Technology Intelligence Unit

The Regulation of Nanotechnology

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 18:57:00 +0000

Over the last two decades, advancements in nanotechnology have prompted a wide range of new products and applications, especially in the areas of energy, medicine, and the environment. Products currently utilizing nanoscale materials include batteries, displays on cell phones and laptops, neutralizing powder for gas and liquid toxins, and jumbotron lamps in athletic stadiums – but this is only a small sample of the broad applications of nanotechnology. Its rapid development is leading to more innovations in drugs that can access targeted parts of the body, sensors to detect diseases in their early stages, and greater possibilities for nanomanufacturing. New water-filtration techniques, moreover, may prove effective in helping people around the world gain access to clean water. Everything from transistors to sunglasses to solar plastics can and have been improved due to these exciting studies.

As the field of nanotechnology continues to impress the world with its seemingly unlimited applications, scientists and policymakers are working together to ensure its responsible development. All players involved in the research, development, and application of these new technologies are working to maximize benefits to society while also paying careful attention to potential risks and risk management strategies. Because nanotechnology is so revolutionary, it requires the development of an equally innovative regulatory framework to oversee its progress.

In an effort to create that regulatory structure, government regulatory bodies are springing up all over the world. The US, for instance, established the FDA Nanotechnology Task Force in 2006 and also created the National Nanotechnology Initiative to support safe and ethical research. Similar methods are being implemented by the European Commission across the EU. Nonetheless, engineered nanoparticles are not currently subject to much special regulation, especially in the areas of production, handling, and labeling, and there are few studies on which to base our knowledge of the potential risks. With a highly interdependent world, it is, moreover, vital that cooperation across borders – among governments, academia, and industry – exists as well to mitigate future regulatory problems.

Those few studies, however, give reason for concern as they show that the smaller airborne particles, the more toxic and the higher their chemical reactivity become. Everyone agrees that risk assessment methods currently in place cannot adequately address these potential issues. Likewise, little information is available on the effects of these particles on human physiology.

The threat of nanoparticles comes from two arenas: the free nanoparticles that may be airborne and those which form composites with other materials. The health and environmental impact of free nanoparticles is the area most focused on due to the particles’ great mobility and reactivity. These particles may be injected, inhaled, absorbed, or swallowed, and yet data on how they behave once inside an organ is still limited. In addition to getting inside our bodies, nanoparticles can also contaminate our water, air, soil, and plants. Again, at this time the effects of these pollutants are relatively unknown.

Despite the great uncertainties, the demonstrated benefits of nanotechnology make the furthering of knowledge in this field worth some risk. To mitigate any potential harms, a carefully considered system to regulate the advances is necessary. Because its uses fall under so many categories, nanotechnology must be defined as a “combination product” and product review is somewhat more complex than normal due to its extreme size. In response to these difficulties, many recommendations have been made regarding the proper regulatory framework.

Without a doubt, the most essential element is continued research into the effects of nanoscale materials and the effectiveness of products. Rules guiding required disclosure of information by manufacturers may also assist in the accumulation of this data. The global scientific community, moreover, plays an important role and cooperation must be encouraged. Despite the rapidly changing scene, transparent and reliable regulatory pathways should be put in place – narrow enough to be meaningful, but general enough to accommodate for future developments.

While regulation is absolutely essential, policymakers must also be cautious that they do not stifle the development of this now booming industry. The excitement generated over the ways in which nanotechnology is already employed is only matched by the very real and significant impact that it promises to make in the next year, two years, ten years, and beyond. In the not-so-distant future, we can expect to see rising prominence of nanoscale innovations in the drugs we use, the energy we generate, the digital technologies we use, and so much more.

By Lauren Barr

Integrated fluidic circuits: a revolution in genetics research

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 15:39:00 +0000

Fluidigm Corporation was founded in 1999 to commercialize integrated fluid circuits (IFC) – a technology developed by biophysicist Stephen Quake, PhD. Although scientists predicted the emergence of this technology decades ago, there was a fundamental problem with the materials they were using, and the known techniques for controlling electric circuits were not easily transferable to account for the properties of liquids. In 1998, Dr. Quake led a team at the California Institute of Technology to solve the problem by developing multilayer soft lithography. Using a rubber-like material, he was able to create an effective seal to replace silicon as the material of choice and the resulting valve was trademarked as NanoFlex™. Out of this innovation, integrated fluid circuits and Fludigm was born.

Today, Fluidigm’s mission is to “create and to lead a new industry based on integrated fluidic circuits.” Recent product innovations seek to reduce cost per experiment and promote great leaps in productivity. Product lines include the TOPAZ® system for protein crystallization (2002) and the BioMark™ Real-Time PCR System for gene expression and genotyping (2006). Fluidigm’s portfolio includes more than 80 US patents and over 240 pending international patents with licenses coming from top institutions including Caltech, Harvard, and University of Alabama.

The applications of IFCs are numerous. The BioMark™ system introduces a useful solution for copy number variation studies and maximizes efficiency for gene-expression analysis. In addition, it helps overcome obstacles for measuring relative gene expression within single cells and can be used for mid-multiplex genotyping as well. The TOPAZ® Screening Chips raise the efficiency in protein crystallization. Also, the SlingShot™ Kit quickly sequences and measures the concentration of DNA with great accuracy.

Fluidigm has a strong team comprised of leading scientists, advisors, and highly qualified management. CEO, president, and co-founder Gajus Worthington has been a leader in the company from the beginning. Before Fludigm, he served in staff and management positions at Actel Corporation. Worthington graduated from Stanford with a B.S. in Physics and an M.S. in Electrical Engineering. Fluidigm’s other co-founder, Dr. Stephen Quake, serves as chair of the Scientific Advisory Board. He also co-chairs the bioengineering department at Stanford University and is an investigator for the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. He holds degrees in Mathematics and Physics from Stanford and Oxford.

Fluidigm had hopes to go public earlier this year, though they have halted those efforts until more stable financial times. Nonetheless, Fludigm Corp’s has fourteen investment firms fueling their continued growth. Among the funders are Euclid SR Partners, InterWest Partners, Versant Ventures, and Lilly BioVentures.

Based in San Francisco, California, Fludigm distributes their products throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. They have effectively cornered the microfluids market with their numerous patents and partnerships. In 2003, GlaxoSmithKline became the first major company to utilize IFC systems, and now all top 20 pharmaceutical companies rely on Fluidigm’s techniques. In addition, over 20 academic labs and many biotechnology companies are consistently finding new ways to implement IFCs.

Fluidigm’s methods are attractive because they replace the expensive chemicals and materials needed for alternative robotic systems, allowing samples to be stretched farther. IFCs are small, precise, and versatile; the reactions are observable due to clear elastomers that make up the IFCs; less sample and reagent is needed to get sufficient results; and the process is far gentler on living cells than its robotic counterparts.

