Fully Transparent Solar Panels Could Make Windows a Power Source

     The researchers at Michigan State University have created a full transparent solar panel which essentially could be used as typical glass for windows or screens. The research leader Richard Lunt stated how many settings this solar panel could be placed in "tall buildings with lots of windows or any kind of mobile device that demands high aesthetic quality like a phone or e-reader."

As you can see in the picture to the left this is actually a truly transparent solar cell and although other solar cells have claimed to be transparent in the past but typically cast a shadow or some sort of awkward colorful shadow when the light hit them making them not full transparent at all.
However, Michigan State researchers used a different technique for collecting sunlight and it has yielded a true fully transparent solar cell that could actually be used and seen through by the naked eye at all times.
     Now that this technology is available I believe that it should be immediately taken advantage of as their are so many uses that could come from this. Anything from car windows to your iPhone screen could be created with this technology and not only provide green energy but also save the users money and time by not having to hook their phone up to a charger as often or not having to gas up the car all the time.
     It's amazing that with technology although we may not be working with the environment directly we help to slow the pollution that we add on a daily basis and take advantage of the pure resources around us. I see a bright future for this new technology and cannot wait to see what uses come about in our everyday lives for it.

Sources: Extreme Tech
             

Google Chrome 64-bit Available: Faster and more Secure

     We all are constantly looking to download the best browser to enhance our online experience and Google Chrome 64 bit has delivered. With not only faster speeds on sites like youtube.com but also improving security and stability in many ways.
     Tasks such as decoding HD video have proven to be 15% faster under the 64-bit version of Chrome. Mozilla Firefox who is one of Chrome's leading competitors has been working on a 64-bit version just like Google but Google but Mozilla won't pull the trigger on releasing it to the public unlike Google. This may cause us to see a release of Mozilla's Firefox 64-bit in the near future if they want to enter this part of the market.
      Google has also said that it has seen an average improvement of 25% in graphics and multimedia content. This means less buffering for high quality video, less crashes and an overall better performance coming out of the browser. In addition the crash rate of Chrome 64-bit has been tested and shown to be half of that experienced in Chrome 32-bit.
     However there is one small downside to the new 64-bit and it's the fact that Chrome 64-bit does not support of a few of the not so popular plug-ins that are available for Chrome 32-bit. It is offering support for most of the major plug-ins such as Silverlight, Java and Flash which have all been updated to 64-bit furthering the increase in performance with this browser.

     To check if your google chrome is up to date to the 64-bit version go to the "about google chrome" selection from the drop down menu on the top righ-hand side of your Chrome browser and you will be able to update your browser if needed. If you are already up to date it will tell you "Google Chrome is up to date" or you will notice you have Google Chrome 37.
   

      Now it seems like a no brainer to go with the new Google Chrome 64-bit browser and that is because as of now it really is the best browser available. Until Mozilla releases a 64-bit version of Firefox overall this new version of Chrome has the best security, speeds and stability which is really what we want out of our browsers to begin with. At this time Google Chrome 64-bit is only available for Windows 7 64-bit and Windows 8/8.1. To download the new browser and test these claims yourself: Download Chrome 64-bit for Windows. Be sure that you see "For Windows 8/7 64-bit" below the Download Chrome button as shown below.

Sources: Extreme Tech
             Chromium Blog

Good Idea or Bad? GoPro Dog Mount Harness

     We all know that people are treating dogs more and more like one of the family in this day and age, some people even consider them to be their children and would do anything for them from spending thousands on surgeries, buying outfits for them and even feeding them food off their own dinner table. Is it to the point where we want them to start video taping for us so we can see what it's like to live in the eyes of a dog?
   
     This product is definitely designed for a certain niche of people and although we may not see it a dog with a GoPro attached to it's back often it is something that is out there now. This is meant to analyze whether this idea is a good/profitable one or whether it will take a belly flop and be a waste of time.
   
