1 Billion-Pixel GAIA Camera

How big is the image sensor on your camera? 5 megapixels? 8? 16? It hardly matters, because the European Space Agency is about to make you feel very inadequate. It's just flopped out a "1 billion pixel" (that's 1,000 megapixels) imaging device known as Gaia, which will map the Milky Way galaxy in 3D
The European Space Agency Creates 1 Billion-Pixel GAIA Camera
The European Space Agency (ESA) has built an immense digital camera, which comprises 106 snugly-fit charge coupled devices--the largest ever for a space programme.  
Another milestone in the development of GAIA, ESA's ultra-sensitive space astrometry mission, was passed on 1 June when the 106 electronic detectors of its billion pixel camera were assembled like a large mosaic for the first time.
In order to detect distant stars about one million times fainter than the eye can see, GAIA will carry 106 charge coupled devices (CCDs), each of which is, effectively, a miniature camera. These rectangular detectors, each measuring 6 × 4.7 cm, with a thickness of only a few tens of microns, are precisely fitted together on the CCD support structure (CSS). The gap between each CCD(charged coupled devices) package is about 1 millimetre.
Made of silicon carbide, a material that provides remarkable thermal and mechanical stability, the CSS weighs about 20 kg. The overall CCD mosaic is a key part of the complete focal plane assembly.


One billion pixels is actually a tiny bit of an understatement. Gaia's surface combines 106 credit card-size charged coupled devices (CCDs), each the thickness of a human hair. The CCDs, which are effectively "miniature" cameras in their own right, feature 4,500 pixels in the "along scan" direction and 1,966 pixels for "across scan," providing an overall total of around 8,847,000 pixels per CCD. 

Now Emotionally Intelligent Robots For Nursing

An international team is creating the new generation of emotionally intelligent robots that could become extra carers in hospitals, nursing and even residential homes. This team is led by Queen Mary University in the UK.
Prof Peter McOwan is heading the European Union-funded four-year project involving specialists from seven countries. "Our research aims to develop software, based on biology, that will allow robots to interact with humans in the most natural way, understanding things like personal space. These will be able to recognise human expressions and make expressive movements in response. This technology could in future improve standards of hospital care which are facing the growing pressure of increasing demand," he added.
The robots are also being built with a set of instructions about body posture and personal space which can be tailored to individual people, says the team. The scientists hope that the machines could also be used to create interactive children's toys and office helpers.

The scientists, who exhibited their research at the recent Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition, have used psychologists to give instruction about polite social rules. 

Powermat Chargers

                                                                          powermat.com

The Powermat is a wireless charger for hi tech gadgets. You simply place your gadget on the mat to charge it.
It uses magnetic induction energy rather than electricity to charge devices and it works just as fast or faster than standard power adaptors.
It can also charge multiple and different gadgets all at the same time.

Wind Turbines

The Bahrain World Trade Center is the first skyscraper to have wind turbines integrated into the structure of the building.
Three large wind turbines are suspended between two office towers. The towers are aerodynamically tapered to funnel wind and draw air into the turbines.


This airfoil tapering allows the wind to enter the turbines at a perpendicular angle and increases air speed as much as 30 percent in each of the 95 ft wide turbine rotors.
The turbines supply about 15 percent of the electricity used by the skyscraper - approximately the same amount of electricity used by 300 homes.

Water Drop Lens

Physicist and inventor, Bruno Berge, has created a liquid optical lens.
Using a process known as electro-wetting, a water drop is deposited on a metal substrate and covered by a thin insulating layer. When a voltage is applied to the metal, it modifies the angle of the liquid drop.
The liquid lens is comprised of two liquids, water and oil, one is a conductor while the other is an insulator. A variation in the voltage causes a change to the curvature of the liquid to liquid interface, which changes the focal length of the lens.
The use of liquids allows for low cost construction. There are no moving parts and electrical consumption is extremely low. The lens has a large inverse focal length range, quick response, high optical quality and can operate in a wide temperature range.

Skycar - Drive and Fly

Gilo Cardozo, a self-taught aviation engineer, inventor and founder of British-based Parajet has created a two-seat flying car.
The Skycar is powered by a modified 1000cc, four cylinder, 140hp, ethanol burning, Yamaha R1 superbike engine with a lightweight automatic CVT(continuously variable transmission) gear-box.
It has independent four wheel suspension and rear wheel drive. Road acceleration is 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds with a top speed of 110 mph.
To convert to flight mode, the driver unfolds a para-foil wing from the trunk (boot) and attaches it to the rear of the car. He then flips a switch to change the transmission from road mode, which powers the wheels, to flight mode, which powers the rear fan.
Converting from “road mode” to “fly mode” and visa-versa takes about three minutes thanks to the flexible wing technology invented by Mike Campbell Jones, of Paramania Powergliders.
The fan’s thrust propels the car forward, providing lift for the wing as the car reaches a takeoff speed of 35 mph.
Once airborne, foot pedals move cables attached to the parafoil to direct the flight path.
Top air speed is 100 mph at altitudes of 2000 to 3000 feet. Maximum altitude is 15,000 ft. with a range of 180 miles.
The Skycar is also equipped with an roof-mounted ballistic parachute for emergencies.
Potential buyers will require a powered parachute license, rather than a pilots license, to fly a Skycar and the British government has approved the vehicle as street legal.

Trident Iceni

Eco-friendly and really fast.
Hailed as the future of high performance cars, this sleek two-seater sports car invented by Phil Bevan is powered by a 550 horse-power bio diesel engine.
Top speed is 230 mph, 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds. But the Iceni is incredibly economical on fuel, which is virtually unheard of in a car of this speed.
At a constant speed of 70 mph, you get 68.9 mpg. A fully fueled tank will give you a cruising range of about 2000 miles.
It’s like having a Lamborghini without the cost or the damage to the environment. Approximately five hundred will be available for sale next year.

Zenn Car

With concerns about energy consumption and pollution, recent inventions (see AirPod) that can reduce transportation costs are extremely popular.
The award winning Zenn (Zero-Emmissions-No-Noise) is one of those inventions that is gaining in popularity, especially in the United States and Europe.
The car operates on electricity and plugs into a regular wall socket for charging. It costs an average of 35 cents to fully charge the vehicle.
It has zero emissions, no noise (no exaggeration - you'll hear more noise in a library) and costs pennies per mile to operate.The car is built on an aluminum-alloy chassis with ABS plastic exterior panels that are rustproof and dent resistant. There is minimal maintenance because there are minimal parts.
The three-door hatchback comes with air conditioning, power windows, power locks, remote key-less entry, wipers, defrost, heater, sunroof and 13 cubic feet of storage space.

World's Fastest Motor

A new motor developed by researchers at ETH Zurich's Department of Power Electronics and marketed by the Swiss company, Celeroton, can spin in excess of 1 million revolutions per minute.
As a comparison, collapsed stars spin at 60,000 rpms, a blender at about 30,000 and high performance engines at around 10,000 rpms.
The matchbook-sized motor has a titatnium shell, ultra-thin wiring and a trade secret iron formulated cylinder. The need for smaller electronic devices requires smaller holes, which means smaller, faster, more efficient drills.

Camera Mask

This mask is one of the latest technology inventions in underwater photography.
The "Liguid Image Digital Underwater Camera Mask" as the name implies, is an underwater mask with a built in digital camera.
It records photos and videos by pressing a shutter button on the top of the mask.
It also features bright LED lights for illumination.
The camera mask is powered by (2) 1.5 AAA batteries and images are uploaded from a USB port.
Photo/video software is included. The maximum operating depth is about 30 meters.