As the company continues to develop and distribute its innovative IFC systems, the potential for advancing life science and like fields – including molecular diagnostics, personalized medicine, and wildlife conservation – is becoming more and more apparent. According to the official website, IFCs “are doing for life science what integrated circuits have done for computing,” thus likening it to the revolution that occurred in the electronics industry when the integrated circuit (on which IFCs are based) replaced transistors and wiring and thus ignited an age of rapid advancement. The tools that Fluidigm is developing may provide similar impetus in the field of biotechnology.

By Lauren Barr

What makes information useful?: The Promise of Niche Search

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 20:13:00 +0000

As technologies develop to find more precise answers to people’s questions by advancing structured data techniques, queries and knowledge bases, the underlying question of how the retrieved information is catalyzed may still remain unanswered. The impact of these technologies lies in the value of generating knowledge from the information given in answer to a question. But certain questions remain: Will the answers generated be precise enough? Is the information presented well enough to create tangible and valuable knowledge to the benefit of the user?

Structured data generators can already create tangible knowledge in a business setting, allowing a company to function more effectively. An Ontario-based startup, Open Text, provides such enterprise content management technologies to businesses. Businesses use this and similar technologies to organize and manage their information. The technologies provided by Open Text help to convert this information to knowledge through tight organization and ease of accessibility.

C. Lee Giles a professor of information sciences and technology at Pennsylvania State University suggests that search engines may someday be completely individualized. Users will design their own directories based on their own personal needs and interests. “Already, you can download the software to build your own small engine,” Giles highlights. A more practical solution, at least in the short term, is what Giles calls the niche search engine, designed specifically to meet the needs of a group of people with similar interests: employees of a company or members of a profession, for example. By limiting its crawling to a specific subject area, the niche engine can burrow deeper, providing more consistently useful information.

A prime example is CiteSeer, a tool that Giles and colleague, Steve Lawrence created for the field of computer and information science. CiteSeer crawls the growing body of computer-science literature available on the web and ignores everything else. Because the amount of information it finds relevant is relatively small, it can offer users important features that generic engines can’t. In addition to allowing for keyword search, for example, CiteSeer indexes all its documents by citation. It even provides the context of each citation for easy reference, as well as links to citing documents, authors, and institutions. “It can help users see how important a given article has been within the field, and show the relationships between ideas,” Giles says. CiteSeer also allows users to submit links and content updates, making it more current and accurate than generic engines. It can do all these things automatically, Giles says, because its searches are strictly limited — to one subject area, but also to a single, standardized type of document: the scientific paper. Within its specialized realm, CiteSeer has proved itself tremendously useful. The engine now catalogs some 500,000 papers, and adds 10,000 more every month, Giles says. It receives over 100,000 visits per day. As another measure of its perceived value, a significant portion of the papers it now indexes are not found and retrieved by its crawler but are submitted by its users.

CiteSeer’s success has inspired Giles to build similar tools for other “domains.” Early this year, he unveiled eBizSearch, a niche engine for practitioners and students of e-business, built on the same software platform that powers CiteSeer. “The same thing can be done for biotechnology, or physics, or any other clearly defined subject area.”

Knowledge becomes tangible when it is organized and accessible, which is what these technologies strive to produce. As the organization of information becomes more detailed, so will precision in the answers to questions. Some analysts say a narrow focus better satisfies a search term. General search companies could benefit from creating niche- focused engines that search through industry specific databases focused, for example, on health care, travel, or medicine. By building a brand in different niches, companies could gain a steadily growing, loyal audience that could then be attracted to a more general service. The key the search market is reliability and accuracy in generated answers and niche search platforms have been demonstrating both.

By Kiran Sarabu

Finally, Desktop Video Conferencing in HD

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:03:00 +0000

Vidyo, Inc. is based in Hackensack, New Jersey and supplies low-cost, high-quality video-conferencing solutions. Vidyo provides leading price, performance and video quality conferencing based on its intellectual property in Scalable Video Coding. SVC is a standard of video compression that is an extension of H.264/MPEG-4 AVC, or Advanced Video Coding. According to Market Watch, Vidyo provides “high-quality video and network resiliency at an attractive cost to every desktop, including remote workers.”

Traditional H.264/AVC video coding is susceptible to transmission errors. Scalable Video Coding, however, relies upon a high-quality bitstream of video that contains subset bitstreams. These subsets can be decoded individually to H.264/AVC quality. SVC addresses the problems of transmission degradation and connection quality. Vidyo’s technology sends packets of information to end users only at the rate the connection can handle. The technology has applications in streaming, conferencing, surveillance, broadcast, and storage of video. SVC technology was standardized in July 2007 and Vidyo has been one of the first companies to leverage the recent standard’s approval.

Vidyo has gone through several rounds of VC funding and, according to InformationWeek, has been signing video conferencing service providers; Cisco has licensed Vidyo’s IP for its Unified Communications desktop suite. Vidyo is especially cost effective through its use of Intel processors instead of more expensive Digital Signal Processor (DSP) chips. Vidyo operates subscription-based pricing of $30/year per desktop, creating stable cash flow.

Vidyo’s competitors in internet-based or high-definition videoconferencing include Cisco’s WebEx, MegaMeeting.com, ACT Conferencing, and Tandberg. However, few firms combine the two elements or retain IP in Scalable Video Coding. Vidyo’s peers are competing in a rapidly growing industry. A Global IP Solutions white paper found “the global market for videoconferencing endpoints was $1.1 billion in 2007, and will grow to $3.9 billion in 2014."

Vidyo’s low-cost, general IP network videoconferencing technology is easy to bring into locations previously inaccessible by HD-quality videoconferencing. Vidyo will allow small, disparate offices of large companies to inexpensively communicate with each other through videoconferencing. In turn, this increase in communications has the possibility of improving the firm’s efficiency and allowing lower level employees from around the world to network through telepresence. During the XXIX Olympic Games, the Royal Yachting Association of England used Vidyo technology to stay connected with support staff in Qingdao, China. Additionally, IP videoconferencing has applications in remote locations. Vidyo has partnered with Attend Anywhere, the industry leader in remote medical services, to supply HD videoconferencing via desktops.

Vidyo also has an experienced leadership team behind it. Ofer Shapiro is the President, CEO, and co-founder. Before starting Vidyo, Shapiro developed the first IP video conferencing bridge and gatekeeper technology for Radvision. According to Shapiro’s company biography, he “was also a contributor and one of the editors of the H.323 standard” He also has “over fifteen years of experience in bringing disruptive technology to market.” Vidyo’s co-founder and Chief Scientist, Dr. Alex Eleftheriadis, is an award-winning researcher with “over 17 years of research experience in video compression and communications.” He has also taught Electrical Engineering at Columbia University. According to Vidyo’s website, “Dr. Eleftheriadis has more than 100 publications, holds 12 patents, has served as the Editor of the MPEG-4 Systems specification, and is currently co-editor of the H.264 SVC Conformance specification.”

Vidyo is well positioned to market desktop HD videoconferencing solutions. The company has an IP lead and experience in the industry and should be able to create a sustainable market niche.

