Electricity is at the centre of this week's technology, using it to power everything from cars to jeans and finding better ways to store it.
1. LED-Based Plant Factory
Leaf lettuces grow under light-emitting diodes (LEDs) at the Plant Factory housed in the research centre of Tamagawa University in Tokyo. The full research facility, named Future Science Technology Centre, has been operational since March 2010. The plant factory facility uses artificial lighting sources, such as light-emitting Diodes (LEDs), Hybrid Electrode Fluorescent Lamps (HEFLs) and cool white fluorescent (CWF) lamps for plant production.
2. Fast-Charging Bus
The EDDA Bus from the Fraunhofer Institute in Germany has reached a new milestone in electric vehicle charging. Developed by scientists in a joint research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, this bus uses a scant 1.19 kWh per kilometre and takes less than 6.5 minutes to recharge.
3. Winner of DARPA Challenge
Team KAIST won the DARPA Robotics Challenge Finals with it bipedal robot, DRC-HUBO. It scored the maximum of 8 points in 44:28 minutes, winning the top spot and the US$2 million grand prize.
4. Lindo Smart
The 2015 Core77 Design Awards were announced this past week and the LINDO Smart, a three-wheeled electric vehicle was selected as an honouree. Developed by Melbourne-based Kyle Armstrong Design, the car is constructed from lightweight materials and is powered by two in-wheel electric motors. Six lithium-ion battery cells charge via a capacitor that works 75 percent faster than similar systems.
5. Cumulus
Cumulus is an interactive art installation imbued with sensors that react to sound, producing an erratic light show that resembles lightning.
6. US$20 Phone
This week, Microsoft unveiled its new US$20 Nokia 105 aimed at emerging markets. The 2G phone features a 1.4-inch colour display, FM radio and promises up to 35 days of standby time.
7. Levis Teams Up with Google
Levis and Google have teamed up this week for Project Jacquard, a new venture to weave touch control technology into clothing, turning any type of fabric into a connected device.
8. Levitating Speaker
A levitating Bluetooth speaker was among hundreds of consumer electronic devices on display this week at the 2015 COMPUTEX TAIPEI show in Taiwan. COMPUTEX is the largest computer show in Asia. It draws 1,702 exhibitors from 21 countries using 5,072 booths to display their latest products and to sign orders with foreign buyers.
9. Squishy Battery
Researchers from the Wallenberg Wood Science Centre in Stokholm, Sweden, have developed an experimental battery made from wood pulp-derived nanocellulose that can withstand the pressure of being squeezed. Treated inside and out with electrically conductive ink, the battery is able to store more power in less space than a conventional battery.
10. Electric Car Marathon
On June 3, participants began a 2800-kilometre marathon for electric vehicles. Under the auspices of Prince Albert II of Monaco, the racers will travel through 10 countries and 17 cities in Europe from Kiev to Monte Carlo.
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