Scientists building ‘space ark’ to save humanity

Scientists are developing an interstellar Noah’s Ark – a self-sustaining spaceship that can carry humans on a one-way mission to find a new world to inhabit in the event of climate change or nuclear or biological warfare. Rachel Armstrong, a senior architecture and design lecturer at the University of Greenwich, is leading the project, with 13 designers, six of whom are based in the UK and rest from US, Italy and the Netherlands. Researchers in Project Persephone, investigating new bio-technologies that could one day help to create a self-sustaining spacecraft to carry people beyond our solar system. The spaceship would incorporate into its structure organic matter such as algae and artificial soil, using the Sun’s energy to produce biofuel and a sustainable source of food, ‘The Times’ reported. It would need to keep a few thousand people alive for generations on a spaceship to find a new world to inhabit, researchers said. Scientists are “considering the application of living technologies such as protocells, programmable smart chemistry, in the context of habitable starship architecture that can respond and evolve according to the needs of its inhabitants.”Armstrong’s research focuses on bio-engineering, developing artificial soil and droplets of water that can be programmed to carry key elements. to help us personalise your reading experience. The team’s sociologist, Steve Fuller, questioned: “We need nature to survive, so how do we take nature with us?”. Researchers hope the project’s principal use will be to teach us more about building sustainable cities on Earth. Source: The Indian Express

Read More........→May 05, 2014

Next Tourist Destination to Become Outer Space

.

A space hotel built by the Russians in 2016 may be a possibility. It would be built by a commercial firm and would be a space station with an orbit about 350 km above the Earth.

It would be pretty exclusive with only seven passengers living in capsules. To get their two-day trip they 

would be cared for aboard a Soyuz spacecraft. Experienced professionals would accompany them to keep them safe. Windows would obviously have to be installed along with some telescopes and cameras. This I think would be appealing to almost anybody. The cost though is always the problem. It is projected to be $800,000 to get the person from Earth to the space station and five days in space would be $160,000. Virgin Galactic spearheaded by Richard Branson is working towards launching the “SpaceShip 2″ program which would make suborbital flights with a little period of weightlessness costing around $200,000. 500 people have registered for this including Stephen Hawking the renowned physicist. Space tourism does occur today but only for those who have a  large amount of cash. One day it is expected that by 2030 there will be lots of space stations all providing different destinations for tourists. They could be moon settlements, gas stations and near Earth orbit viewing platforms. In the far future there will be living areas built but that is a long way ahead. Source: Article, Image: flickr.com

Read More........→April 01, 2014

Nissan develops stylish ?Bladeglider? EV

Car manufacturer Nissan has developed a new and stylish ‘wedge’ shaped electric car called the ‘BladeGlider’ which it describes as a proposal for the future direction of Nissan EV development The company developed the vehicle in order to give both the driver and passengers a new, sustainable and exhilarating driving experience. It has a unique architecture which Nissan describes as ‘targeting the visionary individual’ and incorporates a ‘pioneering’ spirit that distinguishes it from anything yet envisioned for EV’s. “The goal was to revolutionise the architecture of the vehicle to provoke new emotions, provide new value and make visible for consumers how Zero Emissions can help redefine our conception of vehicle basics” said Francois Bancon, division general manager of Product Strategy and Product Planning at Nissan. The car has a narrow front track which is designed to challenge the orthodoxy of car design that the company says has dominated the roads since the earliest days of the internal combustion engine. The concept has its roots in the aerial images of a soaring, silent, glider and the triangular shape of a high performance "swept wing" aircraft. This means that the main developmental focus was aerodynamics in order to achieve low drag and generating a road-hugging down force. “BladeGlider was conceived around delivering a glider-like exhilaration that echoes its lightweight, downsized hyper-efficient aerodynamic form” said Shiro Nakamura, Nissan's senior vice president and chief creative officer. “This design is more than revolutionary; it's transformational, applying our most advanced electric drive-train technology and racetrack-inspired styling in the service of a new dimension of shared driving pleasure.” The BladeGliders front wheels are set close together in order to reduce drag and enhance manoeuvrability for high-G cornering power. This in turn is assisted by a 30/70 front/rear weight distribution ratio while the aerodynamic downforce is created by a highly rigid yet lightweight carbon-fibre underbody. In-wheel motors provide rear-wheel propulsion with independent motor management, while also contributing to freedom of upper body design and space-efficient packaging. Once the BladeGlider matures into a production car, it will be the first time Nissan has used in-wheel motors. The car’s electric motors employ lithium-ion batteries which have already demonstrated proven performance in the Nissan LEAF EV. In the Blade Glider the battery modules are mounted low and towards the rear to enhance stability and handling. The cockpit inside the car’s canopy seats three occupants in a triangular configuration with the driver sat centre-forward. The steering wheel is like that inside an aircraft and the dashboard incorporates state-of-the-art instrumentation technology which includes an IT system displaying relief maps and atmospheric data. “I think that the excitement of the racing car should be mirrored in the excitement of driving the road car” said Ben Bowlby, director of Nissan Motorsport Innovation, who has supported the BladeGlider's development. “I think there are elements we can bring from the race track to make these future road cars more exciting, more fulfilling and give greater driving pleasure.”For additional information: Nissan Source: Renewable Energy Magazine, Image

Read More........→April 01, 2014

Dynamax releases Android-based signage solution

Dynamax Technologies has released an Android-based digital signage solution, which augments existing support for other media playback devices such as SMIL and Windows PCs. It is based on a 1.6 GHz Dual core ARM A9 Processor with a quad core MALI GPU, and supports Wi-Fi and LAN Internet connectivity. The solution will be targeted at VAR’s and end-users. Dynamax says future versions of the Android player will support layouts and a wider range of media playback formats. Source: InAVate

Read More........→April 01, 2014

Gesture-controlled holographic display

L-R Beagle MD Harry Anscombe and Conran creative director Massimo Acanfora with the Holo

Engage Production has announced the distribution of Holo, a new development of the 'Pepper's Ghost' illusion. It offers the biggest 360° floating optical experience on the market, and is controlled by hand gestures. The 2.4 metre high, diamond-shaped Holo was designed by Conran and devised by London-based company Beagle Media. Launched in October at Sir Terence Conran's apartment in London, Holo is available in a bespoke range of colours and materials to achieve a minimalist design, including wafer-thin German engineered glass, brushed aluminium and chrome. Holo can either be purchased or hired from Engage. Sourc: IenAVate

Read More........→February 13, 2014