Daimler Will Invest $500 Million to a Battery Factory

As the need for plug-in cars increases so does the need for the batteries that run them. There are lithium ion cells used and full battery packs, and some assemble the kits on site. Deutsche Accumotive is going to triple the number of batteries they will produce. A second battery plant is going to be built and will cost around 500 million Euro. Lithium ion cells will be brought in from South Korea and then assembled before use.

Ironically, Li-Tec the Daimler cell subsidiary shut down last year as it was too expensive to make the cells in Germany. Production is expected to begin next year and work on the building in Saxony will start later in the year, and the batteries will go into both battery electric and plug-in cars.

Daimler Will Invest $500 Million to a Battery Factory — Smart Fortwo Electric Drive and Mercedes-Benz B-Class Electric Drive

Accumotive has been producing battery packs since 2009 but does not make the lithium ions cells rather they bring them in. Samsung has also provided cells for Daimler and SK Innovation have been chosen to be the company who will provide the cells, but there are few other details available. Tesla Motors had been the supplier in the past and these used Panasonic cells when they produced the last batch of Smart ForTwo electric cars.

Harald Kroger believes that they will be able to increase production regularly over the years and, as a result, Daimler is following General Motors who eight years ago set out the bidding process for contractors to compete for the work of providing the cells.

Turning Ordinary Windows into Solar Panels

News

Mehmet Hatipoglu

Los Alamos National Laboratory have researchers looking to turn ordinary windows into ones that can collect solar power. This is clean energy and as sunlight is free, so combined with the fact that solar cells costs have dropped, and thy are also more efficient, the only problem is around where to put them.

Los Alamos have joined the Italian University of Milano- Biocca using quantum dots that make the window a generator and this means power is generated directly from them. The grid would not use as much power and would not rely heavily on fossil fuels and would cut out greenhouse gas emissions.

The dots are about one billionth of a meter and at the most 50 atoms wide. They manipulated in a laboratory and then convert light from one wavelength then retransmit it to another one. Big dots find the red end of the spectrum; smaller ones are blue/green. Once adjusted, the dot can be used to direct light towards what the PV cell needs.

If this technology had been used on the One World Trade Center building in New York City, the windows could power more than 350 apartments.

The problems that arose have been resolved. Dots are now made from sulfur, selenium, indium and copper ensuring there were no toxic materials involved.

People in the room when this happens will just see a neutral color and tint, and this is similar to low-E* windows that keep down the cost of cooling. The method used is classed as the disruptive technology, and the price of energy will drop. It will lead to a low carbon future and is possible to use any house or even skyscrapers to provide their own power.

*Low-E Glass. The low-emissive (Low-E) glass is window glass that has been treated with an invisible metal or metallic oxide coating, creating a surface that reflects heat, while allowing light to pass through.

Story Via; Los Alamos National University

Foxes Use Magnetic Fields to Catch Preys

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

The latest issue for scientists is based around the way foxes hunt. Since “chryptochrome” has been found in their DNA, and it is believed to allow them to locate the earth’s magnetic field. This protein had been thought to be only found in birds and bats, but now some mammals including foxes have it as well. After watching the way in which a fox hunts in the snow, it was seen that once aligned with the magnetic field, the amount of prey caught went up a great deal.

Foxes seem to share this ability with bears, badgers and wolves, although cats hunt in an entirely different way according to the company carrying out the research, IFL Science. The results so far lead scientists to believe that there are many other creatures that are equipped with magnetoreceptors than had been conserved in the past.

It is due to the fact that it was always thought that foxes hunted by using their hearing and while this is the case to a point, it is not the entire tale. Moving through the snow, the fox moves its ears to enable it to hear the prey below the snow. As soon as it is found, the magnetic field is sought, and once the ears have matched the field, the animal can locate the prey.

It seems strange that there are still things we do not know about the lives of animals we share the planet with and there is clearly a lot more to find out.

Scientific paper of the Research

Making A Breathing and Living SuperComputers

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

Soon computers may be powered by Adenosine triphosphate the substance that provides energy for humans according to international researchers. Professor Nicolau at McGill led the research that has determined that a small model bio-computer will process data the same way supercomputers do.

