Latest Invention: Smart Blocks That Interact with Touch Screen

The combination of the surface interactive table-top computer developed by Microsoft and several smart building blocks could help engineers create various designs much easier. The smart blocks represent the latest invention from German scientists at the Hasso Plattner Institute at the University of Potsdam. It is worth mentioning that in 2008 the software giant introduced Surface, which represents a touch-screen table computer. But the company's gadget could function only if users got in direct contact with it.
Patrick Baudisch, Torsten Becker and Frederik Rudeck are the three German engineers, who managed to interact with the Surface without touching the screen with their fingers. They created smart building blocks, dubbed Luminos. When the Luminos are used to create complex structures on the touch-screen, the computer identifies their position and virtually recreates the physical construction.
The secret of the engineers' latest invention lies in the pattern installed on the base of each block - the pattern identifies the 3D shape of each Lumino. With the help of its 4 built-in cameras the Surface screen is able to read them, which helps the computer make a 3D image of the objects that lie on the top of the screen.
Besides, the computer can also identify blocks when they are stacked up. This is possible thanks to fiber optic threads included in each block, reports New Scientist. Thus, the blocks that are put on top of other blocks are still identified, though they do not come in direct contact with the screen. Currently the screen can recognize up to 10 blocks that are put one on top of another.
Despite the fact that the invention is currently in the prototype stage, the engineers believe that in the near future they would be able to come up with a technology that would be of great help to architects

Latest Invention: Small OLED Squares for Infinite TVs

Mitsubishi has recently presented at CEATEC its huge 155-inch TV composed of tiny OLED squares. The latest invention used by the company allows creating TVs of unlimited sizes. The video shows what the new TV technology is made of and how it functions.
Using the new technology it would be possible to create huge digital displays that would wrap curved buildings. The invention is expected to be a hit in case the company decides to market it.
It is worth mentioning that the new technology is energy efficient and it might also be used to create digital billboards. Another advantage is that in case of certain defects, there would be no need to replace the entire billboard - the technology allows replacing just one square that runs out of order. You can find information on various inventions here at www.InfoNIAC.com - please check the links at the bottom of the story.
There is one drawback (stated in the video), i.e. the lifespan of Mitsubishi's latest invention is just over two-and-a-half years. Replacing the squares so often would lead to a lot of e-waste, which is not good, considering that the world is more aware today about the environmental issues. Currently there is no information on the price of Mitsubishi's latest invention.

Latest Invention: Car that Offers Flying-like Experience

A pretty concept car has been recently presented by the third largest Japanese carmaker Nissan. The vehicle tips to the side when it goes around bends, which brings the sensation of gliding through the air.
The new electric car is dubbed Land Glider and it offers space for two people. Land Glider is only 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) wide, which allows it to easily park into tight parking spaces as well as travel through narrow streets.
According to Nissan's Ryusuke Hayashi, the manager of the project, Nissan's latest invention can move in a three dimensional way, unlike traditional vehicles that move only forward and backward. He added that when you drive the car you get the sensation of flying.
The design of the vehicle was inspired from the designs of motorbikes and glider aircraft. Land Glider features four wheels and moving fenders that allow the car to lean by 17 degrees. With the help of special built-in sensors, the car can calculate the appropriate tilt for a corner. You can read more stories on latest invention and different car concepts here at www.InfoNIAC.com - please cheack the links at the bottom of the story.
One more uncommon feature is the car's airplane-style controls that replace the conventional wheel. The company's latest invention will be show this month at the Tokyo Motor Show that will take place in the period between October 24 and November 4.

Latest Invention: Touchscreen Software that Allows Surfing Through Time and Space

Recently engineers from the Tokyo Polytechnic University presented their new invention - c-loc touchscreen enabled software that allows surfing through time and space. The technology was revealed at the 2009 Digital Content Expo.
The new invention allows users to play around with geographical and chronological information, including text, images, sounds and videos, through 3-dimensional graphics, reports CrunchGear.
The software was developed for archeologists, historians and scientists from other fields that need information on historical events and geographical regions. It makes it possible to see the evolution of a certain geographical area or even building throughout a certain period of time.

Latest Invention: Software That Automatically Repairs the System Affected by Malware

Together with his colleagues, Martin Rinar, who is currently a professor of computer science at MIT, managed to create new software called ClearView that is able to identify the intrusion of alien software and generate a set of patches meant to repair the operating system. The new invention detects the rule that was compromised and then generates patches that make the software to pursue the compromised rules.
Afterwards the software analyses all options in order to decide which of the chosen rules represents the most suitable patch. The team's new invention searches for particular types of errors, which are often caused by a malicious code introduced into the operating software.
A great advantage of the new invention is that it can be installed on several computers that run the same software. When it selects the most effective patch, the latter can be installed on all the other computers.
The team of researchers carried out a test of the software on a group of machines that run Firefox. A team of independent programmers launched an attack on Firefox, each using a different type of attack. ClearView managed to block the malicious codes of all attacks. It also shut down the program prior to the attack.
The new invention discarded the wrong corrections and generated patches that corrected all errors caused by malware. Just after 5 minutes of the first attack ClearView managed to create a working patch.

