smart devices, speakers, smartwatches and other electronic devices being powered by the same wireless, remote system.  How It Works Xiaomi's system has five phase interference antennas built-in to locate, for instance, a smartphone.  A phase control array composed of 144

Tesla's Radical New Steering Wheel

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 World's Most Intelligent Cars                                             Source:  Tesla Artificial Intelligence & Autopilot Driving Tesla is rolling out its vision of the future of driving and it is amazing. Tesla just unveiled a highly advanced and innovative steering wheel for its new Model S and Model X 2021 models.  This is the world's most anticipated steering wheel and perhaps the new Tesla vehicles are the world's most intelligent cars.  The steering wheel has autopilot sensor-based drive modes and force touch buttons for Park, Reverse, Neutral & Drive modes at the base of the phone charger on the center console.  Most importantly, the steering wheel has no driving mode stalk (P, R, N, D).  The plan is to replace them in the future with AI and autopilot, making the vehicles autonomous when regulations permit.  Tesla's latest technology like updated battery packs and powertrains are also included in these new vehicles.  Tesla is calling them the world

Ford in the E-Scooter Business

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Electric, Remote-Controlled E-Scooters                                                  Source:  Spin Spin Micromobility Ford is in the e-scooter business.  The Ford owned electric scooter company Spin just introduced its S-200 e-scooter.  It's a 3-wheel scooter with a maximum speed of 15.5 mph. The S-200 has three independent braking systems, turn signals and a camera on the front and rear of the vehicle. Spin co-developed the vehicle with Segway-Ninebot.  Spin is now moving into an international partnership with microbolity startup Tortoise that specializes in autonomous technology and remote controlled operations for e-scooters.  The two plan to initiate pilot programs in North America and the UK.  Tortoise works with other manufacturers to remote control their scooters for pickup, delivery and parking. Operations Rolling Out in 2021 Spin is rolling out operations this year. It starts this spring in Boise, Idaho with 300 of Spin's new e-scooters in a pilot driving program. 

NEW INVENTIONS FOR THE 2020's by Edward Kane

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My Latest Books on Inventions                                              Source: Amazon & Kindle New Inventions For The 2020's Parts 1 &  2 I'd like to make you aware of my 2 part series on the top new inventions for the 2020's.  NEW INVENTONS FOR THE 2020's Pt. 1:  Consumer Electronics, Robots & Medicine.  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08THWN8JD&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_WxjeGbCVZR0K8   And NEW INVENTIONS FOR THE 2020's Pt. 2:  Gadgets, EVs, Environment/Renewable Energy.  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08TVVMF4L&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_lAjeGbTC94XVX   I've designed these as companion books to give readers easy access to the top, new inventions rolling out in the 2020's that enhance our lives. ... ...

Climate Change is Getting Worse

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 1.2 Trillion Tons of Ice Melting Yearly                       Source:  University of Leeds photo of Greenland Two Important New Climate Change Studies Two comprehensive, new studies by NASA and European scientists demonstrate that Climate Change is getting worse.  A team of scientists from the University of Leeds, University of Edinburgh and University College of London have discovered that the Earth is losing 1.2 trillion tons of ice every year.  That is causing climatologists to recalibrate rising sea levels.  They say that the rising water levels are much worse than anticipated.   The ice melt numbers are staggering.  The melt has escalated from 760 billion tons per year in the 1990's to 1.2 trillion tons per year during the 2010's.  That is a 60% increase. NASA Findings A separate study by NASA found that 74 major glaciers in Greenland, with bases in deep, warming ocean water, are being severely undermined.  Furthermore, NASA scientists say the impact on rising sea levels

SpaceX & Cosmic Ridesharing

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 Transporter 1: Sets Record Space Ride Share Launch                                                       Source:  SpaceX 143 Spacecraft Launched on a Single SpaceX Rocket If you need a ride share to space, SpaceX is offering it and breaking records doing it.  On January 24, 2021, SpaceX launched 143 spacecraft ridesharing inside of a single Falcon 9 rocket.  The cosmic ride sharing program is called Transporter 1.  SpaceX has set a new world record for new space vehicles deployed in one rocket launch. For SpaceX, the mission is another historic success.  SpaceX was founded by entrepreneur and CEO Elon Musk. Record Cosmic Vehicles Onboard The Falcon 9 rocket lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida.  The reusable rocket carried 133 commercial and government spacecrafts and 10 SpaceX Starlink satellites to space.  SpaceX calls their space ride sharing system a reliable, affordable ride to space for small satellites.  The launch of 143 spacecraft  broke all records for a joint ride share

NEW INVENTIONS FOR THE 2020's by Edward Kane

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  New Inventions:  Gadgets, EVs, Energy, Environment                                          Source:  Amazon & Kindle My Latest Books on Amazon & Kindle I'm pleased to announce that my latest book "New Inventions For The 2020's" Part 2: Gadgets, EVs, Energy, Environment is now available on Amazon and Kindle.  It is the companion book to "New Inventions For The 2020's" Part l:  Consumer Electrics, Robots, Medicine. Inventions that Enhance Our Lives The top new inventions showcased in the books are fascinating and very relevant to enhancing our lives.  To see a preview, go to  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08TVVMF4L&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_TmVdGb0HC4Z1F ... ...

