Futurist

There are 390 posts filed in Futurist (this is page 23 of 39).

Zeo says goodnight

I was sad to learn this evening that Zeo, the makers of a wonderful sleep-tracking device, shut its doors late last year. It’s a real shame.

Since late last year it has been something of an open secret in some digital health circles that Newton, Massachusetts-based sleep monitoring and coaching company Zeo was winding down its operations and searching for a buyer. At least one investor was making veiled references to the company running out of money during various question-and-answer periods at the mHealth Summit in Washington DC last year. Zeo’s absence from the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year — a must-attend for any company selling devices and companion services to consumers — was telling.

via Exclusive: Sleep coach company Zeo is shutting down | mobihealthnews.

Avila and the broadband divide

It’s refreshing to see Rep. Marilyn Avila express some concern about the lack of broadband.

Avila was praised by N&O executive editor John Drescher in her defense of requiring local governments buy newspaper space for their legal notices:

“Are our citizens going to have to bookmark every website for every department in every division and check it every day to figure out what we’re up to down here?” she asked, adding that many residents don’t have Internet access.

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Fields of electrons

White Post Road solar farm in Bath, NC

White Post Road solar farm in Bath, NC


I found a page about this solar farm in Bath, NC yesterday. It quietly generates 15.5 MW over 85 acres, selling the power to Duke Energy.

Earlier this year, Duke Energy shelved plans to build another reactor at the nearby Shearon Harris Nuclear Plant. The plant property encompasses over 20,000 acres. If Duke were to build a 20,000 acre solar farm on the Shearon Harris property it could generate over 3,000 MW of safe, clean electricity: more than that produced by 3 nuclear reactors. The cost would be about $3 billion, which is 1/3rd of what just one reactor would cost to build.

While nuclear plant construction costs continue to skyrocket solar PV costs continue to plummet. Which technology does it make sense to invest in?

Flying spaceships

The International Space Station over Raleigh, 16 May 2013.

The International Space Station over Raleigh, 16 May 2013.


NASA’s Spot The Station email alerts tell me that the International Space Station will be sailing over the house early tomorrow morning (5:45 AM). I’ll be awake as usual and will go out to see it.

Every time I get a chance to watch the space station fly by I’m in awe all over again that we live in an age where spaceships silently sail above us – all the time. It’s pretty mind-blowing if you think about it.

Solar system

Solar panels

Solar panels


Last week we got our own solar system: a solar PV system installed by Southern Energy Management. Friday morning, I flipped the breaker that officially “tied” it to the power grid. The rooftop panels then began feeding electricity to both our home and the neighborhood.

It’s been a long journey to get here and we’re not done yet. It was two years ago that we first considered getting solar panels. We got the roof surveyed and a quote generated but didn’t feel the need to jump on it yet. Then in February, the rapid rise of stupidity in our state legislature made me wonder if the many incentives now in place to encourage solar adoption might soon vanish with the setting sun. I also knew the price of solar had dropped considerably in that time so it was wise to revisit the decision.
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Government Lab Reveals It Has Operated Quantum Internet For Over Two Years | MIT Technology Review

Astonishing.

One of the dreams for security experts is the creation of a quantum internet that allows perfectly secure communication based on the powerful laws of quantum mechanics.

Today, Richard Hughes and pals at Los Alamos National Labs in New Mexico reveal an alternative quantum internet, which they say they’ve been running for two and half years. Their approach is to create a quantum network based around a hub and spoke-type network. All messages get routed from any point in the network to another via this central hub.

via Government Lab Reveals It Has Operated Quantum Internet For Over Two Years | MIT Technology Review.

Cheap Thoughts: Smartphone keys

I hate keys, as I’ve written about many times before. I also hate keycards, and thought it was ridiculous that my office suite requires two separate keycards: one for the building and one for the suite.

Yet in my pocket is a miracle of computing and communications power: a smartphone. My smartphone knows my identity when I swipe the security code to unlock it. It’s capable of very strong encryption and decryption. Why can’t I use my smartphone as a key to unlock my office doors? It sure would be more secure than relying on ancient technology like tumbler locks and keys.

Update 9 April: My friend Steve sends me links to the UniKey and the Lockitron, both of which are very, very interesting!

Google Reader and the danger of walled gardens

Sadly, I learned today that Google is pulling the plug on Google Reader, it’s RSS aggregation service. No explanation was given for the move.

Over on the Google Reader forums, I posted this question:

So, with Google’s shutdown of Google Reader, do the “walled gardens” of Facebook and Google Plus win? Is this the end of the easily-searchable, anyone-can-set-up-shop-on-the-Internet days?

Why would Google intentionally make it HARDER for its users to follow their interests online? How could Reader possibly be sapping enough resources to justify its end?

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Solar Roadways

Remember last year when I wondered when someone would start building roads made of solar panels that generated electricity? I found out today that someone actually is doing this. Pretty cool!

Years ago, when the phrase “Global Warming” began gaining popularity, we started batting around the idea of replacing asphalt and concrete surfaces with solar panels that could be driven upon. We thought of the “black box” on airplanes: We didn’t know what material that black box was made of, but it seemed to be able to protect sensitive electronics from the worst of airline crashes.

Suppose we made a section of road out of this material and housed solar cells to collect energy, which could pay for the cost of the panel, thereby creating a road that would pay for itself over time. What if we added LEDs to “paint” the road lines from beneath, lighting up the road for safer night time driving? What if we added a heating element in the surface (like the defrosting wire in the rear window of our cars) to prevent snow/ice accumulation in northern climates? The ideas and possibilities just continued to roll in and the Solar Roadway project was born.

via Solar Roadways – Introduction.