Energy scavenging sensors

As the widespread deployment of wireless sensor nodes continues towards the eventual ubiquitous sensing fabric of the future, there will be an increasing demand for battery-less methods of powering them.  For some technologies, such as traditional passive radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, there is no need to provide power on-board at all.  However for other technological solutions, using wireless networks such as Zigbee or WiFi, there will be a need for power without recourse to a battery.  

For situations where sensors are located on machinery, there is a more obvious solution.  Microgenerators such as Perpetuum's PMG17 are able to convert mechanical vibration into usable electrical energy.  If this is combined with a suitable storage technology such as a supercapacitor, it is possible to deliver the peak power required for indefinite regular status reports over wireless networks.  For machinery where vibration is a part of normal operation, such power harvesting is an ideal solution.

Synthetic Biology

Synthetic biology is bringing an engineering approach to biology.  In the same way as one uses electronic components such as transistors to engineer electronic circuits such as a radio, in synthetic biology, scientists are using DNA components to engineer new biological systems and devices.  

There are seemingly two separate goals currently being sought within the field of synthetic biology at the moment.  The most headline grabbing is that which seeks to define and build completely new forms of life.  The other less glamorous seeks to modify existing biological life forms to effectively put viruses and bacteria to work as biological machines to solve particular problems.  The advances in understanding DNA over recent years opens the door to both of these. Huge benefits could accrue from successful applications of such biological machinery.  One example could be a liquid that changes colour when sprayed onto a surface if there is some particular bacteria present. 

The dangers of this technology are many.  Any errors in synthetic biological research could release a virus into the world (either deliberately or accidentally) which can multiply itself before we know how to cope with the escape.  There is also the possibility of biological terrorism from this type of material falling into the wrong hands.  Finally synthetic biology raises interesting questions about what life is and what should humans do and how far the creation of living organisms should go!   

Apple WWDC 2008

The Worldwide Developer Conference organised by Apple begins tomorrow and Steve Jobs will again take the stage at the keynote to announce a number of surprises as well as some expected news.   The latter is likely to be the announcement of the second version of the iPhone using 3G Cellular network technology.  The former may well be that a third version of the device is announced as well!   Certainly Apple will find ways in the coming months to push home their lead in innovative internet device form factors which exploit both their superb touch screen interface and also the powerful OSX system platform that lies within iPhone.  

However I will be watching the performance of the keynote from a presentational point of view as well as for the content.  The work that goes into careful structuring and delivery of the announcements when Steve Jobs takes to the stage is awesome and it shows if you analyse the performances.  I have been at such Apple keynotes in person and I never tire of learning from this side of Apple's productions too.  

Robot pets and healthcare

Demographics tell us that in the future there will be an ageing population.  There won't be enough young fit people to look after sick and elderly people in future.  We will need machines to play a bigger part in healthcare.  We already do this with little concern in hospitals, where machines commonly keep people alive and provide for critical functions in cases where the body is unable to do so.  Of course in hospitals we expect those machines to be operated by skilled consultants and practitioners.  Increasingly we will see technology tasked with health monitoring and care in people's homes.  

The machines in homes can be made more personal than those in hospital.  An elderly person may be looked after by a robotic pet, while believing that they are in fact looking after the pet.  Such a robot may monitor physiological characteristics of the person, or analyse daily routines, or how often medication is taken.  They may alert the person or signal others outside the home if such monitoring detects an abnormal or unusual pattern of behaviour.   I don't mind if my mother-in-law is looked after by a robot; my wife has a slightly different view!  The technology is arriving before people are comfortable with its uses.  As attitudes change, more will be done by robotic healthcare solutions.  

Personal fabrication

Researchers at Bath University have demonstrated a self replicating 3D printer capable of fabricating various plastic objects. In the future we will see more of these in domestic settings where individuals will be able to produce articles as needed after designing them on the PC.  This particular invention works by effectively spraying molten layers of plastic which then solidify.   

A number of different approaches will be tried and found for this sort of personal fabrication in the future.  Together with 3D displays using holographic techniques and easier to use design software, people will become much more used to working in three dimensions using personal computers and other devices.  

Innovation at the core of Apple

As the week of the Apple WWDC event approaches, at which the 2nd generation iPhone is expected to be announced, I want to highlight perhaps the less obvious innovative aspects of that company.  Apple is well respected, even by many of it's critics, for the innovation of it's products.  This is true of not just the iPod and the iPhone but also its range of Mac computers.  But the innovation of the company stretches way beyond the technical design and features of its hardware and software.  

In many internal ways, Apple thinks different. The direct hands-on influence of the CEO is one such organisational aspect.  But from a business perspective, the way the company does many tasks is significant.  Take the management of it's product portfolio - unlike many companies who will launch more and more products which add to the size of the portfolio, Apple has a track record of being clinical with withdrawing old products when introducing new ones.  The discontinuing of the iPod Mini at the time that it was the best selling music player and just before the key holiday buying season and its replacement by the iPod Nano caught all its competitors off guard and re-defined the standards that the marketplace was trying to attain.  

Another example is the way Apple approaches its retail operation.  This is innovative in so many ways ... from the store design and layout (most retailers would baulk at the idea of so much open unused potential merchandising space, particularly in such high value retail locations) ... to sales staff incentives and roles ... to the free services and experiences it offers its store visitors.  

So as Steve Jobs makes various announcements next week, I will also be looking for some of the other innovations in terms of clever but subtle strategic approaches which make it very hard for other companies to copy Apple's success. 

A wet future?

The global population is rising and the amount of usable water is declining.  Countries such as the UK, Belgium, Poland and South Africa are already classed as 'water-stressed' (less than 1700 cubic metres per year per capita). Parts of the Middle East and North Africa are further classed as 'water-scarce' (less than 1000 cubic metres).  Countries such as India and parts of Africa are expected to have severe water supply issues in the next decade.  Such areas are also those in which population is expected to grow at the fastest rates.   There is likely to be desperation and conflict over water in the future. 

There are a few different strategies for addressing the water supply problem.   Given that approximately 80% of the Earth's surface is covered by water, it is rather a case of water being in the wrong places and in many cases containing too much salt!   De-salination is possible but needs to be cheaper to perform.  Some new technologies may be able to achieve this.  Nano-technology is one such approach - with new membranes that allow the water to be purified, amongst other ideas.  

Water also has the highest thermal capacity of any commonly available substance.  Humans could learn lessons from nature in this regard where water is an important storage mechanism for energy storage.   Recovering heat from water and recycling waste water are also ways that humans in scarce areas will be able to address the problem.  On the International Space Station, they recycle about 97% of water which infers that space exploration may also offer some innovation for Earth's water shortages.  Mining water from comets in space may be an option in future space travel - though it's harder to envisage this happening very soon!   In the far future, it may be that humans begin getting used to living on or under water more, and embrace a more aquatic lifestyle.