Bionic (Aqua) penguins by Festo

I remember the 6 million dollar man and the Bionic woman, but there might be a new TV series in the making – the Bionic Penguin. Penguins are know for how snazzy they dress. Now they can be seen flying through the water. But look carefully because these are actually robots— the Aqua Penguins created by the German company, Festo.

“Nature demonstrates how maximum performance can be achieved with minimum energy consumption, a Festo spokesman said.

Aqua Penguins can fly through the water. They have a steel skeleton, flexible fiber rods to control their heads and are covered with silicon. Propelled by elegant wings formed from a spring steel skeleton, these smart penguins can also swim backwards. And did we mention the built-in 3D sonar that helps them communicate with each other to keep from crashing?

Bionic (Aqua) penguins by Festo

The critters can move individually and as part of a group (when they go to school, of course). Festo also created Air Penguins, not to be confused with Air Jordans. These guys go shoeless. The blimp-like Air Penguins are filled with helium and ’swim’ through the air. I am blimp-like and can hardly get off the ground, but….

Air penguins filled with helium

The question, of course, is “Now what?” TV contracts? A movie? Peter Penguin meets Godzilla!

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Fish tanks lighting

“Bertha, can you see in here?
Not really, Bob. Why do you ask?
Well, I keep running into something.
What do you mean?
Well, it looks like I am heading for the kitchen over there when suddenly something hits me in the face.
What we need is some lighting in here.

Nabesie of Japan hears you! They’ve created DELED (Dream Ecological Light). The light is waterproof and can installed inside a fish tank. Of course, Eddie Electric will need to be able to hold his breath for a long time while he tries to install it.

Tokyo held an expo devoted to LED/OLED lighting technology.
Gosh, and I forgot to get a press pass.

Seriously. Why would a fish need a light?

BONK!
“What happened, Bob?
Well, I ran into something again.
It’s the glass wall, you …. “

Source: JapanToday

Sing along with me, “I ain’t ‘fraid of 37-ton spiders and snakes.” But, I might be!

Giant mechanical spider operated by La Machine

A 37-ton, 12-meter tall giant mechanical spider showed up to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Port of Yokohama. The spider was operated by members of the French company La Machine.

Where’s Godzilla when we need him? How cool would that be? A movie – “Godzilla vs Giant French Spider”

Indeed, there are bigger battles going on in our world. Like how to save golden frogs from extinction. Or wait! Don’t frogs eat spiders? What if …

Source: JapanToday

If you are adamant about shopping with designers and makers who think about the good of the planet while delivering the best for their customers, then 3rdWhale iPhone app is just the thing for you.

At the click of a button, the free app allows you to search for greenest businesses close to you and those eco-friendly product that you’ve been craving for so much. Over 20,000 business listings for over 30 major cities in Canada and the US have already been enlisted. And with more to follow you are guaranteed to find what you need not too far away from home.

But how does it work? Green businesses are being listed by going through directories that certify and accredit green products and services. Then checked, compared with standards and then assigned ratings: 1 to 3 Whales. Definitely a must have for the iPhone user with an eco-friendly bent, the geeky chaps decided to bring in an Android version (soon), too. [via TreeHugger]

According to leading survey companies that have taken account of the way energy is used in the domestic sector, it is assessed that 30% of all energy consumption is due to the heating and cooling needs of our buildings.

As you already knew, the use of an air conditioner can really take a heavy toll on your electricity bill. That’s exactly why Le Lievre, a co-founder and former CEO of Ausra, has launched Chromasun, a company that plans to dish out efficient and ergonomic solar-powered air-conditioning systems for our next summer.

The new and innovative design of Le Lievre is all about tapping solar power in an ultra-efficient way by using mirrors, concentrators and receivers that enhance its output capability immensely. Also, the new design ensures that by using 95% less silicon it will boast a 75% efficiency— compared to 23% efficiency on conventional solar cells.

Harnessing energy from sunlight and waste heat to cool down the interiors, this will not just save energy but also slash your power bills in a huge way.

