future

Transformation optics, metamaterials, nanophotonics, plasmonics

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Transformation optics is a field of optical and material engineering and science embracing nanophotonics, plasmonics, and optical metamaterials. Transformation optics may enable invisibility, ultra-powerful microscopes and computers by harnessing nanotechnology and “metamaterials.” The list of possible breakthroughs includes a cloak of invisibility; computers and consumer electronics that use light instead of electronic signals to process …

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The Buckypaper Race to Market

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1. Dr. Xiangwu Zhang, an Assistant Professor in the College of Textiles at North Carolina State University, hydroentangling treats the stack of unentangled fibers as a whole to produce strong fabrics or membranes, and hence it is an excellent method to assemble carbon nanotubes (CNTs), which are too small to be manipulated individually. The continuous …

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Carnival of Space Week 75

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The Lounge of the Lab Lemming has Carnival of Space week 75 up This site contributed the future giant telescope roundup. Brian WangBrian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and …

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Dwave Quantum Computer 128 qubits Weeks away

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CTO of Dwave Systems has mentioned in comments on his site. They will also be showing entanglement related results. We’re tracking fairly well to our earlier projections in most aspects of the project. Our first cut at a 128 qubit processor (Rainier) is going to glass within the next 2 weeks. I’m going to be …

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Historic Comparison of China versus United States GDP

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Nationmaster.com has historical GDP figures from the World Development Bank. GDP figures by country for 2006 GDP figures for 2007 from the Worldbank IMF GDP estimates made in 2008 for 2008 through 2013 Currency history can be examined here at oanda.com China revised GDP growth in 2006 for 1973-2004 with the 2005 economic survey. Year …

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Calera Cement Process Details and Operational Pilot Plant and Competitors

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Carbon capture and storage (CCS) is one of the main approaches that have been put forward for mitigating climate change. Norway’s Statoil saves hundreds of millions of euro in avoided carbon taxes by using CCS. Since 1996, the Sleipner gas field has stored about one million tonnes CO2 a year. A second project in the …

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Superconductor with critical temperature over 200K

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The 200K superconducting material contains only inexpensive and non-toxic elements, a method of refinement to increase its volume fraction is now all that is required for it to become the first commercial superconductor capable of operating at dry ice temperatures. Superconductors can radically reduce the size of engines and increase engine efficiency and enable many …

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Crude oil traded below $70 a barrel

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Light Sweet Crude oil traded below $70 a barrel today. The current reprieve from high energy costs should be used to aggressively pursue an effective energy policy. This site has discussed effective energy plans. Energy Technology PlanThis site has proposed an energy plan with a greater focus on applying better energy technology. The plan is …

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Pill-size to bacteria sized robots for surgery and in-body therapies

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In 2001, the FDA approved the use of capsule endoscopy, which uses a capsule size camera [1.2 inches long by 0.4 inches in diameter]. These are passive systems. There is work to make smaller robotic systems and systems that can perform more of the capabilities of regular endoscopes. These capabilities include therapeutic and diagnostic operations …

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Japanese Technology Update: carbon storage, thermoelectrics, super high vision TV and more

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Current Nikkei Business tech news and highlights from the August 2008 report on japanese research and innovation from the UK Embassy in Japan. 1. Furukawa Co Ltd plans to deploy a thermoelectric device for capturing 7% of the waste heat in car exhaust within 3 years. Furukawa used the latest material to prototype a thermoelectric …

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Technology Newroundup, Next Gen Wifi, Laser Fusion, Infrared solar power

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1. Several startups take Wifi to the next level: Amimon WHDI – Wireless Home Digital Interface provides a high-quality, uncompressed wireless link which can support delivery of equivalent video data rates of up to 3Gbps (including uncompressed 1080p) in a 40MHz channel in the 5GHz unlicensed band. The Quantenna High Speed (QHS) family of chipsets …

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