By Doug Bojack

“Your Candidate Has Sent You a Video”: The Use of Viral Media in Modern Political Campaigns

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 15:16:00 +0000

As the US Presidential election has come to a close, we thought it would be interesting to briefly examine the use of web 2.0 applications in the campaign and compare them to the technology trends that emerged during previous campaigns.

While pervasive use of web 2.0 applications like Facebook, Flickr, MySpace and Twitter has allowed individuals (especially younger generations) to easily get involved as campaign supporters or pundits from their dorm rooms or workplaces, a more surprising trend emerged later in the campaign period. Web 2.0 portals like Facebook and MySpace allowed individuals to broadcast not only their opinions and preferences, but also to distribute viral video advertisements created by the presidential campaigns and also by individual supporters.

Viral videos are short video clips that are uploaded to the web for the purpose of stating an opinion, promoting a cause and connecting to the large audience in a cheap, direct and interactive way. Some of the companies that have been on the forefront of viral video include: You Tube, Brightcove, and CnnBCvideo. Candidates leverage these venues by creating online channels to publish announcements and advertisement videos that encourage supporters to organize efficiently, while garnering their attention and support. Soon before last night's election, a viral video made by CnnBCVideos, began circulating on the web. The video encouraged voters to vote because one vote can make a difference, while showing them the resentful reaction of the public when they become the cause of a failed election.

The ease of viral distribution over the internet has been demonstrated in previous presidential campaigns’ strategies, perhaps most notably in Howard Dean’s bid in 2004. Dean relied on the use of blogs and social networking sites like “meetup”, which allows members to find and join common interest groups within their own community, to circulate his political agenda, facilitate group meetings, and organize collection of a large amount of contributions. Subsequently, in 2007, Ron Paul made his first online video interview that took place in a college dorm room, allowing him to discuss “his views on foreign policy, the Constitution, and the impact of the internet on his Presidential campaign”. This paved the way for more web-friendly campaigns that are able to reach out to important demographics of voters, not only in an economical way, but more importantly through a method of social interaction that mimics their normal interpersonal communication channels.

As individuals (especially in younger generations) continue to adopt newer and more innovative communications technologies to share ideas with one another it will continue to be important for political campaigns at all levels to leverage these same platforms. Engaging the citizenry by involving them in discussions about topics that directly affect them is important, but in order to increase civic engagement it is equally important to allow younger generations to be politically active using the same technology that became part of their daily lives. Presidential hopeful John Edwards believed in the power of social networks as fertile grounds for mass mobilization but his use of Second Life, a 3-D virtual world created by its residents, came perhaps a few years ahead of its time as Second Life does not yet have the critical mass of users to have a deciding impact on a campaign. As the prominence of virtual reality is increasing rapidly, however, Second Life could become one of the game-changing technologies used in upcoming elections.

The Key to Cheap Printed Electronics

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 19:14:00 +0000

TIU has seen promise in recent months of printed electronics as a new standard for electronic circuitry. Electronic circuits would be mapped out on a computer and printed onto thin and flexible substrates using traditional (ink-jet or screen) printing methods. In addition to the promise of thinner, lighter, and more versatile electronic devices, including long-dreamed-of products like self-changing text on paper, printed electronics also has a potential advantage of possibly drastically lowering production costs and augmenting production capacities. For that promise to be realized, however, certain obstacles with the available materials must be overcome.

Researchers have recently been interested in the possible use of organic compounds, like those used with much success in OLEDs, for the conductive inks for printed devices. Thus far, however, the small organic molecules that have been found to reach the conductivity standards of silicon, are very difficult to deposit in a stable, uniform film. Large molecule organic semiconductors are well-suited to create stable thin films, but do not have nearly the same conductivity of their smaller-molecule counterparts.

A team from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and Seoul National University (SNU) have made inroads on this problem by creating a new type of organic semiconductors that are more stable and easily controlled than existing compounds. In their paper entitled “Structure and properties of small molecule-polymer blend semiconductors for organic thin film transistors”, the team of researchers found a polymer which distributes itself evenly on the top and bottom of a film substrate. The active region on the bottom of the film signifies a major breakthrough towards large-scale manufacturing. Also, the researchers have found that their specific blend of polymer and organic semiconductors offers better performance than the organic semiconductor alone.

Thus, companies who are beginning to commercialize printed electronic devices have a great deal to look forward to with regards to the disruptive effects of printed electronics on the larger electronics market in the future. The development of new conductive materials and their methods of distribution onto substrates in the laboratory will continue to drive down the cost of printed electronics to levels that will completely transform the entire market for electronic devices. Widespread vetting and funding of the academic research in materials sciences will allow for the printed electronics market to fulfill its potential.

Improving Fiber Optic Networks

noreply@blogger.com (Arman Belding) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:16:00 +0000

Based in Livermore, CA, Alloptic is an advanced computing company focusing on producing hardware for improving fiber optic networks. Originally founded in 1999 and re-started in 2005 due to a revival of technological demand, Alloptic provides high bandwidth devices for phone and cable companies which are able to improve connectivity between their diverse networks and consumers. Optical access technology creates bridges between various communication and information services including traditional telephone service, Ethernet service, and radio frequency (RF) video service. This is done through a single passive optical distribution platform which utilizes Passive Optical Networking (PON). Alloptic hardware enables commercial and private network operators to converge communications, entertainment, security and automation resulting in higher bandwidth and quality of service.

One of the key components to Alloptic hardware is the use of PON (Passive Optical Networking). Pennnet.com explains the value of PON technology: “Passive optical networks offer several advantages compared to active optical/electrical (O/E) systems such as low cost, high reliability, and the absence of maintenance requirements at intermediate network points.” In December 2007, Alloptic was able to gather $24 million in investments from its two primary contributors, Arcapita Ventures and Ritchie Capital Management. The global demand for improved and expanded optic networking is increasing, and is expected to continue to do so as networks and connectivity become key components to many business operations. Alloptic is considered by many to be a global leader in its field. In 2008, the market for fiber optic connectors is estimated at $1.64 billion, and will be expanded to $2.5 billion by 2012.

Alloptic’s products and services have the most impact on the technology field due to their innovative nature and improvements to existing technologies. The political, environmental, or social implications of their solutions are relatively minimal in comparison. Alloptic owns patents for concepts such as ‘Multiple wavelength TDMA optical networks’ which contribute to its improvement of currently existing optical network technology.

Building a Solar-Thermal Future

noreply@blogger.com (Arman Belding) — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 21:13:00 +0000

Founded in 2006, Ausra is a technology company which focuses on solar-thermal electrical (STE) power production. STE power is an advanced form of solar power generation that utilizes heat rather than light (the method more commonly found in solar panels). Based in Palo Alto, California, this relatively young company has already netted over $40 million in investments from firms such as Khosla Ventures and Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. The attraction of investors to Ausra is that their approach to solar power focuses on utility, large-scale, and cheaply produced panels which are also able to generate more power than other designs. This improved approach utilizes compact linear fresnel reflectors (or CLFRs). According to IeeeSpectrum.com, “The mirrors appear to be solid but are actually made up of many smaller, movable reflectors, each with a slight curve. The system uses nearly flat mirrors at ground level that focus the sun's light onto water-filled steel tubes. When the water boils, it directly drives a steam turbine to generate electricity.”