A great idea was proposed by architects Goryainov A. and Krymov M. from the Arch Group. They thought about designing a rental booth that would allow t

Australia registered the world's first worm that infects the Apple iPhone. The worm changes the wallpaper of the iPhone to an image of Rick Astley, a pop singer of the 1980s. In addition, it generates a message that reads: "ikee is never going to give you up." The worm has been dubbed ikee and it can only influence "jail-broken" devices, meaning iPhones that had their protection mechanisms removed by the user to be able to run various programs that have not been approved by Apple.
Although the current iPhone worm is not harmful, experts believe that it could bring a new wave of malware that might have a more serious impact on the device. Mikko Hypponen, a representative of F-secure, a security firm, wrote that the developer of the iPhone worm managed to liberate a full source code of the 4 existing types of the worm. "This means that there will quickly be more variants, and they might have nastier payload than just changing your wallpaper," he wrote.
Up till now only Australia registered the circulation of the iPhone worm. This can be easily explained - the developer of the worm, known as Ashley Towns, lives in Australia. According to the 21-year-old Towns, he developed the worm to make people aware of the security issues.
The worm only affects devices that have SSH installed, which is a program that allows other phones to connect to the device and alter the system and files. The iPhone is infected in case the user did not consider changing the default password after installing SSH, reports BBC News.
As soon as the device is infected with the worm, the SSH service is disabled, which prevents re-infection. There are several comments included in the code. These messages were written by Mr. Towns to explain his motivation. One of the messages reads: "People are stupid and this is to prove it. It's not that hard guys. But hey who cares its only your bank details at stake."
To get rid of the worm the user has to change the device's password and delete a number of files. According to some estimates, today up to 10 percent of all iPhones and iPod Touches are jail-broken.

SleepBox Might Be the Most Useful Invention for Urban Commuters

A great idea was proposed by architects Goryainov A. and Krymov M. from the Arch Group. They thought about designing a rental booth that would allow travelers rest during their busy schedules.
The two architects named their booth SleepBox. The SleepBox can truly deserve the title of one of the most useful inventions for urban travelers. These boxes could be installed at decking railroad stations, airports, public and shopping centers, as well as accommodation facilities and even on streets.
One booth is quite spacious, having an area of 3.75 square meters. It includes a bed measuring 2x0.6 meters and featuring an automatic system for changing the bed linen.
The occupier can stay in the boot for several hours. The SleepBox includes a ventilation system, sound alerts in case of emergency, built-in LCD TV, WiFi and sockets that could be used to charge a mobile phone or a laptop. This can indeed be one of the most useful inventions for contemporary urban areas.

Camera Designed for Visually Impaired

Designer Nadeem Haidary presented its new concept - a camera developed for blind people. The camera allows visually impaired people to take pictures accompanied by sound clips that are registered simultaneously. Thus blind people will be able to share their happy moments with the loved ones
The pictures could be vectorized and laser cut, which would allow creating 3D images that blind people could "see" through touch.
Researchers at the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, carried out a number of tests and interviews to see the camera's possibilities. It is worth mentioning that the camera is made of durable materials.
Engineers made the camera easy to use for the blind people. To turn the camera on the user has to simply turn the main ring and to zoom in one has to pull the lens out. By pressing the button once, the user takes a picture and if the button is held than the audio clip is recorded. More images and information available.

Latest Invention: Full-color LED Dress - the Biggest Wearable Display on Earth

CuteCircuit, a fashionable technology company that operates in the fields of wearable technology and interaction design, has recently presented its new invention called Galaxy Dress and which allows its wearer to advertise different messages all over the body by making use of 24,000 colorful flat, extra-thin LEDs.
One LED measures 2x2mm. However, all of them harmoniously work together, producing a mesmerizing light show with hundreds of colors running through the flowing skirt.
The developers of the new invention thought about adding four layers of silk chiffon in order to disperse the light, creating an even more amazing effect. They also considered applying 4,000 Swarovski crystals to extend the dress' glitter when the light from the LED bulbs softens.
Surprisingly, the heaviest part of the new invention is the 40-layer pleated silk organza crinoline and not the technology used to make the dress shine, informs Ecouterre. It is worth mentioning that the silk organza crinoline is used to give the skirt its flounce.
In order to power the LED bulbs one should use only a few iPod batteries that will allow the dress to glitter for 30 minutes to 1 hour. In addition, the LED technology will not overheat the wearer of the Galaxy Dress, which is currently a prototype and can be observed at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago.

Digital Cloud Could Fly Over London's Skies

An international group of architects decided to develop a "digital cloud" that would float above London. They plan involves building 120 meters (400 feet) tall mesh towers along with a series of plastic bubbles that are interconnected and that will serve as screens for displaying pictures and information. In addition, the construction will also serve as an observation deck and park. Initially the building was seen as the center of the Olympic village.
The designers hope to raise money for the construction of the unique structure from small donations from millions of people. According to one of the designers that work on the project, Carlo Ratti, from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), the size of the construction will be based on the amount of collected donations.
It is worth mentioning that the current project was submitted to a competition launched by London Mayor Boris Johnson, who has committed to construct a tourist attraction in the Olympic Park. According to a spokesman, the mayor is still to decide which project will be brought to life.
The group of architects behind the digital cloud decided to go further and publish detailed information of their building. The design of the structure was inspired from the works of Toman Saraceno, an artist who lives in Germany and is famous for his inflatable sculptures of huge sizes, reports BBC News. Ethylene tetrafluoroethylene (ETFE) is a type of plastic that will be used to create the spheres. It would be worth noting that such plastic was used in the construction of the Beijing Aquatic Centre. The spheres will have different sizes and each sphere would serve as an individual element - some of them will be used as habitable spaces, while others as LCD screens with information projected on them.
"We could provide a custom feed of… searches made by Londoners during the Olympics to give a real time 'barometer' of the city's interests and mood," mentioned the California-based Internet giant Google that is one of the project's supporters. Google said that it will provide the information feeds for the digital cloud. The plastic spheres will also feature information on weather, the number of spectators, race results and more. Visitors will be able to climb up the cloud using ramps, stairs and lifts.

