West Florida Components

What Is Energy Harvesting – Why Is It Needed?

The process of extracting small quantities of energy from one or more natural, inexhaustible sources, accumulation and storage for subsequent use at an affordable cost is called Energy Harvesting. Specially developed electronic devices that enable this task are termed Energy Harvesting Devices.

The world is facing acute energy crisis and global warming, stemming from rapid depletion of the traditional sources of energy such as oil, coal, fossil fuels, etc., which are on the verge of exhaustion. Not only is the global economy nose-diving, but the damage to the environment is also threatening our very existence. Natural calamities like earthquakes, tsunamis, droughts, floods, storms, etc., have become the order of the day. Economic growth is generating a spiraling demand for energy, goading us to tap alternative sources of energy on a war footing. Our very existence on the planet Earth is at stake, and we must find immediate solutions to meet the energy needs for survival.

Alternative Energy Sources Available

There are many, almost inexhaustible, sources of energy in nature. In addition, these energy forms are available almost free, if available close to the place where required. Sources include: Solar Energy, Wind Energy, Tidal Energy, Energy from the waves of the ocean, Bio Energy, Electromagnetic Energy, Chemical Energy, and so on.

Recent Advances in Technology

The sources listed above provide miniscule quantities of energy. The challenge before us is to gather the miniscule amounts and generate meaningful quantities of energy at affordable cost. Until very recently, this has remained an unfulfilled challenge.

Today, research and innovation has resulted in creation of more efficient devices to capture minute amounts of energy from these sources and convert them into electrical energy. Besides, better technology has led to lower power consumption, and hence higher power efficiency. These have been the major propelling factors for better, more efficient energy harvesting techniques, making it a viable solution. These solutions are considered to be more reliable and relatively maintenance free compared to traditional wall sockets, expensive batteries, etc.

Basic Building Blocks of an Energy Harvesting System

An Energy Harvesting System essentially consists of:

a) One or more sources of renewable energy (solar, wind, ocean or other type of energy)
b) An appropriate transducer to capture the energy and to convert it into electrical energy (such as solar cells for use in conjunction with solar power, a windmill for wind power, a turbine for hydro power, etc.)
c) An energy harvesting module to accumulate, store and control electrical power
d) A means of conveying the power to the user application (such as a transmission line)
e) The user application that consumes the power

With advancement in technology, various interface modules are commercially available at affordable prices. Combined with the enhanced awareness of the efficacy of Energy Harvesting, more and more applications and utilities are progressively using alternative sources of energy, which is a definite sign of progress to effectively deal with the global energy crisis.

Optional addition of power conditioning systems like voltage boosters, etc., can enhance the applications, but one must remember that such devices also consume power, which again brings down the efficiency and adds to cost.

We thought we’d seen just about everything powered by solar panels or solar film until we came across this bikini. Made by Solarcoterie, this bathing suit is made of photovoltaic film strips sewn together in series with conductive thread! With a USB connection you could be laying on the beach and powering your iPod at the same time. The suit is constructed of 1″ x 4″ solar strips which terminate in a 5V regulator and a female USB connector – perfect for powering your iPod.

The down side is that the bathing suit is a currently custom made offering only so this is not something readily available at your local store. And, we don’t have the power specs but wonder if this also wouldn’t be a great solution for charging other small appliances needed at the beach – like most smartphones and iPads. Of course, this got us thinking about our dream ideas of powering a small cooler (imagine never needing ice at the beach!) or a small fan for cooling off while you’re baking in the sun. The biggest item on our wishlist is always a blender but we’ve got that covered with our battery operated one!

No matter what, we think this use of solar technology is genius.

Solar energy is an exciting field for both scientific study and home and office use, representing the modern drive to find clean, sustainable ways to power everyday life while protecting the planet for generations to come. Solar energy is created by the sun, which plays host to constant explosions of heat and energy. This energy radiates light that eventually reaches Earth, where water, land, and the clouds in the atmosphere absorb a portion.

This light manifests as heat and helps to regulate the planet’s water cycles, including rainfall. Solar energy is converted into food for trees and plants via photosynthesis, and in turn provides the Earth with oxygen and the natural materials necessary for human habitation.

With the many intrinsic and ancient benefits of solar energy we’ve enjoyed over the centuries, it is perhaps unsurprising that modern man has taken it upon himself to truly harness the potential of this natural power source. Solar power is fast becoming a popular way for businesses and homeowners to cut down on energy costs while making a commitment to the health of the environment.