Elon Musk's $100 Million Challenge

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Musk Offers $100 M Prize For Best Carbon Capture Technology                                      Source: Elon Musk Stock Image Global Competition & Need Tesla founder and CEO Elon Musk is offering a $100 million prize for the best new carbon capture technology.  Capturing greenhouse gas emissions is a key component of tackling Climate Change.  But very little progress has been made on the technology to date.  The International Energy Agency says taking carbon out the the air is an essential component for reaching net-zero emissions targets. Entrepreneurial Challenge Elon Musk has become the #1 & #2 richest person in the world from his many entrepreneurial successes.  He founded and is CEO of Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.  He announced the $100 million competition on Twitter.  He promised more details on the challenge this week.  Meanwhile, President Joe Biden is also accelerating the development of carbon capture technologies as part of his agenda to tackle C

Alphabet, Internet & High Flying Balloons

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Alphabet's Loon Subsidiary Being Shut Down                                                  Source: Loon Not Commercially Viable Google's parent company Alphabet has decided to shut down its internet balloon services company after concluding that the business of using high altitude, large balloons to deliver the internet is not commercially viable.  In a way, the decision is a surprising one because the technology works.  Alphabet founded Loon in 2011.  And it has successfully delivered internet services to disaster areas and to Kenya.  But the company says it could not find a way to get the costs low enough to "build a sustainable, long term business". Great Intentions The goal and purpose of Loon was to bring connectivity by high flying balloons the size of tennis courts to global, underserved areas that are too remote or difficult to connect with broadband.  That proved to be too expensive. Loon certainly made every effort to make it work. It conducted years of  te

Joby Flying Taxi Readies For Takeoff

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Joby Considers Going Public                                                                      Source:  Joby Air Taxi Flying Taxis Fleets by 2023 The dawn of flying taxis is getting closer.  California based startup Joby is exploring the possibility of going public.  Joby is a very hot aircraft technology company developing an all electric, zero emissions, vertical air taxi which it hopes to put into service by 2023.  Also it recently took over Uber's flying taxi unit Elevate.  As part of the deal, Uber took a stake in Joby. Potential of Significant New Money There is no guarantee that Joby will go public.  But it has hired investment bankers and it reportedly is exploring a merger with what is called a "blank check" or special purposes company at a valuation of $5 billion.  It's an alternative way of going public rather than the traditional IPO route.  Joby is currently valued at $2.6 billion.  Going public would potentially bring in significant new money for Joby

New Inventions For The 2020's by Edward Kane

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# 1 New Release on Amazon New Releases in  Curiosities & Wonders #1 NEW INVENTIONS FOR THE 2020's: Part 1:… EDWARD KANE Kindle Edition $5.99 My Latest Book on Top New Inventions that Enhance Our Lives I'm pleased to announce that my latest book "NEW INVENTIONS FOR THE 2020's" Part 1is a #1 New Release on Amazon and Kindle.  For a free preview, click on https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08THWN8JD&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_5oZcGbYK8N4AB ... ...

Hot New ThinkPad

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Lenovo's Smart New Gadget                                             Source:  Lenovo Unveiled at CES 2021 The Lenovo X1 Titanium Yoga ThinkPad has been cited as one of "The Best Gadgets of 2021" and among the best new laptops by technology experts.  The device is Lenovo's slimmest ThinkPad.  The design is sleek and the body is composed of titanium. The device weighs 2,5 pounds and is less than 1/2 inch thick.  It's being called a "Revolutionary ThinkPad". New Tech The device features a 360 degree chassis and a stylus for notetaking and drawing. The convertible two-in-one has a 13.5 inch 2 K 450-nit display with a 3:2 aspect ratio.  It has an IR camera for touchless sign-in, a fingerprint reader and it is 5G ready.  In terms of specs, the 3:2 display is tall and adaptable to all sorts of productivity.  It includes 11th generation Intel chips.  It is Intel Evo certified for performance, features and battery life and has 2 Thunderbolt 4 ports,  It is a pre

