Tech for Good

2021-09-08 18:00:15 Between bicycle and motorbike

BMW Group has just presented a Vision AMBY concept at IAA Mobility 2021 in Munich. It represents a new vision for individual mobility in urban areas.

Vision AMBY is a combination of a motorcycle and a high-speed bicycle. It is electrically powered and has 3 speed levels for different types of road. The drive allows up to 25 km/h on cycle paths, up to 45 km/h on inner-city roads, and up to a top speed of 60 km/h on multi-lane roads and out of town. You will require a helmet, insurance license plates, and a relevant driving license to travel at higher speeds.

The smartphone app replaces the key and stores the available drive modes. Geofencing technology detects the road type, automatically adjusting the top speed.

The user cannot override the mode. Otherwise, how could you ensure the driver observes traffic and safety rules? The coin always has a flipside.

Range 110 km (68 mi), weight 65 kg (143 lb). The latest techs inside.

Article on Electric Cars Report

#EV #urbantech Open / Comment

2021-09-07 18:00:06 Mighty Buildings

Today we are looking at Mighty Buildings, the Oakland-based (US) company, claiming that it can 3D-print a 350-square-foot (33 m2) studio apartment in just 24 hours.

Instead of concrete, the company uses a thermoset composite material called Light Stone Material (LSM), which hardens when exposed to UV light, making it more effective than traditional building materials. That also makes it possible to 3D-print a roof.

The target market is Accessory Dwelling Units (ADU) - small units on any residential property built to either rent them out or use to house extended family.

The company has recently added a $22 million extension to its Series B round. The money will go toward achieving a goal of Net-Zero carbon neutrality by 2028. The investment will also go toward kicking off the development of the startup’s multistory offering.

Article on Techcrunch
Mighty Buildings website

#startups #robotics #urbantech #architecture Open / Comment

2021-09-06 18:00:06 It's All About Function

The name of this post is the slogan of Naked Prosthetics, a US-based company designing and manufacturing products that change the lives of finger and partial-hand amputees.

When Colin McDuff lost his finger in a hunting accident in 2010, he used his skills as a welder to fashion a prosthetic finger out of bicycle parts. He brought his innovative design to his friend Bob Thompson, and they started Naked Prosthetics Devices.

The company currently manufactures three devices to replace partial or total finger loss. They not only restore the user's ability to perform daily tasks, supporting job retention, and encouraging an active lifestyle. The team also works individually with every client providing support on their prosthetics journey.

Read the full story here.

#medical Open / Comment

2021-09-05 18:00:05 I hope you are having a great Sunday. Here is our usual post summary of the week:

Lucid Dream - Lucid Air luxury sedan setting several tech marks for the EV industry
Turn your waste into cooking gas - a digester device turning your organic waste into gas for cooking and fertilizer
Chainless bike drive - a chainless electric drive system for bicycles that will bring benefits to cargo bike architectures
Twisted energy - a soft and stretchable device that converts movement into electricity and can work in wet environments
Hot rock energy storage - energy storage system based on heating rocks in big tanks to pair with solar and wind energy generation

This week, I have also enjoyed some excellent discussions in our chat @tfg_safechat

Thanks to everyone who participated.

Have a safe weekend. Your Tech for Good

#weeksummary Open / Comment

2021-09-03 18:00:11 Hot rock energy storage

Transition to green energy requires solving one of the most challenging problems - energy storage.

Wind turbines and solar panels being the most popular green energy sources, function only when the wind blows and the sun shines. That creates times when there is an excess generation and times when there is an energy shortage.

The Danish company Stiesdal is now developing the first commercial demonstration energy storage system based on heating rocks in big tanks on the island of Lolland.

Yes, heating and cooling the stones to store green energy. Isn't that cool?

See details here.

#solar #wind #storage Open / Comment

2021-09-02 18:00:14 Twisted energy

There is abundant mechanical energy around us: wind and waves kinetic energy, vibrations of motors, even body movement. New ways of harvesting it would benefit humanity, and scientists are in constant search of those.

Researchers at North Carolina State University have created a soft and stretchable device that converts movement into electricity and can work in wet environments.

Scientists are already working on two possible applications of the technology: using it to power wearable devices and harvesting wave power from the ocean.

I would be thankful if you could share any other potential uses that come to your mind.

Some details (not many) are here.

#wearables #energy #invention Open / Comment

2021-09-01 18:00:14 Chainless bike drive

German company Schaeffler presents a chainless electric drive system, “Free Drive,” for bicycles.

Free Drive removes the mechanical connection between the generator and motor, thus enabling new bicycle architectures and pedal configurations. That also means an even lower requirement for wear parts.

The Schaeffler hybrid drive converts the mechanical energy generated during pedaling into electric energy, which in turn is converted back into mechanical energy in the wheel hub motor. Excess energy goes to the battery.

Sounds like overcomplicating conventional electric bicycles? Please read the full story here before destroying me in the comments.

#EV #electricbikes Open / Comment

2021-08-31 18:00:14 Turn your waste into cooking gas

The above video is from an Israel-based startup Homebiogas. Their system helps meet your waste management, energy generation, and organic fertilizer needs.

Homebiogas digester uses the process by which hungry bacteria break down organic waste, like food scraps and animal manure, producing biogas. The gas can then be used for cooking. Bacteria also produce organic, liquid bio-fertilizer that you can easily collect and use on your crops.

Details about the tech and its real-world application in rural areas of India are here.

#recycle #biogas Open / Comment

2021-08-30 18:00:04 Lucid Dream

You've expressed your interest in posts about EVs. Here we have another representative of the booming EV market covered. This one is from a luxury segment - so, you may unleash your inner critic in the comments ;)

However, please be mindful that while this model may be unaffordable for 99% of the population, we are talking about the outstanding sustainable tech here. This tech may be new and frightening for many now, but I expect it to become mainstream in the coming decade, and the affordable models will follow.

The Californian startup Lucid Air has announced that its flagship model, the Air luxury sedan, will be made in two different top-line Dream Edition versions. One is optimized for performance, the other for range. Both have something to boast about. The first can accelerate to 60 mph (100 kph) in less than 2.5 seconds and make 1,080 horsepower. The latter version has 500+ miles of range.

See details and photos here. I have decided to go nuts and included tons of them.

#EV #startups Open / Comment

2021-08-29 18:00:11 Here is your Sunday review of the week's posts:

Fear Busters - a Chinese GAC Aion V battery-electric SUV with an impressive 800 km range and a battery that can charge to 80% capacity in a lightning-fast 8 minutes
Untapped precious metals in our cars - the Canadian company entering the recycling market with a solution to recover platinum and palladium from diesel catalytic converters
Iconic construction - the US-based 3D-printing construction startup involved in ground-breaking projects, including building infrastructure and habitats on the moon, and eventually Mars
Where heat meets cold - a unique device providing a game-changing concept to efficient and climate-friendly heating and cooling
The World's Biggest Wind Turbine - the most powerful offshore wind turbine globally, which is so large that its blades cover the area of six soccer fields

I hope you enjoyed any of those in the same way as I do. I appreciate all the feedback and will be glad to hear more of it in the future.

Have a nice and safe weekend, and see you around next week.

Your Tech for Good Open / Comment