According to a recent article by physorg.com, scientists have actually invented a computer that can read brain waves! The “brain computer interface (BCI)” was recently demonstrated at a four-day European Research and Innovation Exhibition in Paris and works by reading a signal in the mind when focusing on a certain letter. This technology could allow people with various dissabilities a way to write and communicate. It is anticipated that there will be nearly 100 million potential users of BCI technology worldwide, including 16 million sufferers of cerebral palsy, a degenerative brain disease, and at least five million victims of spinal cord injury.
Technology
China Aims to Build Green
The growth of China’s economy has been staggering, and now they aim to have the similar great growth, but green. It’s wonderful to see such an economic powerhouse direct it’s energy towards environmentally friendly developments, even if the environment was ignored earlier.
“China is about to change “from emphasizing economic growth but ignoring environmental protection to emphasizing both environmental protection and economic growth,” the government said today in a policy paper covering the next five years.
Released by the Information Office of the State Council, China’s central government, the paper says that government is “fully aware” that the situation of environmental protection in the country is “grave.””
Build a Wind Turbine
Ever wanted to make your own wind turbine? Well if you have, here is a set of instructions with pictures of how to build your own wind turbine.
100 watts of pure awesome!
Willow Shrubs for Ethanol
Energy effeciency from Biofuels such as corn-ethanol is hotly debated in the US as critics point out the massive fuel, fertilizer and water inputs required by modern agriculture. Some claim the added strain on the agricultural system will result in a net energy loss once erosion and soil fertility costs are internalized and will requiring massive chunks of productive land. Current estimates peg corn-ethanol effeciency as 1.67 units of energy output for every unit input.
Wood based Biofuels can potentially revolutionize the industry and silence the critics. The process uses water instead of chemicals as a means of extracting sugar and Willow shrubs as stock material. Wood based Biofuels have many advantages. The entire material can be utilized, (instead of just the corn kernals) trees are a low maintenance crop and harvested 6-7 times before replanting and the leftovers from the Biofuels process are still paper quality grade. Estimates claim ratios of 11-15:1 energy effeciency. For the full article log onto the GLRC: Environment Report podcast.
Top 10 Emerging Environmental Technologies
You have probably heard of these already, but I was suprised the computer paper was so far advaced. Click here.