Using Horizontal Polarized Optics to Block Screens

Posted on October 4, 2018  Comments (0)

Animated polarizer in front of a computer flat screen

Animated of a polarizer in front of a computer screen (via Wikipedia).


These interesting glasses block LCD/LED screens through horizontal polarized optics. I think this is more an interesting application of science that a useful product but maybe some people actually would like the product.

The video below looks at how IRL Glasses block most TVs (LCD/LED) and some computers (LCD/LED). IRL Glasses do not yet block smartphones or digital billboards (OLED).

Related: App to allow a user to use American Sign Language to interact with Alexa – Autonomous Delivery Robots Launched in Europe and USA – 3D Printing at Home: Today, Challenges and Opportunities – The Engineer That Made Your Cat a Photographer

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Saving Lives with Appropriate Technology Health Care Solutions: Treating Infant Pneumonia

Posted on September 9, 2018  Comments (0)

How a shampoo bottle is saving young lives, a doctor in Bangladesh has found a simple way to treat infant pneumonia

Last year 920,000 children under the age of five died of pneumonia, making it the leading killer of people in that age group. This figure is falling (in 2011 it was 1.2m), but it still represents 16% of all infant deaths. Such deaths are not, however, evenly distributed. In Bangladesh pneumonia causes 28% of infant mortality.
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Dr Chisti says that, as well as saving lives, his device has cut the hospital’s spending on pneumonia treatment by nearly 90%. The materials needed to make his version of a bubble-CPAP ventilator cost a mere $1.25. The device also consumes much less oxygen than a conventional ventilator. In 2013 the hospital spent $30,000 on supplies of the gas. In 2017 it spent $6,000.

Efforts are underway to test this innovation and spread the adoption of this appropriate technology solution to other poor countries. It is wonderful to see engineering innovation making such important improvements in health care around the world.

Related: Appropriate Technology Health Care Solution Could Save 72,000 Lives a Year (low-tech visual exam cut the cervical cancer death rate) – Drone Deliveries to Hospitals in Rwanda – $1 Device To Give Throat Cancer Patients Their Voice Again – Wristband Thermometer Can Save Many Babies’ Lives

Usability for All

Posted on July 29, 2018  Comments (0)

Technology can provide huge benefits when we take care to use it wisely. Considering usability is extremely important and we need to keep focusing on improving usability. This video shows an interesting application by Abhishek Singh’s to increase the usability of “smart speakers.” His app runs on a tablet allow a user to use American Sign Language to interact with Alexa (it displays Alexa’s responses in text on the table).

Related: Getting Closer to a Universal Translator (2010) – NASA You Have a Problem with Usability (2008) – Appropriate Technology and Focus on Improving Lives at MIT (2014)

Growing Citrus in the Snow

Posted on May 27, 2018  Comments (0)

The system uses the constant ground temperature 2.5 meters (8 feet) below ground to heat a greenhouse. The underground-temperature on his farm is 11 degrees (52 degrees Fahrenheit). Other nearby areas range from 9 to 17 degrees (17 is near a hot spring).

Just circulating air through 64 meters (210 feet) of tubing buried 2.5 meters underground is enough to allow citrus and other plants to thrive. Selling at local farmer’s markets brings in a very high profit for farmers that can grow and sell locally.

Using the power of the sun to grow and the constant ground temperature to keep the air warm enough creates an opportunity to grow all year round. The same principles can be used to cool down indoor temperatures in very hot locations near the equator.

Due to the controlled environment growing organically is easy so that further increases the payoff for this type of farming.

The cost of the system can be as low as $25,000 if you have access to a backhoe to dig the trenches for the air pipes and can do much of the labor yourself. That is the cost of just the heating systems for a conventional greenhouse.

I really like this type of intersection of engineering and business (as well as environment and health benefits – providing healthy local food) that creates value to society by using our knowledge effectively.

Learn more at Citrus in the Snow. The Nebraska farmer (seen in the video) has been growing Citrus in Nebraska this way since 1992.

Related: Sustainable Ocean Farming – Beehive Fence Protects Farms from Elephants – For Many Crops Ants Can Provide Pest Protection Superior or Equal to Chemicals at a Much Lower Cost – Small Farm Robots

Backyard Wildlife: Red-tailed Hawk

Posted on January 31, 2018  Comments (0)

Red-tailed hawk with squirrel

I see red-tailed hawks in my backyard occasionally. This one has a squirrel on a high tree branch in my backyard. The video shows it fly away.

When I hear a murder of crows squawking loudly I often can spot a red-tailed hawk (or perhaps some other hawks) near my yard.

Related: Backyard Wildlife: Sharpshinned Hawk – Red-shouldered Hawk – Backyard Wildlife: Fox – Backyard Wildlife: Blue Jay

20 Most Popular Post on the Curious Cat Science and Engineering Blog in 2017

Posted on January 7, 2018  Comments (0)

These were the most popular (by number of page views) posts on our blog in 2016.

Diagram of solar energy project using molton salt

molten salt solar system diagram

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