The work has taken a decade so far and thanks to input from the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden this idea that had a small beginning has expanded. Engineering knowledge and geometrical modelling have got them where they are. The circuit is like an ariel view of a city, and as cars and trucks travel around in their own way, channels are navigated.

Here, however, channels are etched, and proteins move around in a set out a way. They move via ATP, and as biological agents are used, heat build-up is low, and energy use limited.

There is still a lot of work to be done but it is possible for the computer to deal with complex issues and Nicolau explains that this is a stepping stone to more detailed work and believes that soon there will be bio-supercomputer on a full scale.

There are bigger problems that need to be dealt with, and there is a possible solution that will help solve it. A hybrid device may be needed, and this will join the current invention with the regular computer. In case, this does not work there are other ideas in the pipeline, and this work will be taken forward.

Story Via PNAS.org

Family-Owned Companies -Mittelstand- in Germany Are Facing Trouble in Major Export Markets

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Mehmet Hatipoglu

Many family-owned companies in Germany are facing trading problems as a result of the economic decline in India and China. A lot of further concerns are based on possibilities – what effect will there be if Great Britain leaves the EU if there are problems with Russia. The Mittelstand* is bracing itself for orders that don’t arrive or ones that get cancelled.

The issues do not affect Daimler, BASF or other large corporations as they can see further ahead and are still investing in the future. The problem is that the Mittelstand* makes up 98% of the companies exporting and they are affected by fears for the future and the drop in the commodities and stock market. There are reports that growth may dip below the forecasted 1.7%.

Mahr CEO Stephan Gais claims that issues with Russia and fear of terrorist attacks are causing problems along with domestic investment delays. He feels 5% growth is realistic but does not plan on growth investment. An LFO Economic Institute survey showed that last year showed a major loss of confidence.

Expectations for the future is below zero and according to Klaus Borger of KfW Bank, it is news reports rather than actual economical events and trends. Micro—cap companies are also showing caution but blue-chip businesses are not so concerned Daimler, for instance, is investing in a future of electric cars.

Borger also believes that there is not a recession looming. Employment and wages are high and asylum seekers accommodated. However, Mario Ohoven – BVMW Mittelstand President wants more government investment and support.

*Mittelstand commonly refers to small and medium-sized enterprises in German-speaking countries, especially in Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Story Via; Reuters.com

Volvo Group Made the First Step to Building a Wall-E

Gadgets

Mehmet Hatipoglu

Volvo, Renova – a waste recycling group and students from three universities are working to develop robots that can empty refuse bins with the help of a drone guiding them in the right direction. The driver activates the collection via a button in the cab, and both drone and robots move into action. Once the drone has found a bin, they contact the robot and pass on their location. The robot then moves in and empties the bin. The driver can monitor activities throughout.

The scheme called Robot based Autonomous Refuse handling has students from Penn State, the Chalmers University of Technology and Malardalen University are combining knowledge with the car giant to show that it will soon be possible for machines to pass information to each other.

Volvo project manager Per-Lage Gotvall says that automation is the future and by testing these ideas and the imagination, there will be the answers to transport issues of the future. The robot has to be programmed so that it is familiar with the area it will be working in. It will use GPS and a system that utilises infrared lights call LIDAR along with cameras and a gyroscope that will allow the robot to find its way and deal with any changes.

Gotvall insists that safety is a primary consideration, and there are sensors included to ensure this. There is a button that will be aware if there is an animal or a child in the way and this will stop the robot as well as cameras to pinpoint people near to the truck.

Story Via; news.volvogroup.com

Japan’s Nuclear Problem Can be Solved By Toshiba’s Robots

Gadgets

Mehmet Hatipoglu

Since the tsunami in Japan five years ago that destroyed the Fukushima nuclear plant the area has been radioactive and cleaning up the area is not an easy job. It is accepted that it could still be a couple of decades before the job can be fully finished. There are also concerns about the effect the work will have on the people who are doing it. So what is going to make it an easier and safer prospect?

It seems that the answer is robots, and it is one that is being taken seriously. There is a robot that has been designed by Toshiba that is capable of taking out fuel rod assemblies that are located in the Number 1 nuclear plant. It is fitting that it is Toshiba as they were also responsible for building the reactor and the work is due to begin in 2017.

Back in December 2014, there were tons removed from reactor four by Tepco, but the radiation levels were lower then, and it was safer for there to be humans involved. At reactor three this is going to be too dangerous and as a result, the job will be much more challenging.

