Gizmag News - Groasis Waterboxx lets trees grow up in unfriendly places

Welcome to the newsletter for gizmag Emerging Technology Magazine. These are the headlines for November the 19th, 2010. Groasis Waterboxx lets trees grow up in unfriendly places It’s not often that you hear about an invention that was modeled after bird poop, but there’s a first time for everything. In fact, this fecally-inspired device could ultimately be responsible for reforesting billion of acres of parched land, and it just won Popular Science’s Best Invention 2010 award. It’s called the Groasis Waterboxx, and it’s a low-tech product that helps seeds or saplings grow into strong trees in eroded, arid and rocky environments. Read More Infiniti M35h first hybrid to get an audible pedestrian warning system as standard Those looking forward to quieter city streets as a result of near-silent electric vehicles (EVs) and hybrids replacing internal combustion engine vehicles on our roads may have to think again. To ensure that cyclists and pedestrians, including the visually impaired, are aware of stealthy oncoming vehicles, researchers have been looking at different noises that can be applied to EVs. Toyota has also already announced plans to sell an onboard audio alert system for its Prius but it looks like such systems are set to become more widespread with the Infiniti M35h to be the world’s first hybrid to get an audible pedestrian warning system as standard. Read More Making tougher biodegradable plastics from plants Replacing petro-chemical-based plastics with plant-based alternatives is a growing area of research. One popular form of plant-derived plastic is Poly(lactic) acid, or PLA, a type of biodegradable plastic that is currently used to make bottles, bags and is woven into fibers to make clothes in place of polyester. Although PLA has similar mechanical properties to PETE polymer, it has significantly lower heat-resistance, which limits its uses. Researchers are now developing a new chemical catalyst to improve the properties of PLA, making it stronger and more heat-resistant so it can be used for a wider range of applications. Read More Next phase of Space Fence in motion There are tens of thousands of pieces of space debris currently orbiting the Earth which pose a potential hazard to satellites, the International Space Station and other space hardware. Since the early 1960s, the existing Air Force Space Surveillance System, also known as the VHF or Space Fence, has been used to track orbital objects passing over America. Proposals are now being taken for the next phase of a new Space Fence that will better detect, report and track orbiting space junk as well as commercial and military satellites. Read More Dedicated sandbag filling tool five times faster than a shovel With all the advances we hear about in fields such as nanotechnology and electric vehicles, it’s easy to believe that simpler technology has evolved as far as it can go – that there is simply no way of improving things like the stapler, the dinner plate or the garden hose. Well, that line of thinking was recently proven wrong with the invention of a better type of sandbag. Now, as if to drive the point home, we hear about a better way of filling sandbags, and it’s a device called the GoBagger. Read More Electric Toyota RAV4 unveiled in L.A. When Toyota and Tesla announced a partnership earlier this year one of the stated aims was to collaborate on an electric version of the RAV4 – here it is. Unveiled at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the RAV4 EV Demonstration Vehicle is based on the current combustion engine model with modifications to the suspension and steering plus minor styling changes like a new front bumper, grille and head lamps and of course – the inclusion of an electric powertrain and Tesla supplied battery pack. Toyota points out that there are many decisions yet to be made before the final specs of the RAV4 EV – which is slated to go into production in 2012 – are finalized. Read More Antimatter trapped and studied for first time An international collaboration of 15 research institutions have produced and trapped antimatter atoms for the first time ever. The feat was part of the ALPHA experiment, which is being conducted at Switzerland’s CERN particle physics laboratory. It could be a step towards answering one the biggest cosmological questions of all time. Read More Sony to develop new NXCAM HD camcorder with E-mount lens Sony is aiming to furnish professionals with a new E-mount interchangeable lens camcorder by the middle of next year. The company says that the NXCAM HD model is still under development, but should sit at the entry level end of the professional camcorder market. In addition to being compatible with the E-mount lens system, users will also be able to attach A-mount and third party lenses via mount adapters. Read More Ultraportable 12.5-inch IdeaPad U260 laptop launched Lenovo has unveiled an elegant, ultra-portable addition to its IdeaPad range. Along with the company's first 12.5-inch display, the 0.07-inch (18 mm) thin IdeaPad U260 features leather-like trim surrounding the keyboard and touchpad, a choice of ultra-low-voltage (ULV) processors to help extend unplugged usage and Dolby surround-sound to complement high definition movie capability. Read More Lamborghini's new Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante Lamborghini has released details of a new high performance version of the Gallardo. The new Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante is a remarkable 65 kilograms lighter than the LP 560-4 Spyder thanks to liberal lashings of carbon fiber. As Gallardo aficionados will already have gathered from the model’s nomenclature, an extra 10 bhp has been squeezed from the V10 engine, pushing the top speed past 200 mph. Read More Put the champagne away: W3C says it's too early for HTML5 conformity celebrations You may remember that Internet Explorer did quite well in the early rounds of conformity-testing for the next version of the web document creation language – HTML5. The very observant amongst you may also have noticed some subtle changes to the test suite page implemented as a result of the publicity generated by the initial results. A notice has now appeared advising visitors that the test suite is still very much in development and the crowning of any interoperability winners is somewhat premature. Read More If you would like to refer this newsletter to a friend or colleague, please point them at our free subscription page. Please don't try to forward this email, as the formatting is unlikely to remain intact. And don't worry, we don't share email addresses. Please read our privacy policy if you are concerned. Watch for more of the best new innovations, ideas and practical technologies in your inbox. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our daily newsletter at http://www.gizmag.com. If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter please click here to unsubscribe. COPYRIGHT GIZMAG (C) 2010