Solar water bulb' to brighten homes in Kenya and Philippines
A youth group is hoping some 2-liter plastic bottles filled with water and bleach can brighten Kenya's slums. The soda bottle-as-lightbulb was first discovered in Brazil by mechanic Alfredo Moser in 2002. In the decade since, tens of thousands of people who can't afford electricity or other sources of light like candles have converted to the water bottle lightpoint. In the Philippines, a non-governmental organization is attempting to use the solar water bulb to brighten 1 million homes by next year. The project is known as 'Isang Litrong Liwanag,' which translates to 'A Litre of Light.'
Nissan PIVO 3 coming to 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
PIVO 3 takes Nissan's EV portfolio another step forward. Building on the pioneering PIVO 1 and PIVO 2, the new PIVO 3 concept moves from the realm of imagination into a fully-evolved vehicle that envisions life in tomorrow's cities. Where PIVO 2 was a highly innovative vehicle that stood alone as a concept car, PIVO 3 evolves in the direction of "smart community" with greater feasibility, credibility and an extended scope of mobile performance. With Automated Valet Parking (AVP), PIVO 3 will revolutionize the parking experience by connecting to and responding to infrastructure. No longer does a driver need to find a parking space, physically park the car, or remember which space the car is parked.
BMW's Concept Cars
BMW unveiled a pair of concept cars, one a hybrid and one electric, made of light-weight carbon fiber and a see-through glass exterior. The cars are expected to go into production within the next two to three years.
The carbon fiber in the i3 city car and i8 sports car significantly reduces the weight of the vehicle and the size of its frame, giving designers more flexibility and creating more interior space for passengers. The material, used in the aerospace sector and also for high-end bicycles, is valued for its strength-to-weight ratio. Its uses are expanding, however, and engineers are designing everything from camping equipment to pool cues. It has coach-style doors, with rear and front doors swinging open at the center of the vehicle.
The all-wheel drive car has a battery and a gas engine that work together, with the battery powering the front wheels and a gas engine powering the rear wheels.
Questions from Technical Fests.
1) MAKE A HUMAN POWERED MECHANICAL DEVICE TO PICK THE STONES OF VARIOUS SHAPES, SIZE AND WEIGHT WHICH IS ON SOLID GROUND AND LIFT THE STONES UPTO CERTAIN HEIGHT (15CM) WITHOUT USING ANY ENERGY STORING DEVICES AND ELECTRONIC GADGETS.
NOTE: - WEIGHT OF THE STONES WILL BE 250 GMS, 500GMS, 750 GMS.
2) IRRIGATION IN HILLY SLOPES HAS ALWAYS BEEN TEDIOUS. AVAILABILITY AND REACH OF WATER SOURCE ACT AS BOTTLENECK FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CIVILIZATION IN THOSE AREAS. HEAVY COST REQUIREMENT FOR PUMPING WATER, LACK OF SKILLED MANPOWER AND LIMITED ACCESS TO THE FUEL OR ELECTRIC DRIVE HAVE LONG BEEN TROUBLING LIFE OVER THERE. WE THOUGHT OF HELPING THEM OUT. “DESIGN A MECHANISM WHICH LIFTS WATER TO A HEIGHT OF MORE THAN 0.5 METERS”. ELECTRIC MOTORS OR ANY OTHER FUEL OPERATED ENGINES SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF YOUR MECHANISM.
3) RECURRING CONTRAPTION:
DESIGN A CONTRAPTION, WHICH CONTAINS CERTAIN SET OF STEPS WHICH ARE TO BE REPEATED 3 TIMES.
FORMAT:
STARTING POINT
STEP 1 TO STEP N (RECURSION 1)
STEP 1 TO STEP N (RECURSION 2)
STEP 1 TO STEP N (RECURSION 3)
STEP 1 TO END AT ANY STEP….