     GoPro was first created for users who participated in extreme sports to record their awesome skills and allow them to share it with others while not having to hold a video camera or worry about it breaking. I then think to myself what is a dog doing that needs to be recorded besides exploring the backyard, playing with people and eating. I personally may not understand it, but when I go and look on facebook with all of the videos and pictures of dogs on there it may not be such a bad idea after all.
   

     This product is designed for dogs from 15lbs - 120lbs and enables the owner to later watch what their dog has been up to all day. Their are practical uses for it for example if your dog was constantly getting out of the backyard you could use this to see where they are getting out and prevent it from happening in the future or perhaps the dog has been acting oddly after coming in from the backyard and you find out that they have been finding and eating mushrooms in the backyard. This may not be an idea to provide the ultimate extreme video or share brilliantly taken videos but rather a way to find out more about your own dog and show what a day in the life of your dog looks like.

     This product is only $60 so it's not something that you need to break the bank to purchase if it interests you, but I definitely don't see a large future for this product unless dogs can start making purchases with their kibbles and bits. Just like many products out there this is meant to target a certain niche of people If you're bored of watching humans create video this is a great option for you!

Sources: Wired Article

Gadget Designed to Make Sure Doctors Wash Their Hands Enough

     Biovigil has introduced a new gadget to the healthcare field and it is designed to make sure that doctor's hands are always extremely clean before interacting with a patient. Around 75,000 patients died last year from healthcare associated infections (HAI's) and cost hospitals over 30 billion dollars. This gadget is designed to sense the amount of bacteria on the doctor's hands before helping patients. The doctor simply puts their hands up to the device which is wearable and if the hands are clean the light will remain green, if their is bacteria detected on the hands then the light will either turn yellow or red to notify the doctor you must wash your hands before proceeding further with the patient.

   
     If the light goes yellow then the doctor must wash their hands and then re-test for bacteria and upon completion the light will turn green. If the doctor was to ignore the yellow light then after several minutes it will glare red indicating that the doctor ignored the yellow signal and essentially will not only show the doctor that they still need to wash their hands but also indicate to the patient that the doctor is not yet fit to work with them.
     This device not only applies to the healthcare field in the long run because there are many professions that require the user to have clean hands including those who work in the restaurant industry. This device definitely has the capability to expand its uses throughout the world where cleanliness is a must. By utilizing this device many infections and diseases can be prevented from being spread in workplace environments of all kinds.
     Personally i think that this device is a must have now that it exists because it allows not only the doctor to double check themselves but also for the patient or customer to double check them because clearly they do not want to interact with bacteria ridden hands. In the future I see this product moving into any industry that deals with food or health to ensure maximum cleanliness at all times.

     As you can see the Biovigil gadget is extremely small and has a simple easy to understand UI that will benefit many people for years to come. It also has a simple clip on the back which can be used to put in on the pocket of a shirt or strap on your belt. I see this being a pinnacle of health in workplaces at least for users hands and am excited to see where Biovigil takes this product in the future to help all of us feel a bit more comfortable in many situations.

Sources: Biovigil Gadget

US Open Debuts the Polo Tech "smartshirt" with Activity Tracker

     In a world where wearable technology is beginning to take over from google glasses to smart watches we are getting used to seeing computers just about anywhere and everywhere in the world around us. Polo tech has taken it one step further with their new "smartshirt" which is currently being used in the US Open by professionals not only to test the product but also to show that it can be worn in even the most extreme conditions.

     The activity tracker is located directly under the pectorials and contains conductive threads that come in contact with the skin. There is then a "Black Box" or "Tech Box" that snaps into the shirt near the left rib cage, this box receives heart-rate and breathing data from the wearer which is then translated into Calories burnt, steps taken, and amount of activity split into 3 different categories: Inactive, Moderate Activity and Active.