Architects decided to use the damping technology in their construction to be able to resist earthquakes. The technology is similar to that used in Japanese skyscrapers. Professor Ratti mentioned that the digital cloud would also make use of renewable energy. There will be solar cells on the ground as well as within some of the spheres. In addition, the lift would make use of regenerative braking, with the latter being used today in some hybrid vehicles.

Latest Invention: Suma 3D Controller that Uses Squeezable User Interface Technology

Recently Cambridge Consultants have presented one of their most interesting inventions - Suma sensor controller, a prototype 3D controller that is based on so-called "squeezable" user-interface technology.
Duncan Smith, the company's spokesman, said that the new invention works by conveying the 3D deformation of a squeezed item into a software-readable form. High sensitive control is provided by finger movements and whole-hand grip; thus the user can easily manage various programs, informs TG Daily. The new invention could be used by companies that develop different products and applications, be it gaming and design or creative arts.Smith believes that till now the full possibilities of the human hand have not yet been explored. "Emerging trends like 3D displays and augmented reality are bound to stimulate interest in Suma's unique capabilities," said Smith.

Latest Invention: Thinkpad Notebooks Installed as Seats

The latest invention from Lenovo is a Thinkpad Notebook. A number of such notebooks have already been mounted in buses and tram shuttles in the form of seats. The goal of the company's latest invention is to draw the attention of potential retailers and buyers to the Lenovo Roadshows throughout Germany.
The Thinkpad Notebook represents a part of promotional campaign launched by Ogilvy Frankfurt, an advertising agency.
The notebook folding seats have their frame made of metal, which provides shockproof hard drive protection, reports directDAILY. In addition, each seat features a waterproof keypad. Visitors thus have the possibility to use Lenovo's latest invention to surf the Internet to kill time while waiting by airports and railway stations.

Japan Launches Spy Satellite to Observe North Korea

Recently Japan has launched a new spy satellite the mission of which would be to observe the military facilities located in North Korea. During the monitoring, the satellite will provide high-definition pictures for Japan.
It is worth mentioning that the optical satellite was launch on board of an H-2A rocket. It has the possibility to identify specific objects on our planet with a resolution of 60 centimeters square, which is much more accurate than its predecessor.
It would be worth noting that the Japanese government already has two similar satellites that collect data from Earth, informs Asahi.com. In addition, it operates one radar satellite that is able to distinguish objects during nighttime and through clouds.
By fiscal 2011, Japan looks forward to launch another satellite that will help set up a surveillance system. The latter will allow capturing any point on our planet every 24 hours.

Solution Units Allow You to Generate Green Power Daily

Each day people do different things and spend a lot of energy. Some part of that energy could be gathered and then used to power various devices.
With this principle in mind designers Choi Hyung-Suk and Yun Jung-Sik decided to develop devices that anyone could wear on their wrist, hands and/or fingers. Their invention collects green energy that can be later used to power other devices.
The designers called their gadgets Solution Units. Each of these units features a battery that stores energy. Then the user can remove the battery and use it to power mobile phones and/or MP3 players.
When you're at home you can insert the battery units in the so-called Application Built-in Type so they would accumulate and supply power. Users can also make use of the Application Portable Type, which collects energy when they perform heavy-duty stuff, like cycling.

Latest Invention: Baggy Spacesuit that Shrinks to Fit the Astronaut

According to David Akin and Shane Jacobs from the University of Maryland in College Park, in the near future astronauts will have the possibility to get suited and booted in just a matter of seconds. This would be possible by stepping into a special baggy suit that afterwards contracts with the help of pneumatic artificial muscles to ensure an ideal fit.
The new invention will significantly improve the efficiency of astronauts' movements during their missions. Jacobs described their new project at the International Astronautical Congress that recently took place in Daejong, South Korea.
"Our research shows that of the physical work astronauts actually do on a spacewalk, only one-quarter of it is mission related. The rest goes into just moving the spacesuit around," outlined Akin. The same technology is used to fit the suit's gloves.
In addition, the new invention will feature stereo LCD spectacles and a video screen incorporated into the helmet. These could be used to receive augmented reality imagery, for instance, which will allow seeing the spacecraft that is hidden from view. Currently, researchers carry out tests of the new spacesuit in the university's neutral buoyancy tank.

