Renewable Energy From the Deep Ocean
Reference Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x59MptHscxY&feature=player_embedded
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YouTube
Nanowires create volts of electricity
Man jogging with MP3 player around his neck (iStockphoto)
Every move you make, every step you take, you could soon be generating electricity according to a group of scientists in the United States.
By cramming 20,000 nanowires into three square centimetres, scientists from Georgia Tech’s Nano Research Group have created the world’s first device powered solely by piezoelectric materials.
A piezoelectric material is something that, when pushed or pulled, generates a mild electrical charge.
The researchers at Georgia Tech hope within three to five years piezoelectric nanowires, woven into a cotton shirt or housed in a shoe heel, could charge a cell phone or laptop battery after even a short walk.
“This is a key step to designing technology that will be useful in the near future,” says Professor Zhong Lin Wang co-author of two new papers in Nature Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials.
Squeezing out volts
Quartz and cane sugar crystals are common piezoelectric materials; when pressure is applied, a very small electrical current is produced.
But over the last five to six years, scientists have worked with cheap zinc oxide and powerful lead zirconate titanate or PZT.
While the power generated from these materials has steadily risen into the millivolt range, it hasn’t yet produced enough to actually power a device.
Now, according to the two new papers published by Wang’s group at Georgia Tech, piezoelectrics can generate voltages up to 1.26 volts, and soon will produce voltages much higher than that.
Wang and colleagues used plentiful and easy-to-manipulate zinc oxide nanowires to create their nanogenerator. An individual zinc oxide nanowire is so tiny that it’s invisible to the human eye, measuring anywhere between 50 and 200 nanometres across and about five microns in length.
Twenty thousand nanowires, placed side by side and end to end, covers three square centimetres, with two thin electrodes hanging off either end.
This unique arrangement maximises the electricity the piezoelectric nanowires can create. The wires work with each other, amplifying the electrical charge to record levels as the single layer is pushed back and forth with the most gentle of nudges.
Greater potential
Pushing the arranged nanowires harder or faster would bump the power output up to 30 times without damaging the device. If more powerful, and more expensive, gallium nitride replaced the cheap zinc oxide nanowires the power output could increase another 10 times.
That’s more than enough energy to power most consumer devices, if the piezoelectric material were in motion constantly.
If a device weren’t in constant motion however, no energy would flow, and any electrical device connected to the nanowires would shut off. For laptops and cell phones, which have batteries build into them, this doesn’t matter; the electricity from the nanowires will charge the battery.
An extra few minutes of talk time would be great for cell phone owners, but Wang envisions these nanowires powering a range of electrical devices.
Other tiny piezoelectric-powered devices could sense fires and gather weather data in areas outside the reach of traditional power grids. To power such small sensors Wang will create tiny batteries or supercapacitors to store the electricity generated by his advanced piezoelectric nanowires.
Other scientists are enthusiastic about the new nanowires.
“I think the major accomplishment is that typical piezoelectric nanowires can produce about 30 millivolts,” says Professor Liwei Lin of the University of California, Berkeley , who also does piezoelectric research. “This time [Wang] actually got a huge output.”
Commercial products
Lin’s work is in creating single piezoelectric nanowires much longer than Wang’s, long enough to be woven into clothing.
It will likely be three to five years before either Wang’s or Lin’s work will be found in a commercial product, but Lin notes that piezoelectrics has made tremendous progress during the last few years, much of it led by Wang. The next few years will be even more exciting.
“My prediction is that in the next few years you will see commercial products,” says Lin.
Reference Link
http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2010/04/26/2882671.htm?site=science&topic=latest
Courtesy
ABC
IGI Airport-New Terminal-Accessible to persons with disabilities
NEW DELHI: To ensure that T3 is inclusive and accessible to persons with disabilities several measures have been taken to make the terminal barrier free.
For instance there are no level changes for passengers flying out of Delhi. The departure drop off area, check in area, security clearance and immigration zones along with the gate hold areas are on a single level. Starting from the gate hold area to the passenger boarding bridges to the aircraft, access is through gently sloped ramps.
Similarly disembarkation from the aircraft, proceeding to immigration and baggage claim areas before exiting on to the taxi / bus boarding ramp are all laid out on the same level.