     This tech box will need to be charged once about every 30 hours through a USB charger and also comes with a bluetooth setup to upload information to your smartphone enabling long term tracking for individuals of their activity. According to Ralph Lauren "The Box will be half the size in a few months.... We are a lifestyle brand, major luxury fashion brand.  iwant to be able to gather this (biometric) information in a boardroom or from a baby in a crib. We'll find new needs and we're just at the beginning." 

     As this is the first smart garment in the Polo-brand technology line they have a lot of work to do to make the garment easily wearable for all individuals not just athletes. The garment is washable as long as the tech box is connected and so far they have not seen any issues with the conductive threads with normal wear and tear.

     As Polo definitely seems to be after this new wearable technology we will see large strides over the next few years and I'm sure companies like Nike, Adidas and other brand names will follow suit. This sort of technology will be able to benefit all professional sports players and enable their doctors to track not only their health off the court and field but also while they are competing as well.

     Wearable technology used to be bulky un-attractive and not appealing to users but now that this technology is being transformed into items that we wear everyday it is almost unnoticeable and soon everyone will be wearing technology without blinking an eye. I know that I am definitely excited to see where wearable technology is going in the years to come.

Sources: Ralph Lauren Tech Shirts

              Purchase a tech-shirt today!

Instagram's New App, Hyperlapse Feels Like a $10,000 Video Setup in Your Hand

      The creators of Instagram are releasing their new app known as Hyperlapse  which is an app that enables the user to take video and turn it into tracking shots and fast, time-lapse videos almost to look as they were shot by a professional in a Michael Mann film which was previously only possible with a Steadicam. This will only be available to the iPhone at launch which was on August 26th, but they are working quickly to make it available for Android phones as well. As you can see in the video below Hyperlapse not only makes the video move quickly but also stabilizes the video to eliminate the jumpiness that can come from hand-held video.

                                       

   
     Hyperlapse is looking to become simply a video speed edit app with smoothing capabilities and will allow users creativity to run rampant with the ability to increase a videos speed up to 12x while making the video smooth as silk. A lot of people are asking why it has been released as a standalone app and not a new feature of Instagram and the answer is that Hyperlapse will not have all of the features of Instagram such as filters. Hyperlapse comes with ony filter and that is a speed filter which allows you to alter the videos from 1x to 12x and once that is set you can quickly upload the video to Facebook or Instagram.

   

     Upon opening the app you will see that the first page is simply a video recorder with a record button and when the video is finished you simply test the different speeds that are available and when you are finished the app quickly renders the video and can enable the user to fit up to a 12 minute video into 1 minute.

     The reason that this kind of technology is now available on phones is because they have created algorithms that use a fraction of the battery life to run the app as they would have several years ago where a iPhone would not have had the raw power to run something so powerful. Now that we can create videos that $10,000 equipment used to be required to make the possibilities of what we will see coming out on Facebook and Instagram are endless.

     It is still to early to tell whether or not this will become something that is used by people in everyday or only fit to a certain niche of people in the industry but it will be fun to see where Hyperlapse ends up in the next few years and if it will truly be used to it's full potential by its users.

Download Hyperlapse Here

More Videos: Introducing Hyperlapse from Instagram

                    Stabilization for Hyperlapse from Instagram

    

                                                 

Healthy Living

    When people think of being healthy immediately we are struck with images of the gym, muscles, diets and running shoes but is that all it takes to be healthy in this day and age? We are constantly seeing people who are gym rats and spend 4-5 times a week perfecting their physical selves but there is more to it than that. To live healthier you must not only work on your physical self but your mental and spiritual health as well to live to your maximum potential.

     Lets face it we have all met people who look physically fit and healthy but the rest of their life is in ruins or perhaps they are in poor physical shape but are extremely intelligent or extremely spiritual . Now this is in no way saying that only being only healthy in one aspect in life is wrong, but rather stating that it is not truly the full definition of what healthy living is. A good definition I found for what healthy living is:

 "At a population level, healthy living refers to the practices of population groups that are consistent with supporting, improving, maintaining and/or enhancing health. As it applies to individuals, healthy living is the practice of health enhancing behaviours, or put simply, living in healthy ways. It implies the physical, mental and spiritual capacity to make healthy choices." (Public Health Agency of Canada).