Latest Invention: Self-tuning Dark Fire Guitar from Gibson

One of the most famous guitar makers, Gibson, has come up with a new invention - a self-tuning guitar called Dark Fire. The guitar is able to reach a perfect pitch in about 3 seconds.
The Dark Fire looks represents an improved version of Gibson's earlier developed "robot guitar," but it has one significant improvement - the new guitar features a self-tuning system with extra factory presets, allowing as much as sixteen alternate tunings. By making use of the new feature, the guitar player will have the possibility to get more set of chords from Dark Fire in just seconds.
In addition, the new invention from Gibson includes an onboard tone control function, which allows the player to imitate different guitar tones like the Texas blues or heavy metal. The instrument is rather pricey, being available for $3,477.
Dark Fire is powered by a rechargeable battery, which the player can juice up via the input jack. The guitar is mostly made of carbon fiber. Currently there is no information on the number of Dark Fires Gibson sold. According to the company, its new version of self-tuning guitar, the Dusk Tiger, is going to be released on December 7.

Latest Invention: Solar Cells Thinner Than Human Hair Developed by Sanyo

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The new invention of Sanyo, the company that not so long ago announced about its goal to become one of the largest solar manufacturers in the land of the rising sun by 2010, is a solar cell, which, according to the company, is thinner than a human hair.
The thickness of Sanyo's new invention is just 58 micrometers. The new solar cell was developed to reach a conversion efficiency of 22.8 percent.
The solar cells are made of two types of silicon, their flexibility level is similar to that of a paper and its cost will be 25 percent lower than the solar cells used today.
Although the new solar cells are likely to hit the market in a decade or so, their low cost and flexibility, could help modernize the solar industry.

Latest Invention: Chip Implanted in the Brain to Help Control Your PC

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According to Intel, its customers would soon have the possibility to have a computer chip implanted into their brains so they would operate computers, mobile phones, TV and more, using their thoughts, without any physical interaction.
Currently the company's new invention is being developed at its lab located in Pittsburg, USA. The chip will be able to feel brain activity with the help of a special technology based on Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (FMRI). Scientists at Intel have not yet developed such a chip but according to one of the company's researchers Dean Pomerleau these are close.
Theoretically, different people thinking of the same word or image would have the same activity in their brains, but since no one really knows exactly how the brain works, this is not certain.
With the help of FMRI, Pomerleau together with his colleagues scanned the brains of volunteers in order to see whether brain patters match when people are thinking about the same things. It is worth mentioning that in theory different people that think of a similar word of picture have similar brain activity, informs Physorg. However, such theory cannot be proved since no one yet knows how exactly our brain works.
The research team says that up till now the results look rather promising. According to the lead researcher, in a decade or so people will be more inclined towards the company’s new invention implanted into their brains.
In 10 to 15 years it would be possible for people to operate hybrid computers by making use of a combination of new technology and living tissue, considers Associate Professor Charles Higgins of the University of Arizona. His statement comes after scientists at the University managed to come up with a robot that is controlled by the eyes and brain of a moth. In the near future Intel's new invention could help people with some physical disabilities.

Hydrogen Powerplant Harnesses Solar Power to Produce Hydrogen

The new project of SolarLab Research and Design is a Hydrogen Powerplant that uses solar energy to generate hydrogen.
The concept was designed to take advantage of seawater, a fuel cell and Solar Tiles to generate hydrogen. The latter is afterwards pumped carefully to inflated hydrogen tanks mounted on the sea floor.
Due to the water-cooling effect, the plant's efficiency increases by 30 percent and the operating temperature significantly decreases.
The chances of explosion are limited to zero because hydrogen is gathered underwater, informs EcoFriend. The produced hydrogen is then dispensed in a cold, pressurized underwater environment via a hydrogen pipeline.

Latest Invention: Software that Allows Writing on Screen Using Power of Mind

A team of researchers managed to develop a software program that allows writing letters and number on the screen by simply thinking about them. The new invention developed by scientists at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville can be a great step towards a new type of communication that can prove to be useful for millions of people with paralysis and various neurological conditions.
Researchers discovered that people were able to make letters appear on the display by focusing on a specific letter when it was shown with a six-by-six grid of symbols. Their new invention represents the first step towards the creation of a mind-machine interface.
During trials, two patients had electrodes placed inside their skulls right on to the surface of the brain. The electrodes were placed inside the skull with the help of an incision called craniotomy. The team used these electrodes to follow the electrical signals generated by the nerve cells when a patient focused on certain figures on the matrix, reports The Daily Telegraph.
The results of the signals were then translated by a computer that ran the new software. As soon as patients focused on a specific letter, it was shown on the display. According to the researchers, in future, devices, which would be powered by the brain, would need surgery so they could be placed inside the skull. Dr. Shih considers that soon such devices could become so small that they could be easily implanted so computers could interpret signals from the patients' brains.

FASTRA II - 12TFLOPS Desktop Supercomputer

Scientists from the research group ASTRA, based in Belgium, recently presented their new desktop supercomputer, which is believed to be the world's fastest PC, being powered by six NVIDIA GTX295 dual-GPU cards along with one GTX275 single-GPU card. The desktop supercomputer was installed at the University of Antwerp. It was built to considerably accelerate the interpretation of sophisticated, 3D medical images. The computer was developed in cooperation with Tones.be and ASUS. With 13 GPUs, FASTRA II can reach a total power of 12TFLOPS.
To be able to fit all the necessary hardware in one case, the researchers ordered a special cage where all graphic cards would be stored, being connected to the motherboard with the help of flexible riser cables. The whole system includes 4 power supplies that are meant to satisfy the 13 GPUs. It used at full speed, FASTRA II will be able to outrun even a moderately sized supercomputer.
With 8 graphics processors functioning in parallel, the current system is able to reach the performance of 350 modern CPU cores. It would be used to carry out tomography tasks.
It would be interesting to note that this desktop supercomputer costs less than 4000 Euros.

