Important Innovations

  "Engineered Wood" as the Most Sustainable, Superior Building Material Source: Iceland FABRIC, Portland's Sideyard Apartments, Maine's Ecology School, London's Dalston Works Apartments, Zurich Airport Terminal Purpose:  Fight Climate Change & Fires Future cities built of high tech, fire-resistant, non-combustible, lightweight wood could help reduce the ravages of Climate Change and be the best defense against destructive fires.  That is the startling but growing conclusion among numbers of global architects and engineers.  There's a growing belief that wood, specifically cross laminated timber (CLT), is a superior and more sustainable building material than the concrete and steel that are currently used.  One of the biggest proponents of this new thinking is the prestigious Potsdam Institute for Climate Change Research in Germany.  There are increasing global examples of CLT buildings including Iceland's mix use FABRIC, Portland, Oregon's Sideyard...

Autonomous Trash Collection System Source:  Vishwakarma Government Engineering College New Innovation from India Using Advanced AI to Detect & Collect Trash There's a lot of highly advanced technology in this AI powered trash collection system.  The technology includes machine learning algorithms, convolutional neural networks and autonomous systems.  The device was developed in India and ushers in a future of autonomous trash detection and collection. The inventors say it's an affordable and effective Artificial Intelligence system that detects trash and properly disposes it. Trash Detection & Disposal Powered by AI to Fight Pollution The new AI system was created by engineers at Vishwakarma Government Engineering College.  The purpose of the device is to fight the problem of the massive amounts of waste thrown away in urban areas.  It's a major source of air, water and environmental pollution worldwide. AGDC System The system is called th...

World 1st: Mind Controlled Robotic Arm with No Brain Implant or Surgery Source:  Carnegie Mellon University Noninvasive Brain Computer Interface This is breakthrough innovation from engineers at Carnegie Mellon University.  They've invented an electrode cap that senses the wearer's thoughts.  The Brain Computer Interface system is so sophisticated it controls a robotic arm to continuously track and follow a moving cursor on the computer screen.  For a great news blog, go to Important Innovations Collection: Noninvasive Mind Controlled Robotic Arm : Mind Over Matter with No Surgery Source:  Carnegie Mellon University Electrode Cape A new, noninvasive electrode cap - a brain compu...

EpiWear Tech on Your Wrist Source:  Rice University Epiwear Watch to Halt Severe Allergic Reactions Innovation from Rice University Engineers The Rice University Engineering team calls this emergency medicine at hand at all times in case of a severe allergic reaction.  It's an innovative, wearable epinephrine delivery device for your wrist that the developers say works much quicker than the traditional EpiPen, that's halts allergic reactions with its epinephrine shot. Small, Foldable Watch This is a small, foldable, watch-like device with a spring activated injector that will deliver a .3 millimeter dose of epinephrine into the body when needed.  It's designed as a less obtrusive and more conventional alternative to the traditional EpiPen. Function and Style The Rice team is streamlining this prototype design to make it easier for people to keep what is life-saving medicine close at hand.  This device was personally inspired by one of the researchers who...

Super Sponge, Solar Powered, Water from Air Harvester Innovation from University of Texas Austin This is new, solar powered innovation to collect and clean water out of thin air.  It's a hydrogel hybrid developed by engineers at the University of Texas Austin that is powered by the sun.  One of the world's most pressing needs is clean, accessible drinking water.  This new innovation could lead to inexpensive, portable and small water collection and filtration systems.  For more details go to Important Innovations Collection: Super Sponge Absorbs Water from Air : New Hydrogel Collects & Cleans Water from Air Source:  University of Texas Austin Solar Powered Water Harvester This is new inno...

Smart Fabric, Perfect Temperature Source:  University of Maryland  Pioneering Research Leading to Comfort Adjusting Clothing University of Maryland researchers have created the world's first wearable material that automatically adapts its insulating capabilities to changes in its environment.  This is a world first in fabric.  It's been engineered with specially designed yarn coated with conductive metal.  For a great news blog on this, go to Important Innovations Collection: Smart Fabric, Perfect Temperature : First Ever Fabric that Automatically Adjusts to Environment Source:  University of Maryland New Temperature Adjusting Fabric This i...

New Device Captures the Heart's Energy Source:  Dartmouth College Implants Powered By Electricity from Heart Beats This is fascinating and very promising research from Dartmouth College engineers funded by the National Institute of Health (NIH),  The Dartmouth team have created a dime sized device that harvests the kinetic energy of a beating heart to generate electricity and power a biomedical device indefinitely. It's an implant, a heart pacemaker, powered by a beating heart. Dime-Sized Device What is so interesting is this is a dime sized device.  It relies on a thin film - piezoelectric film - attached to a pacemaker's lead.  It converts heart beats' kinetic energy into electricity to power the pacemaker implant. NIH Funded Research with Other Implant Device Applications This is essentially an organ energy harvesting device that could work beyond the heart and for other organs such as kidneys.  The Dartmouth team's three years of research res...