The Chevy Volt

The Chevy Volt is definitely a good choice in the steps being taken to make our country Go Green! The Chevy Volt has an electric motor with a battery that can provide up to 40 miles of range on a single charge! While you are driving a gas engine kicks in to recharge your battery. Since most people drive less than 40 miles a day this means unlike the Prius the Volt could get drivers completely off gas altogether. By having an electric motor with a battery to charge it is safer for the environment because their will be less fumes going into the air!



http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854120,00.html

The World's Fastest Computer

The World’s fastest Computer which is nicknamed the "Road Runner" was invented on May 26th at 3:30 in the morning. It is an $133 million dollar supercomputer and it broke the long sought after petaflop barrier; 1 quadrillion calculations per second. The "Roadrunner" was built by IBM for Los Alamos National Laboratory and its primary use will be to simulate the effects of aging on nuclear weapons! Imagine using this computer to do your homework!

http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1852747_1854195_1854123,00.html

Bionic Hand

Touch Bionics have developed the first ever Bionic Hand which is probably greatly appreciated by people who have been born without a hand or lost their hand due to an accident. The Bionic Hand has a very strong grip to be able to grasp objects and hold them for long periods of time. Also, the hand actually has fingers that each have their own motor which is called the I Limb! Touch Bionics are now working on the invention of a prosthetic wrist and full Bionic Arm. Imagine the things a person could accomplish by having their entire arm back after losing it! Having a Bionic Hand is definitely a lot safer for a person because they are able to use their hand properly and not have to struggle to get things or do things on their own!

http://inventorspot.com/articles/top_ten_inventions_2008_21971

Camera for the Blind

Never in my life did I think that the day would come that a blind person could have a camera and be able to look at pictures! Well that day has come and the camera is called the Touch Sight Camera. The photographer holds the camera up to their forehead, and a Braille-like screen makes a raised image of whatever the lens sees. It can also record up to three seconds of sound after each image is taken; this makes it possible for the impaired-vision user to search through libraries of their saved photos. This is an amazing invention and I think it is going to be used very often by Vision-impaired individuals. The Touch Sight Camera is very safe for impaired vision users because it allows them to use their braille to figure out what pictures they are looking at!

http://inventorspot.com/articles/top_ten_inventions_2008_21971

Preparing to be Safe in America

The tragic events of September 11, 2001 made many Americans fear for their public safety. Americans, for perhaps the first time in their lives, felt threatened as they went about everyday tasks like going to work or school, riding a train, plane or subway or relaxing in their homes. Some citizens built bunkers and stock-piled food and supplies to survive potential future threats.
The United States Department of Homeland Security was established by the Federal Government for the purpose of protecting Americans from any large scale national disaster such as terrorist attacks or natural disasters (hurricanes, tornadoes, floods).
http://www.dhs.gov/files/prepresprecovery.shtm

Many varied technologies will be developed to fight the war on terrorism and safeguard American Citizens. Citivas Group, a security consulting firm, lists the the most critical areas that are seeing a surge in innovative technologies. HomelandSecurityTechnologieshttp://www.cfr.org/publication/14827/homeland_security_technologies.html

“Technology on the Front Lines
The array of homeland security technologies is as varied as the perceived threats to national security. Industry experts and market analysts generally agree that the following sectors will likely see an influx of technologies in the coming years. They are listed in order of spending projections (PDF) from the Civitas Group, a security consulting firm.
Domestic and Foreign Intelligence
Law Enforcement and Counterterrorism
Border and Physical Security
Biological, Radiological, and Chemical Agent Prevention
Emergency Preparedness and Response
Aviation Security
Port Security
Detection Devices
Biometric Identification
ID Cards
Surveillance
Data Storage
Behavioral Profiling”

The Federal Emergency Management Association (FEMA) developed a public education campaign called Ready America to urge Americans to be prepared for possible future terrorist attacks or natural disasters. The three steps emphasized by FEMA in their public education campaign are “prepare, plan and stay informed.” FEMA encourages citizens to take the first steps to prepare for possible emergencies by making a basic home emergency supply kit. Items to include are listed below from Ready America’s website:
http://www.ready.gov/america/npm09/getakit.html

"When preparing for a possible emergency situation, it's best to think first about the basics of survival: fresh water, food, clean air and warmth.
Recommended Items to Include in a Basic Emergency Supply Kit:
§ Water, one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, for drinking and sanitation
§ Food, at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food
§ Battery-powered or hand crank radio and a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert and extra batteries for both
§ Flashlight and extra batteries
§ First aid kit
§ Whistle to signal for help
§ Dust mask, to help filter contaminated air and plastic sheeting and duct tape to shelter-in-place
§ Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for personal sanitation
§ Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
§ Can opener for food (if kit contains canned food)
§ Local maps
§ Cell phone with chargers
Additional Items to Consider Adding to an Emergency Supply Kit:
§ Prescription medications and glasses
§ Infant formula and diapers
§ Pet food and extra water for your pet
§ Important family documents such as copies of insurance policies, identification and bank account records in a waterproof, portable container
§ Cash or traveler's checks and change
§ Emergency reference material such as a first aid book or information from www.ready.gov
§ Sleeping bag or warm blanket for each person. Consider additional bedding if you live in a cold-weather climate.
§ Complete change of clothing including a long sleeved shirt, long pants and sturdy shoes. Consider additional clothing if you live in a cold-weather climate.
§ Household chlorine bleach and medicine dropper – When diluted nine parts water to one part bleach, bleach can be used as a disinfectant. Or in an emergency, you can use it to treat water by using 16 drops of regular household liquid bleach per gallon of water. Do not use scented, color safe or bleaches with added cleaners.
§ Fire Extinguisher
§ Matches in a waterproof container
§ Feminine supplies and personal hygiene items
§ Mess kits, paper cups, plates and plastic utensils, paper towels
§ Paper and pencil
§ Books, games, puzzles or other activities for children "

Additional information on how to prepare for national emergencies is also available on the Ready America website. http://www.ready.gov/america/npm09/getakit.html

Home Fire Sprinkler Systems Save Lives

Modern Technology has given the world many developments that combat the devastating effects of fire. The further development of modern fire sprinkler systems has allowed us to adapt this remarkable technology previously used only in commercial buildings for home use. Many communities (including Buckingham Township in Bucks County, Pa.) now require the installation of home sprinkler systems in newly constructed homes.

This wonderful scientific invention protects society from the ravages of fire by safeguarding lives and property. The artistic design of modern sprinkler heads fits beautifully and discreetly into the architecture of homes. Insurance companies discount premiums for homeowner insurance for individuals who have sprinkler systems in their homes.

These facts from the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition emphasize the importance of fire sprinkler systems in homes:

http://www.homefiresprinkler.org/Consumer/ConsSprinklersmarts.html

"-more than 4,000 people die annually in fires.

-the combination of installing smoke detectors and a fire sprinkler system reduces home death risk from fire by 82%.

-home sprinklers can contain and/or extinguish a fire before the fire company arrives.

-only the sprinkler closeset to the fire activates and sprays the fire; 90% of fires in sprinklered homes are contained by the action of a single sprinkler head. "

Please watch Tim Carter of Ask the builder.com discuss the design and installation of life-saving home sprinkler systems. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Oopso3qudc