Ausra’s innovations are based on technological designs by the company’s CEO, David Mills. Mills has been a researcher since 1975, and from 1980 to 2006, he conducted solar energy research at the University of Sydney in Australia. Although Fortune reports that solar power only represents roughly 1% of the power grid in the U.S., it is a booming field. In July, 2008, Ausra opened its first factory in Nevada to begin production of its thermal solar panels and mirrors. The demand for land, particularly in the ‘sun rich’ American southwest has increased dramatically in recent years. Companies such as BrightSource Energy are making a grab for acreage to get a share of what is estimated to be a solar power market worth 45 billion by 2020. With immense national and international attention being paid to the development of green technologies and renewable energy sources, it can be expected that investment in the development of solar-energy will increase. An economically viable and productive method, Ausra’s solar-thermal electrical (STE) approach is on the cutting edge of innovation for solar-energy technology.

There are numerous economic and political implications that go along with the wide-spread implementation of solar-thermal power in the United States. Ausra claims that it would only require about 8500 sq. mi. (92x92, specifically) of its CLFR panels to reduce United States green house gas emissions by 50 percent. Going further than that, it may be possible for Americans to get a majority of their power from solar energy, particularly from solar-thermal electricity, because solar-thermal is capable of being stored, and generated on demand during day or night. Such a shift towards solar-thermal and away from dependence on foreign oil would have dramatic impact on U.S. political relations with various countries around the world, particularly members of OPEC. Austra’s innovative technological foundations paired with the emerging clean-energy market (and the demand for that energy) give Ausra the potential for a strong, successful future.

NovaWave Leader in Chemical Sensor Technology

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Gold) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:17:00 +0000

NovaWave Technologies is a designer and manufacturer of advanced chemical sensors for both the military and commercial industries. The company’s proprietary technology revolves around its use of laser and photonic optical technologies to enhance sensor sensitivity, precision, and accuracy. According to NovaWave, the company’s core competencies include optical spectroscopies, laser physics, chemical detection, and microfluidics. Moreover, its staff has “pioneered numerous developments in absorption and fluorescence spectroscopies, non-linear spectroscopies, and optical scattering methods.” Given the extreme accuracy and sensitivity of NovaWave’s laser-enhanced sensors, the technology has numerous potential applications including: chemical/biological agent detection, trace explosives detection, greenhouse gas/pollution monitoring, for homeland security, metrology, biomedical applications and applied research. NovaWave offers its customers high scalability, low-cost, customizable products with rapid time-to-market. Not surprisingly, the US government, specifically the Department of Defense, has taken great interest in NovaWave’s optical technology. From 2000-2007 NovaWave has received just over $5.1 million in defense contracts and research funding. While the military certainly represents a huge market potential for NovaWave, the commercial sector is also rife with opportunities. Given the highly adaptive nature of NovaWave’s products and the vast number of potential applications of optical sensors in various industries, assessing the market value proves difficult. However, according to the-infoshop.com, by 2012 the value of the chemical sensor industry in the US will reach $5 billion. Moreover, “Demand for chemical sensors based on emerging technologies, such as optical sensors, will see the fastest gains.” Clearly, NovaWave has a long-term market lush with opportunities for investment and development.

NovaWave Technology is an advanced photonics company based in Redwood city, California. Founded in 2002, the company’s mission is to develop optically-based chemical detection instrumentation, primarily for the military but also for civilian markets. Recently NovaWave expanded research into microfluidics for biomedical applications in clinical diagnostics. NovaWave is in the process of securing partnerships with key industry leaders in order to streamline its manufacturing processes and best serve its customers.

Spintronics to Improve Computer Memory

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Gold) — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 20:13:00 +0000

Established in 2002 in Milpitas, CA, Grandis is applying the theories of spintronics to advanced computing to produce a revolutionary second generation MRAM platform. Spintronics examines the motions of electrons and the ways that spin can be exploited for various applications. When applied to the semiconductor industry, spintronics has the capability of drastically increasing the amount of memory that can be stored in increasingly smaller spaces. Grandis’ core technology is its non-volatile Spin-transer Torque Random Access Memory or STT-RAM, which it claims has a faster read/write speed than SRAM, same capacity and low cost as DRAM, and has virtually unlimited endurance. Additionally, the process by which STT-RAM is manufactured is simpler and cheaper than that of first generation MRAM. Furthermore, as the industry continues to push towards 45 nm standards, companies will be forced to adopt new manufacturing processes. Grandis’ innovation operates with high scalability beyond the 45 nm node and as such operates on extremely low power. STT-RAM is backed by more than 80 issued and pending patents worldwide, including 30 US patents. Grandis’ innovation is truly a breakthrough technology as it is derived from Grandis’ own cutting-edge research in spintronics. Since STT-RAM overcomes the limitations of other RAM designs, the technology has an array of possible applications including: automotive applications, consumer electronic applications, and commercial semiconductor applications. Moreover, according to OneSource, in 2006 the semiconductor industry was worth $45 billion in the US alone, up 4.6% from 2005. During the same time period, integrated circuits accounted for 90% of all US semiconductor sales. It seems evident that Grandis has a huge market potential in the near and long-term future. In addition, according to Grandis, STT-RAM “…has the potential to create new sectors in the semiconductor industry and enable entirely new products not yet envisaged.”

In March 2007 Grandis was awarded about $700,000 from the National Science Foundation for the development of its STT-RAM technology. More recently Grandis received about $15 million in venture funding to commercialize its product, demonstrating the commercial and technological value of STT-RAM.

CoreMedia Leader in Enterprise 2.0 Software

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Gold) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:20:00 +0000

CoreMedia is implementing innovative solutions for bridging communication gaps within and between companies, their clients, and their partners. The company employs a vast portfolio of disruptive enterprise 2.0 software in order to cheaply and efficiently network staff, clients, and partners to deliver true synergy to its customers. CoreMedia has three web-based software innovations that comprise its enterprise solution package: Content Management Systems (CMS), WebTV, and Digital Rights Management (DRM). CoreMedia’s CMS software is capable of company-wide applications and is designed to easily integrate into existing systems; thus, maximizing interoperability with existing databases. As such, the software proves applicable in intranets, public/high traffic media portals, and e-government portals. Moreover, the software is able to interface with a company’s preexisting Customer Relationship Management (CRM) databases, allowing for a cheap way to share vital data among employees, partners, and clients. CoreMedia also offers its customers a WebTV platform designed to smooth communications and both vertical and horizontal operations. The IT behind CoreMedia’s WebTV is designed specifically for business applications and as such is designed to be easily installed and operable with an extremely user-friendly interface. WebTV may be used for various applications including: inter/intra-company networking, advertising campaigns, and press/investor relations. The final item included in CoreMedia’s enterprise package is its DRM content protection software. Designed to be highly flexible, the software is applicable in both home and professional settings, on multiple devices, with three levels of security. As disruptive technology, these software applications do not necessarily revolutionize the industry, nor do they suggest broad technological or political impacts. However, these applications do offer companies effective, inexpensive enterprising solutions. Moreover, according to Gartnet Inc. in 2007 the enterprise content management market was worth $2.9 billion in the US alone. With that in mind, there is undoubtedly a strong market potential for flexible, inexpensive, easy-to-use enterprising systems. This is evident in the vast portfolio of technological awards CoreMedia has earned in recognition of its innovative approaches to enterprise software. In fact, since the company was founded it has received 13 international awards.