Latest Invention: System that Helps Elderly Take Necessary Medicines on Time

One of the problems that the elderly face is taking pills on time. This was the main reason behind the new invention called Medicine Management System for the Elderly, developed by designers Ying-Chien Lin, Yue-Hua Li and Wei-Yin Su.
The new invention features a touch screen that considerably simplifies the whole process of managing medicines. The name of medicines along with information about them can be obtained by simply scanning the bar code of each drug.
The elderly are informed about the necessity to take pills via voice and vibration. There is no need to visit the doctors since they can send the information regarding the treatment to the electronic pill box. The latter saves information related to personal health and medicine and offers the necessary data for emergency.
Patients can take the device out and use it wherever they are, being able to connect to HIS in order to access data on medical treatment. Although it is currently a concept, this new invention can prove to be very helpful in everyday life.

Bionic Fingers that Allow Picking Up Glass, Hold Cutlery

British researchers from Touch Bionics managed to create one of the most useful inventions - the first bionic fingers in the world. Their new invention will help people who had their fingers amputated or were born without them by making it possible for them to pick up fragile objects and even write.
People who will use ProDigits will be able to write and grip as a result of a special sensor installed in the motorized digits. The sensor is able to identify when the fingers of a person have closed around a certain object. It is worth mentioning that a person controls the bionic fingers using brain signals.
In addition, the new invention does not require any surgery. The cost of such an invention ranges between 35,000 and 45,000 pounds. The price includes the money required to carry out the occupational therapy, make skin covering and fitting.
Today about 1.2 million people around the world have had partial hand amputation. Sensors that are attached to the user's skin control the custom made bionic fingers, picking up signals from the brain. The new invention also comes in several coverings, including "livingskin," which is a covering that resembles real human skin.
ProDigits have been tested by a former concert pianist, 42-year-old Maria Antonia Iglesias, from Spain. She suffered from an illness that forced doctors to remove her fingers. The bionic fingers made it possible for her to write, hold dishes and glasses. In 2008 the company's artificial hand was included in Time's list of top 50 most important inventions.

Latest Invention: Penny-size Nuclear Battery

Researchers from the University of Missouri are working on their latest invention, which is a small, light radioisotope battery that would serve as a source of nuclear energy.
According to Jae Kwon, assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering at the university, the battery will be able to generate power density that is 6 orders of magnitude higher compared to chemical batteries.
Currently the latest invention of Kwon and his colleagues is about the size of a penny. The small nuclear battery will be able to power different micro/nanoelectromechanical systems (M/NEMS). There are concerns over such batteries (mainly because of the term "nuclear"), but the lead researcher says that these batteries are safe.
Besides having a small size, the new thing about Kwon's latest invention it that it uses a liquid semiconductor instead of a solid one. "The critical part of using a radioactive battery is that when you harvest the energy, part of the radiation energy can damage the lattice structure of the solid semiconductor" explained the researcher. He added that a liquid semiconductor would reduce the risk of damage, informs Physorg.com.
In future scientists hope to improve the battery's power and make their invention even smaller. In addition, they will try to use other materials when creating a nuclear battery thinner than the thickness of human hair.

Latest Invention: Light Batteries Created from Salt and Paper

Scientists are currently testing a new type of battery made of paper and salt. If their latest invention proves to be efficient, the eco-friendly battery could be widely used in smart cards, RFID tags and a number of other portable gadgets.
The new battery has a number of advantages and disadvantages over the currently popular lithium batteries. Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden say that their latest invention is composed of pressed mats of tangled cellulose fibers and salt solution. The former is for electrodes while the latter acts for the electrolyte. Scientists believe that the new type of battery could replace the lithium battery in the near future, mainly due to the fact that such batteries are cheaper and easier to make.
Currently the team is looking forward to make their battery more comparable to the lithium one in terms of capabilities, reports Technology Review. It is worth mentioning that lithium batteries can bring 4 volt and boast energy density of 200 to 300 milliwatt-hours per gram, while one paper battery cell brings just 1 volt and is able to store up to 25 milliwatt-hours per gram.
The cellulose features paper layers and is created using polluting algae that grows in seas and lakes. The cellulose also allows the extremely light battery to be charged 100 times faster that lithium battery. However, scientists say that more research is required to improve the new battery's capabilities. Still the team believes that their latest invention might hit the market in the next 3 years.

