Archive for November, 2009

Paper-based algae batteries to power electronics

November 30th, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

Scientists are working hard to develop paper-based batteries made from algae to power electronics in the coming decades. The batteries used now are made off metals, which cause pollution once they are thrown away. Also these batteries are big in size and expensive. Not at all environmentally friendly too. So the people behind the research are aiming at developing a battery from non-metal parts which is having the following properties:

i) Thin

ii) Flexible

iii) Lightweight

iv) Inexpensive

v) Environmentally friendly

Structure of Algae Battery:

Paper batteries algae 300x226 Paper based algae batteries to power electronics

Conducting polymers: (most promising materials for these batteries but…)

conducting polymers2 300x124 Paper based algae batteries to power electronics

Can be used for developing batteries with the above mentioned properties. But their ability to hold a charge often degrades over use.

Green algae known as Cladophora:(a solution to the above problem…)

cladophora green algae 300x225 Paper based algae batteries to power electronics

The above figure shows the cladophora algae. This algae makes a special kind of cellulose, which is having a very large surface area. Almost 100 times compared to the cellulose found in paper.

This large surface area dramatically increase the amount of conducting polymer available for use in the new type of battery, enabling it to better recharge, hold and discharge electric charge.

Advantages:

The algae batteries consist of extremely thin layers of conducting polymer, just 40 to 50 nanometers.

The algae batteries can store 50 to 200 percent more charge as compared to similar conducting polymer batteries.

The algae batteries can be recharged much faster than conventional rechargeable batteries.

Recharge time is eight minutes to just 11 seconds.

The algae batteries have greater ability to hold a charge over use.

The algae batteries showed just a 6 percent loss of charge through 100 charging cycles.

Algae battery applications:

Algae batteries can be used inflexible electronics, such as clothing and packaging.

Regards

Team Coreelectronics

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10 most wanted electronic products

November 29th, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

All of us would like to receive some sort of gifts during Christmas days. A survey has been conducted among the people of  UK, the US, Germany and France to know what kind of ELECTRONIC GIFTs they prefer. The survey ended up with a surprising list of 10 most wanted electronic products.

Apple products like the iPod Touch, the Magic Mouse and the iPod Nano are the most wanted electronic gifts across all the above countries.

Apple’s iPod Touch is the most wanted electronic gift item in the US, the UK and France. Music and gaming features of the device along with its e-reader facility makes Apple’s iPod Touch the most wanted electronic gift in US, the UK and France.

Products from Samsung and Canon are also at high demand.

The following are the most wanted 10 electronic products:

1. New Apple iPod touch 8GB (3G)
2. New Apple iPod touch 32GB (3G)
3. Western Digital Elements 1TB USB 2.0 External Hard Drive – Black
4. SanDisk 8GB SDHC Secure Digital Card
5. Sony BDPS360B Profile 2.0 Blu-ray Player with BD Live
6. Toshiba Regza 32AV615DB 32-inch Widescreen HD Ready LCD TV with Freeview
7. Integral USB 2.0 Single Slot SD / SDHC Card Reader
8. New Apple iPod classic 160GB – Black
9. Seagate Expansions 1TB External Desktop USB 2.0 Hard Drive
10. LG 22LH2000 22-inch Widescreen HD Ready LCD TV with Freeview Black

Latest Bionic Eye: Gem of artificial eyes that change eye implant treatment

November 29th, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

Man’s effort to find a solution to regain the lost sight started much earlier. Eye sight is lost due to diseases or accidents. If only a part of eye is damaged then eye sight can be restored by traditional eye treatment methods involving eye implant and all. But sometimes traditional methods fail and we may have to go for artificial eye implants and stuff like that. Several different artificial eye treatment methods have been adopted in the field of artificial eye treatment.

Some of the eye treatment methods are:

bionic eye model 300x261 Latest Bionic Eye: Gem of artificial eyes that change eye implant treatment

An artificial eye

Method 1–Retinal simulation using twin video cameras:

Retinal simulation using twin video cameras 300x149 Latest Bionic Eye: Gem of artificial eyes that change eye implant treatment

In this method the person with eye damage wear a glass with two cameras. Light received by the camera is used to simulate the healthy neurons in the retina, thus producing the effect of inbound light.

Drawbacks:

(i)                  The retina is a very delicate and fragile membrane that can be damaged easily.

(ii)                 In retinal stimulation, each neuron that gets stimulated, produce only a single dot in any image that is seen  b y the camera.

Method 2–Cortical stimulation- electrically stimulates cerebral cortex cells:

Cortical stimulation electrically stimulates cerebral cortex cells 288x300 Latest Bionic Eye: Gem of artificial eyes that change eye implant treatment

In this method the core concept is to electrically stimulate cells in the cerebral cortex, the outer layer of the brain where visual signals from our eyes are processed.

