For New Lamps, An Unlikely Energy Source: Gravity.

At http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-12/new-light-fully-powered-gravity

As long as you reset a weight every 30 minutes, you can have a continuous, battery-free light source.

By Colin Lecher Posted 12.12.2012 at 3:30 pm




GravityLight: lighting for the developing countries from T4 on Vimeo.
Kerosene lamps used in off-grid, rural areas are a major problem. They're bad for people's health and the environment's. One startup's solution is to tap another, greener resource, something we all have in abundance: gravity.
The invention, GravityLight, does exactly what the name suggests: It keeps a light going through the power of gravity. As an attached weight falls, it pulls a cord through the center of the light, powering a dynamo. That dynamo converts the energy from the falling weight into power for the light. (It's the same idea as a hand-cranked device, just more vertical.) The weight can be set in a few seconds, and as it slowly reaches Earth, enough energy is generated to keep a light working for 30 minutes. As long as it's set every 30 minutes, it makes for a green, battery-free, continuous stream of light. Other, similar devices like battery chargers could be used through the same process, too.
The inventors say the gadgets can be sold now for less than $10, which would make a return on investment for owners three months after dumping kerosene lighting. And speaking of investments,... ( more at http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2012-12/new-light-fully-powered-gravity )

A Look Back at Improvements to Second Life in 2012 and Forward to 2013

At http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Featured-News/A-Look-Back-at-Improvements-to-Second-Life-in-2012-and-Forward/ba-p/1775925

by Linden Lab 12-20-2012 11:25 AM - edited 12-20-2012 11:27 AM

As we near the end of 2012, we wanted to take a moment to highlight just a few of the ways in which Second Life has grown and improved over the past year. This isn't an exhaustive accounting, of course, but it seemed like a good time for a quick reflection on some of the initiatives we hope made your Second Life better this year.

New Ways to Create, Share, and Discover

Some of the most exciting work we did this year was to grow the toolset that you can use to create amazing experiences in Second Life. This year, we rolled out the first set of advanced creator tools, launched Pathfinding (possibly the first time ever that dynamic pathfinding has been successfully implemented in a 3D, user-created world!), and resolved some important issues to make it easier to create with mesh. Additionally, we recently created the Good Building Practices wiki to make it easier to find all the info you need about mesh, scripting, physics, Pathfinding and more.

We also made it easier to discover interesting places to explore inworld. We revamped Destination Island, improving performance (by about 15 fps) and introducing a new design that surfaces regularly refreshed destinations based on the wide variety of entries in the Destination Guide. We added roughly 1,200 new original entries to the Destination Guide in 2012, bringing the total number of unique directory listings to about 2,400! We'll continue to grow the Guide in 2013, and if you'd like your location to be included, you can submit it here.

New Perks for Premium Subscribers

This year we offered some new perks for Premium subscribers to add a bit more fun to their Second Life experiences. For example, we launched the Premium Wilderness region for subscribers to explore and offered several exclusive gifts - a railcar, a dunebuggy, and a biplane - for those users to enjoy inworld. More perks will be coming in 2013, as we continue to look at ways we can bring additional value to our Premium offering.

Better Ways of Communicating and Doing Business

A number of the changes we made to Second Life this year were designed to make it easier for users to communicate and do business. For example, we launched Direct Delivery, which simplifies the purchasing flow for buyers on the Second Life Marketplace. The majority of Marketplace listings and transactions now use Direct Delivery, which is more than twice as fast and more reliable than the old Magic Box method. Next year, we have more work to do to complete support of limited quantity sales and address Merchant Outbox issues, but then we look forward to completing the migration to the new, faster system.

We introduced CHUI - a new user interface that combines all of your inworld communication options into one easier-to-manage place in the Viewer. You can check out CHUI now in a project Viewer, and in early 2013, we'll roll it out to everyone as part of the main Second Life Viewer.

We also improved the group management tools this year to make it possible to interact with very large groups inworld. It's now faster and easier for the hundreds of large groups in Second Life to check their member roles and check statuses, for example.