Japanese Scientists Work on a Flexible Battery

A new type of battery invented in Japan, in the University of Waseda. This is a flexible rechargeable battery, based on polymers. The development of this type of battery was conditioned by the permanently developing industry of portable devices, which become smaller and smaller each year.
Researches on this device have been conducted for several years, but the scientists, working on this battery are Drs. Hiroyuki Nishide, Hiroaki Konishi and Takeo Suga, all of them from the Waseda University, are considered to improve the technology. Their development is based on a redox-active polymer film, which is about 400 nanometers thick. The charge carriers of this battery are the Nitroxide radical groups. Due to a high radical density these thin batteries have a high level of charging and discharging.
According to Dr. Nishide the high charge and discharge capacity of their development is one of many advantages it has over other organic materials, as the power of the organic materials is limited to the amount of charge they get. Dr. Nishide also mentioned that it took only one minute to charge a pfilm polymer battery and that it's life cycle could be over 1000 charges.
However, there are also drawbacks in this development. For example some organic radical polymers are soluble in electrolyte solutions. This results in discharging the battery. The polymer, though, should be soluble, so that the spin-coating would be possible.
The Japanese scientistshave overcome this problem by photocrosslinking, though. This made the polymer more stable and stronger from the mechanical point of view.
Prof. Peter Skabara, from the University of Strathclyde, was impressed by the high stability of the material. The polymer-based production of the battery was also something Dr. Skabara mentioned, while describing this invention.
In his opinion this film battery will make all technologies based on organic devices will highly benefit from this film battery.
Among devices, which potentially could need a flexible battery Dr. Nishide mainly mentioned small memory cards with integrated circuit. He said that within the next three years such cards would benefit from using this invention.
Dr. Nishide added that in the future the battery could be also used in devices, requiring a higher power capability more than high-energy density, such as batteries in different electronic devices and/or in electric vehicles with motor drive assistance.

Smart Baby Case Designed to Keep Baby Safe in Polluted Environment

Designer Pouyan Mokhtarani developed this Smart Baby Case concept. The case plays the role of a temporary protection to baby as soon as the baby comes into the real world.
Inside the case is hot, resembling an incubator that allows the baby to feel as though mother hugs him or her. The Smart Baby Case can protect a baby in a polluted environment.
The design of the main body was inspired from the elliptical shape of an egg. According to Mokhtarani, the elliptical case includes the most important features that offer safe and healthy environment for a baby.
The device includes a removable door, offering an easy access to the infant. The top of the case features an eliminating LED that is used to read air quality. The air purification device removes hazardous gases and dusts. In case of emergency, the device uses a smart censor that turns on the chemical mask unit.
Among other features there's Auto Diaper that features a sensor receptive to moisture. It can identify baby leaks and engage water pumps that will begin flushing the water. Special tubes accumulate the waste which is brought to waste storage found in front of the case.
To keep the baby safe, the case has Anatomi Paths, which are pads made of soft, flexible material. There are pads of different sizes. The electric parts of the case are powered by rechargeable battery. The device can also be powered by direct city electricity.

Latest invention: Futuristic Santa Sleigh Developed by GE Researchers

Researchers from the GE Global Research have a tradition - each year they present their latest inventions during the holiday season. In 2008 scientists showcased the world's first OLED Christmas tree that featured the company's bendable, paper-thin lights.
In 2009 they decided to create something even more special and presented a futuristic technologically advanced sleigh that combines top 10 latest inventions that scientists from Global Research developed this year.
Below you can get more information on the new sleigh, including information regarding the lightweight carbon fiber compounds used to make the frame, the icephobic coatings to help avoid ice buildup, self-powered OLED lighting that offers clear illumination even at 30,000 feet, sodium batteries that collect and store extra power, as well as new sleigh blades that are manufactured using ceramic matrix composites for ensuring a more efficient flight and a wireless medical sensor that would keep Santa informed about his health.

New Blackberry Curve

BLACKBERRY LATEST MOBILE PHONE:Blackberry Curve (8300) is one of the most popular latest phones since its launch. But since its launch, mobile industry has experienced many advances in technology. So to keep them update wit latest technology Blackberry family has launched its latest edition called BLACKBERRY BOLD.

WHAT'S NEW ?

Blackberry Bold is a blend of greatest features of Windows Mobile and the quality and reliability specific to Blackberry brand.With the help of new Blackberry Bold now it is possible to edit your Microsoft Word and PowerPoint documents. These updates can be moved over onto main PC or Mac. So now you can update and improve speeches and presentations during practice runs or when still on the road.

SOMETHING MORE INTERESTING:

Blackberry Bold is one of the most media-friendly release yet with the inclusion of Wifi which allows you to access the Internet from virtually millions of locations worldwide (the GPS and mapping functions can help you locate a site). And even outside of hot-spot areas, the Blackberry Bold utilizes HSDPA technology to access nearly 3G download speeds.In new Blackberry Bold streaming videos are also available, complementing the mp3 player. And with the Media Sync application, you can easily transfer media files from itunes to your handset very easily.

Most Advanced Microscope of World

Canadian center for Electron Microscopy has developed a new powerful microscope that is world's most powerful microscope till date. According to Gianluigi Botton, Director of Canadian center for Electron Microscopy, says that the power of this microscope can be thought as equivalent to "taking Hubble Telescope and aiming it at atomic level".

Titan 80-300 Cubed

This powerful microscope named Titan 80-300 Cubed was installed at the University early in the summer, and since then it has been put through its paces to achieve unprecedented resolution.This microscope is so powerful that it can easily identify atoms, measure their chemical state and even probe the electrons that bind them together.According to vice-president of Mc Master, Mr. Elbestawi this microscope will make McMaster a hub for a fast growing field.

Really Impressive Microscope

A group of international scientists who visited McMaster were really impressed by the amazing capabilities of this microscope. This microscope can help scientist to discover new things in biological and physical sciencesDean of Engineering David Wilkinson sees the microscope through another lens.

Titan's ability can probe structure of solid materials to the atomic level and this will have an amazing impact on development and commercialization of new technologies from biomedical devices to water quality monitoring and improved energy storage systems.