CoreMedia was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Hamburg, Germany. Since its inception, the company has established itself as a leader in web technology and intranet solutions. Although the enterprise content management industry is chalk-full of potential competitors, CoreMedia offers highly innovative, personalized solutions. Additionally, CoreMedia maintains a global network of implementation partners to provide its customers quality products for low prices. The company serves public, private, and government bodies worldwide.

Nanomech to Revolutionize Non-volatile Memory Solutions

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Gold) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:16:00 +0000

Cavendish Kinetics is a fabless semi-conductor company founded in 1994 in Holland. As a fabless company, Cavendish simply designs its products and outsources the physical production of those products. Since 1994, the company has been developing embedded non-volatile memory solutions. The company’s core technology, Nanomech, is the product of extensive research at the University of Cambridge Cavendish Laboratories. Cavendish’s patented Nanomech technology is a process module that supports various types of non-volatile memory. Cavendish advertises the module as a breakthrough innovation that is highly flexible and adaptable to the individual client’s needs. Specifically, Nanomech is sold as a complete IP package with seamless integration into a chosen CMOS facility. Because the module uses standarad CMOS technology, no new investment in equipment or materials is necessary on the part of the client. Nanomech also operates on ultra low-power, just 25 PicoJoules, enabling it to operate on native voltage without any conversion. However, the module is programmable to operate on higher voltages should the need arise. Additionally, Nanomech is designed to operate efficiently in extremely harsh conditions. So far the module has proven itself capable of operating normally in 200+ degrees centigrade with an extremely high tolerance for radiation. The flexibility and efficiency of Nanomech proves the technology suitable for various applications including: automotive, medical, aerospace, military, and industrial applications. Since Nanomech is an embedded apparatus, it has the potential to drastically improve the operations of any device to which it is applied. By extension, Nanomech has the potential to revolutionize any industry in which it is implemented. For this reason, Cavendish’s innovation may have extensive technological impacts. In reference to Cavendish’s Nanomech Rich Wawrzyniak, Senior Analyst at Semico Research Corporation, says that “With the trend towards increasing numbers of CPU and DSP cores, the demand for embedded memory is going to do nothing but grow. The major hurdle is to find memory technologies that can be applied to popular processes and if these technologies don't require exotic materials and are in themselves relatively low cost, and if they give the memory densities at the right speeds, then the growth potential for this technology is very high.” In fact, according to OneSource, by 2012 the global semiconductor market is expected to grow 53.6% to be valued at approximately $434.8 billion. Consequently, Cavendish will find itself in a market saturated with potential customers, each of whom it will offer a cheap, easy to install, solution to enhance their processes.

Improving Embedded Imaging Services

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Gold) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 15:07:00 +0000

Since its formation in 1997, FotoNation has become a world leader in providing embedded imaging and communication services for various industries. The company’s core competencies lay in its ability to provide its clients with improved digital connectivity software. Specifically, FotoNation has developed advanced technology to: identify and correct red-eye phenomenon, track and recognize facial features, detect and remove dust, and correct motion blur. These innovations improve the efficiency and operability of the devices in which they are embedded. Moreover, this technology is backed by several US patents and is currently the basic industry standard. In fact, in 2005 FotoNation authored the PTP-IP Specification which is the international camera connectivity CIPA-005/2005 standard. In addition to manufacturing products for the digital camera industry, FotoNation is active in several other markets including: imaging chiplets, printers, internet service providers, cell phones, PDA’s, and computers. As a participant in the global commercial services industry, FotoNation has a vast market potential. According to Onesource, this industry was valued at $2.2 trillion in 2007 and is forecasted to be worth $2.6 trillion by 2012, a 3.9% growth rate. As such, FotoNation will continue to see increased opportunity for advancement. In fact, in 2006 the company was awarded the DIMA Innovative Product Award, as well as the European IST Award for their red-eye detection software. These awards demonstrate industry confidence in FotoNation’s potentially groundbreaking approach to embedded imaging.

In February, 2008 FotoNation was acquired by Tessera Technologies Inc. Tessera is a developer and licenser of miniaturization technologies for the micro-optics industry with a focus on chip packaging solutions. While FotoNation is now subsidiary of Tessera, the company will keep its brand name and control of its operations. Furthermore, FotoNation will benefit from Tessera’s extensive industry experience as well as its vast resources. In 2007 Tessera reported revenues of $195.7 million.

Add-Vision Innovates Printed Electronics

noreply@blogger.com (Arman Belding) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:57:00 +0000

Based in Scotts Valley, CA, Add-Vision Incorporated is a hardware technology development company which specializes in printed electronics. Add-Vision utilizes polymer organic light-emitting diode display technology, or P-OLED. P-OLED displays are low-information content displays that are potentially useful in a wide variety of areas including consumer and military applications due to their adaptability, low-resolution and low production cost. Idtechex.com explains that Add-Vision Inc. intellectual property and innovation represents a ‘truly disruptive P-OLED display technology’ whose product is a highly robust, flexible structure, ‘fabricated using high-speed printing techniques.’

Add-Vision Inc. is a mid-start age company which began researching P-OLED in 2001 and now controls most of the intellectual property related to P-OLED display technology. This gives them a strong competitive advantage in that field. Add-Vision technology is disruptive specifically because of its low-cost approach and innovation with regards to manufacturing P-OLED displays. Low cost of production and mass application will impact ‘intelligent’ media products, electronic wearables, control panels, and smart labels to name a few. A recent NanoMarket report estimates that by 2015 the market may approach $21.6 billion due to the, ‘growing demand for flexible, large area electronic circuitry from packaging, displays, smartcards, sensors and other industry sectors.’ However, because it is a relatively new technology and only a few companies are involved in its development, a lack of diversity may create potential risks which are as of yet, unknown.

Add-Vision Inc. presents an innovative and highly adaptive approach by cheaply producing printed electronics and in particular, polymer organic light-emitting diode displays. The low-cost, mass application and mass production aspects of P-OLED innovation represent significant technological advancements. Societal implications are also large, as P-OLED panels may be used in/on any number of surfaces which otherwise would be unable to support a display/computer panel. Environmentally speaking, P-OLED’s are carbon-based (organic), making their disposal green-friendly. It can be expected that the military and civilian application of Add-Vision products and printed electronics as a whole will expand well into the foreseeable future.

