![Wacky Afghan Engineer Develops Remote Controlled Kalashnikov Burglar Alarm [Safety First]](http://gizmodo.com/assets/resources/2008/04/kalashnikov-alarm.jpg)
Wacky Afghan Engineer Develops Remote Controlled Kalashnikov Burglar Alarm [Safety First]
The infamous Kalashnikov has a long and illustrious history of murder and mayhem, which makes it the perfect centerpiece for a contraption developed by unemployed Afghan electrical engineer Hanif Molavizadeh. With only a small movement outside his window, the device will trigger a "song like warning
Intel Atom Turns One With New 2GHz, 1.2GHz Models
It's been a year since Intel fired the opening salvo against regular-size laptopping with its Atom processor. Now, the Z series gets its expected speed bump, and at the bottom end, a low-power MID-oriented model. The Atom Z550 takes the Atom to heretofore unseen speeds of 2.0GHz, while maintaining
FDA Approves Prostate Cancer Vaccine
Yesterday, the FDA approved a drug called Provenge. It trains the body's immune system to fight off advanced prostate cancer. It's also the first proof we have that immunotherapy works in the fight against the disease. Provenge from Dendreon isn't a preventative vaccine; it won't stave off il
New Paint Could Block Wi-Fi From Nosey Neighbors
Living in an apartment building, I can spot about twenty active Wi-Fi networks at a time. And the worst part is that they can all see me, too. While we've had RF-blocking paint to cellphone signals for some time, manufacturers have been thwarted when attempting to stop higher frequencies, lik
Nasal Spray Chills and Saves Brains After Cardiac Arrest
Consciousness lost, breathing stopped, pulse gone. Someone just slipped into cardiac arrest. In order to preserve the precious memories and thoughts at risk right now, we're gonna have to squirt some perfluorocarbon coolant up a nose and chill a brain. It certainly sounds odd, but by using a
South Korea Building Self-Sufficient Super-City at What Cost?
Designed by Foster + Partners, the Incheon "super-city" will incorporate biomass energy generation, hydrogen fuel cells, and hydroponic roofs in order to be the greener city on the other side. No word on how much pollution the construction will cause. The hope is that Incheon will one day become
UMich VIVACE Hydropower System Makes Energy From Slow Currents
Posted by AceNik on Dec 3, 2008•
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A new hydropower prototype from the University of Michigan could end up using even slower river and ocean currents to generate energy. VIVACE, which stands for Vortex Induced Vibrations for Aquatic Clean Energy, can generate power from as little as 2 knots, making it more useful than most turbine and water mill systems out there, which need an average of 5 to 6 knots to operate efficiently.
The system works by harnessing “vortex induced vibrations,” the thrumming caused by the flow of liquid or air over rounded objects. A cylinder placed underwater is subject to the current and starts to vibrate as liquid sticks and creates eddies on the object’s opposite side. It’s the same scientific principle that caused the collapse of the Tacoma Narrows bridge in 1940.
“For the past 25 years, engineers—myself included—have been trying to suppress vortex induced vibrations. But now at Michigan we’re doing the opposite. We enhance the vibrations and harness this powerful and destructive force in nature,” said VIVACE developer Michael Bernitsas, a professor in the U-M Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.
Just a few cylinders could possibly power an anchored ship or a lighthouse. An array of VIVACE cylinders about the size of a running track could produce energy at 5.5 cents per kilowatt hour and power about 100,000 houses. U of M is now working on possibly deploying a pilot project in the Detroit River within the next 18 months. [UMich via Gizmag]
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