Cost of Microscope

This microscope has been build in Netherlands by FEI Company with a cost of about $15 million. This microscope can help to examine everyday products with its Nano details that can improve the efficiency of these products.

What This Microscope Can Do?

This microscope can be used to produce more efficient lighting and better solar cells, to study proteins and drug-delivery materials to target cancers. It will assess atmospheric particulates, and help create lighter and stronger automotive materials, more effective cosmetics, and higher density memory storage for faster electronic and telecommunication devices.

Funding

Funding for the microscope instrumentation was provided by the Canada Foundation for Innovation, the Ontario Innovation Trust, the Ministry of Research and Innovation of Ontario and the Ontario Ministry of Economic Development and Trade, through a partnership with FEI and McMaster University.

3-Dimensional Computer Processor

Scientist at University of Rochesterb have developed a new generation of Computer Processors. These processors are based on 3-Dimensional Circuits in contrary to 2-Dimensional Circuits of today.This can be said as the next major advance in computer processors technology. The latest 3-D processor is running at 1.4 gigahertz in the labs of University.

PAST ATTEMPTS VS LATEST RESEARCH

In the past attempts of making 3-D chips, scientist were just making a stack of regular processors. But at University of Rochesterb it was designed and built specifically to optimize all key processing functions vertically, through multiple layers of processors, the same way ordinary chips optimize functions horizontally.This design means that every tasks such as Synchronicity, Power Distribution, and Long-Distance Signaling are all fully functioning in three dimensions for the first time.

EBY FRIEDMAN: THE MAN BEHIND 3-D CHIPS

Eby Friedman and his students has designed this chip, which uses many of the tricks of regular processors, but also accounts for different impedances that might occur from chip to chip, different operating speeds, and different power requirements. According to Eby Friedman, Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Rochester and faculty director of the pro of the processor says:- "I call it a cube now, because it's not just a chip anymore. This is the way computing is going to have to be done in the future. When the chips are flush against each other, they can do things you could never do with a regular 2D chip"

INTEGRATED CHIPS AND PROBLEMS

The problem with today's technology of integrated circuits is that, beyond a limit it is impossible to pack more chips next to each other which limits the capabilities of future processors. So number of integrated circuit designers anticipate someday expanding into the third dimension, stacking transistors on top of each other.

IMPORTANCE

Vertical Expansion of chips has lots of technical difficulties and the only solution to this is to design a 3-D chip where all the layers interact like a single system. According to Friedman: Getting all three levels of the 3-D chip to act in harmony is like trying to devise a traffic control system for the entire United States-and then layering two more United States above the first and somehow getting every bit of traffic from any point on any level to its destination on any other level-while simultaneously coordinating the traffic of millions of other drivers.Now if we replace the two United States layers to something more complicated like China and India where the driving laws and roads are quite different, and the complexity and challenge of designing a single control system to work in any chip begins to become apparent.The 3-D Chip is essentially an entire circuit board folded up into a tiny package. With this technology the chips inside something like an iPod could be compacted to a tenth their current size with ten times the speed.

Scerets behind Memories

Scientists at UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) and the Weizmann Institute of Science, Israel have discovered the processthrough which memories are made and then recalled. These scientists have recorded that How individual brain cells calls up a memory?, thus revealing where in the brain a specific memory is stored and how the brain is able to recreate it.

Dr. Itzhak Fried, Senior Study Suthor and a UCLA Professor of Neurosurgery with his colleagues recorded the activity of hundreds of individual neurons making memories in the brains of 13 epilepsy patients being treated surgically at UCLA Medical Center. Their research detail has been reported in current online edition of the Journal Science.

EXPERIMENT

Surgeons at UCLA Medical Center placed electrodes in the patients' brains to locate the origin of their seizures before surgical treatment which is a standard procedure in such cases. Dr. Fried used same electrodes to record the neuron activity as memories were being formed.During the experiment patients were shown several video clips of short duration, including such things as landmarks and people, along with other clips of Jerry Seinfeld, Tom Cruise, "Simpsons" character Homer Simpson and others. As the patients watched these clips, researchers recorded the activity of many neurons in the Hippocampus and a nearby region known the Entorhinal Cortex that responded strongly to individual clips.Few minutes after watching these clips, the patients were asked to recall whatever clips came to mind. During this recalling process these patients were not prompted to recall any specific clips," but to use "free recall' which means, whatever popped into their heads.At this point researchers found that the same neurons that had responded earlier to a specific clip fired strongly a second or two before the subject reported recalling that clip. These neurons did not fire, however,when other clips were recalled. By observing this researchers found that which clip a patient was recalling before the patient announced it.During this experiment Dr. Fried noted that the single neurons that were recorded as they fired were not acting alone but were part of a much larger memory circuit of hundreds of thousands of cells caught in the act of responding to the clips.

SIGNIFICANCE

This research is significant in the fact that it confirms for the first time that spontaneous memories arise through the activity of the very same neurons that fired when the memory was first being made. This link between reactivation of neurons in the Hippocampus and conscious recall of past experience has been suspected and theorized for sometime, but the study now provides direct evidence for this.So we can say that, Reliving past experience in our memory is the resurrection of neuronal activity from the past.

FUNDING

The research was funded by the U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, as well as the Israel Science Foundation and the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation.