Algae-based Biofuels Show Promise

noreply@blogger.com (Arman Belding) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 14:51:00 +0000

Based in Alameda, CA, Aurora Biofuels is a renewable energy startup company which uses algae generated oils as a source of biodiesel fuel. Founded in 2006, Aurora explores new sources of biofuels which are designed to come from a non-agricultural source. The company’s genetically engineered microalgae are able to rapidly produce bio-oil in large quantities. Unlike other biofuel sources such as corn or soy, using algae does not reduce feedstock for human consumption. As a result of photosynthesis, the algae remove carbon-dioxide from the air while it grows, further contributing to reducing green house gases. Algae produce more bio-oil per acre than traditional biodiesel crops and Aurora plans to utilize open-pond systems for bio-oil production, which are large and relatively inexpensive to construct but may be subject to intrusion by ‘weed’ organisms.

Aurora Biofuels energy solutions are based on technology previously developed by microbial biology professor and hydrogen fuel pioneer Tasios Melis, a professor at the University of California at Berkley. Since it is such a young company and the market for biofuels is constantly changing, it is difficult to estimate the exact market value for Aurora Biofuels research or innovation. However, investors are clearly taking an interest in the future prospects of algae-based biofuels. Aurora recently received 20 million in investment from several firms including Oak Investment Partners, Gabriel Venture Partners, and Noventi. It is estimated that the Compound Annual Growth Rate (or CAGR) for the biofuel market will grow by 12.3 percent between 2007 and 2014, which is very attractive to investors. The fact that algae produce 125x higher yield bio-oil than corn (ethanol) at 50 percent of the cost makes the future of algae generated biodiesel look promising. Currently, there are only a few other companies such as Solix Biofuels and Synthetic Genomics, which are also developing algae based bio-oils.

Reducing American dependence on foreign oil and finding sustainable, renewable energy sources is currently a key area of interest and investment. The benefits Aurora Biofuels presents through the harvesting of bio-oil from algae is a positive contribution to this effort, and helps to solve contemporary energy needs. There are numerous potential implications from the utilization of Aurora Biofuel technology including political, environmental, and economical. A successful reduction in national dependence on oil could have significant political impact on U.S. relations with oil producing nations. Algae based biodiesel production would help reduce carbon dioxide, thus lowering green house gases while also producing oxygen; both are positive for the environment. Economically, algae require less space and resources (e.g. water) while producing more bio-oil than other crops which gives it a potentially high profit margin and low cost-benefit ratio. Aurora Biofuels research and technology offers a potentially profitable, environmentally beneficial renewable energy resource which is at the leading edge of biodiesel and clean energy development.

piXLogic a visual search company

noreply@blogger.com (Nicholas Martin) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:13:00 +0000

Digital Imagery has grown exponentially in recent years followed closely by a mass of created and stored images. PiXLogic software introduces a breakthrough technology used to analyze, index, and search the contents of both video and image files. PiXLogic software lays claim to: “mimicking human sight to mine image content”. PiXLogic provides a visual search engine identical to a web-based search engine, instead using image and video files as the query and the results instead of solely text. The pioneering technology is automated and can be extracted from the content extremely fast. The application has the unique capability to “see” objects as well as text. The piXLogic application compacts trend data from the objects which is then stored as data. The piXLogic search feature allows the patron to use a full image or a portion of the image to search the cataloged images. The visual search capacity can complement the existing audio and text search. The software can identify traits such as color, position, shape, orientation, size etc. in the image. The previous problem of a lack of space can be eliminated as the database typically represents less than 1% of the original image file. Following analysis and identification the automated software compacts a mathematical format to store of the objects and images in a much smaller form.

PiXLogic generates the majority of its revenue through its two flagship products, the piXserve and piXsearch SDK web based interface applications. Based in Los Altos, California, the privately owned piXLogic aims to target consumers on an international level. PiXLogic boasts compact and multi-threaded software which supports multiple configurations, and promises to provide real time analysis for video feeds to aid security and surveillance exercises. The market for these products can range from private enterprise to government security agencies. PiXLogic, however, sees the biggest opportunity for implementation of their technologies in the media sector, where they deal with new material that is manually labeled daily. With the onset and swell of the digital imagery market, this software will become more practical. The breakthrough technology will spread its impact across all sectors as a revolutionary tool, while the visual imagery world turns digital.

Bioengineering Meets Computational Modeling

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Gold) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:35:00 +0000

Genomatica is a leader in the fields of bioengineering and computational modeling. Based in San Diego, CA, the company was founded in 2000 by Christophe Schilling and Bernhard Palsson with a mission to enable bio-manufactured chemical technology. With experience and expertise in the fields of computational modeling and chemical manufacturing, the company creates biological and metabolic models with predictive capabilities. This technology allows the company to adaptively evolve living cells to become biological factories capable of sustainably producing a variety of chemical and biological products. According to Genomatica’s President and Chief Science Officer Christophe Schilling, “This technology and others that are rounding out our platform, are now enabling us to unlock large market opportunities for biologically-derived products including small molecule chemicals and fuels, as well as protein-based therapeutics." Genomatica’s approach is not a new innovation, rather, an improvement upon current technologies by combining advanced modeling techniques with biological and chemical manufacturing. According to Mark Burk, Genomatica’s senior vice president for research and commercial development, “Genomatica is developing processes for the clean, sustainable manufacture of industrial chemicals and fuels from renewable feedstocks…” The company will be joining the city of San Diego’s initiative to become a center for green technology innovation. As a consequence of this initiative, several other companies have begun to invest in bioengineering. Specifically, Amyris, LS9, Synthetic Genomics, Novomer, and Segitis have all invested in developing similar technology. All of them, however, incorporate some amount of chemical processes in the development of their final products. Genomatica is the only company exclusively using biological processes and according to VentureBeat, of the firms receiving funding for biofuel R&D, Genomatica has received the most funding to date; approximately $24 million. Moreover, Genomatica’s IP puts it well ahead of the rest of the pack as the company’s core technology is based on its US Patent 7,127,379 entitled “Method for the Evolutionary Design of Biochemical Reaction Networks.” To further consolidate its position as an industry leader, Genomatica has signed exclusive licensing agreements with both the University of California – San Diego and the Pennsylvania State University. The licensed technology is a core part of Genomatica’s Integrated Metabolic Engineering Platform.

Given the recent “green” drive by San Diego and indeed the rest of the world, Genomatica has a large market potential that will only grow with time. This innovation will undoubtedly affect the environment in a positive way since biofuels are both sustainable and clean. The technology has already made an impression on the US government as is evident by the research funding provided to Genomatica by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This funding will be used to expand Genomatica’s research capabilities as currently the company has no plans to reach a large-scale production capacity. According to VentureBeat, the company is in the process of developing “bolt-on” facilities to existing, multi-billion dollar plants owned by larger companies.” This partnership model allows Genomatica to invest more heavily in R&D while licensing its technology for production and sale. In short, the biological and chemical outputs produced by Genomatica’s proprietary technology are cheaper, cleaner, and more abundant than conventional energy products.

