Carbon fibre for more performance & economy

Credit: Charged EVs

Weight is the enemy of acceleration, handling, braking & economy in a vehicle.

For this reason, manufacturers invest a substantial effort in weight reduction. Perhaps the most obvious method of weight reduction is choice of structural materials. Steel is the major structural material of most vehicles because of cost.

Carbon fibre is both lighter & stronger than steel. It also more expensive, because of the labour-intensive methods used in its production.

Carbon fibre is extensively used in racing cars & aircraft. BMW has made extensive use of carbon fibre in its i3 electric vehicle & i8 extended-range electric performance car.

Before carbon fibre can be more widely used, however, price must be reduced. Essentially, this means elimination of the expensive manual component. I.e. automation.

Klaus Drechsler, head of MAI Carbon Cluster Management GmbH, a research programme supported by the German govenment & BMW among others, told Bloomberg that they have, "reached a halfway point":

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-10-09/bmw-backed-researchers-closing-in-on-cheaper-carbon-fiber.html

http://chargedevs.com/newswire/german-consortium-halfway-to-goal-of-reducing-carbon-fiber-costs-by-90-percent/ / large scale manufacturing manufacture cars lightweight carbon fiber costs fall materials development group Bayerische Motoren Werke AG BMW MAI Carbon Cluster Management GmbH research federal government research reducing carbon fiber production cost cost cutting target carbon-fiber parts professor Technical University of Munich next generation of cars BMW Audi AG NSU manufacturers components weigh mass Roland Berger Strategy Consultants Holding GmbH automation production electric cars electric vehicle EV Augsburg Germany planemaker Airbus Group NV AIR engineering Siemens AG SGL Carbon SE SGL joint venture BMW carbon fiber passenger frame i8 hybrid sports car research Oak Ridge Carbon Fiber Composites Consortium Oak Ridge Tennessee Ford Motor Dow Chemical Herbert Diess development Munich /

Apple Pay/CurrentC — another standards war — this time in mobile payments

In USA, a large drug store chain (Rite Aid) has stopped taking payments through Apple Pay. Reason appears to be their interest in an alternative system, CurrentC, which is also backed by such heavyweights as Wal-Mart, Best Buy, Target, Darden Restaurants & Sears.

CurrentC has two problems:
● it won't be operational until 2015 — so customers will have to wait
● based on the information available, customers will be required to link their account to the CurrentC system, & at the time of making a payment, will have to use their phone to scan a QR code displayed on the merchant's terminal

An attempt to carve out a piece of electronic payments, in this way, is likely to be as attractive to customers as a business accepting only one type of credit card.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2014/10/26/cvs-follows-rite-aid-shuts-off-apple-pay/17959213/

http://9to5mac.com/2014/10/25/cvs-begins-disabling-nfc-terminals-in-stores-to-cut-off-apple-pay-support-in-favor-of-currentc/ / drug store chain Rite Aid Inc stopped accepting payments Apple Pay system CVS Health pharmacy stores conflict mobile payment system CurrentC developed retailer-owned mobile technology Merchant Customer Exchange MCX NFC chip generates QR code displayed merchant checkout terminal linked bank accounts system scan QR code terminal transaction completed early September Wal-Mart Stores Best Buy adopt new system partners in MCX major retailers Target Darden Restaurants Sears Holdings mobile payment solution big retailers paying fees drive adoption Apple Pay real-world testing works with existing checkout terminals retailers purchase new equipment communicate with NFC chip iPhone 6 Plus contractual solidarity backers exclusively customer demand NFC-based systems technology /

Fitness bands too expensive? How about $1 per month? – updated

Credit: Pivotal Living

Not convinced? Pivotal's Life Tracker 1 fitness band also comes with optional free replacement every year two years. At that time, your total cost is $12 $24 + if you renew, you get a free update to the latest model.

Compare that with the up-front-cost of any another tracker.

Update: apparently, at this time, its pre-order, in the USA only. Other areas promised for 2015.

http://www.cnet.com/products/pivotal-life-tracker-1/

http://www.wusa9.com/story/news/nation/2014/10/26/a-12-fitness-band-yep-and-it-looks-good/17965387/

http://www.pivotalliving.com/#!device/c1sre

If you have an Android phone, don't be put off: all of the app screen shots show an iPhone, but the FAQ promises apps for both iOS & Android at release, plus desktop apps coming in 2015.

http://www.pivotalliving.com/#!faq/c1x2j / wearables smartwatches devices track your daily activities activity trackers cheap average price $130 Seattle based startup Pivotal Living Life Tracker 1 activity tracker $12 yearly subscription access mobile app free Android iOS poor quality stylish build quality popular devices small wrist-based band 3-axis accelerometer track your steps distance traveled calories burned active minutes sleep time scroll your data device OLED screen pressing small button tracker silent alarm vibrate wake you up battery life water resistant not fully waterproof no showering or swimming mobile app user friendly set goals track daily hydration weight social platform create join teams friends like minded individuals message share your activity data preorder from Pivotal Living's website David Donovick /

Promising method for detecting pancreatic cancer years before traditional diagnosis

Early detection of a cancer means much better chance of a cure. Some cancers, such as skin & breast cancer are relatively easy to detect early because they can be detected by sight or touch. Others, such as pancreatic cancer as more difficult.