Solar power itself can take many forms, operating for instance through the means of solar panels, which convert radiation from the sun to practical electric energy suitable for a variety of uses, and can store this energy in batteries.

Other common applications for solar power include pumps, switches, and fans for various industrial purposes, greenhouse and other thermal agricultural uses, and special technologies employed in space, such as those used to operate satellites.

Taking advantage of natural solar energy is not only an efficient way to power machines, houses, and more, but is cost-effective as well. Many entrepreneurs and environmentally savvy homeowners find that using solar power greatly diminishes their average monthly electricity expenditures, adding a welcome benefit to the clean and green energy source.

As oil prices fluctuate, and we become more aware of our impact on the global ecosystem, it is becoming imperative that we search for and use renewable sources of energy, and seek to live in a sustainable fashion, so that future generations can enjoy a happy and healthy planet. The use of solar energy through solar power panels and other technologies is an important step in reducing your overall energy footprint, and can give you — and your wallet — a sincere sense of peace and well being.

Anyone who is trying to sell a house knows that some improvements like adding a new bathroom or a complete kitchen renovation may increase the value of a home however most people might not consider that an investment in solar panels or other renewable energy sources may be another positive investment in their home.

According to a study that was recently published by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER), solar photovoltaic (PV) panels added on average between 3 percent and 4 percent to the value of a home. This study, which examined homes in California, suggests that homeowners might fully recover their costs of purchasing and installing solar panels when they sell their home. Since solar panels require very little maintenance and are becoming increasingly more affordable to buy and install, this is another way to increase the resale value and marketability of your home. Some of the most common installations in homes are for water heaters, pool heaters and outdoor lighting. As the technology improves and the cost of solar panels continues to drop, more and more homeowners (and potential buyers!) will be looking for solar energy systems for their homes.

Photo courtesy of http://diy-energysolarpanels.com/

According to a story from ZDNet, Android devices have a ‘gaping network security hole’. That deficiency can quickly and easily be exposed by hackers, giving them access to a users google services including docs, gmail, calendars, etc. This is accomplished by a hacker grabbing someone’s authorization keys off an open Wi-Fi connection.

According to ZDNet, the researchers also report that “this vulnerability is not limited to standard Android apps but pertains to any Android apps and also desktop applications that make use of Google services via the ClientLogin protocol over HTTP rather than HTTPS.”

This is up to Google and the carriers to fix – and fast. In the meantime, you can stay safe by avoiding open Wi-Fi networks. Use only secured networks or a VPN.

There have been a lot of news reports and discussions surrounding Facebook’s privacy policies. Of course, if you are worried about web privacy, canceling your Facebook account is an option, but since many other sites have joined the Facebook Connect network and are utilizing the site’s tools, you will need a Facebook account to be able to use these sites in the future. Plus, not everyone wants to give up their ability to connect with long lost high school buddies or share their latest baby pics with family and friends.

So what to do?

Fortunately, those that have pushed back at Facebook in the past on privacy issues have forced Facebook to provide tools to make you as stealthy as you’d like to be on the site without being completely invisible to those on your ‘friends’ list.

Here’s a guide for making yourself very close to invisible:

While logged into Facebook:

1. Select the ‘Account’ tab at the top right corner of the screen
2. Select ‘Privacy Settings’
3. In the ‘Connecting on Facebook’ section, select ‘View Settings’ – amend these settings to whatever your comfort level is. If you are not interested in letting new people find you on Facebook, then you should change all these settings to ‘Friends Only’. Know that you will not show up in Facebook searches and no one new can add you as a friend.
4. Be sure that you have chosen the ‘Friends Only’ settings in the ‘Sharing on Facebook’ section – click ‘Apply’
5. Select ‘Customize Settings’
6. Be sure that all the drop-downs are ‘Friends Only’
7. Disable the option for ‘Include me in “People Here Now” after I check in
Select ‘Edit album privacy’ and change all the settings to your meet your comfort level. You can customize them to even be invisible or visible to certain people by selecting the ‘customize’ option
8. Back on the main privacy settings page, ‘Choose Your Privacy Settings’, select ‘edit your settings’ in the ‘Apps and Websites’ section in the bottom left corner of the screen
9. Edit the settings for each of the options (on the ‘Instant Personalization’ page, disable the option to see information)

Many of the options listed above are explained in detail by Facebook. However, their goal is to make their site very accessible for both their users and the advertisers that pay to get your information through applications and widgets so they encourage you to share all information by making the defaults very liberal. By limiting the information that Facebook is eager to provide to other users, the search engines and advertisers, you are gaining greater control over who sees your private data. For a regular everyday user that just wants to connect with family and friends, taking these steps returns Facebook much closer to its original purpose.

