New Technology Is Huge Accomplishment for US Navy

The United States Navy has finally figured out how to best utilize seawater...by turning it into fuel. Coined liquid hydrocarbon fuel, this new technology will relieve the militaries dependence on land based fuel sources. Called a "game changer," turning seawater into fuel will allow naval ships to be 100% operational at sea. The only time a ship will have to return to land are for maintenance and the transportation of sailors or soldiers. Priced at only $3 per gallon, Vice Admiral states, "It's a huge milestone for us."

This breakthrough is a result of military scientists figuring out a way to extract carbon dioxide and hydrogen gas from seawater. Using catalytic converters, the gas is converted to liquid form. Now that the technology is feasible, it is only a matter of time before it is adopted by the entire US Navy. But first, the Navy needs to produce the gas on an industrial level. One of the coolest parts about this development is the gas "looks and smells" no different than normal fuel. I bet in the next 10 years the process of turning seawater to fuel will be brought to the masses, and create another form of energy for America. I just hope this process is done in a sustainable manner, as increasing our carbon footprint is not an option. 

US Navy Develops 'Game Changer' Technology To Turn Seawater Into Fuel

Tech Review: Amtrak Impresses With Announcment Of New Trains

Amtrak has announced plans to update their infrastructure by adding 70 new trains to their arsenal. The electric trains will be built in the U.S. at a Siemens solar-powered plant. These trains will use advanced technology to improve performance and increase safety. They will have regenerative brakes that will generate energy to be used to power other trains. Amtrak predicts this feature will create approximately 3 billion kilowatt hours of energy, or $300 million in electricity to be returned to the power system.

Amtrak ridership grew by 55% over the past 15 years and is predicted to continue increasing, as train travel is growing faster than any other transportation mode. Introducing these new trains is a smart move by Amtrak to ensure they stay at the forefront of high-speed rail. The trains will average a speed of 125 miles a hour, similar to the high-speed trains in China. This announcement proves that America is not falling behind China in infrastructure as much as we thought. The government should incentivize companies to invest in advanced technology so that more companies can follow Amtrak's path.

Amtrak Smart New Trains Can Give Back Hundreds of Millions in Energy Savings

Tech Review: SmartMio Allows You To Workout From Literally Anywhere

The SmartMio is a wearable device that connects to the users smartphone and uses electric muscle stimulation (EMS) to engage the part of the body the device is placed on. The device connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth and is meant to enhance workouts by releasing small doses and electrical stimulation to the muscle groups being targeted. SmartMio is built by Smartmissimo, a startup based in Singapore that builds wearable technology. This product will be the first EMS to hit the market, as units cost $69 and are expected to ship out in November 2014.

SmartMio is a brilliant product that will definitely find success among the niche audience being targeted. Users can wear the device at work, during their commute, while watching TV, or literally anywhere they want. The product is meant to enhance preexisting workout routines as the company "insists" that it be used in conjunction with exercise. SmartMio is targeted at athletes and health enthusiasts looking to stay fit with innovative technology. I would 100% use it and may very well place an order before I finish this blog post.

SmartMio Offers Athletes Wearable Muscle Simulation Controlled By Your Smartphone

Tech Review: Ooho Is The New Eco-Friendly Water Bottle

Three London-based industrial design student's recently created Ooho, a "blob-like water container that is easy to make, cheap, strong, hygienic, biodegradable, and edible." The water is contained in a double membrane via spherification, a way to shape liquids into spheres. The compound used to create the Ooho is made from brown algae and calcium chloride, which forms a gel sphere to encase the water. Rodrigo Garcia Gonzalez, one of the developers behind the product, states that 80% of all plastic bottles are not recycled. This is not healthy for the Earth or the businesses that produce the bottles, as creating the plastic bottle is the most expensive step in bottling water. The Ooho can be created for just 2 cents and results in no waste product after being consumed.