Recently, a high level of certain amino acids has been found to indicate an elevated risk of pancreatic cancer years later.

http://singularityhub.com/2014/10/02/promising-method-for-detecting-pancreatic-cancer-years-before-traditional-diagnosis/ / cancer diagnosis earlier treatments more effective survival more likely early detection regular checkups found sight touch much more difficult detect more deadly pancreatic cancer pancreas hidden deep in the body tumors discovered routine examination exams noticeable symptoms advanced stage organs 40,000 people die of pancreatic cancer USA US United States each year MIT study pancreatic cancers detectable years before diagnosis analyzing blood long-term health study participants researchers flood particular amino acids significantly more likely diagnosed pancreatic cancer later on collaboration Broad Institute researchers tested levels metabolic molecules blood proteins sugars telltale signs biomarkers disease signature predicting pancreatic cancer diagnosis three branched chain amino acids leucine isoleucine valine Matthew Vander Heiden senior author paper associate professor of biology Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research patients elevated levels three amino acids treatment /

How Elon Musk taught himself rocket science

SpaceX Falcon 9
Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett

Jim Cantrell,¹ aerospace consultant & SpaceX’s first VP of business development, talks about how Elon Musk learned enough about aerospace to start SpaceX &, “... used a billion dollars to do what NASA couldn’t do with $US27 billion,”

“He is by far the single smartest person that I have ever worked with … period.”

Business Insider interview with Jim Cantrell
https://www.businessinsider.com.au/how-elon-musk-learned-rocket-science-for-spacex-2014-10

Forbes interview with Jim Cantrell
https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2014/07/16/how-did-elon-musk-learn-enough-about-rockets-to-run-spacex-cofounder-jim-cantrell-answers/#7f19ea1b423d

Esquire magazine interview with Elon Musk
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a16681/elon-musk-interview-1212/
__________

¹ Wikipedia: “Jim Cantrell”, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Cantrell

/ bachelor’s degrees physics economics University of Pennsylvania run SpaceX spacecraft company Jim Cantrell aerospace consultant first vice president VP business development industry mentor company launched in 2002 taught himself rocket science by reading textbooks talking industry heavyweights Internet billionaire Robert Zubrin founder the Mars Society expert in Russian rockets spacecraft Mars Quora thread two-part learning process teach himself rocket science committed textbooks to memory affinity for applied knowledge loaned textbooks study never returned Rocket Propulsion Elements Aerothermodynamics of Gas Turbine and Rocket Propulsion Fundamentals of Astrodynamics International Reference Guide to Space Launch Systems quote passages verbatim books built network smartest people network aerospace industry spaceapalooza hired the rocket engineer Tom Mueller smartest propulsion expert deep knowledge learned from years of research absorbed books truly listens to people absorb this information motivation true pioneer rocket scientist the smartest man I ever met /

Paralysed man walks again after nasal cell transplant

Unlike other cells in the human body, nerve cells are not able to regenerate. Except, for nerves in the olfactory bulbs, which are involved in the sense of smell.

In a groundbreaking procedure, one of the patient’s olfactory bulbs were removed, cells grown in culture for two weeks & then transplanted into the patient’s spine.



http://www.bbc.com/news/health-29645760

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-22/man-with-completely-severed-spinal-cord-walks-again/5831794 / paralysed man able to walk again pioneering therapy transplanting cells nasal cavity spinal cord Darek Fidyka paralysed chest down knife attack walk using a frame treatment surgeons in Poland collaboration scientists London research published journal Cell Transplantation project charting rehabilitation walking again support of a frame helpless Prof Geoff Raisman chair neural regeneration University College London Institute of Neurology research team UK research team leader Prof Geoff Raisman paralysis treatment treatment olfactory ensheathing cells OEC sense of smell pathway cells enable nerve fibres olfactory system continually renewed two operations surgeons removed patient's olfactory bulb grew cells in culture transplanted spinal cord thin strip scar tissue about 500,000 cells 100 micro-injections injury scientists believe reconnect nerve grafts bridge bladder bowel sensation sexual function
Dr Pawel Tabakow consultant neurosurgeon Wroclaw University Hospital Polish research team regeneration of the spinal cord /

Hoverboard is here just in time for 2015

Well, almost, & only $US10,000.

Or you can get a developers' kit on Kickstarter, starting at $299. With 53 days to go, as of this writing, over $215,00 has been pledged of the $250,000 goal.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/142464853/hendo-hoverboards-worlds-first-real-hoverboard / zero gravity levitation hover technology in your hands HENDO hoverboard 1 inch off the ground prototype hover in defy gravity riding it support Kickstarter community finishing touches Hendo Hoverboard produce them create places to ride them engineering team iteration iterating design four disc-shaped hover engines magnetic field pushes generating lift levitation levitates board off the ground self-propelled stabilize drive it forward altering the projected force on the surface below non-ferromagnetic conductor metals working on new compounds technology minimize costs enabling technologies time and resources Whitebox developer kit technology crowdsourced creative minds artistic vision engineers practical professional riders industrial design current technology special types of surfaces hoverpark designing a park supporters backers collaborators hoverpark brick levitation magnets Earnshaw's Theorem stable static equilibrium Lenz’s law eddy currents conductor conductive material magnetic field  Magnetic Field Architecture MFA /