Drawbacks:

(i)                  The complexity within the cortex makes it very difficult to generate intelligible pictures by this method.

(ii)                If one site is simulated one spot of light is obtained. On simulating the second site a second spot of light is obtained. But if both sites are simulated at the same time we may not get a third spot of light.

Bionic eye- which solves the above problems:

The above mentioned drawbacks can be solved if the region of simulation is changed. But the simulating electrical signals are sill produced by cameras.

Latest Bionic Eyes Plug Directly Into the Brain 300x225 Latest Bionic Eye: Gem of artificial eyes that change eye implant treatment

This is a more successful version of bionic eye among the other bionic eyes. In the case of other bionic eyes the region of simulation was the problem. But in this newer version of bionic eye that is solved thus making it a successful bionic eye among other bionic eyes.

LGN (Lateral Geniculate Nucleus)

In this model of bionic eye, the region of simulation is LGN(Lateral Geniculate Nucleus).LGN is a part of thalamus that relays sensory data including visual signals between the cortex and the rest of the body. The new model of bionic eye simulates this part of the thalamus.

Advantages:

(i)                  LGN is less fragile and delicate.

(ii)                The thalamus is easier to stimulate compared to retina.

(iii)               The targeted neurons behave more like those in the retina than those in the cortex.

(iv)              Easier to generate intelligible images.

Regards

Team Coreelectronics


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Wireless Brain Control

November 25th, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

Wireless brain control is the realization of the dream of controlling devices at the speed of thought. That is you can start your car by thinking about starting it. Brain control is achieved by controlling wireless robotic devices, like robotic arms wirelessly, based on the electronic signals generated by a chip implanted in our brain. The brain control chip has hair like electrodes picking up the neural signals generated by our brain and converting them into electrical impulses.



wireless brain control 300x266 Wireless Brain Control

(Fig i)Concept of wireless brain control

The above figure shows a man controlling his wheel chair with his brain. He has a brain chip implanted in his brain. This brain chip picks up the brain signals and controls the robotic control system that moves his wheel chair, so that he can move in any direction he thinks about.

Structure of a brain chip:

brainchip Wireless Brain Control

(Fig ii) Brain chip with electrodes.

The above figure shows a typical brain chip. It has hair like electrodes which are used to pick up neural signal that are produced by our brain when we think about something. These brain signals are converted into electrical impulses by the chip implanted in the brain.

brain chip Wireless Brain Control

(Fig iii)Size of a brain chip.

This kind of tiny brain chips are implanted in our brain sent out control signals to the robotic arms or other kind of robotic devices. The robotic devices can be made to do anything!

brainchipimplant 300x186 Wireless Brain Control

(Fig iv) Implanting a brain chip.

What is it now?

monkeyrobot 300x208 Wireless Brain Control

(Fig v)A monkey controlling a robotic arm with the help of brain chip.

Scientists have successfully implanted brain chips in monkeys. Those monkeys could control robotic arms by just thinking about it.

Application:

Technological advancements like wireless brain control is a great help to physically challenged people.

So let’s hope for the best form the dedicated team behind the research.

Regards

Team Coreelectronics


Create sixth (6th) sense using Webcam, Projector, Mobile phone and the Internet!!!

November 23rd, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

A web cam, mirror attached projector, and a smart mobile phone with internet connection is all what we need to create sixth sense using internet. Mobile phone with internet connection is kept in the pocket. The web cam and the mirror attached projector are interconnected using a string which goes around our neck. Web cam detects the motion of our fingers wound with red, green, blue and yellow colour bands.



sixthsenseschematic 300x176 Create sixth (6th) sense using Webcam, Projector, Mobile phone and the Internet!!!

How does it work?

Suppose we would like to email our friend. In order to do that we have to move our colour band wound fingers in a predefined manner. The web cam detects the finger motion and is compared with the predefined and stored motion patterns.

colourbandsonhands 300x195 Create sixth (6th) sense using Webcam, Projector, Mobile phone and the Internet!!!

Finger motion patterns are mapped with specific commands. The commands are executed when the web cam detects a finger motion pattern and is found matching with the stored patterns. Colour bands are used for the accurate definition and detection of the finger motion patterns.

As soon as the web cam detects a matching finger motion pattern, you can project your computer’s or mobile phone’s screen on to any surface that you want. It can be:

screenonhand 163x300 Create sixth (6th) sense using Webcam, Projector, Mobile phone and the Internet!!!

(i)Screen projected on hand

screenonwall Create sixth (6th) sense using Webcam, Projector, Mobile phone and the Internet!!!

(ii) Screen projected on wall

screenontable 300x126 Create sixth (6th) sense using Webcam, Projector, Mobile phone and the Internet!!!