Think of an egg yolk; now picture it clear and filled with water. That is exactly what the Ooho looks like. The difference is that the Ooho is stronger as it uses a double membrane to contain the water while an egg yolk holds its shape with a thin membrane. This is a revolutionary product that has the ability to play a major role is curbing pollution. However, there are some uncertainties, as packaging and distribution still need to be worked out to keep the Ooho clean throughout the whole process. All in all, I believe it will be years before the Ooho hits the shelves but when it does, it will take the bottling industry by storm. If you do not want to wait for that to happen, you can cook the packaging in your home through modifying the recipe.

This Edible Blob Is A Water Bottle Without The Plastic

Tech Review: Android Wear Keeps Google In the Forefront Of Wearables

While sales of smartphones have continued to increase, they have begun to level off. This has left the major technology companies wondering what is going to be the next major product that consumers want. Google believes that the answer is simple: wearables. Having already made investments in Google Glass, they announced recently that they have built Android Wear, and operating system designed for their smartwatch that is due to be released in the near future. Smartwatches are not new news, as Samsung already has a product on the market and Apple has been working on their own iWatch for some time now. Wearables are not supposed to be the death of smartphones; in fact they need these devices to survive as they will connect with the users personal device via an app installed on the phone. 

I agree with this article in the aspect that wearables are the future of personal technology. However, I do not think that smartphones will fade out anytime soon. There are things that I would much rather do on my phone than on a watch. For instance, sending emails is a task that needs the smartphone to be accomplished proficiently. Receiving notifications, listening to music, and making phone calls are all tasks suitable for wearables. I think there are many benefits associated with the rise of wearables, especially when it comes to tracking health. This technology will make it much easier for consumers to monitor their own health without the reliance of trips to the hospital for certain ailments. I personally do not see myself purchasing a smartphone any time soon as I do not see the need. However, I am not ruling out other types of wearables. I am very interested in new technology and if something is released that is captivating; I will certainly give it a try.

Smarphones are fading. Wearables are next.

Tech Review: Planet Labs Is Taking Space Exploration By Storm

Planet Labs is a San Francisco based startup that is looking to shake up space exploration through lower prices achieved by expert engineering. The company has already launched dozens of satallites into space and is planning on launching 28 more over the course of the next month. Their product is cheap because it is solar powered, has one maneuver setting, and is only expected to last a couple of years. However, their capability is not diminished as they have the ability of taking weekly photos of the Earth with details as small as a car. In total, the company plans on launching approximately 100 more satallites over the course of the year, bringing their total to 131 in space.

Planet Labs is fitting into the space exploration market nicely as they have found a niche audience their product applies to. With plans of creating a daily photo mosaic of the entire Earth, they will have a unique viewpoint that many companies will want to access. They will be able to strike deals with agricultural companies to monitor farmland or even governments looking to monitor and prevent nation disasters. What I love about this company is they are helping fix the major problem the world faces today; climate change. Using their technology for good and producing very little carbon output, I believe Planet Labs is poised to make strides in a highly lucrative market.

Start-Ups Aim to Conquer Space Market

Tech Review: MLB Is The Most Innovative Professional Sport

Major League Advanced Media is introducing new technology that will be used within each ballpark to analyze each play of the game, using data analytics. This infrastructure will allow the industry to understand the whole play on the field (batting, pitching, fielding, and baserunning). MLBAM CEO had this to say about the technology at the eighth annual MIT Sloan Sports Analytics conference, "This is going to be pretty exciting. We think it is going to change the way we argue about the game, but we don't think it's going to settle any debates. We hope it starts more." This infrastructure is slated to be built by opening day in the Spring.

This announcement is definitely exciting news to hear as a baseball fan. A key thing to note here is that the technology will enable new metrics for evaluation from clubs, scouts, players, and fans. For instance, teams will be able to analyze how each outfielder makes a catch. They will be able to see their speed, route taken, jump on the ball, etc. This will in turn allow each player to work on their flaws in order to be prepared for the next catch they have to make. While this is great news to hear, it is nothing new from the MLB as the league has consistently remained at the forefront of technology across the professional sports world.

MLBAM Introduces New Way To Analyze Every Play