Wheelchair-bound woman walks again with a 3D printed exoskeleton (video)

One more area where the prototyping & micro-scale manufacture capability of 3D printing will make unique devices possible & economically feasible.

http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2014/02/wheelchair-bound-woman-walks-again-with-a-3d-printed-exoskeleton/ / technology health fitness 1992 Amanda Boxtel suffered skiing accident paralysed from the waist down doctors doctor never walk again world world’s first 3D printed exoskeleton ability climb out of her wheelchair walk once again Ekso-Suit fully bespoke 3D Systems data full body scan print custom designed design tailor tailored custom-tailored pieces fit exactly Amanda’s body mechanical components EksoBionics provide automation allowing safe safely use her legs pair of canes waking stick sticks walk around 3D scanning print printer printing technologies make making Amanda’s exoskeleton Scott Summit senior director for functional design 3D Systems 3D-printed parts bumping into bony prominences abrasion abrasions sense of touch sensation in her legs tiny skin injuries can become dangerously infected before they’re found comfortable fit isn’t just a nicety safety necessity exoskeletons 3D printing print individualized fit technology test testing tester exoskeleton design help paralysed patients patient walk again EksoBionics test pilots designer designing design process courage courageous robot-assisted robot assisted /

Methane leaks undercut the climate benefits of natural gas

http://www.technologyreview.com/view/524776/methane-leaks-undercut-the-climate-benefits-of-natural-gas/ / State of the Union Address President Obama government support natural gas powered trucks reduce reducing foreign oil consumption reconsider new report published Science magazine switch switching diesel methane natural gas truck trucks increased increase greenhouse gas emissions fugitive report growing debate about whether natural gas good for the environment burn burning release releases CO2 half carbon dioxide burning coal methane main component natural gas powerful greenhouse gas leaks leak pipe pipes well wells offsets offset climate benefits burn burning fossil fuels fuel leaking leaked policy policies promote promoting shift to natural gas climate perspective research researching researchers methane leaks burning coal new study analyze analysis analyzing 20 years data conclude conclusion concluded EPA Environmental Protection Agency estimate estimated estimation underestimated amount of methane leakage conclude conclusion concludes burn burning natural gas better burn burning coal increase increased higher rate leaks leak leakage burn burning natural gas substitute substitution diesel truck trucks burning diesel considerable considerably cleaner clean burning coal saving savings burning natural gas increased methane levels leaks new study definitive leaks relatively few pieces of faulty equipment /

What if climate change is just a hoax?

Credit: Peter Sinclair

More at:
https://climatecrocks.com/ / Politicians discussing global warming – when it is important to appear to be doing something climate change global warming greenhouse gas CO2 carbon dioxide methane carbon monoxide greenhouse effect fossil fuel fossil carbon heatwave weather heat wave flood rising sea level rise greenhouse green house gas carbon dioxide CO2 anthropomorphic anthropocene global warming climate change climatologist anthropogenic human methane CH4 /

External battery for your MacBook

CHUGPLUG external battery for MacBook
Credit: Lenmar Enterprises/The Gadgeteer

External battery for your MacBook — for a very long time, the only choice has been the HyperJuice:

http://www.hypershop.com/HyperJuice/External-Battery-for-MacBook-iPad-iPhone-USB/

Until now — CHUGPLUG external battery for MacBook, with 65 Watt hours capacity.

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/02/17/prevent-your-macbook-from-becoming-one-of-the-walking-dead/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+TheGadgeteer+%28The+Gadgeteer%29&_m=3n.002i.653.bg0ao004ub.ulh

Almost — when I checked their Web site, it was, "coming soon".

http://www.lenmar.com/chugplug / CHUGPLUG external battery worry running out power traveling CHUGPLUG design designer designed 45 60 Watt 45W 60W newer MacBooks up to 4 extra hours power 11 inch 13 inch 11″ MacBook Air extra hours 13″ MacBook Air MacBook Pro weigh weighs 1.1 pounds accepts 100 240 100-240VAC 1.2A 50-60Hz AC power outputs 120-250V DC power fit between MacBook’s MagSafe power adapter power cord charge internal lithium-polymer battery 2 hours power laptop  Lenmar Enterprises $159.99 /

More industry giants joining the battery development effort

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) which are practical for the vast majority of daily use exist. Examples are the Mitsubishi iMieve & Nissan Leaf. For the small proportion of longer journeys, there is a workable solution: Tesla Model S. The only problem is that the shear number of cells required for a long range BEV is expensive. In every other respect, all of the problems of a long range BEV have been solved. And this is in no way a marginal solution: the Tesla Model S is the best car Consumer Reports has ever tested.