The reason 2017 is the start date is that it is not going to be easy to set up. The device will be set up this year, and there needs to be time taken for humans to understand fully how to work the robot. Clearly there will be no risks taken with the consequences will be too severe.

Europe’s Largest Onshore Wind Power Project Will Be Built in Norway

News

Mehmet Hatipoglu

The Fosen Peninsula is to be home to wind farms, along with Snillford and Hitra and as it is a coastal area, will be the ideal place to produce renewable energy. By 2020, there will be 3,4 TWh power generated each year.

Wind farms will be owned by Fosen Vind DA will own the farms and 52.1% of the scheme will be owned by Statkraft and they will also execute the program. The remaining ownership spread between TronderEnergi and Nordic Windpower DA. Despite setbacks, this is now back on the table, and Christian Rynning Tonnesen Starcraft’s CEO states that this is the largest project of the type in Norway.

2018 is the date the turbines are expected, and a press conference was held in February where the project was presented, and full details of the scheme were given.

The main partners in this all have a great part to play and via Nordic Wind Power DA there is a Swiss influence as BKW AG are set to be long term investors. There is also a couple of pension funds included, bringing in know-how from Finland, Germany and there has been legal advice provided by DLA Piper Global Law Firm.

Statkraft has a presence in 20 countries and is best known as a hydropower company and is considered a global name in gas-fired power as well as wind power. TrenderEnergi is based in the Trondelag region and has pushed for wind power since the 1980s.

Story Via; statkraft.com

This Technology Could Be the First Step of Building A SpaceShip in Orbit

News

Mehmet Hatipoglu

The Made in Space has been chosen as NASA’s preferred project for the partnership between the private and public sectors in an attempt to take forward Tipping Point Technologies. It will bring to the fore the technologies and subsystems that will allow the assembly of complex systems that do not involve astronaut extravehicular activities.

Named “Archinaut” is intended to be a form of technology that will provide space capabilities for NASA that have not been possible before. There will also be an effect for existing manufacturers of commercial satellites and the chance to bring forward space platforms that are commercial. This is according to Made in Space President Andrew Rush.

This Technology Could Be the First Step of Building The Enterprise in Space

Northrop Grumman along with Oceaneering Space Systems will bring their knowledge to the table although leaders will be Made in Space. The electronic interface experience of Northrop Grumman will be valuable as will their input on external thermal control analysis. Oceaneering Space Systems will provide the manipulator’s arm.

Archinaut is a technology platform that enables autonomous manufacture and assembly of spacecraft systems on orbit.

Chief Engineer Mike Snyder believes that this is a great opportunity for Made in Space to work with space companies who have lots of experience and expertise. The project will enable the development of base stations and large antennas and will demonstrate technology so that the final proof of feasibility will be shown.

Previous collaborations include Additive Manufacturing Facility, which is due to be launched in 2016 and the 3D printing experiment which is aboard ISS.

This project is an insight into the future developments of the private and public sectors.

For More Information about the project visit the Website.

Singapore Wants to Built Skyscrapers With Using 3D Printing Technology

News

Mehmet Hatipoglu

It seems that everything is being replicated on a 3D printer nowadays, but the latest idea from Singapore is the plan to print skyscrapers. The aim is to make constructing a skyscraper no more difficult that putting together a Lego kit.

$100 million has been invested in Nanyang Technology University by the City-state, and they will be printing out large sized concrete blocks. New printers will need to be produced for this project. As yet there is nothing on the market to fill the needs of this job and it is hoped that despite the fact that the job has to be done from the very beginning according to Singapore Centre for 3D Printing, Chua Chee Kai.

The aim is to produce blocks that are interlocking and can be built in any location. Then they will be moved and assembled on site. He school has experience with fabricated blocks, as the newest dorms that were built with them, but not with ones printed in 3D.

There has already been some practice printing with concrete, and so far the results have been positive. It is considered to be the way forward, and it will indeed bring down the costs of some construction projects if it is found to be suitable.

There are other reasons why this needs to succeed, and that is the fact that average age in Singapore is rising, and large projects are requiring migrant workers. 3D printing would allow the work to go ahead and solve the manpower problems.

Another printer which builds cement structure with using a big 3D printer.

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