Specially marked drop off points along with tactile strips would guide passengers from the drop off area to the terminal. Strategically located help phones on the curb side would enable passengers to contact the DIAL help desk. At this help desk, passengers can contact their respective airlines for a reserved wheelchair service.
Special needs
A separate area would also be earmarked for passengers with special needs in the check-in hall. Some of the check-in desks and all information desks would have reduced counter top heights to make things easier for wheelchair passengers.
The width of the security check points and the passage ways through immigration would be designed for easy wheelchair access. Writing podiums of a reduced height would also be provided for completing the immigration forms. Within the terminal, the flight information screens would be at a suitable height for easy reading.
The DIAL help desk assistance facilities would also be extended to unaccompanied minors travelling via IGI airport.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/26/stories/2010042656950400.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
How Vengeri went the organic way
VS will unveil State’s organic farming policy here on May 9
FARM IN EVERY HOMESTEAD:City Corporation Ward 7 councillor K.C. Anilkumar at a snake-gourd farm at Vengeri village where organic farming has been the norm for the past four years.
Kozhikode: Vengeri village, forming Ward 7 on the fringes of the city Corporation, seems to be the right choice for unveiling the State’s organic farming policy and launching an organic manure venture of Fertilisers and Chemicals Travancore Ltd. by Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan on May 9.
For the past four years, no chemical fertilizer or pesticide has been used at Vengeri. More importantly, all residential and vacant plots within this ward grow vegetable and fruit-bearing trees.
Before 2006, Vengeri’s story was like that of other places in the State. Dreams of Public Service Commission recruitment and jobs in the Gulf were foremost on every youth’s mind and farming, the traditional occupation of the people, was suffering.
When K.C. Anilkumar was elected as an independent from the ward in 2005, a socio-economic survey of the 1,824 houses here, done to ascertain what people expected from their councillor, showed that seven persons, predominantly women, suffered from cancer.
Toward self-sufficiency
The faculty of the Pathology Department at the Kozhikode medical college told Mr. Anilkumar that consumption of vegetables grown using fertilizers and pesticides could be responsible. He then rallied support for a campaign to make the ward self-sufficient in food and use of only organic manure to grow the crops.
“Now everyone is talking about food security and organic farming. When we started in 2006, the Agriculture Department was sceptical. Now, they actively support us,” Babu Parambath, coordinator of the agricultural activities, says. In 2007, it was decided to raise paddy on 10 acres as a community effort. Agriculture officials said the effort was bound to fail as seeds, labour and organic manure were scarce and the youth would not cooperate.
“We got ‘mundakan’ seeds from an old Vengeri farmer. Sixty-one houses owned cows here but the cow dung provided by just 20 households was sufficient for manure. When the Principal of Providence College asked for 100 students, 175 NSS members from the college volunteered,” Mr. Anilkumar says about the first season. Soon, the 12 residents’ associations and the 36 Kudumbasree units in the ward joined in. In 2008, a large-scale vegetable farming initiative began on 12.5 acres, armed with a government subsidy of Rs.50,000.
The vegetables harvested that year included spinach, okra, bitter-gourd, snake-gourd, pumpkin, cucumber and brinjal. “We earned Rs.1.37 lakh and spent only Rs.33,000 from the subsidy. More importantly, we learnt about optimum water use, using the right manure and warding away pests,” says Mr. Parambath.
In 2009, a ‘Thousand Kitchen Gardens’ project was launched so that every household had a vegetable farm. “Today, we grow all the vegetables we need,” P.P. Mohanan, convener of Niravu, a residents’ association, says. “We also planted 15,000 plantain saplings as an extension of this project.”
Cultural renaissance
That agriculture has sparked a cultural renaissance in Vengeri is another aspect the residents are proud of. They organised a ‘Chakka Mahotsavam’ in March 2009 with 63 food items produced from jackfruit, followed by an exhibition in November showcasing 150 food items, artefacts and implements made from the coconut tree.
In January 2010 when Bt-Brinjal protests were being held across the country, Vengeri residents had a unique answer to Monsanto. The 101 households that are part of ‘Niravu’ decided to produce one lakh traditional brinjal seedlings to put up for sale.
Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran and environmental activists such as Medha Patkar and Sunderlal Bahuguna have all visited Vengeri to witness the silent revolution happening here.
“This movement goes beyond food. Youngsters join the elderly in watering and tending to plants; people away in the Gulf lease their plots for our farms taking no money,” Mr. Anilkumar says. “Our farming practices have rebuilt communities and filled a vacuum people had felt since joint families broke up.”
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/26/stories/2010042650930300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Felicitation to five journalists
Mysore: Awards instituted by journalist K.V. Srinivasan were presented to five journalists at a function at Patrakarthara Bhavan here on Sunday.
Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Award was presented to Prajavani reporter Sachit, Janakamma-Venkatappa Award to Andolana reporter K. Shashi Kumar, K.V. Srinivasan Award to Andolana reporter M. Venkatesh, Jayaparakash Narayana Youth Award to Prajavani reporter K.J. Mariyappa and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Award to Kannada Prabha reporter Dharmapura Narayana.
The former Minister M.S. Gurupadaswamy presented the awards. Journalists K.V. Srinivasan and Rajshekar Koti were present. Marathon runner Thippavva Sannakki was felicitated by the MDJA.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/26/stories/2010042656250300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
‘Missile Man' to be conferred doctorate
150 medals to be presented at AU convocation
Governor to preside over convocation
Amount for instituting awards for toppers hiked
V. K. Saraswath
VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra University will celebrate its 77 {+t} {+h} convocation for the academic year 2007-08 on May 15.
‘Missile Man’ V.K. Saraswat, Secretary of the Defence Research and Development Organisation, Scientific Advisor to the Defence Minister and Director General of DRDO, will deliver the convocation address. The university will confer honorary doctorate on him.
Vice-Chancellor Beela Satyanarayana told reporters here on Sunday that Chancellor and Governor E.S.L. Narasimhan had given approval for the convocation on the day. He will preside over the Convocation.
About 150 medals and awards would be given away, besides 60 Ph.D.s. While the university was producing about 200 Ph.D.s every year, the number for the forthcoming convocation was less as it was taking place within a short gap of the one on December 5, 2009. He said the next convocation was likely to be held in September or October.
He said the amount for instituting awards for toppers was increased from Rs. 1 lakh to Rs.1.5 lakhs and for gold medal from Rs. 2 lakhs to Rs.3 lakhs.
PG entrance test
On the applications received for PG entrance, Prof. Satyanaryana said against 41,487 applications for Andhra University alone last year, this year for the four universities – Adikavi Nannaya (Rajahmundry), B.R. Ambedkar (Srikakulam), Nagarjuna (Guntur) and Andhra University so far 40,780 applications had been received so far for PG courses. The time for submitting applications has been extended to May 5.
After separating the purviews, Adikavi Nannaya University comprising East and West Godavari would get 298 colleges followed by Andhra University 229 colleges, and Dr.B.R. Ambedkar University 96. Andhra University had to work hard to improve its financial resources, the Vice-Chancellor said.
Registrar P.G.D.V. Prasad Reddy and Rector K.M.M. Krishna Prasad were present.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/26/stories/2010042658420200.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Beauty of old age to the fore
hand-in-hand:A senior citizen helps another elderly woman at S.R.R & C.V.R Governament college in Vijayawada on Sunday.
VIJAYAWADA: So much has been said and sung about the beauty of youth, but Sunday was an occasion to wake up to the beauty of old age. The 120-odd of them, all in the twilight of their lives, exhibited commendable sportiveness that enlivened their surroundings.
The sprawling ground of the SRR & CVR Government College teemed with activity as the bunch of enthusiastic elderly persons trooped in to be part of the third anniversary celebrations of the Vayovruddha Charitable Trust, an organisation floated by a group of volunteers to assist the old and destitute septuagenarians.
Games like musical chair, brisk walk and a fancy dress, conducted as part of the annual celebration, drew enthusiastic participation. Toothless grins escaped through wrinkled faces as they tried to stand erect on their shaky legs when greeted by members of the trust.
There are compensations for growing older. It was easy to conclude that almost all of them have reached a stage of wisdom.