Towards a Faster, More Reliable Second Life

Many of the improvements we made to Second Life this year were "behind the scenes," so you may not have seen the changes themselves, but we hope you'll notice things just generally working better, faster, and more reliably. This year, we kicked off Project Shining- a major initiative to improve Second Life performance and reliability. As part of this project, in 2012 we made the single largest capital investment in new server hardware upgrades in the history of Linden Lab, and we have introduced an improved HTTP Library(currently available in a beta Viewer) to make Viewer/Server communications more efficient. More work on Project Shining in 2013 will mean additional improvements to performance and reliability - i.e. Second Life will simply work better for everyone!

Also to this end, we introduced threaded region crossing to improve teleporting performance and reduce lag when you move from one region to another, and expanded our support of video cards to include the latest from all major manufacturers and enhance the settings on many legacy cards as well.

Looking Ahead to 2013, and Thank you!

For next year, our priorities include further improvements to performance and reliability, and to that end we have more work to do on some of the projects we began this year, including some of those mentioned above. We'll be rolling out new some perks for Premium subscribers (scavenger hunts, anyone?), as well as some new features for everyone to enjoy (like normal and specular maps to enhance graphics), while continuing and completing initiatives like Project Shining that will make everyone's Second Life experience more... ( more at http://community.secondlife.com/t5/Featured-News/A-Look-Back-at-Improvements-to-Second-Life-in-2012-and-Forward/ba-p/1775925 )

What are key benefits of being a university alumni?

At http://www.helium.com/items/2330654-what-are-key-benefits-of-being-a-university-alumni

by Christy Birmingham

Created on: May 27, 2012   Last Updated: May 28, 2012

There are many benefits to being the alumni of a university. Aside from being able to frame and hang the associated degree, alumni now have many perks at their fingertips. Services offered by universities to its graduates can save them money and provide other useful perks too.

Campus Events

One key benefit that is offered to many university alumni is the inclusion at many campus events. Alumni who provide their universities with current contact information often receive invites to events for the university. Events include openings of new campus areas, awards ceremonies and presentations. While some events are free, alumni often receive discounted admissions ones that are not. Universities want to maintain the support of its graduates and recognize these people represent them in the community.

At these events, there are often food and beverages. Alumni can speak with current university staff and make helpful business contacts too. Alumni may even be approached to speak at the events, which looks great on the resume and provides them a chance as well to give back to the facilities.

Discounted Pricing On-Campus

Another key benefit of being a university alumni is the discounted pricing on many activities based on-campus. For example, alumni are often offered discounted rates at the university gym. The universities offer lower prices as an effort to keep the graduates' close ties to the university and maintain their support. These benefits can certainly help graduates to save money!

Alumni also often receive lower prices than members of the general public at campus gift shop purchases.  Many universities also allow its graduates to use the library and its services at no cost as a reward for being a member of the alumni.

Discounted Pricing Off-Campus

Off-campus, many alumni also get discounts on products and services of companies who have partnerships with the university. For example, SFU offers its members discounted rates for extended benefits from Manulife Financial. Some universities represent credit card companies and give alumni special rates or offer them rewards that are university-related for card usage.

There are many benefits of being a... ( more at http://www.helium.com/items/2330654-what-are-key-benefits-of-being-a-university-alumni )

The difference between PhD programs in America and Europe

At http://gmat.learnhub.com/lesson/4846-the-difference-between-phd-programs-in-america-and-europe?id=4846-the-difference-between-phd-programs-in-america-and-europe

by Tiffany

PhD Programs in America

While PhD programs in both America and Europe are highly distinguished levels of education, there are some differences you should be aware if you are planning on applying to any universities within these two continents. Admissions, funding and the length of a PhD program vary from university to university, as well as from country to country. Here is a comparison of programs in the United States and the United Kingdom.In the United States, the Ph.D. is typically the highest academic degree awarded by universities. In some cases, a master's degree may be required for a Ph.D. program - in other cases, a bachelor's degree is sufficient.

Firstly, a student must usually complete a comprehensive examination or a series of exams which focuses more on breadth of knowledge than depth. Some programs require the candidate to complete successfully requirements in pedagogy (the study of teaching) or applied science (e.g., clinical practice or predoctoral clinical internship for programs in clinical or counseling psychology).

