New Spongelike Structure Converts Solar Energy into Steam Using layers of graphite flakes and carbon foam, MIT researchers have produced a new porous material that floats on water like a sponge. Once exposed to solar energy, its surface generates a hotspot that draws up water and converts it to steam. Twitter Takes Down Suspect Pro-China […]
3D Printing Grows, But is It an Industrial Revolution?
Posted July 18th, 2014 at 2:04 pm (UTC-4)
The potential of 3D printing is unmistakable, even though the industry has just begun to scratch the surface of that potential. Consumer 3D printers are just making their debut in U.S. stores. Their industrial counterparts are already complementing manufacturing in developed countries, even as others assess their market growth potential. But is this a new […]
Tech Sightings, July 17, 2014
Posted July 17th, 2014 at 2:03 pm (UTC-4)
Africa’s Inventors Struggle to Protect Patents Hampered by Africa’s long, expensive patent registration process and weak court system, many inventors are working covertly to protect their ideas from copycats. Some Universities Crack Code in Drawing Women to Computer Science U.S. universities that have seen women making a comeback in the fields of science and technology […]
Tech Sightings, July 16, 2014
Posted July 16th, 2014 at 2:02 pm (UTC-4)
South Korea to Create 10-year 3D Printing Roadmap South Korea’s government has asked its Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning and the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy to research the feasibility of a 10-year plan to develop 3D printing into a growth market and transform manufacturing. Hi-Tech System Brings Quick Storm Warnings to […]
Tech Sightings, July 15, 2014
Posted July 15th, 2014 at 2:01 pm (UTC-4)
Child-Selling Story Underlines Tension as China Opens Up to Video Games This is not the first story coming out of China about a couple selling their child to fund virtual items in free-to-play games. But the subject is touchy in a country that has tended to view video gaming as a cultural intrusion and might […]
Android L Improves Security, Raises New Concerns
Posted July 11th, 2014 at 2:26 pm (UTC-4)
Google’s Android upgrade, known as Android L, promises to address fragmentation and security issues that have long plagued its ubiquitous operating system while raising new concerns. Currently in developer preview mode, Android L brings speed to any platform it runs on, comes with optimized instructions and a lot of changes that expand Android’s reach to new […]
Tech Sightings, July 10, 2014
Posted July 10th, 2014 at 2:25 pm (UTC-4)
How a Paralyzed Man Moved His Fingers With His Mind Ian Burkhart, paralyzed from the elbows down since he broke his neck four years ago when diving into deceptively shallow water, was told that he would never use his arms again. But just last month, he moved his right hand just by thinking about it […]
Tech Sightings, July 9, 2014
Posted July 9th, 2014 at 2:24 pm (UTC-4)
Apple Loses China Patent Case, Separate Suit Against Apple Continues A Beijing court upheld the validity of a patent held by a Chinese company, which is now cleared to pursue an infringement case against Apple. Apple went to court to argue that Zhizhen Internet Technology and China’s State Intellectual Property Office had invalid patents to […]
Tech Sightings, July 8, 2014
Posted July 8th, 2014 at 2:00 pm (UTC-4)
Jack Ma’s Journey to Build Alibaba Was Full of Crazy Alibaba founder Jack Ma, an English teacher, went on to start an e-commerce business that is able to take on global multi-billion-dollar companies.This is the subject of a new movie titled “Crocodile in the Yangtze” that offers a comprehensive look at the journey that lead […]