Category Archives: technology

Computer-Human Interaction Conference 2012

The CHI 2012 conference is in Austin, TX this year, May 5-12. I’ll be reporting from the event, posting videos, interviews, and short write-ups of interesting projects. In the meantime, watch the video teaser below.

Posted in design, technology | Tagged austin, chi, chi 2012, computer-human interaction, conference, HCI, human-computer interaction, interactivity, multitouch, touch, touchscreen, tx | Comments Off

How an Xlerator Hand Dryer is Made

Surprisingly hand-crafted. Outside: a buffed zinc outer unit. Inside: a motor spins a blower wheel at a rate of 20,000 revolutions per minute. See video below.

Posted in design, technology, Uncategorized, video | Tagged bathroom, design, engineering, hand dryer, hand washing, motor, xlerator | Comments Off

The Twilight of Moore’s Law?

For decades, the computer industry has been driven by Moore’s law, which started as an observation by Intel’s Gordon Moore that computer chips doubled in capability (or shrink in size by half) every 18 months or so. But at this … Continue reading →

Posted in technology | Tagged computer, energy efficiency, eniac, Intel, koomey's law, mobile phones, moore's law, power saving, Technology Review, trends | Comments Off

Lasers of Unusual Material

Today’s Nature Photonics story of a laser made of a kidney cell got me thinking of all the weird ways lasers can be made. Such as: they can be made out of a gin and tonic drink, on a stretchy … Continue reading →

Posted in lasers, physics, science, technology | Tagged atmospheric laser, gain medium, gin and tonic, kidney cell, laser, lasers, lasing, living laser, mars atmosphere, mars laser, natural laser, optical cavity, rubber laser, venus laser | Comments Off

Making a Little Hydrogen

This hydrogen generator is used to make small amounts of hydrogen for chemical reactions in the analytical chemistry lab at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where scientists are searching for compounds that disrupt the growth of childhood cancers. There was … Continue reading →

Posted in science, technology | Tagged analytical chemistry, chemistry, drug discover, hydrogen generator, st. jude children's research hospital | Comments Off