Essentially, the range problem is reduced to getting approximately the same amount of energy as in a Model S into a BEV for substantially less money. Elon Musk has said that the Model E mass market car available, "Hopefully 2016, but I would say no later than 2017," will have a battery cost 30 to 40% less per killowatt hour than the Model S.

Now a joint venture from Bosch, GS Yuasa, & Mitsubishi is making a major development effort:

http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1090405_three-lithium-ion-giants-join-to-build-better-electric-car-battery / three large global companies Bosch GS Yuasa Mitsubishi announcement announce announced joint venture improve develop develper development next generation battery cell batteries cell electric vehicles vehicle EV double energy capacity electric cars mass market mass-market held back existing battery technology majority of journeys most drivers limit limitation limit limited battery technologies increase increased increasing capacity energy density greater capacity battery pack packs of equivalent size offer significant increase range smaller lighter pack Green Car Congress Charged EVs twice as efficient /

Climate Council: heatwaves are getting hotter & more frequent

In Australia, since 1950, maximum & minimum temperatures have increased by 0.9°C, & the number of record hot days has more than doubled.

In 2003 & 2010, Europe experienced the hottest summers in at least 500 years.

Significant climate events have probably been happening in your part of the world too.

http://theconversation.com/climate-council-heatwaves-are-getting-hotter-and-more-frequent-23253?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+February+2014&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+February+2014+CID_b7ec3850216321c19018d26ee98bdf1c&utm_source=campaign_monitor&utm_term=Climate%20Council%20heatwaves%20are%20getting%20hotter%20and%20more%20frequent / heatwaves important climate-related climate related risks risk Australia Australians silent killers fatality fatalities death deaths natural disaster significant impacts infrastructure agriculture biodiversity climate warm heatwave heatwaves becoming hotter longer more frequent increasing frequency extreme heat Melbourne Australian Open tennis tournament record breaking record-breaking heat Queensland summer reminds remind reminds risks heatwaves hotangry summer summer’s heat long longer term longer-term trend hotter weather heatwaves on the rise Climate Council’s council latest report Heatwaves Hotter Longer More Often climate change widespread impacts increased deaths reduced workplace productivity damage infrastructure transport electricity systems mortality heat sensitive heat-sensitive plants animals stress on agricultural systems record hot days heatwaves increase further limiting future increase heatwave activity urgent deep cuts greenhouse-gas greenhouse gas emissions annual number record hot days double doubled maximum minimum temperatures increased 0.9°C frequency record hot days frequency record cold days hot hottest area-averaged area averaged national maximum temperature recorded 40.3°C 7 January 2013 extreme temperature records broken every state territory 2012 2013 2012/2013 summer lengthening longer heatwave season heatwave event much earlier intensity heatwaves temperature hottest day peak of the heatwave increasing summer record breaking record-breaking extreme heatwaves heat wave hot weather record high European heatwave July August 2003 France Switzerland 2010 more intense widespread heatwave Eastern Europe western Russia Belarus Estonia Latvia Lithuania Climate Council crowdfunded body Australian climate change global warming Heatwave Report /

Is Gmail sucking the life out of your Android's battery?

Credit: The Gadgeteer

http://the-gadgeteer.com/2014/02/16/julies-gadget-diary-is-gmail-sucking-the-life-out-of-your-android-smartphone/ / quick tip Android users user Android smartphone always warm to the touch your battery life taken a nose dive Samsung Galaxy S3 primary phone feel warm heavy light use not used it in hours day out of a charge custom ROM Carbon just learned to deal with it Samsung Galaxy Note 2 main phone started having same issues some digging around source of the problem – Gmail stand alone app problems with the Gmail app problems gets stuck refreshing check for new messages problem both phones ignore refreshing problem main thing drain quicker your phone’s battery settings Settings > Battery list apps app processes how much battery they are consuming Gmail app was using 84% of my battery turn off Gmail syncing account settings Settings > Accounts > Google solve problem temporarily Application managerSettings > Application Manager > Gmail Force stop Turn off buttons button disable Gmail app remove it from your apps list access your mail stock email app OS Android operating system third party email clients browse /