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Comment Windbelt (Score 3, Interesting) 584

by TheLazySci-FiAuthor (#26097307) Attached to: Wind and Sun Beat Other Energy Alternatives

I am happy to hear this: Wind (and solar) does seem to be a very elegant energy solution.

I do note, however, that the report seems to assume wind-based power generation as taking place with traditional turbines.

The question arises in my mind if the use of the windbelt technology might offer additional gains in this respect?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windbelt

My searches for use or deployment of the windbelt seem to garner sparse results...any info out there?

is the windbelt indeed a more effecient method of wind-power generation? Or are turbines still the way to go?
Power

Wind and Sun Beat Other Energy Alternatives 584

Posted by kdawson from the think-of-the-birds dept.
iandoh passes along the news that researchers at Stanford University have completed the first quantitative, scientific comparison of alternative energy solutions by assessing not only their potential for delivering energy for electricity and vehicles, but also their impacts on global warming, human health, energy security, water supply, space requirements, wildlife, water pollution, reliability, and sustainability. Based on their model, they found that the best sources of alternative energy are wind, concentrated solar, and geothermal energy. The worst are nuclear, clean coal, and ethanol-based fuels. In other words, "the options that are getting the most attention are between 25 to 1,000 times more polluting than the best available options."

Comment Re:Whoa boy... (Score 5, Insightful) 501

by TheLazySci-FiAuthor (#25968579) Attached to: Mad Scientist Brings Back Dead With "Deanimation"

Semantics, agreed.

Of course, in true Slashdottian hyperbole, were this serum to be completely viable, I could see some kind of auto-release nano-canisters being injected into the bloodstream of soldiers, so that in the event of explosive death, an instant release of the substance could assure that all the pieces quickly 'go to sleep' and await pickup/cleanup by the wandering red cross medical roombas for delivery to the reconstruction/reanimation tent.

That would be pretty close to dying and being brought back methinks.

Might make a good extreme sport as well!
Mars

First Mars-Goers Should Prepare For a One-Way Trip 528

Posted by timothy from the buy-round-trip-tickets-to-slip-past-tsa-though dept.
Luminary Crush writes with this excerpt from PhysOrg about the permanance of leaving Earth for Mars, at least for early travelers: "The first astronauts sent to Mars should be prepared to spend the rest of their lives there, in the same way that European pioneers headed to America knowing they would not return home, says moonwalker Buzz Aldrin. '[the distance and difficulty is why you should] send people there permanently,' Aldrin said. 'If we are not willing to do that, then I don't think we should just go once and have the expense of doing that and then stop.'" On the other hand, maybe they'll catch a ride back with Carrie-Anne Moss.
Cellphones

Verizon To Charge Content Providers $.03 Per SMS 260

Posted by timothy from the but-there's-no-penny-slot dept.
An anonymous reader writes "It appears that Verizon is going to start double-dipping by charging both consumers AND content providers for SMS text messages. Verizon has informed content partners that it will levy a $.03 charge for messages sent to customers, effective November 1. From RCRWireless: 'Countless companies could be affected by the new fee, from players in the booming SMS-search space (4INFO, Google Inc. and ChaCha) to media companies (CNN, ESPN and local outlets) to mobile-couponing startups (Cellfire) to banks and other institutions that use mobile as an extension of customer services.'"
Software

AI Researchers Say 'Rascals' Might Pass Turing Test 337

Posted by Zonk from the who-wouldn't-love-those-scamps dept.
An anonymous reader writes "Passing the Turing test is the holy grail of artificial intelligence (AI) and now researchers claim it may be possible using the world's fastest supercomputer (IBM's Blue Gene). This version of the Turing test pits a human conversing with a synthetic character powered by Rascals software crafted at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. RPI is aiming to pass AI's final exam this fall, by pairing the most powerful university-based supercomputing system in the world with its new multimedia group which is designing a holodeck, a la Star Trek."

A Robotic Taxi Named robuCAB 69

Posted by Zonk from the take-me-home-jeeves dept.
Roland Piquepaille writes "According to ICT Results, an EU-funded project named Embounded 'has achieved the twin, and apparently contradictory, goals of making embedded systems both smarter and tougher.' One example is the robuCAB, a '4 seat automated people mover' developed by a French company and built from a 4 wheel-drive electric chassis with on-board PC. This autonomous vehicle follows the curb and carries several embedded systems, with one camera on the path edge, another device tracking the angle and direction of the curb, while others control the gearing and acceleration. robuCABs are not totally independent. They move over pre-defined circuits which contain a series of sensors below the ground. But read more for additional references and a picture of two robuCABs on the road."
The Almighty Buck

Submission + - FTC Defends Ethernet From Patent Troll (arstechnica.com)

Submitted by
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property
I Don't Believe in Imaginary Property writes: "The FTC put a stop to Negotiated Data Solutions (AKA N-Data), a patent troll that bought a patent on an important part of the Ethernet networking standard and tried to jack up the royalties for licensing it. In a consent decree [PDF], N-Data agreed to continue licensing the patent at the formerly promised rates. The IEEE voted back in 2002 to make patent letters irrevocable, which could have prevented this, but neglected to make that clause retroactive."

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