Looks like a conveyor, works like a wind turbine
Those attending the recent Windpower 2013 exhibition could get a first-hand explanation of the Looped Airfoil Wind Turbine, a concept said to overcome shortcomings of horizontal wind turbines. Devised by a startup called EverLift Inc. in Nassau, Del., the device looks a little like a conveyor belt with airfoils for cleats. The airfoils cut through the wind and push the belt along. Electric generators would be driven by the moving chain via a rack-and-pinion setup.
Scenes from Windpower 2013
Regardless of what you might think of wind energy as a power source, wind turbine technology can be pretty interesting.
"They sound like the Millennium Falcon"
Could an electric car someday run at Indy? It’s a distinct possibility judging by developments in Formula 1 racing. Starting next year, all-electric cars will have their own racing class running under the auspices of the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), the same organization that handles Formula 1 racing.
Rotary actuators keep a level playing field
Camera operators roaming the sidelines of football games televised on ESPN these days have an easier time keeping up with the action on the field thanks to the clever combination of rotary actuators, a digital bubble level, and automated TV cameras
A better idea for patent reform
News reports say the U.S. Patent Office recently was quite busy because of a change in patent law that took effect March 16
Wind power without wind turbines
Electrostatic wind power harvests wind energy with no turbine blades, gearboxes, or other expensive hardware. But there are still challenges to be overcome before the concept is ready for prime time.
Less wind than you might think
A recent analysis of worldwide wind energy by UNC and Harvard researchers indicates that geophysical and climate considerations reduce the amount of energy available for harvest from the wind to well below prior estimates.
Sequestration frustration for R&D
As federal budget cuts kick in under the procedures known as sequestration, one of the more hotly debated casualties will be research and development funding
