cities
The last 31 of 100 cities eligible for Smarter Cities Challenge grants from IBM have just been named. Among them: Belfast; Cape Town, South Africa; Christchurch, New Zealand; Foshan, China; Jeju, Korea; Lagos, Nigeria; Makati City, Philippines; Québec City, Canada; Reno, US; and Valparaiso, Chile. “This was a difficult decision
Energy
Following its release earlier this year of a system that links energy creation and storage for the home, Panasonic is moving ahead with plans to develop a full-scale Smart Home Energy Management System (SMARTHEMS). Energy-saving efforts in Japan have taken on a growing urgency in Japan in the wake of
information technology
Cloud computing can improve efficiency by tapping the power of multiple “virtual machines.” But what if one of those machines encounters a problem that then cascades through the entire system? Researchers at North Carolina State University believe they have an answer: software that can identify and respond to potential anomalies
innovation
What if we could “tune” marine-energy devices so they could grab the maximum amount of power possible from each oncoming wave? A new algorithm developed by researchers from the University of Exeter and Tel Aviv University could one day help us do just that. When used with existing wave prediction
innovation
Using your smartphone to check email or play Angry Birds is so yesterday … the next big thing will involve using it for things like turning down your home’s thermostat or switching on the coffeepot while you’re on your way home from work. Working together, IBM and Vodafone have
big data
Does it still amaze you how well the ads on your Yahoo, Facebook and other web pages reflect which products and services you’ve recently searched for online? Small, mid-market and large businesses looking for even smarter ways to connect with their customers are eager to say, “You ain’t
innovation
Young IT companies with technology that can enable a better-connected and more sustainable future have a chance to shine on the global stage through a new awards program for “Tech Trailblazers.” Green IT startups have until 11:59 PT on Wednesday, Sept. 12, to enter the inaugural Tech Trailblazers Awards.
transport
The roads of California could one day be teeming with self-driving cars, now that state lawmakers have given the idea their blessing. The state Senate recently approved a bill that will allow for testing of autonomous vehicles on public roads. Tests would require a human driver to be in the
Energy
What will it take to provide reliable electricity to more people across the Philippines? The country’s largest distributor of electrical power sees an answer in better, smarter computing and smart-grid technology. Manila Electric Company (Meralco) is enlisting the help of Cisco to take a “holistic approach” to electricity service
transport
It’s the largest smart-vehicle test of its kind ever conducted: some 3,000 cars, trucks and buses in Ann Arbor, Michigan, are now “talking” to one another in an unprecedented test to see how wireless technology could help improve traffic safety. The just-launched Safety Pilot Model Deployment is designed
energy storage
Imagine being far from the comforts of home — maybe hiking through a remote wilderness or patrolling a war zone — but still certain you can keep your cellphone charged … simply by walking. That could soon be possible, thanks to a new kind of power cell developed by researchers at the Georgia
nanotechnology
The concept of electronic skin might sound far-fetched, but it’s closer to becoming a reality with a wide range of potential uses. So-called smart gloves, for example, could allow medical students to practice virtual surgery that felt like the real thing. Flexible material embedded with circuitry could also be