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The idea is to develop a system that will use the weight of traffic and pedestrians to generate electricity. The system will consist of an array of sturdy ramp-steps (made of a tire-like polymer) that will be set into the street. The ramps will protrude about two inches above the surface, and will be pushed down momentarily when a car drives over them, which will cause them to exert pressure on a set of bellows below the ramp. The bellows will then expel their air through a hose,...
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Harry
 
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It was discovered that adding spent brewing grains to red clay bricks can increase their insulation capabilities by up to 30 percent. Bricks are often embedded with polystyrene to increase their insulation abilities, but polystyrene and other synthetic materials can be expensive to make and bad for the environment. Spent brewer's grain, on the other hand, are often in plentiful supply, and have been proven to enhance the ability of the clay bricks to trap heat without sacrificing...
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Harry
 
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A new LED embedded carpet will be able to display information such as directions or logos, and offer an alternative to static signs. The carpet will be programmed to change its information based on the time of day, or used as a temporary sign--lighting up to direct people after an event or during an emergency. The ground-level placement of information will coincide well with our tendency to look at the ground while walking, and the LEDs will take advantage of our inclination to...
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10/31/2013
Being touted as 100 times stronger than duct tape, fiber tape will feature a special resin that will harden like steel. Fiber tape will be immersed in water before use, then wrapped around the broken item and allowed to set. It will begin to harden in ten minutes. It can be sanded or painted once dry and will be completely waterproof, as well as nearly impossible to remove from skin or clothing once it sets.
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Harry
 
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The dolphin's method of hunting with bubble nets could inspire a new type of radar able to detect explosive devices among less harmful 'clutter.' The new technology will use two sonar pulses sent in quick succession. The pulses will be phase inverted, and when they hit a solid target the reflected sound will be scattered in a linear pattern. Bubbles scatter the sound in a different way, which allows the new technology (and dolphins) to differentiate between underwater targets and...
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Harry
 
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Designed for use on lifeboats and rescue rafts, the desalinating water bottle will make seawater safe to drink. The bottle will be about the same size as a standard water bottle and will work through reverse osmosis. Once the first chamber is filled with the salty water, the user will operate the built-in hand pump to create enough pressure to draw the salt out of the water as it will move through a membrane into a second chamber. The salt-free water of the second chamber will be...
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Harry
 
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Using a titanium scaffold, it will be possible to develop a method to create a more lifelike, flexible artificial ear. Previous artificial ear technologies required doctors to create the ear shape from a lump of cartilage. In contrast, the new technique will involve using a 3D computer model to build a basic ear shape out of titanium mesh. The mesh will be used to hold together the collagen connective tissue from a cow and then will seed with cartilage cells from a sheep, which...
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Harry
 
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A new facial recognition identification system will go below the surface to identify a person based on the blood vessels within the face. The system will use a thermal imaging camera to perform an infrared scan on the individual's face. A specially designed algorithm will then process the image information, revealing even the tiniest blood vessels beneath the skin. The accuracy of the system is supposed to be over 97 percent, and its complexity will make it practically unable to...
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Harry
 
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Socks will be made from a mix of cotton, recycled polyester and carbonized coffee, which will filter and absorb sweat and odor to keep feet cool. After a long day, traditional dress socks are not always very gentle to the feet, what with all the heat and sweat they keep in. But this new technology can provide new levels of comfort that were not previously possible. Carbonized coffee is a weapon against odor, attracting molecules (composed mostly of carbon) with its spongy...
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Harry
 
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The robot will brighten the dark areas of your home by automatically tracking the sun and directing it to a desired target. The small, portable robot will feature a mirror that will constantly adjust to reflect the sun's rays to a chosen location. The rays can be used to heat an area, send sunlight to neglected plants or simply brighten a dimly lit room. An array of solar cells power the dual-axis microcomputer and it will be able to redirect the equivalent of a 500 watt halogen...