Highly Advanced, Wireless Earbuds

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Bose Sports Open Wireless Earbuds                                                  Source:  Bose Connected But Keep You Aware of Your Surroundings  Bose has invented a new earbud product that's cited by Newsweek as one of the hottest new gadgets of 2021 and of CES 2021.  It's the Bose Sports Open Earbuds.  They wirelessly keep the wearer connected to their choice of music, telephone calls, podcasts or audiobooks while on the go.  But the new earbud's key advantage is that they do not block out the world around the user.  Designed for runners, bikers and people moving in busy environments, they allow the ambient noise of traffic and pedestrians around the user to be heard alongside of the music or calls being transmitted through the earbuds. New Headphone Technology Bose is a global leader in sound equipment.  These headphones are very different. They direct the ambient sound of the user's environment directly into the ear.  They do not rely on bone conduction as many ne

Butterflies Create Jet Propulsion

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 New Science From Sweden                          Source:  Stock Image of a Monarch Butterfly Aerodynamics of Butterflies - Wing Claps This is fascinating new science about butterflies and their aerodynamic capabilities.  Swedish scientists have determined that butterflies have the ability to create jet propulsion with their fragile, but powerful, wings.  The beautiful and delicate creatures of summer clap their wings and hit the air with such force, that it thrusts the air forward, creating jet propulsion.  The scientists at Lund University in Sweden have discovered and analyzed the unique clap function of butterfly wings as being capable of generating jets of air propulsion. Very Advanced Aerodynamics From Butterflies Globally, scientists and engineers have learned a great deal from nature to create new forms of technology. The potential impact of these new findings on the aerodynamics of butterflies include unique modes of space travel, aviation and other forms of travel.  In their

New Inventions for the 2020's

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Consumer Electronics, Internet, Robots & Medicine                                             Source:  Amazon & Kindle New Book by Edward Kane If you're interested in top new inventions in consumer electronics, the internet, robots & medicine, you might want to take a look at my just published book "New Inventions For The 2020's". I showcase the latest innovations that will enhance your life. It is available in paperback and as an e-book on Amazon and Kindle.  For a free preview,  https://read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08THWN8JD&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_rwhcGbRF0XQAQ ... ...

Battery Breakthrough For Electric Cars

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5 Minute Charge                                                                      Source:  StoreDot New Battery Invention from Israel Startup One of the biggest obstacles to the widespread use of electric cars is the time it takes to recharge the battery.  In most cases, it takes hours and that leads to what is called "battery range anxiety".  Israeli startup StoreDot has the solution.  It has developed a highly advanced car battery that can be recharged within five minutes.  The invention is a world first and a potential gamechanger for the electric car industry. Next Steps Toward Commercialization The industry itself will have to catch up to the battery. The ultra fast charge requires much higher power chargers than are currently in use.  Charging stations need to be upgraded to enable widespread commercialization of the new invention.  It makes a recharge as quick as filling a car with gas. Big Investors Behind StoreDot StoreDot has the financial backing of several glob

Self Driving Cars Get Big Acceleration

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Microsoft, GM and Cruise Partner on Self-Driving Cars                                                  Source:  GM's Cruise A New Vision for Autonomous Driving This is a brand new vision of the future of autonomous driving.  A new partnership among Microsoft, GM and Cruise.  San Francisco based startup Cruise just received a huge infusion of cash to develop autonomous cars.  Microsoft has joined GM, which is Cruise's majority shareholder, along with Honda and other institutional investors to pump $2 billion worth of investment into Cruise and its autonomous technology.  Their intent is for Cruise to take their self-driving vehicles to market for widespread commercialization. The investment infusion brought Cruise's market valuation to $30 billion. That is very close to Waymo, the self-driving company owned by Google's parent Alphabet, valued at slightly over $30 billion. Microsoft Tech and the Big Picture Cruise will use Microsoft's cloud computing platform Azure fo

Big Oil Invests in Green Tech

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Chevron & Carbon Capture Technology                                                                           Source:  Oil Refinery Stock Image Blue Planet US major oil company Chevron disclosed that it is investing in San Jose, CA based Blue Planet Systems Company.  Blue Planet is a startup that develops and manufactures carbon capture technology.  The technology cuts the carbon output of industrial processes in order to reduce their carbon footprint.  Chevron is making the investment through its Future Energy Fund. The Fund focuses on new, innovative lower carbon technologies being developed by startups that can scale up commercially.  The two companies plan to collaborate on pilot projects with the new carbon capture technology in certain locations.  Chevron did not disclose the amount of  the investment. Big Oil Looking For Low Carbon Solutions Chevron is a traditional fossil fuel energy company.  It and other major oil companies are under growing pressure from investors to cut

Razer's Highly Advanced Face Mask

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  Operation Hazel                                                                                        Source:  Razer Top COVID Weapon Gaming equipment maker Razer has developed a highly advanced, reusable face mask that they say is a medical grade respirator.  The mask ventilates and purifies the air to guard against COVID-19.  It has a built in microphone and amplifier to prevent muffling of the wearer's voice.  Razer calls development of the mask Operation Hazel.   Highly Advanced COVID Fighting Gadget Razer says the mask uses a N95 medical grade respirator, detachable and rechargeable ventilators.  The ventilators are sanitized by putting them into their wireless recharging box which contains disinfecting UV light.  The mask is made of recycled material and has lights that automatically turn on in the dark.  There's a choice of 16.8 million colors to select from for the mask. CES 2021 Razer is headquartered in Singapore and Las Vegas.  Early in the COVID pandemic, it conv

