DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF by Maryanne Kane, Journalist

 DAILY INNOVATION BRIEF

                                                                      

                 By Journalists Edward Kane & Maryanne Kane

CORVETTE's 1st HYBRID & AWD VETTE

                                            Source: Corvette

• New details are starting to emerge about 2, new Corvettes under development:  the C8 Corvette ZR1 and the even more powerful Zora, which is a combination of the ZR1 and the E-Ray
• Both are expected to come-out in late 2023 or early 2024
• ZR1 will have an updated version of the 5.5-liter, V-8 LT6 engine with 800 hp, 850 pd-ft of torque and rear wheel drive
• Zora contains a number of firsts:  its Corvette's 1st hybrid with electric motors working with the updated V-8 LT6 which gives it 1,000 hp
• Both vehicles have very aerodynamic styling, carbon fiber bodies and are expected to hit new speeds
• 2-seat sports car, plush, high tech interior
• Likely to hit the market late this year in the $200,000 price range.

HYDROGEN IS BECOMING THE PREFERRED FUEL FOR NEW PLANES

                             Source: Airbus H-Concept Planes

• More than 16 million planes takeoff every year in the US, contributing to global planes causing 2.5% of global CO2 emissions
• To end the CO2 pollution problem from aircraft, major airlines like Airbus and startups like the UK's ZeroAvia & California's Universal Hydrogen are developing hydrogen as a primary, zero-emissions fuel source for aircraft
• They are betting on hydrogen over electric battery powered planes because of the weight of the electric batteries impeding range
• Plus hydrogen has many advantages: highest energy per mass of any fuel, longer range, much faster recharge time & it's plentiful
• Airbus has concept designs for several hydrogen planes and plans to test a hydrogen engine in 2026
• Startups ZeroAvia and Universal Hydrogen have successfully completed test flights with regional hydrogen planes and hope to start commercial flights by 2025
• Progress and development of hydrogen planes are steadily moving forward with many experts now saying aviation's future is going to have a large hydrogen fuel system component.

A 1ST: BRINGING ODORS TO VR EXPERIENCE 

                             

        

                    Source:  MIT Technology Review & Stock

• Scientists from City University of Hong Kong & Beihang University of Beijing have cracked the code on adding odors, like that of flowers, to the experience of virtual reality
• Why is this so important that it's just been reported by the MIT Technology Review and in numerous scientific journals?
• Because it has been a vexing technological problem and helps to provide a fuller sensory experience to VR
• The team did it by using a small, wireless interface allowing the VR user to smell odors along with seeing, hearing and touching the VR images
• Over the past few years, many cumbersome technologies have been unsuccessfully tried to bring a sense of smell to VR
• The new approach involves 2 wearable interfaces:  one is like a bandage between the nose & mouth and the other is like a facemask that contains miniaturized odor generators
• The tech is small, light & wireless; it is still being tested but appears to provide a more immersive experience.