RULES:
1. MIN 4 STEPS SHOULD BE THERE IN 1 RECURSION.(NO LIMIT FOR MAX.)
2. ONLY WHEN ALL STEPS ARE FINISHED ONCE, SECOND RECURSION SHOULD START.
3. EACH RECURSION SHOULD FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS OF PREVIOUS ONE.
4) MAKE A CONTRAPTION WITH AS MANY ENERGY CONVERSIONS AS POSSIBLE WITHIN 3 MINUTES. THE CONTRAPTION DURING ITS PROGRESS SHOULD PERFORM TWO TASKS
TASK (1) DEMOLITION OF A STRUCTURE (MADE UP OF 6 STACKED BRICK) WITH MORE THAN ONE BLOW.HERE, REMOVAL OF ATLEAST 2 BRICKS WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS COMPLETION OF TASK.
TASKS (2) PASS THE TENNIS BALL THROUGH THE FRAME, CARRYING OUT PARABOLIC MOTION PLACED AT GROUND LEVEL.THE SCHEMATIC IS SHOWN BELOW.
5) DESIGN A CLOCK THAT SHOWS A SECOND HAND (ATLEAST) AND SHOULD RUN MINIMUM FOR 120 SECONDS WITH AN ACCURACY OF 10 SECONDS.USE OF GEARS , SPRING OR ANY ENERGY STORAGE ELEMENTS, ELECTRONIC CHIPS (OSCILLATOR ETC) IS NOT ALLOWED.
NOTE: - WEIGHT OF THE STONES WILL BE 250 GMS, 500GMS, 750 GMS.
2) IRRIGATION IN HILLY SLOPES HAS ALWAYS BEEN TEDIOUS. AVAILABILITY AND REACH OF WATER SOURCE ACT AS BOTTLENECK FOR DEVELOPMENT OF CIVILIZATION IN THOSE AREAS. HEAVY COST REQUIREMENT FOR PUMPING WATER, LACK OF SKILLED MANPOWER AND LIMITED ACCESS TO THE FUEL OR ELECTRIC DRIVE HAVE LONG BEEN TROUBLING LIFE OVER THERE. WE THOUGHT OF HELPING THEM OUT. “DESIGN A MECHANISM WHICH LIFTS WATER TO A HEIGHT OF MORE THAN 0.5 METERS”. ELECTRIC MOTORS OR ANY OTHER FUEL OPERATED ENGINES SHOULD NOT BE A PART OF YOUR MECHANISM.
3) RECURRING CONTRAPTION:
DESIGN A CONTRAPTION, WHICH CONTAINS CERTAIN SET OF STEPS WHICH ARE TO BE REPEATED 3 TIMES.
FORMAT:
STARTING POINT
STEP 1 TO STEP N (RECURSION 1)
STEP 1 TO STEP N (RECURSION 2)
STEP 1 TO STEP N (RECURSION 3)
STEP 1 TO END AT ANY STEP….
RULES:
1. MIN 4 STEPS SHOULD BE THERE IN 1 RECURSION.(NO LIMIT FOR MAX.)
2. ONLY WHEN ALL STEPS ARE FINISHED ONCE, SECOND RECURSION SHOULD START.
3. EACH RECURSION SHOULD FOLLOW THE SAME STEPS OF PREVIOUS ONE.
4) MAKE A CONTRAPTION WITH AS MANY ENERGY CONVERSIONS AS POSSIBLE WITHIN 3 MINUTES. THE CONTRAPTION DURING ITS PROGRESS SHOULD PERFORM TWO TASKS
TASK (1) DEMOLITION OF A STRUCTURE (MADE UP OF 6 STACKED BRICK) WITH MORE THAN ONE BLOW.HERE, REMOVAL OF ATLEAST 2 BRICKS WOULD BE CONSIDERED AS COMPLETION OF TASK.
TASKS (2) PASS THE TENNIS BALL THROUGH THE FRAME, CARRYING OUT PARABOLIC MOTION PLACED AT GROUND LEVEL.THE SCHEMATIC IS SHOWN BELOW.
5) DESIGN A CLOCK THAT SHOWS A SECOND HAND (ATLEAST) AND SHOULD RUN MINIMUM FOR 120 SECONDS WITH AN ACCURACY OF 10 SECONDS.USE OF GEARS , SPRING OR ANY ENERGY STORAGE ELEMENTS, ELECTRONIC CHIPS (OSCILLATOR ETC) IS NOT ALLOWED.
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