Mesh Networking Goes Green

noreply@blogger.com (Matthew Gold) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:15:00 +0000

GreenPeak Technologies was formed in 2007 with the merger of Ubiwave and Xanadu Wireless with the goal of being the foremost provider of green wireless networking services. The company’s core technology combines existing technologies in the fields of wireless networking, alternative energy, and advanced programming to produce a truly breakthrough innovation. The Lime CM-09 module, GreenPeak’s main product, combines advances in hardware and software to best serve the customer. With a retail price of $1390 for the Starter Kit and $6950 for the Development Suite, the Lime CM-09 is relatively cheap considering the technology. The module, less than 1 square inch in size, has three particularly innovative features: an advanced mesh networking protocol patented by GreenPeak, an energy harvesting-capable interface, and an ultra-low-power operating system. Wireless mesh networking allows for long range communication by utilizing several nodes to transmit a message along the most efficient path possible. GreenPeak’s mesh network protocol is similar to traditional mesh networking architectures but was cleverly adapted to operate without batteries. However, GreenPeak does produce variants of the Lime CM-09 that are compatible with traditional power sources. Moreover, all of GreenPeak’s products are compliant with Zigbee and IEEE 802.15.4 standards. The module was designed using GreenPeak’s radio silicon to be extremely energy efficient. As such, incorporated in the software is a network clock that switches nodes on only when they are receiving or transmitting a packet. Finally, the Lime CM-09 includes software capable of interfacing with various energy harvesting technologies. While the module itself does not harvest energy, its ability to interface with such technology means customers may utilize energy harvesting if they desire.

If adopted on a broad scale this technology may very well have a ripple effect on the world of wireless networking. The energy conserved makes GreenPeak’s products more environmentally friendly than those of competitors. The technology also proves extremely cost efficient since battery replacement and cabling is not an issue. GreenPeak’s revenue model is based on the adaptability and efficiency of its core technology. For this reason, the company’s products may be applicable in various deployments. GreenPeak primarily targets four main industries: building automation, safety and security, healthcare, and asset management. Each of these industries is rich with market potential for low-power wireless sensors. Moreover, GreenPeak offers its customers the ability to completely customize their chips and modules. For example, OEM companies can integrate GreenPeak’s modules into their products for monitoring and control and can retrofit the modules with virtually any type of energy harvester. Additionally, companies can add their own applications to the modules, thus reducing overall cost to the companies using Green Peak’s technology. While there are some well-established companies (Ember Corp., Freescale, TI) currently operating in the same space as GreenPeak, according to GreenPeak’s CEO Cees Links "We are coming at this from a different perspective—focusing on end nodes—and not as a means to sell unit volumes of MCUs or processors.” Therefore, GreenPeak has little competition to hinder its progress as a lead provider of innovative and clean wireless sensor solutions.

FastSoft, Inc. - Fast Soft E Series

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Oelrich) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 16:13:00 +0000

Fast Soft, Inc., a corporation founded in 2006, markets the technology known as FastTCP. Transmission Control Protocol, known as TCP, is the protocol which governs more than 90% of internet traffic. TCP can dramatically slow down the speed at which data is transmitted during high volume periods. FastSoft, Inc. attempts to reconcile this reduction in transmitting capability. They do this through FastTCP, a high performance content delivery system created through research by Professor Dr. Steven Low who, with his Caltech research team, invented the technology in 2005 and founded the corporation in 2006. This technology is not only unique in the speed of data transmission that it provides, but also in that it has a “one-to-many” acceleration capability, meaning that the product requires no hardware or software on the receiving end. “FastSoft’s one-to-many acceleration products improve transfer times up to 30x, helping companies that rely on the Internet to transfer large files to remote places” (FastSoft.com). FastSoft’s creators found that they could retain a high throughput of data by removing the conditions introduced when standard TCP reacts to packet loss. This is possible because FastTCP allows for a constant number of data packets in queues throughout the network, resulting in smoother data flow. This is done through the installation of a hardware system at the data-output end and is not needed by the receiving end. The market in which FastSoft’s technology operates, the wide area network (WAN), reported a market size of $202 million in 2007 according to Gartner’s.
This new technology has created “a stir in the world of networking,” according to one blog site, because it allows for increased data transmission (Vizard 2007). FastSoft’s E-Series product is desirable to its consumer market due to its ability to increase productivity, enhance collaboration between partners in different areas, and utilize existing infrastructure. All of this is important in connecting a business to its partners or clients outside of the office. For example, FastSoft found that the E-Series was able to transfer a DVD file in nine minutes, down from two hours without FastSoft (FastSoft.com). The potential social and technological impacts stem from the speed at which business can now be done. This could be revolutionary in the business sector as well as other sectors where speed in communication is of the utmost importance.

Printed Electronics: Disruptive and Breakthrough Technology Sector

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Thu, 10 Jul 2008 01:23:00 +0000

The technology area of “Printed Electronics” offers promise for a new line of foldable, rollable, edible, stretchable, biodegradable and paper-thin electronic devices. Printed electronics is an innovative technology area that uses established commercial printing techniques (such as ink-jet, and screen printing) with conductive inks to print electronic circuits on paper, plastic, and textile materials. The technique of printing electronic circuits, as opposed to manufacturing them, allows engineers to input and alter specifications of devices directly into a computer, which in turn prints them onto a thin and flexible substrate. A series of current projects are utilizing traditional silicon technology for their conductive inks, like the Silicon Valley startup Kovio, Inc. which is developing advanced R.F.I.D. and smart-display technologies. Others are using organic (carbon-based) compounds like those used in Organic Light-Emitting Diodes (OLEDs). The Dutch company Polymer Vision has used organic conductors to develop the world’s first rollable display, their Readius® pocket reader. The technology sector promises to be a highly disruptive one, drastically driving down the cost of electronics that use traditional manufactured silicon electronic circuitry. By mechanizing and standardizing production the world may see electronics with exponentially more applications than, and at a fraction of the cost of, current consumer products. Printed Electronics also has a slew of potential breakthrough applications. Self-adjusting text (like that used in Polymer Vision’s Readius®) could produce a line of self-changing advertisements which could revolutionize the field of advertising. Avanced Radio Frequency Identification, R.F.I.D, could lead to smart I.D. cards for next-generation building or home-security. And edible and wearable electronics could lead to a line of non-invasive diagnostic tools for doctors.

The printed battery is one of the most exciting applications of the printed electronics ecosystem. These paper-thin and eventually inexpensive energy-storing devices have the potential to affect the entire consumer electronics market, a $135 billion market in 2006, and projected to reach $158 billion in 2008. Thin Battery Technologies, Inc., is a leader in the field in the creation of a reliable printed Battery. An Ohio company founded in January 2003 to commercialize and progress printed battery research, Thin Battery Technologies was funded by private investors led by Early Stage Partners. The company was built upon acquired intellectual property, the result of 5 years of R&D at Eveready Battery company. Thin Battery Technologies uses Carbon-Zinc electrolyte solutions for their battery printing, which is more resistant to extreme temperatures and more environmentally safe than competing magnesium alloy solutions. The use of printed batteries offers the promise of cheaper and smaller devices than have ever been produced, and could change the face of the entire $158 billion consumer electronics market.