They may have withdrawn from active accomplishments, age may have rendered their bodies less powerful or they may have been deprived of loud enjoyments, but their eyes continue to twinkle at the thought of being cared about.
“”Respect to elders is an essential component of the Hindu culture. It is heart-warming to see these elderly persons clinging on to hope that reflects in their eyes, their energy level and the gusto with which they take life,” said A.V. Krishnam Raju, Vice-Chancellor of the Dr. NTR University of Health Sciences.
Addressing a meeting organised to distribute clothes, grocery, footwear and other material to the 120 members of the trust, the Vice-Chancellor said since the feeble body does not cooperate for physical labour in old age, the elderly lot must rely on vocational skills that can help them earn money also. He said every individual must realise his social responsibility and act accordingly. Director of the All India Radio, Vijayawada, M. Aditya Prasad, pointed out that many of the older lot were repository of wisdom.
Donations
Inspired by the good cause taken up by the trust members many individuals among the audience declared donations and other contributions.
The trust chairman Challa Harikumar listed out the various programmes taken up by the trust in the last three years and said the active support of individuals had spurred the Trust to work with a renewed vigour and reach out to a larger crowd of the needy.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/26/stories/2010042658790300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Fair deal sought for paddy farmers
water woes:Women activists holding an ‘empty-pot’ demonstration at the zilla parishad meeting hall in Khammam on Sunday.
KHAMMAM: Members of all political parties voiced concern at the zilla parishad general body on Sunday over the plight of farmers of NLR 2334 (Nellore sannalu) variety of paddy. The paddy variety had no takers in the district as the traders were choosy in purchases at the market yard. This variety was raised in over 10,388 hectares of area in Rabi and the production was in the order of 58,173 metric tones. The traders had been questioning the quality of the paddy in areas that experienced mite attack.
With the consent of the zilla parishad chairperson, G. Vijayalakshmi, who chaired the meeting, members had unanimously adopted a resolution appealing to the government for market intervention methods.
Dodda Ramesh, CPI ZPTC from Konijerla demanded steps to buy the NLR 2334 variety at Rs 1030 per quintal.
CPI(M) demo
Women activists of the CPI(M), who came in a rally from their office, staged an ‘empty-pot’ demonstration in front of the meeting hall for drawing the attention of the officials and elected representatives. They made a vain bid to storm into the meeting hall, but were disallowed by the police.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/26/stories/2010042650890300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
Polio-afflicted man spreads awareness
Travelling from Patna to Puri by train, he went on his tricycle mission from Puri on November 7, 2008
VELLORE: Seated on his tricycle with a banner carrying the message of polio immunisation and Hepatitis-B (H-B) immunisation, 33-year Arabind Kumar Mishra was seen criss-crossing the streets of Vellore for the last four days.
Asked about his mission, Mr. Mishra, a bachelor and himself afflicted with polio from the age of one, said that he was on a tour in his tricycle from Puri in Orissa to Goa, to spread awareness among the people about the possibility of preventing the dreaded polio and Hepatitis-B through immunisation. He said that since there were no facilities for polio immunisation at the time of his birth, his parents could not prevent his infection. Therefore, he took upon himself the mission of travelling throughout the country in his tricycle to spread awareness about the possibility of preventing both polio and H-B through immunisation. He took the help of the police and government officials for translating his messages in the local language. In Vellore, N. Arivuselvam, Superintendent of Police, Vellore district, gave him a letter addressed to all Station House Officers of police stations from Vellore up to the Vellore-Kancheepuram district border requesting them to assist him in his task of conveying the message.
Mr. Mishra, who hails from the village of Sadaveh near Patna, said that he travelled from Patna to Puri by train, and went on his tricycle mission from Puri on November 7, 2008. Having visited Orissa, Chattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh, he came to Vellore from Chittoor 4 days ago. He would be leaving for Kancheepuram on Sunday, and go to Chennai. His further journey would be to Puducherry, Kanyakumari, Madurai, Kerala and Karnataka before reaching Goa.
Reference Link
http://www.hindu.com/2010/04/26/stories/2010042651040300.htm
Courtesy
The Hindu
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