With its eyes firmly focused on the ebook market which is reportedly about $500 million in annual sales, Google has launched it’s ebookstore. A fast look at the ebookstore appears to make it a smart alternative to buying proprietary e-readers and ebooks like Amazon’s Kindle device.  At the beginning of 2010, Amazon held about 90% of the ebook market – a number that is estimated to drop to about 35% of the overall market in the next five years.

What is special about Google’s ebookstore?

Purchasing a book from their bookstore allows you the ability to use virtually any type of internet accessible electronic device to read your ebook purchased from the Google ebookstore. You can read books on Android devices (smartphones and tablets), iPhones, iPads, iPhone touch, any netbook, laptop or desktop computer and even the Nook from Barnes & Noble and the Sony Reader. Noticeably absent from this list is, of course, Amazon’s Kindle.

Google’s ebooks are stored in the cloud, so there is nothing to download (except maybe an app) if you are using a device connected to the web. And, since your ebooks are stored in your Google account, your page positions will sync across all the devices as you open each device to read.

Given the limitations of other devices such as Amazon’s Kindle which allows you to download your ebook to one device, Google has created a very flexible way to access your purchased reading material.

A new survey commissioned by Webroot confirms that web users are still putting their identities at risk by not employing some simple strategies for password safety and protection.

So what did the survey reveal about web users and why are these findings an issue?

40% have shared passwords with at least one person in the past year

Sharing passwords with a trusted friend or family member may seem like a non-issue because you trust the person you’re sharing it with, but they may leave it lying around where someone not so trustworthy may pick it up.

About 40% of people use the same password to log into multiple sites

Using a password on multiple sites can create a problem because if your password is compromised on one site, the potential exists that multiple accounts could be in jeopardy.

Nearly 50% never use special characters (e.g. ! ? & #) in their passwords

Adding a special character is a simple step that can be used to make it that much harder for someone to guess your password. Another easy to use technique is to substitute numbers or characters to spell out words.

redridinghood becomes  r3dr!d!ngh00d

For example changing the ‘e’ ‘i’ and ‘o’ in “red riding hood” to numbers and characters makes it virtually impossible for someone to guess at it even if they know the name of your favorite childhood book.

20% have used a significant date, such as a birth date, or a pet’s name as a password

In the past, that may have made it easy for only people that knew you to use that information but today that information is often publicly visible on social networks where it can be accessed by almost anyone.

Besides the above tips, it is recommended that you change your passwords periodically and don’t allow your browsers to store passwords for you.

Following these recommendations can save you time and save you money should someone try to hack your accounts.

As the popularity of solar energy grows, so does the selection of solar equipment that is made available. The big trend in solar energy right now is flexible panels.

Flexible solar panels have many advantages over traditional framed solar panels. The flexible solar panels are lightweight so there is less worry in the installation process and during use. They can also be installed on a semi-permanent basis because they are very easy to remove and install elsewhere.

Probably the biggest advantage is that they can be manufactured in any size or shape so they can be used in unconventional places.

In the past, the biggest disadvantage of the flexible solar panels is that they could only power low-wattage devices however that has changed significantly in the past year as new solar technology has been introduced. The newest flexible panels that are available for commercial applications have the ability to collect more energy than earlier versions.

In the future, we will be seeing even more advances in solar energy products based on this emerging technology.

Research firm, Canalys, reports that Android platform smartphone sales increased an amazing 886% in the 2nd quarter.

An even bigger accomplishment is the fact that Android based phones now account for 34% of the market – topping all other platforms including Apple’s popular iPhone platform.

The press release from Canalys also reports that Android devices combined reached almost 475,000 units in Q2 2010 from no presence in the country a year ago. The Google-backed Android is available in phones from HTC, Motorola, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and LG, among others.

In total, the US market for smartphones is the largest established market in the world, and it still continues to show rapid growth. In the 2nd quarter of 2010, there were 14.7 million smart phone units shipped.