Contributors: Nicholas A. Martin

Promising eHealth Middleware Solutions from iPLATO

noreply@blogger.com (Benjamin E. Power) — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 17:11:00 +0000

iPLATO is a mobile and wireless application developing firm based in the UK that has had multiple successes in the space of healthcare middleware applications, recently reporting a full roll out of its system across 10 Primary Care Trusts in the first quarter of 2008 reaching 2 million patients. Increasingly industry and government alike have sought innovation in electronic management systems; in the healthcare market this move towards eHealth is projected to reach upwards of $8 billion by 2012, according to AMD Telemedicine. The mobilization of clinical systems has recently become a prominent area of interest for many and has seen market deployment of various mobile versions of clinical systems, among the most well known being PAS, PACS, and EPR systems. These deployments have made great strides in providing physicians and healthcare professionals with direct access to patient records, drugs- and disease databases, lab reports, e-mail, etc. on a functional device during patient consultation resulting in drastic improvement in the quality of personalized patient care. Given these undisputable benefits, the 1.2 billion-dollar market for electronic medical records is expected to grow nearly 400% in the next eight years, according to Kalorama Information’s experts. While these solutions have opened the door for middleware products to improve diagnostics and patient care, the current technology offerings are largely point solutions and are reliant on a single device, which is where iPLATO’s portfolio of systems promises to build upon.

iPLATO’s Mobile Clinical Access (MCA) is a middleware platform allowing different healthcare professionals to access their clinical systems in a secure manner from a mobile interface not tethered to a particular PDA device. In an effort to address the high rates of patient non-compliance with prescribed medical therapies (especially problematic among elderly patients with chronic illness) and missed appointments the system also allows for simple, automated reminder text-messaging. While these middleware offerings are by no means disruptive, their simple interface and deployment has greatly increased the efficiency of already deployed network architectures. Physicians currently using MCA have reported patient response rates of 30% (versus a response rate of 5% using letters) iPLATO has made headway in other middleware markets as well by utilizing the same MCA architecture including distribution of web and video content for the International Herald Tribune to mobile devices, increasing their online readership subscriptions.

iPLATO is a privately owned limited company founded in London in the autumn of 1999. In 2003, iPLATO was awarded a SMART Feasibility Grant by the Department of Trade & Industry to study the feasibility for national implementation of their middleware architecture and now provide successful healthcare solutions to NHS organizations throughout the United Kingdom. The European Venture Contest, organized by the European Commission, recognized iPLATO as one of the top ten early stage technology ventures.

Universal Power Adapter Meets Today's Energy Needs

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Berkey) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 18:59:00 +0000

Fueled by government and consumer mandates for more energy efficient sources and conduits of power, the founders of Green Plug have created an adapter that can draw power from universal sources of electricity and convert it to device-specific power needs. This can help solve the problem of having to dispose of a power adapter every time a consumer purchases a new device or a new version of a device that would otherwise have rendered an old adapter useless. These adapters utilize uniform cables that are compatible with consumer electronics, including PDAs or digital cameras.

GreenPlug operates with a hub that is capable of allowing use of a low-power universal USB connector to provide high power capability for a variety of AC or DC powered devices. Not only will this reduce the environmental waste of adapters being tossed out with every purchase of a new device, the hubs also reduce energy consumption by communicating with devices when they do not need power. They are long-lasting and could have a tremendous impact on the way we view power and electronics - fewer cables, less confusion and more uniformity in how these devices operate.

Abu Dhabi makes new investment in clean energy

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Berkey) — Wed, 05 Mar 2008 20:57:00 +0000

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi has announced a bold new project, called the Masdar Initiative, to encourage investment in and production of clean, renewable energy in that country and others in the Middle East. The goal of this initiative is to leverage the area's substantial knowledge and resources in the field of energy into a long-term pattern of success in the field of clean energy, making it more capable of handling pressing issues surrounding the need for better fuel.

Masdar is being developed and managed by the Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company (ADFEC). Current research tracks include photovoltaic, water management, solar thermal and carbon management. Managing partner companies are chosen by the host institution and work together to bring research to reality. On the investment side of the coin, Masdar includes the Masdar Clean Tech Fund (composed of over $250 million), which acquires stakes in upcoming cleantech firms, the Sustainable Technologies and Advanced Research (STAR) program, which invests in companies that are nearing commercialization, and Masdar Business Incubator which nurtures very young companies and entrepreneurs to encourage them to succeed in the market.

They are also taking on a special project within the UAE, a "Special Free Zone" which will operate entirely on clean-burning technologies and the use of sustainable practices and biodiversity. This comes in addition to the tremendous effort the initiative will make towards carbon management in the Middle East, including the very promising "capture and storage" method which is used in oil production.

Overal, Abu Dhabi commits $15 billion to alternative energy. This commitment targets solar, wind and hydrogen power; carbon reduction and management; sustainable development; education; manufacturing; and research and development.

Petascale makes computing even faster

noreply@blogger.com (Jessica Berkey) — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 15:58:00 +0000

Developers are working hard on making the "petascale" supercomputer available sometime next year, promising a machine capable of making 1,000 trillion calculations in one second. Scientists are heralding the possible scientific value of such processes, allowing them to look past the difficulty in building and powering such efforts. One petascale computer in particular, dubbed the "Roadrunner" and being developed Los Alamos National Laboratory in Los Alamos, New Mexico, requires about 4 megawatts of power to run.

The greatest potential in these types of supercomputers is their ability to run simulations in areas like climate change, geology or other areas that rely heavily on modeling and forcasting to create theory. This allows for computation in a virtual environment rather than engaging in arduous experimentation in reality, and also allows for testing of things that would otherwise be impossible to observe - like supernovas, nuclear weapons detonation and earthquake damage.

A Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology

noreply@blogger.com (Dan Lawner) — Wed, 28 Nov 2007 21:40:00 +0000

The National Science Foundation is now soliciting proposals for the creation of a national "Center for Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology", with full proposals due in March. This Center will conduct research on the implications of nanotechnology on the environment and "living systems of all scales". This move is extremely promising given all the attention given to nanotechnology research in recent years, and could reveal important dangers that certain nanotechnologies pose to the environment before they have their effects. The announcement states that any proposals must be for a center with an interdisciplinary approach, combining biological, chemical, physical, computational, mathematical, social and behavioral sciences, ensuring that such a center would focus on all aspects of nanotechnology's effects on the environment.

This announcement comes just around the time of the article in this week's Economist which states "The unusual properties of tiny particles contain huge promise. But nobody knows how safe they are. And too few people are trying to find out." (The Economist. November 24th, 2007. p. 81) The fact that people are worried about unknown consequences of Nanotechnology is a step in the right direction, but we will see if announcements and articles like these will actually lead to the investigative rigor that we would hope for.

Center for the Environmental Implications of Nanotechnology (CEIN)