October 26, 2011
Good Morning,
British scientists make groundbreaking advances in biological computing and fuel the prospects for computers small enough to swim through arteries. Check out the details on this amazing story in the second article.
Until Next Time,
Erin
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Company to unveil 'smart' home thermostatPALO ALTO, Calif. - A former Apple executive says he's moved on from smartphones and computers and set his sights on the next digital challenge -- the humble home thermostat. "We've built the world's first learning thermostat - a thermostat for the iPhone generation," Tony Fadell said of the effort of his new Silicon Valley startup, Nest Labs. Fadell, who led iPod and iPhone development at Apple from 2001 to 2009, said his team of 100 computer and software experts have changed the thermostat from a dumb switch to a smart digital helper that can save homeowners money and reduce energy consumption, The New York Times reported Tuesday. The high-tech programmable thermostat has lots of tricks up its sleeve, like motion-tracking sensors that know when people are present and make appropriate temperature adjustments. Nest Labs co-founder is Matt Rogers, who formerly worked in the iPod division at Apple. "I loved my job at Apple, and had a great team," Rogers said. "But in essence, we were building toys. At Nest, you can build a product that could have a huge impact on a big problem." Nest Labs said its programmable thermostat would go on the market in November at $249.
Biological computers said a step closerLONDON - British scientists say they used bacteria and DNA to make basic components for digital devices, which could pave the way for biological computing devices. Imperial College London scientists have successfully constructed logic gates -- which process information in devices such as computers and microprocessors -- out of harmless gut bacteria and DNA, ScienceDaily.com reported. "Logic gates are the fundamental building blocks in silicon circuitry that our entire digital age is based on. Without them, we could not process digital information," bioengineering Professor Richard Kitney said. "Now that we have demonstrated that we can replicate these parts using bacteria and DNA, we hope that our work could lead to a new generation of biological processors, whose applications in information processing could be as important as their electronic equivalents." The researchers say their logic gates could someday lead to microscopic biological computers such as sensors that could swim inside arteries delivering drugs to precise locations within the body. The research was published in the journal Nature Communications.
New map shows U.S. geothermal resourcesDALLAS - Researchers say U.S. geothermal resources are capable of producing more than 3 million megawatts of power, 10 times that of today's coal-fired power plants. A study by Southern Methodist University's Geothermal Laboratory, funded by a grant from Google.org, suggests the country possesses vast reserves of this green energy source generated from the Earth's heat that are realistically accessible using current technology, an SMU release said Tuesday. While conventional U.S. geothermal power production has been restricted largely to the western third of the country in geographically unique and tectonically active locations, the new mapping effort has identified significant areas in the eastern two-thirds of the United States, the researchers said. "This assessment of geothermal potential will only improve with time," SMU geophysics Professor David Blackwell said. "Our study assumes that we tap only a small fraction of the available stored heat in the Earth's crust, and our capabilities to capture that heat are expected to grow substantially as we improve upon the energy conversion and exploitation factors through technological advances and improved techniques."
Chain hotels lead in going greenPULLMAN, Wash. - Chain hotels are doing a better job of going green than their independent competitors, researchers at Washington State University say. Their study found chain hotels are more likely to use energy efficient light bulbs, train staff to turn off lights, heaters and air conditioning in unoccupied rooms, buy in bulk to reduce packaging, use safer cleaners and chemicals, and give guests tips on how to save water and energy, a WSU release said Tuesday. "I don't know if independents are as aware of the importance of being green today," Dennis Reynolds of the WSU School of Hospitality Business Management said. "If you have two hotels in a city at the same room rates, but one is green, are you going to pick it because it's green? Is that important to you or not? "The preliminary research suggests that it is." What started out as environmental responsibility soon turned into a financial benefit for hotels, he said. "It's a smart practice for hotels," Reynolds said. "When it started, no one acknowledged that. They said, 'This is a green practice. We're doing it for the environment.' "That caught on very quickly because, yes, it's good for the environment but it's also good for the bottom line."
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