In the time of recession, that surely should encourage more people to take a turn towards the green! Let the sun chill you down …

[via Ecofriend]

At this point, the hydrogen fuel cell industry seems like the way to go when it comes to an emission-free future. But the concept is still a long way away both in terms of striking the technological and economic balance that is needed. However, that hasn’t stopped the folks from New Holland in taking the revolutionary green technology to the farmlands. We’re talking about their brand new hydrogen fuel cell tractor, the NH2.

Still a concept and a blueprint that is not likely to hit the market at least till 2013, New Holland NH2 is a revolution that forever changes the way farmlands will be ploughed.

Powered by a fuel cell that generates 106 horsepower and a hydrogen tank that allows it to rub for 1.5 to 2 hours, there’s a long, long way to go before it becomes a viable option. But just like fuel cell powered cars, the first step of the hydrogen-driven tractors is here and that is a heartening sign indeed.

Apart from making the countryside greener and more pollution-free than it already is, it highlights the growing interest in the hydrogen fuel cell technology and how we can adapt it to various aspects of life around us. And to be honest we’d definitely take the “sexy” NH2 for a quick ride …

[via Ecogeek]

How about making your own home into a theater that surrounds you in all four directions? Currently under research, Toshiba has been busting themselves to turn OLED-enabled wallpapers into a  television screen using nanotechnology.

The revolutionary technology uses light that has been redirected by an ultra-fine grating that is fabricated by self-assembled nano particles and hence can translate light into visuals all around you. Apart from acting as vibrant and ever-changing wallpapers, these OLED-enabled sheets are also expected to acts as self-powered sources of light. That means you will not have to worry about lighting as well.

Another key advantage, the company points out, is that OLED uses a fraction of the energy required for an LCD or plasma television.

Apart from the awesome possibilities this new direction of research offers, it also saves a great deal in terms of power consumption and carbon footprints. [via TheTelegraph]

Image courtesy of luisvieira

Solar energy is still running well despite the bad economic environment and while people are searching for green alternatives, designers are trying hard to come up with stylish and innovative options, that blend creativity with utility. Designed by Jongoh Lee, the beautiful, ergonomic and natural looking streetlights merge seamlessly into the natural canopy around to harness solar power effectively. The cute and leaf-like streetlights capture sun’s energy throughout the day and use it to power what looks like their LED lights during night.

Dubbed the ‘Invisible Streetlights’ they have a flexible body that allows to be part of any natural tree that lines up the streets of the big cities. However, the problem with the model is obvious: it needs a clear top above the light to tap into the sun’s rays and clear space beneath, to emit light at night.

Of course, it works great as even interior lighting option if you could modify it to suit your needs!

[via Ecofriend]

Chinese scientists at Shanghai Jiao Tong University have recently found that by replicating the structure of the wings of the Papilio Paris butterfly, they can enhance the efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSCs).

The species of Papilio Paris live in very cold conditions and sustain their body temperature by trapping sun’s heat using a special design pattern on their wings. On examination, researchers have found that the honeycomb-like microstructure of the wings is responsible for that, and they are now trying hard to translate it into a pattern at a micro level.

While the process is neither easy nor yet successful, this will help usher the stagnant technology of the dye-sensitized solar cells which are nowhere close to matching the efficiency of the photovoltaic solar cells. However, researchers are hoping that this new stroke of inspiration will soon change that.

Another step forward or just, money spent on ‘research’?

[via CleanTechnica]

Speed bumps are not really something you would be raving about if you happen to own a vehicle, but the latest “models” in London are all set to change that conventional perception.

The new speed bumps designed by Peter Hughes and will reap free energy every time wheels roll over them. With a cost from £21,000 to £55,000 depending on size – yes, they don’t come in cheap, the metallic knob-like humps manage to earn their value back in just about an year.

Designed to tap the kinetic energy generated by vehicles that roll over constantly, the new technology uses the weight of the car to displace the metal plates underneath and set the wheel rolling to convert mechanical work into energy. Producing between £1 and £3.60 of energy an hour (each) for up to 16 hours a day, the energy will be used to power up street lights and road signs for a mile long.

Some £150,000 of funding has already been approved by the city council, so expect to see them pretty soon while you drive around London. [via EcoWorldly]