LG's New OLED TV - Evo

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TV Hangs on a Wall Like a Work of Art                                                       Source: LG Unveiled at CES 2021 South Korea's LG is considered the leader in OLED televisions, which is the current standard bearer in TV technology.  LG's latest OLED TV - Evo - turned out to be the premier new TV unveiling at CES 2021.  Evo delivers greatly enhanced brightness and light output against its ultra slim design.  Evo also makes an already expensive OLED TV technology that is much more expensive, but for enthusiasts it is well worth it.  Ultra Thin Panel LG says Evo is its first OLED Evo model with new panel improvements to make it the brightest TV "ever".  The ultra thin panel can be mounted flush to the wall.  It is designed to look like a piece of art. All of the key functions are in the panel.  There is no separate control box. OLED vs. LCD OLED stands for organic light emitting diode.  It produces superior picture quality as compared to the other display techn

Inexpensive Electric Motorbike

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SONDORS Metacycle                                                                      Source:  SONDORS Metacycle City & Highway Riding SONDORS Metacycle is a new form of personal mobility and it brakes the mold of traditional motorcycles.  The bike is an all electric motorbike that can hit speeds up to 80 mph.  The vehicle is designed for urban commuting and is roadworthy for highways.  For a motorcycle it is relatively inexpensive.  It's priced at $5,000.  By contrast, Harley Davidson's electric Live Wire is priced at $29,799.  Both are categorized as electric commuting bikes.  The Metacycle is considered gamechanging travel technology. SONDORS is headquartered in Malibu, CA  It claims to have sold 100,000 e-bikes since 2015 and says it is now the largest e-bike distributor in the US. Tech Specs The Metacycle has a rear mounted, hub electric motor that provides 8 Kw nominal and 14.5 K peak.  The removeable 4,000 Wh battery has a range of 80 miles.  It can be charged at ho

Bio Button Health Wearable

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Coin Sized Device That Measures Vitals 24/7 Health Monitor & Red Alert on COVID-19 Bio Button is a coin sized disposable medical wearable device that won the "Best of Innovation Award" at CES 2021.  It continuously measures temperature, heartbeat, respiratory rate, activity level and sleep quality.  It is attached to the skin with medical adhesive and uses sensors to gather the health data.  It also provides a red alert that the user could come down with COVID-19.  The device does an analysis of statistical changes in the health readouts to determine if there are any early signs of COVID-19 infection. FDA Approved The device was invented by BioIntelligence and has received FDA approval for use.  The data gathered on the user's health vitals goes through the company's proprietary biosensor technology and advanced analytics to determine if the person is at risk for COVID.  The companion App - BioMobile - provides daily results to the user on all of their vitals via

New Portable Brain Injury Device

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Revolutionary Device for Sports Head Injuries & Strokes                                                                                Source:  Caltech New Technology from Caltech & USC California Institute of Technology scientists and USC physicians have developed a new device that can spot bleeding in the brain from a traumatic sports injury or stroke in minutes.  It is so portable that it can be used on a football field or in an Emergency Room.  The quick determination that there is bleeding in the brain can rapidly accelerate treatment and lead to much better outcomes for the patient.  The technology used in the device was developed by scientists at Caltech.  USC physicians have adapted it for use in patients. New Device Addresses Urgent Medical Need This new medical technology is handheld, portable and noninvasive.  The results come within minutes. Currently, traumatic brain injury patients and stroke victims go through  a CT scan or MRI where results take hours.  Time is

Samsung's Hot New 5G Galaxy Phones

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Galaxy S21                                                  Source:  Samsung Galaxy 5G Phone Less Expensive Than Predecessor Samsung has launched three Galaxy S21 series phones.  The 5G lineup includes the $800 Galaxy S21, $1,000 Galaxy S21 Plus and the $1,200 Galaxy S21 Ultra.  The next generation Samsung S21 series was one of the most anticipated product launches at CES 2021 and it didn't disappoint.  The biggest advantage is the price reduction. It's priced at $200 below its 2020 predecessor phone Galaxy S20. Samsung Telephonic Technology The South Korean phone maker has added upgrades to the phone's processor and the software it runs on.  It's on Android 11 with a Snapdragon 888 processor, that promises enhanced overall performance.  The smart phone has upgraded 5G connectivity and the fingerprint sensor.  The screen size of the base S21 is 6.2 inches and the Plus is 6.7 inches. The refresh rate is 120 Hz and the battery  is 4,000 mAh on the base model and 4,800 mAh