(iii) Screen projected on table

Now we can type and send the email! So simple isn’t it?

In the same fashion you can take pictures using your mobile phone with your colour band wearing finger motions. MNCs have taken up this idea and have started developing stuff like WUW (Wear Your Word) etc.

Powerful Lithium Battery with 3 times storage capacity

November 22nd, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

Scientists at the University of Waterloo, Canada, have created a new lithium battery that can store and deliver more than three time the power of conventional batteries. The study demonstrated robust electrochemical performance of a lithium-sulphur battery.

lithiumbatterystructure 300x231 Powerful Lithium Battery with 3 times storage capacity

Sulphur is cheaper than many other materials currently used in lithium batteries. It has always showed great promise as the ideal material for a safe, low cost, long lasting rechargeable battery, needed for energy storage and transportation in a low carbon emission energy economy.



graph 300x227 Powerful Lithium Battery with 3 times storage capacity

During the research, the most difficult part was to enable a reversible electrochemical reaction at high current rates, as the electrically-active sulphur needs to remain in an intimate contact with a conductor, such as carbon. Using a nanoscale method, the team assembled a structure of 6.5 nanometre thick carbon rods separated by some empty channels. To fill the void, heated and melted sulphur was used.

market 300x225 Powerful Lithium Battery with 3 times storage capacity

Carbon microfibres spanning the empty channels kept the voids open and prevented collapse of the structure. All the spaces were uniformly filled with sulphur, exposing an enormous surface area of the active element to carbon. This composite material can supply up to nearly 80 percent of the theoretical capacity of sulphur, which is three times the energy density of lithium transition metal oxide cathodes, at reasonable rates with good cycling stability.

Brainwave generator for success in life-(Free Download)

November 21st, 2009 by Thomson | 2 Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

Brainwave generator is used to generate brainwaves, which can be used to tune our brain. We can take our brain to any state by listening to the  brainwaves generated by the brain wave generator. You just download and install the free brainwave generator. Launch it and select the kind of brainwave corresponding to the desired mental state. Then listen to the generated brainwaves. You can definitely feel the magic of brain waves.



Theory Behind BrainWave Generator

interactive Brainwave generator for success in life (Free Download) Free brain wave generator (1.2 MiB)

EEG and the human brain’s state

EEG (Electroencephalography) technology is used to measure the human brain’s electrical vibrations. The resulting EEG pattern will contain frequency elements mainly below 30Hz. The frequencies are categorized into four states which is shown below:

State Frequency range State of mind
Delta 0.5Hz – 4Hz Deep sleep
Theta 4Hz – 8Hz Drowsiness
Alpha 8Hz – 14Hz Relaxed but alert
Beta 14Hz – 30Hz Highly alert and focused

The dominant frequency in the EEG pattern determines what shall the current state of the brain. If the amplitude of the alpha range frequencies is highest, then the brain is said to be in the alpha stage.

brain waves 214x300 Brainwave generator for success in life (Free Download)

Entraining the brain to a desired state

If external stimulus is applied to the brain, it becomes possible to entrain the brain frequency from one stage to another. For example, if a person is in beta stage (highly alert) and a stimulus of 10Hz is applied to his/her brain for some time, the brain frequency is likely to change towards the applied stimulus. The effect will be relaxing to the person. This phenomenon is also called frequency following response.

It is not easy to determine the state of brain without proper devices.  However, you can quite safely assume that during the day your brain is in the beta stage (about 20Hz) and you can start the sweep from there. If you are already somewhat relaxed, you can use a start frequency of 15Hz or a few Hz lower.

brain wave monitor 300x240 Brainwave generator for success in life (Free Download)

Stimulating the brain with beat frequencies

The easiest way of applying stimulus to the brain is via ears. Other senses could be used as well, and vision is actually used quite often (often in addition to hearing). However, humans cannot hear sounds low enough to be useful for brain stimulation, so special techniques must be used. One such special technique used is called binaural beats.

If the left ear is presented with a steady tone of 500Hz and the right ear a steady tone of 510Hz, these two tones combine in the brain. The difference, 10Hz, is perceived by the brain and is a very effective stimulus for brainwave entrainment. This 10Hz is formed entirely by the brain. When using stereo headphones, the left and right sounds do not mix together until in your brain. The frequency difference, when perceived by brain this way, is called a binaural beat.

Application areas

Helping in meditation

Meditation is essentially about willingly being able to alter one’s brain frequency to a desired state. While meditators have traditionally used several years to learn the techniques of meditation, you can now attain the same effect with brainwave entrainment. No special training or great discipline is required. Good meditation frequencies are in the alpha range, from 8Hz to 13Hz.