2 to 4 years are usually required for the creating an original thesis/dissertation. In the social sciences and humanities, it is typically 50 to 450 pages in length. The candidate then judged by an expert committee.

Admission

Universities vary widely in their criteria. Usually, PhD programs require applicants to have:

• a Bachelor's degree in a relevant field
• reasonably high grades
• several letters of recommendation
• 
  
• relevant coursework
• a statement of interest/purpose in the field of study
• 
  
• satisfactory performance on a graduate-level exam (e.g. GRE, GMAT)

Some programs in well-regarded universities (for example, Research 1 universities: universities that engaged in extensive research activity) admit less than 5% of applicants and require an exceptional performance on the GRE along with near-perfect grades, strong support in letters of recommendation, substantial research experience, and academically sophisticated samples of their writing.


Completion of the program usually takes four to eight years of study after the Bachelor's Degree, or 2 years or less for those with a Master's Degree. Ph.D. programs lack the formal structure of undergraduate education, so how long it takes you to complete a degree depends on you, the individual. Many US universities have set a 10-year limit for students in Ph.D. programs. 57% of students who begin a Ph.D. program in the US will complete their degree within 10 years, 30% will drop out or be dismissed, and 13% of students will continue on past 10 years.

Funding

Doctoral students are usually discouraged from engaging in external employment. Ph.D. students at U.S. universities typically receive a tuition waiver and some form of annual stipend. The source and amount of funding varies from field to field, and university to university. Many U.S. graduate students work as teaching assistants or research assistants while studying.


In Canada, a PhD program is very similar to that of the United States. Admission may require completion of a Master's degree in a related field with high grades and experience. In some cases, a student may progress directly from an Honours Bachelor's degree to a PhD program.

---

PhD Programs in the United Kingdom

In the United Kingdom, PhDs are distinct from other doctorates. It is not necessarily the highest level of degree - there are higher doctorates such as DLitt (Doctor of Letters) and DSc (Doctor of Science). These degrees are granted on the recommendation of a committee based on a large portfolio of published research.

Admissions

In principle, a university is free to admit anyone to a Ph.D. program. In practice, however, admission usually requires the completion of an undergraduate degree with at least upper second-class honours or a postgraduate Master's degree.

Ph.D. students from countries outside the European Union or European Free Trade Association are required to comply with the Academic Technology Approval Scheme (ATAS). This involves undergoing a security clearance process with the Foreign Office for certain courses in Medicine, Mathematics, Engineering, Natural Sciences and Material Sciences. This requirement was introduced in 2007 due to concerns of terrorism and other illegal... ( more at http://gmat.learnhub.com/lesson/4846-the-difference-between-phd-programs-in-america-and-europe?id=4846-the-difference-between-phd-programs-in-america-and-europe )

Apple iOS 6 Maps warning from Australian police

At http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/9734121/Apple-iOS-6-Maps-warning-from-Australian-police.html

Australian police have warned against using Apple's iOS 6 Maps after having to rescue six people in two months who became lost while trying to find Mildura in Victoria.

The actual location of Mildura (purple pin) is more than 40 miles from where Apple places it (red pin). 

By Shane Richmond, Head of Technology (Editorial)

10:10AM GMT 10 Dec 2012

Instead of directing people to Mildura, Apple Maps sent them to a wilderness more than 40 miles away. With temperatures in the area reaching up to 46C, Victoria police are concerned that lives could be at risk.

In a warning on its website, Victoria police said: "Some of the motorists located by police have been stranded for up to 24 hours without food or water and have walked long distances through dangerous terrain to get phone reception."

Police said they had contacted Apple about the issue. Police said: "Anyone travelling to Mildura or other locations within Victoria should rely on other forms of mapping until this matter is rectified."

Apple released its new Maps application earlier this year with iOS 6, the latest update to the operating system that runs the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The new operating system dropped Google Maps, which had been on the iPhone since its launch in 2007, and replaced them with a mapping service created by Apple.

Errors and omissions were soon noted by users around the world, who pointed out landmarks that appeared in the sea, railway stations that were missing entirely and towns, like Mildura, that were plotted miles from their real location.

Tim Cook, Apple's chief executive, was forced to issue an apology, saying that the company had fallen short on its commitment to "deliver the best experience possible to our customers".

