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postheadericon Inhabitat’s Week in Green: of pedal-powered submarines and soda-powered fuel cells

Each week our friends at Inhabitat recap the week's most interesting green developments and clean tech news for us -- it's the Week in Green.

This week, California saw a tremendous boost for solar power as the nation's first solar thermal plant in two decades was approved for Kern County. We also saw several incredible new approaches to generating alternative energy as researchers took crucial steps towards tapping the skies for lightning power and scientists unveiled a fuel cell battery that can be powered by soda. And if you can barely contain yourself at the prospect of pop-powered batteries, relax -- a team of scientists is also working on using urine to create low-cost fuel cells.

This week we also watched green transportation take a plunge beneath the sea as French engineers unveiled an awesome pedal-powered submarine. Our neighbors to the north also broke news as students at the University of British Columbia embarked upon a record-setting trip across Canada in an electrified VW Beetle and three Canadian schools announced plans to create a car out of cannabis - hopefully it doesn't go up in smoke. Finally, we took a (sobering) look at the havoc that poor public transportation planning can wreak: a massive traffic jam in China that extended for more than 60 miles and 9 days.

Speaking of students, here are a few projects to get you energized for the coming school year: a German tank armory was recently transformed into an ultra-modern solar-powered school, and we showcased some of the world's most incredible student-built structures. In other news, we brought you two dispatches from the realm of wearable tech - a new energy-harvesting film that could wire your wardrobe and a line of clothing that lets you send and receive phone calls. Can you hear me now?

Inhabitat's Week in Green: of pedal-powered submarines and soda-powered fuel cells originally appeared on Engadget on Sun, 29 Aug 2010 22:59:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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postheadericon Kobo e-reader sashays into ten Fairmont hotel properties, adds to your poolside experience

Oh sure, you've been able to get your hands on iPads, iPhones and Kindles when checking in before, but a Kobo? Nah. Well, until now. Announced today, the a-okay e-reader company has landed a deal with Fairmont that'll put e-book readers into the hands of select guests at select properties. Specifically, Fairmont Gold-level guests that are members of the (free to join) President's Club will be able to trial a Kobo during their stay free of charge, and they'll find each one brimming with a variety of fiction, non-fiction and high drama titles. Upon returning the device (as if there's another alternative, right?), patrons will be gifted with a $2 off coupon for Random House titles, and if you're curious as to which ten properties will be involved in the offer, head on past the break and have a look.

Continue reading Kobo e-reader sashays into ten Fairmont hotel properties, adds to your poolside experience

Kobo e-reader sashays into ten Fairmont hotel properties, adds to your poolside experience originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 11 Aug 2010 12:45:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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postheadericon University of Calgary succeeds in building a neurochip out of silicon, human brain cells

Scientists at the University of Calgary have teamed up with the National Research Council Canada to put a network of human brain cells on a microchip -- in effect creating a (tiny) brain on a chip. Until now, when scientists wanted to monitor brain cells, they could only monitor one or two simultaneously, but with this new neurochip, large groups of cells can be placed on the chip and observed in detail, as they go about their business "networking and performing automatic, large-scale drug screening for various brain dysfunctions," according to PhysOrg. But that's just the beginning! This sort of advance could someday lead to neurochip implants for driving artificial limbs, treatments for strokes and brain trauma, and more. The Globe and Mail even mentions the possibility that living neurons could be combined with silicon circuits to create an "organic computer." From that point it's only a matter of time before you're jacking into cyberspace with your Dixie Flatline ROM.

University of Calgary succeeds in building a neurochip out of silicon, human brain cells originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 10 Aug 2010 19:43:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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postheadericon Motorola Flipout makes North American debut with a Rogers exclusive

In another case of Canadians getting things ahead of their southerly neighbors, the Motorola Flipout has made its journey across the Atlantic and settled on Rogers as its first North American carrier. 3-year contractual commitments will be greeted with a lowly C$30 charge for the phone, or if you can't bear the thought of being locked in for so long, you can buy the flipping thing outright for C$375. As a quick reminder, the Flipout runs on Google's Android 2.1 OS, but embellishes things a little with a freshened up variety of the Motoblur UI. If that, together with the "hip to be square" form factor, sounds like your slice of pie, we suggest you head on over to the source link and put those Canadian Dollars to good use.

[Thanks, CoconutCheez]

Motorola Flipout makes North American debut with a Rogers exclusive originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 05 Aug 2010 19:47:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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