BrainRhythm 300x207 Brainwave generator for success in life (Free Download)

When a certain brainwave state is experienced and practiced over a period of time, the brain will “learn” the state change and it will become easier to self-produce the desired brainwave state at will. Thus, using brainwave entrainment, you can expect to get some of its effects later even without any entrainment.

Reducing learning time

The theta stage (4hz – 7Hz) has been found to increase learning capabilities. In fact, children spend more time in theta stage than adults, which probably explains the accelerated learning capabilities of children.

brain01 Brainwave generator for success in life (Free Download)

Alpha frequencies are also useful for learning purposes. You can play language cassettes, subliminal tapes, etc. during an entrainment session for a maximum effect.

Reducing sleep needs

Some people have found that half an hour a day of the Theta stage can replace up to 4 hours of sleep.

Treatment of certain mental diseases

Brainwave entrainment is used in treatment of depression, low self-esteem, attention deficit disorder, drug and alcohol addiction and autism, to name a few.

Brainwave entrainment has also been found helpful in alleviating headaches and migraines.

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Time showing bed sheets a reality?

November 20th, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

Think of knowing the time by just moving your hands over your bed sheet at night. The fact that you can know the time even without opening your eyes makes you feel great about this new concept? Hey, this is not just a dream. Wake up, its goanna be a reality! This is what time showing bed sheets talk about.



clock sheet 1 Time showing bed sheets a reality?

There are many different sources from which the “PRECIOUS” time could be known. Watches are the traditional devices that we commonly use to be aware of the minutes and seconds. Clocks hanging on the walls remind us about our duties. At office our PC’s and Laptops tell us about the deadlines, important meetings and the party tonight! The digital and analogue clock utilities in our mobile phones help us to be on time. Mobile phones are increasingly used as a time showing device, in such a way that watches are getting replaced!

clock sheet 2 225x300 Time showing bed sheets a reality?

How it works?

The Melted Clock is a haptic, touch sensitive alarm clock, with integrated speakers and controls all embedded into your sheet. Sounds a bit complicated, but parts of this are certainly possible today. There are three control icons on the sheet, as well as others on the side of the sheet. You can tell the time easily by using your hands or your eyes.

clock sheet 3 Time showing bed sheets a reality?

This clock uses silicone and electroactive polymer, which is used in artificial muscles, to work. The slat will expand and lift up the silicone. This means that the numbers and the clock are quite soft and won’t really bother you too much in bed.

Human Brain Simulator

November 20th, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

Scientists and engineers at IBM’s Almaden Research Center announced today at the Supercomputing Conference in Portland, that they have created the largest brain simulation to date on a supercomputer. The number of neurons and synapses in the simulation exceed those in a cat’s brain; previous simulations have reached only the level of mouse and rat brains. Experts predict that the simulation will have profound effects in two arenas: It will lead to a better understanding of how the brain’s architecture leads to cognition, and it should inspire the design of electronics that mimic the brain’s as-yet-unmatched ability to do complex computation and learn using a small volume of hardware that consumes little power.



brain simulator 300x245 Human Brain Simulator

The cortical simulator, called C2, integrates research from the fields of computation, computer memory, communication, and neuroscience to re-create 1 billion neurons connected by 10 trillion individual synapses. C2 runs on “Dawn,” a BlueGene/P supercomputer at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, in Livermore, Calif.

The IBM research shows that a model of the human brain—which has 20 billion neurons connected by about 200 trillion synapses—could be reached by 2019, given enough processing power. But Johns Hopkins University electrical and computer engineering professor Andreas Andreou says the C2 simulator underscores an undeniable fact—to better understand the brain, we’re going to need a better computer.

A major problem is power consumption. Dawn is one of the most powerful and power-efficient supercomputers in the world, but it takes 500 seconds for it to simulate 5 seconds of brain activity, and it consumes 1.4 MW. Extrapolating from today’s technology trends, IBM projects that the 2019 human-scale simulation, running in real time, would require a dedicated nuclear power plant.

IBM is also working separately on nanomaterials that could enable the construction of brainlike chips. In the final phase, it plans to build a system of 100 such chips simulating 100 million neurons and 1 trillion synapses.

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Powerful Car Alarm Simulator

November 12th, 2009 by Thomson | No Comments | Filed in Coreelectronics

A car alarm system prevents our costly cars from being stolen. A typical car alarm system sounds loudly when any one try to steal our car. The most important thing is to draw the attention of the people nearby, during an attempt of theft. If you want to deter your local thief without spending hundreds on a car security alarm? Here you can read about a CAR ALARM SIMULATOR. LED with ‘realistic-appearing’ flash sequence simulates active car alarm system.



car alarm simulator Powerful Car Alarm Simulator

Ingeniously simple circuit can tell if your car is running or not by detecting the voltage difference when the car is on and off.  This occurs because when your car is running the Alternator puts a out a voltage a little bit higher than when the car is off.

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