Cook's apology added: "While we're improving Maps, you can try alternatives by downloading map apps from the App Store like Bing, MapQuest and Waze, or use Google or Nokia maps by going to their websites and creating an icon on your home screen to their web app."

Apple encouraged users to report problems with Maps and revised the layout of the application to make the 'report a problem' feature more prominent.

At the end of October Apple announced that Scott Forstall, the executive responsible for iOS software, including Maps, would be leaving the company in 2013.

Nokia recently launched its own maps application for iOS devices, called Nokia Here, while... ( more at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/apple/9734121/Apple-iOS-6-Maps-warning-from-Australian-police.html )

Apple Maps 'is life-threatening' to motorists lost in Australia heat

At http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20663447

10 December 2012 Last updated at 12:13 GMT

In this picture posted by Mildura police, the purple pin shows the actual location of the town

Inaccuracies in Apple Maps could be "life-threatening" to motorists in Australia's searing heat, police have warned.

Officers in Mildura, Victoria, say they have had to assist drivers stranded after following the software's directions.

Some of the drivers had been without food or water for 24 hours.

Apple's software was heavily criticised by users when it was released in September.

Last week, chief executive Tim Cook admitted Apple had "screwed up" and was working to improve the program.

'No water supply'

In a press release, Victoria police's acting senior sergeant Sharon Darcy made her force's concerns clear.

"Tests on the mapping system by police confirm the mapping systems lists Mildura in the middle of the Murray Sunset National Park, approximately 70km [45 miles] away from the actual location of Mildura," she said.

"Police are extremely concerned as there is no water supply within the park and temperatures can reach as high as 46[C], making this a potentially life-threatening issue."

The force advised travellers to use an alternative mapping service until the issues had been fixed.

In September, Apple dropped Google Maps from its iOS software in favour of its own mapping program. However, users were quick to complain it contained many inaccuracies, poor imagery and unreliable directions.

Users have complained about the quality of satellite images in Apple's software

The company defended the software at first, telling users it was "confident about our map quality".

However, Apple soon backtracked, posting an apology notice on its website.

"We are extremely sorry for the frustration this has caused our customers and we are doing everything we can to make Maps better," said Mr Cook.

A specially created section on the App Store highlighted alternative mapping software. However, an app for Google Maps has yet to be made available - although some reports suggest one is in its testing phase.

The fall-out from Apple Maps saw high-profile senior executives leave the company.

GPS vulnerability

Apple's mapping woes come as researchers at Carnegie Mellon University warned about newly discovered vulnerabilities in the world's Global Positioning System (GPS).

The research paper suggested that just... ( more at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-20663447 )

Video. Nanotech Device Mimics Dog's Nose to Detect Explosives

At http://engineering.ucsb.edu/news/673

November 20, 2012

Inspired by the biology of canine scent receptors, UC Santa Barbara scientists develop a chip capable of quickly identifying trace amounts of vapor molecules

Concept illustration of the microscale free-surface microfluidic channel as it concentrates vapor molecules that bind to nanoparticles inside a chamber. A laser beam detects the nanoparticles, which amplify a spectral signature of the detected molecules. (Click for larger image)

(Santa Barbara, CA —) Portable, accurate, and highly sensitive devices that sniff out vapors from explosives and other substances could become as commonplace as smoke detectors in public places, thanks to researchers at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Researchers at UCSB, led by professors Carl Meinhart of mechanical engineering and Martin Moskovits of chemistry, have designed a detector that uses microfluidic nanotechnology to mimic the biological mechanism behind canine scent receptors. The device is both highly sensitive to trace amounts of certain vapor molecules, and able to tell a specific substance apart from similar molecules.

"Dogs are still the gold standard for scent detection of explosives. But like a person, a dog can have a good day or a bad day, get tired or distracted," said Meinhart. "We have developed a device with the same or better sensitivity as a dog's nose that feeds into a computer to report exactly what kind of molecule it's detecting." The key to their technology, explained Meinhart, is in the merging of principles from mechanical engineering and chemistry in a collaboration made possible by UCSB's Institute for Collaborative Biotechnologies .

Video and more at http://engineering.ucsb.edu/news/673