Shape of Things to Come?

Invisibility cloak created in 3-D

Scientists have created the first device to render an object invisible in three dimensions.
The “cloak”, described in the journal Science, hid an object from detection using light of wavelengths close to those that are visible to humans.
Previous devices have been able to hide objects from light travelling in only one [...]

Tags: 3d invisibility cloak, cloak, invisibility cloak, invisible
Posted in BBC, Consider This, Cutting-edge Research, Innovation, Shape of Things to Come?, disruptive innovation | No Comments »

Mile-High Mega Kites Could Pull Giant, Floating Power Plants

Image via Wikipedia

Take a huge oceanic catamaran, stick a hydroelectric turbine underneath it, and hitch it to a 6.5 million-square-foot parafoil flying nearly a mile in the air. That’s a Korean research team’s new proposal for generating gigawatts of clean energy.
As the parafoil pulls the boat, seawater would be forced through the [...]

Tags: catamaran, clean energy, hydroelectric turbine, mega-kites
Posted in 5 Years Out, Consider This, Cutting-edge Research, Innovation, Innovation Needed, Project Energy, Shape of Things to Come?, Wired.com | No Comments »

Nose scanner identity verification developed

As identity theft continues to rise, authorities are on the lookout for ways to use a person’s physical characteristics to distinguish between an imposter and the genuine article.
Whereas eyes change shape according to facial expression and ears can be hidden away, researchers from the University of Bath have discovered that [...]

Tags: facial expression, international biometric group, nose scanner, nose tip, social networking
Posted in Consider This, Cutting-edge Research, Innovation in Society, Shape of Things to Come?, gizmag | No Comments »

MIT developing self-assembling computer chips

// < ![CDATA[
var random_number = Math.random();
var test_channel;
//title size
if (random_number < '.2'){
adstage = '1';
test_channel = '0002921071';
//text 2 lines
} else if ((random_number > ‘.2′) && (random_number < '.4')) {
adstage = '2';
test_channel = '8412789180';
//background mouseover
} else if ((random_number > ‘.4′) && (random_number < '.6')) {
adstage = '3';
test_channel = '9953867104';
//combination
} else if ((random_number > ‘.6′) && (random_number < ‘.8′)) [...]

Tags: computer chips, photolithography process, self-assembling computer chips, tiny circuits
Posted in Cutting-edge Research, Innovation, Shape of Things to Come?, gizmag | No Comments »

India’s Rural Cell Movement: Can You Hear Me Now?

Image via Wikipedia

Last time I was in India I wrote about the amazing business model innovation that had allowed telecom operators to make money on a paltry $6 a month per average user. That compares to a desired average monthly payment of $50 or more in the U.S.
The results have been phenomenal—550 [...]

Tags: affordable mobile phone, business model innovation, India’s Rural Cell Movement, mobile phones
Posted in Communications, Consider This, Innovation, Innovation Needed, Promising for so many reasons, Shape of Things to Come?, Startups, TechCrunch, economics | No Comments »