MEDOLOGY
- New Wifi technology captures human figures through walls
- Never get lost again with this smart navigation device for bicycles
- 6 high-efficiency wind turbine models
- Honda has a new hydrogen car that could be available by 2016
- Reuters Top 100 rates the most innovative universities in the world
| A group of researchers at MIT has developed a monitoring technology capable of capturing a human figure through walls using only WiFi signals. The software has actually been under development since 2013 but recent improvements allows it to use the wireless reflections bouncing off a human body to capture the silhouette of a person standing behind a wall. RF-Capture is also able to distinguish specific details of a person and even follow their movement. As a developing technique, RF-Capture still needs a huge amount of post-processing: since anything can actually also reflect the wireless signals, it is necessary to capture a sequence of pictures and then "clean" all the background noise generated in order to have a clean image of human silhouettes. |
| Setting itself apart from all the complex and fancy bicycle navigation devices in the market, BeeLine is presented as a simple and minimalist alternative to guide you around town. Using a bike to commute around the city, is one of the most appropriate options we have nowadays, considering the heavy traffic in most urban areas. However, not knowing exactly how to get somewhere could be a problem, and trying to follow a really complex GPS might actually make us take even longer to reach our destination. Beeline is a minimalist handlebar-mounted navigation device that helps you find your way on your bike – no complicated instructions, just follow the arrow. |
| The Archimedes wind turbine aka Liam F1 [Image source: Michel vannederveen photography] In a bid to increase efficiency and reduce costs, wind turbine developers have produced a number of interesting, and perhaps radical, designs for new turbines, as well as further developed the capabilities of conventional models. This pattern of innovation has examined areas such as materials design, aerodynamics, rotor size and form and durability. Here are six of the more interesting designs to have appeared recently. Vortex Bladeless wind turbine [Image source: David Suriol] Vortex Bladeless wind turbine Vortex Bladeless is a company that has developed a bladeless wind turbine that it says has the potential to be more efficient, less visually intrusive and safer for wildlife, particularly birds, than conventional turbines. |
| After three decades of research and development, Honda finally has a hydrogen car that could be up for sale by March 2016. Recently, there have been many companies that are shifting their products towards clean energy. Tesla just recently released their latest Model X, an electric car that can go from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.2 seconds. The United Kingdom is also reportedly testing a new technology that allows roads to charge electric cars directly. In India, Tata Motors developed Airpod, a car that can run on air alone. Honda's new innovation is a five-seated sedan called the FCV Clarity. |
| The scholastic world has always been a prolific contributor to innovations in science and technology, especially now more than ever. Large corporate organizations are realizing how helpful it could be to have a fresh set of eyes and are redirecting their business models to have more university involvement. Academic organizations are proving themselves to complement corporate business, as they excel in research and development while the large businesses contribute with their commercialization expertise. I mean what is point of an ingenious innovation if you can not apply it to the real world or market it towards the masses? |
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