Debra Atlas, Author at The Red Ferret Journal - Page 21 of 26The Red Ferret Journal

Recommended January 27, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Solar Ear – The solar powered rechargeable hearing aid

With perhaps 600 million people around the world suffering some level of hearing loss, the Solar Ear – the first solar-powered hearing aid rechargeable charger – will make a real difference. The size of a small transistor radio (remember those?), it comes with two rechargeable Ni-Mh AA batteries, requiring 6-8 hours of sunlight to fully charge. Once charged, simply place the hearing aid batteries inside to recharge. Charge the unit near a window by day and the hearing aid batteries…

hmm..interesting January 26, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

The Puffin – NASA’s one man stealth plane

The rumors may be true. NASA claims it’s created a one-person eco-friendly plane unlike any other. The Puffin, which is basically a plane that you wear, is designed to stand on its tail which can split into four legs to help serve as landing gear. It can take off vertically like a helicopter, can travel at 225kph (140 mph), dash at more than 480kph (300mph)and all with nary an electric whisper. With no ceiling, it could go up to about…

cool tech January 25, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

BenQ Joybook Lite U121 Eco Netbook – Good looking and good for the environment

BenQ has debuted their Joybook Lite U121 Eco, an eco-friendly netbook. Made from recyclable materials – 75% of its mechanical elements, and 70% of its packaging – the Joybook Lite’s features include an Intel Atom, an 11.6 inch widescreen with power-saving LED backlit display, 8-hour battery life, 500GB HDD/32GB SSD, WiFi, a webcam and can display an internet page in just 5 seconds. It’s also equipped with QData Eco Trove 3.3, a backup protection system that will keep your information…

Eco Friendly January 23, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Solar Impulse – Solar plane brings flying solar closer to reality

It’s been four years in the making but a prototype of the Solar Impulse, the HB-SIA, completed its first test run in Zurich in December. A fascinating venture to promote solar energy as a means of alternative energy-based transpiration, the Chairman of Sun Impulse and co-founder of this project Bertrand Piccard (yes, that’s really his name) hopes the craft will circle the globe in 20 days by the year 2012. To do so, it will require approximately 12000 solar cells…

cool tech January 22, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

The Cooktop for Environment – a stove for the 21st century

Columbian designer Alejandro Sanchez has created the Cooktop for Environment, a unique, eco-friendly stovetop that reduces energy consumption and helps prevent cooking-related accidents. Each of the burners – three gas and one electric – have internal sensors that can detect the temperature of the pots on on this amazing stove. The body and burners are finished in white glass-ceramic alloy, which helps resist passing high temperatures to users, and the support arms are polished steel. The cooktop incorporates a digital…

Eco Friendly January 21, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

iRecycle – Finds your nearest recycling center

Wonder where the closest recycling center is? Well there’s an app for it. Earth 911 launched their free iRecycle app for iPhones and iPod Touch. This cool app will locate recycling centers across the U.S., give you directions and tell you just what kinds of recycling they accept. It even lists events, information on local green events in your area and the newest stories and features on Earth911.com. Better yet, you can add events and information on what’s going on…

Awesome January 20, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Camel Powered Mobile Health Clinics – Camels and solar fridges help Kenya’s nomads

Camels are about to become mobile refrigeration systems hauling medical supplies into the heart of the dessert desert wilderness in Northern Kenya. In a joint venture with Princeton University, The Art College of Design in California and the Nomadic Communities Trust of Kenya, these “ships of the desert” will transport portable solar panels equipped with a foot-powered back-up system, allowing them to bring refrigerated medical supplies to out-of-the-way areas lacking electricity. The camel powered mobile health clinics will carry a…

Eco Friendly January 19, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Newspaper schoolhouse – Ultimate recycling

Canadian-born John Lamorie and his Taiwanese wife, Shelly Wu have built what’s probably the most eco-friendly schoolhouse in the world in Taiwan. Using more than 2,200 pounds (over 1,000 kg) of newspapers, many donated by students, the couple has built a 75 sq-meter newspaper schoolhouse in rural Pingtung county in southern Taiwan where Lamorie and Wu live. Lamorie built a blender using a truck bed and a lawn mower blade, then fed newspapers, water and cement into it to form…

Eco Friendly January 18, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Flexy – The eco friendly slinky

The fun, accordion-shaped Flexy reminds me of my favorite low-tech gizmo, the Slinky. But it goes one better – it’s earth-friendly! Made of recycled cardboard, the Flexy is biodegradable and comes with instructions to help you make it move in ways including a rippling rainbow, a big dipper and cool sculpture-like shapes. It claims to be able to do everything its metal counterpart can do. Though not as compact as the old stand-by, it promises not to tangle like a…

Awesome January 16, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Pave Guard – Innovative solar powered bridge de-icer

Pave Guard – a new bridge deck heating system that uses solar power to keep bridges ice free – will be installed on two bridges in Missouri this summer. Patterned after the idea of radiant floor heating, this new technology will eliminate the need for corrosive pavement clearing materials during times of ice and snow. The system will automatically activate when the temperature reaches 38�F, sending heated water flowing through its tubing and preventing the concrete from freezing. Kansas City’s…

cool tech January 15, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

RCA Airnergy Charger – Recharge your devices using WiFi signals

The RCA Airnergy WiFi Hotspot Power Harvester creates energy out of the air, at least if it’s in a WiFi zone. This amazing charger – featured at the recent CES 2010 in Las Vegas – “grabs” energy from a WiFi hot zone and converts it into electricity, while the internal battery charges itself. It can charge a Blackberry from 30% to 100% in around 90 minutes! And unlike solar chargers, it can charge itself even at night when in proximity…

cool tech January 6, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Eneloop Music Booster – Backup power for musicians

Sanyo’s been busy expanding their Eneloop rechargeable battery line, including this Eneloop Music Booster which is perfect for musicians – pro and aspiring alike. Aimed at musicians who use AC adapters to power their effects pedals, amplifiers, mixers, and other gadgets on stage, the Music Booster has a built-in, high capacity rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can be used in places without power. Along with this, the Booster can power two 9-volt devices simultaneously, has an LED power indicator. It’s green…

diy January 4, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Solar Powered Model Biplane – fun for all ages

Solar panels are being used for almost everything these days and now you can build the Solar Powered Model Biplane, which comes in a put-together kit. Its working propeller is powered by solar panels placed on the tip of each wing. With wooden pieces that slot together, the plane needs no glue to assemble, so it’s perfect for ages 6 on up. Weighing only 200g (just under 7 ounces), this model plane is small enough to put on a desk…

future tech January 2, 2010 posted by Debra Atlas

Retinal Prosthesis – Photovoltaics give vision to the blind

A research team at Stanford University have created a unique photovoltaic chip – a Retinal Prosthesis – that will act as a solar cell array and provide partial vision for people who suffer from degradation in their photoreceptor cells. This chip not only generates power but it passes image data through to a processing retinal chip and on to the brain to be processed. Placed behind the retina, this amazing system includes a goggle mounted video camera that captures the…

hmm..interesting December 23, 2009 posted by Debra Atlas

The Dynalifter – a different kind of airship

Reminiscent of a blimp, the Dynalifter is a combination airplane and heavier-than-air airship. Requiring almost no ground infrastructure, 30 to 80 percent of the Dynalifter’s lift is provided by helium while airspeed provides the rest of the lift needed to get it off the ground. The upshot being that when the Dynalifter is still, it is heavier than air and doesn’t require the huge ground-crew of airships in the past. It also takes off and lands like a plane and…

Author Archives: Debra Atlas