TechWatch: "Buckypaper"

It has the potential to be 100 times stronger than steel, but ten times later. The AP ran a story today on a new discovery called "buckypaper" that is being developed by researchers at Florida State University. It looks like normal carbon paper, but is actually made of "carbon nanotubes." These are tube-shaped carbon molecules that, when pressed together into a composite, form an incredibly strong bond. And unlike other composite materials, buckypaper conducts electricity extremely well. The aerospace industry in particular views this technology as potentially its saving grace. In the meantime, this may be the first "nanotech" product to go mainstream, as researchers say that they may be making products in a year or so. If you've read any recent science fiction, you're aware of the potential technological revolution this may precede. Nanotechnology is the use of tiny machines to perform tasks, with the creation of ultra-strong materials only one application.

Positives: If we can create a material with the properties and strength of metal but much lighter, the potential uses are myriad to say the least. I mentioned the aerospace industry. If the plane is ten times lighter, think of the fuel savings. Fuel costs are what's really killing that industry right now. The same can probably be said of automobiles, which could not only save fuel but be made much safer. Buckypaper could also be used very soon to create more efficient electrodes for batteries and those newfangled fuel cells, as well as more durable heat shielding for computers. In the long term, the substance could theoretically be used for almost anything.

Negatives: Well, there's a theory going around that it could cause cancer a la asbestos, which would be, y'know, bad. Also, many people are afraid that nanotechnology could cause the end of the world, via the so-called "Gray Goo" theory. This is nothing that could trigger that scenario, but it's a step in the direction. Michael Crichton even wrote a novel about it. In the non-end-of-the-world sector, there are still some kinks to work out, though scientists are confident they'll be able to.

Will It Catch On?: Probably, though it's tough to tell at this point. Definitely not if the cancer business turns out to be true. The fact that this already has heavy backing from Lockheed Martin makes its appearance on the scene more likely.

A note on the name: It's called "buckypaper" because the carbon nanotubes are based on the recently discovered carbon molecule "buckminsterfullerene," which is in-turn named after the scientist, architect, visonary, etc. Buckminster Fuller.

TechWatch: Flexible Video Screen

Scientists at Sony Corp., working with the Max Planck Institute in Germany, have apparently invented a paper-thin, flexible video screen (i.e. you can crumple it up and uncrumple it and then watch TV on it). The screen is less than a millimeter thick, and is made up of organic molecules that produce an image by "transmitting light in all directions at once." Researchers told The Journal of Physics that there are virtually no size limitations to the technology, could be produced on the cheap in comparison to today's LCD screens, and has an extremely low energy requirement. Of course, my mind immediately went to the video paper stuff seen in, well, lots and lots of Sci-Fi, from "Firefly" to Minority Report. Here it is!

Positives: The applications are insane. Yes, we can have flexible laptops that fit into our pocket. But it doesn't stop there! How about video T-shirts? You know you want one. Or blankets that double as TV screens?

Negatives: Well, based on the pics that were released to the media, the technology looks very early-stage to me, so don't start lining up for one now. Also, How does it uncrumple without still being wrinkled? You'd have a wrinkly screen!

Will it Catch On?: Oh, totally. I want my video newspaper from Minority Report, and I want it now.

Welcome to the Internet, US House of Representatives

According to CNN.com, The release of the proposed bailout plan online resulted in its site being overwhelmed with traffic, followed by literally millions of e-mails being sent to addresses on the house.gov website. With internet use more and more ubiquitous in this country, governement servers weren't quite prepared on an issue where everyone had an opinion. "Digital traffic cops" have since been installed to manage traffic and only let a certain people on the site at a time.

Now, when specific pages begin to reach their limits, citizens receive a message asking them to "try back later." There was apparently very little drop in web traffic today, even with the Rosh Hashanah holiday. Jeff Ventura, who appears to be the chief resident IT guy, said that this was a much higher level of traffic than after 9/11 Commission report was publicly released online, which was the previous high he had seen. As for the number of e-mails, he said, "We know it's in the millions, but we haven't counted yet, because when you're about to get hit by a tidal wave, you don't count the drops of water in the wave." Kay.

As more and more US citizens begin to live more and more of their lives online, the government has, sensibly, tried to do as much of its business online as possible. It's cheaper, and people don't have to be mobile to deal with it. However, for that system to work, the government has to run its online operations effectively. In my capacity working for the Ohio state government, I have often run into cases where people ran into technological snags while trying to take care of essentials. Now the government can't be responsible for people's home systems (which I'm sure is the actual problem much of the time), but it has to at least be able to anticipate demand in certain situations or else this is only the tip of the iceberg.

The bailout issue is a specific issue that has brought up the strongest electorate opinions since the start of the Iraq War. It's certainly the first time since then that I have seen widespread street protests around the country. It's strange to think how much things have changed since that time. The internet 2.0 has really hit the mainstream in the interim. While many sites have been around since 2002, it is in the time since then that we have seen the rise of MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, etc., as well as perhaps an even greater phenomenon: the point where the internet became a pretty much essential part of life.

I have seen several local newspaper stories recently concerning how libraries are rushing to add internet capacity to keep up with demand, as those without their own connections still have some things they have to do online. I head to the library about once a week. My local branch has at least thirty computers available with internet access, and when I go there in the 5pm hour, all or nearly all of the computers are in use.

So, the upshot is, when we now come to an issue everybody's got an opinion on, and feels personally affected by, the e-mails being sent to our government officials are going to number in the millions rather than thousands. Not only do the servers have to be beefed up, but my heart goes out to the person whose job it is to read all of them.

In other news, I have CNN on in the background, and they've actually sent somebody to the one tiny town in Alaska where you can see Russia from your house.

Bits: Space Herpes Edition

-CleanTechnica has posted an article about a "Magnetic Air Car" that purports to be the world's first fuelless car, and hopes to be available by 2010. Apparently, it uses magnets to send compressed air through an enclosed space. "The resulting airflow is then converted to torque." I think there must be more to this than I'm understanding, since I was unaware of air's magnetic properties.

-Sorry Howard Stern, Stephen Colbert is the new "King of All Media." He will be making a guest appearance in the upcoming "Amazing Spider-Man #573." Apparently, in the Marvel Universe, Colbert is a presidential candidate. Can I go live there? The issue's out October 15.

-CNN has managed to come up with what may be the lamest story ever to believably have the headline "Man Punches Shark After 'Death Scream.'"

-Free TV on the Internet: This past week's "Saturday Night Live," with the now-famous Palin/Couric sketch, along with a debate parody and some decent work from Anna Faris, of all people

-The other candidate for "Headline of the Day"... From io9.com: "Space Herpes Is Final Cylon on Battlestar Galactica"

TechWatch: Gesture-Driven TV

Toshiba has unveiled an experimental TV that allows viewers to control it just by gesturing with their hands. A sensor above the screen picks up your movements, even in different lighting conditions. You can control a cursor by using your hand or use different gestures for "play" and "stop." You can even hold up picture cards to switch the display's language or contents.

Positives: This may be the first advance in TV technology I can think of that will actually result in me getting MORE exercise. Other than WiiFit, of course, but that can't be used while watching the game. It's also great for people, like me, whose remotes often resemble Dr. Orpheus' from "The Venture Brothers" (in that they've "vanished from the material realm").

Negatives: Those using this system will really have to watch what gestures they make, and I'm sure this will lead to a lot of accidentally fast-forwarded DVDs. Also, what if you have multiple people watching? Currently if I want to claim the remote all I need to do is lie on top of it. I can't do that here!

Will it catch on?: Ehh....

Read more here: http://www.physorg.com/news141570427.html