So basically as people we have three different aspects of life that have needs which are the physical, mental and spiritual needs we have. Things like food, reading and spiritual connections (not necessarily religious) all play a daily part in our overall health and in order to enjoy our lives to the fullest each of these must be regulated on a daily basis. In other words keeping a happy medium and not over indulging or depriving ourselves from anything that provides us with a healthier life.
     Now what steps can we take on a daily basis to better ourselves in every aspect? These are some suggestions made by professionals in the industry.
     1. Analyze Yourself
               a. Physical - Make doctors/dentist appointments to make sure you are up to date with your own health.
               b. Physical -  Assess your current weight, height and BMI (Body Mass Index)
               c. Mental -  Determine current typical moods/energy on a daily basis
               d. Spiritual/Mental - Look at your social life including friends, family and whether or not these connections are affecting you positively or negatively.
 
      2. Get Out and Go!
               a. Physical/Mental - Make every experience FUN, whether it means bringing friends along or adding fun twists to your hikes, walks, runs or gym sessions.
               b. Physical/Mental - Keep track of your physical activity. Mark your calendar with the days you exercise in detail and look at it daily to use as both a motivator and reminder.
               c. Physical/Mental - Set goals for yourself as it will help motivate and once goals are met also helps build confidence levels.
               d. Physical/Mental - Keep activity in everyday even if it's only 15 minutes of exercise a day it is better than 0 minutes.

     3. Eat Better
              a. Physcial - Replace snack food with fruits and vegetables.
              b. Physical - Take vitamins on a daily basis to make sure you are getting all the nutrients you need.
              c. Physcial/Mental - Guilt can play a large part in unhealthy eating, skip the guilt and concentrate on the positives. Don't try to eat your problems away.
              d. Physcial/Mental - Plan your meals so that they work with your schedule and you have complete control over what goes in. This includes stocking the house with healthy foods instead of junk food. Out of site out of mind.
             e. Physcial - Savor your food and slow down. Those who eat quickly tend to eat more because their body doesn't have the time to start digesting and realize that it's full.

     4. Manage Stress
              a. Physical/Mental/Spiritual - Create some coping techniques to deal with everyday stress an example of this would be something like yoga, prayer or even exercise.
              b. Mental - Defeat suddenly stressful situations there are a plethora of ways that people handle stressful situations this could be punching a pillow or retreating to a quiet place to breath and reflect.
              c. Mental/Spiritual - Don't dwell on things that don't matter. Take a step back and ask yourself will this matter to me in the future?
              d. Physical/Mental/Spiritual - Breathe. Breathing is shown to be one of the best ways to calm not only the physical body but also the mind and spiritual body. If you find yourself in a situation that you cannot handle slow down and breathe calm yourself.

     5. Quality Sleep
              a. Physical/Mental - Don't exercise before bed causes the body to sweat which tends to prevent easily falling asleep.
              b. Physical/Mental - Hot shower or bath before bed as it relaxes the body.
              c. Physical - Setup a sleep schedule so that you are always getting the recommended 6-8 hours of sleep.

     6. Relationship Check-Up
            a. Mental/Spiritual - Remove relationships harmful to yourself or that negatively effect you.
            b. Mental/Spiritual -  Find friends who share have similar interests so that you can more easily communicate and relate to each other.
           c. Mental/Spiritual -If a relationship is negative but is too close to be let go then work to fix it.

     Hopefully these steps can help people to make better decisions on a daily basis to help improve their overall health and not negate to fulfill all of your needs. Next time you consider if your living healthy ask yourself am I fulfilled in ALL aspects of my life.

   Sources: WebMD
                 Public Health Canada