Black Hole Mystery Solved

Black holes are an object of research and mystery for the whole scientific community from decades. Many researchers are working day and night to explore the mysteries of black holes. In this series, a recent invention by Yale University Astrophysicist revels the fact that, There is a upper limit of the mass of any black hole. This research has been also published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

WHAT ARE BLACK HOLES?

As most of you are aware BLACK HOLE is a region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing, not even electromagnetic radiation can escape from it. Dur to this black holes can not be seen (as they absorbs light radiations) but can only be experienced by their ultra strong gravitational pull. That's why they are named as BLACK HOLE.. They continue to grow in size by absorbing any matter that comes in range of their gravitational field.

HOW MUCH THEY CAN GROW?

Till now it was not sure that what can be maximum size of a black hole. These black holes are now known to exist throughout the Universe and the largest and most massive are at the centers of the largest galaxies. These "ultra-massive" black holes have reported to have mass about One Billion Times that of our own Sun.

CONCEPT OF UPPER MASS LIMIT

According to the new research by Priyamvada Natarajan, an Associate Professor of Astronomy and Physics at Yale University and a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, it has been proved, that even the biggest of these Black Holes can't keep growing forever. Instead, they appear to curb their own growth - once they accumulate about 10 billion times the mass of the Sun.

THEORY BEHIND THIS RESEARCH

Normally Black Holes continue to accumulate mass by absorbing matter from neighboring gas, dust and stars. But according to new research by Priyamvada Natarajan, that it is possible only to a certain limit, irrespective of the position of black hole. The reason behind this is that, "Eventually these Black Holes reach the point when they radiate so much energy as they consume their surroundings that they end up interfering with the very gas supply that feeds them, which may interrupt nearby star formation."

EXPERIMENT BY PRIYAMVADA NATARAJAN

Natarajan used existing Optical and X-ray Data of these Ultra-Massive Black Holes to show that, in order for those various observations to be consistent, the black holes must essentially stop at some point in their evolution. This helped her to prove this fact that these black holes can not grow indefinitely in mass and there is some upper mass limit of black holes.

NEXI - Robot with facial expressions

A latest invention by MIT Media Lab is a new robot that is able to show various facial expressions such as 'slanting its eyebrows in anger', or 'raise them in surprise', and show a wide assortment of facial expressions while communicating with people.This latest achievement in the field of Robotics is named NEXI as it is framed as the next generation robots which is aimed for a range of applications for personal robots and human-robot teamwork.

DESIGNING

The head and face of NEXI were designed by Xitome Design which is a innovative designing and development company that specializes in robotic design and development. The expressive robotics started with a neck mechanism sporting 4 degrees of freedom (DoF) at the base, plus pan-tilt-yaw of the head itself. The mechanism has been constructed to time the movements so they mimic human speed. The face of NEXI has been specially designed to use gaze, eyebrows, eyelids and an articulate mandible which helps in expressing a wide range of different emotions.The chassis of NEXI is also advanced. It has been developed by the Laboratory for Perceptual Robotics UMASS (University of Massachusetts), Amherst. This chassis is based on the uBot5 mobile manipulator. The mobile base can balance dynamically on two wheels. The arms of NEXI can pick up a weight of up to 10 pounds and the plastic covering of the chassis can detect any kind of human touch.

CYNTHIA BREAZEAL:

HEAD OF THE PROJECTThis project was headed by Media Lab's Cynthia Breazeal, a well known robotics expert famous for earlier expressive robots such as Kismet. She is an Associate Professor of Media Arts and Sciences at the MIT. She named her new product as an MDS (mobile, dextrous, social) robot.

The Leading Edge: Manufacturing Technologies to Watch

Innovations are being driven by globalization, as devices are growing smaller, smarter and more connected.

When held in your hands, a sheet of buckypaper seems unimpressive, with its thin and flimsy texture more closely resembling a piece of carbon paper than a breakthrough material. But don't be fooled. This seemingly modest sheet of paper -- made from tube-shaped carbon molecules 50,000 times thinner than a human hair -- when stacked, nets a material that's 500 times stronger than steel, yet 10 times lighter.
Buckypaper's strength is only equaled by its unique properties. Unlike conventional composite materials, it conducts electricity similar to copper or silicon, yet disperses heat like steel or brass. As a material, buckypaper holds the promise of changing the way airplanes, automobiles and electronics are made.
Such breakthroughs hold the capacity to touch every aspect of our lives. Manufacturing has undergone startling changes over the last 20 years, including radical advances in materials, controls, communications, electronics and software. These developments have reduced the incidence of human error, allowed for the accumulation and study of performance data, created the possibility for instant contact with customers, and established flexibility in operations in ways that only a few visionaries might have imagined.
Today, innovation is being driven by a world suddenly grown smaller, where the ability to access and to influence technology is available to a wider range of individuals, spread across a growing number of industrializing nations. According to Cliff Waldman, an economist with the Manufacturers Alliance/MAPI who co-authored a paper on innovation in the manufacturing sector, globalization is the single biggest driver of innovation today.

We have seen more and more countries -- large, potentially powerful developing markets -- joining the global trading system, becoming both competitors and potential collaborators for us," says Waldman. "The challenges that these new emerging markets present should be clear drivers of innovation. We need to differentiate our products and processes, get more efficient and get more interesting to the rest of the world. In short, we need to be out there competing."
Making Devices Smarter
Technology isn't just reaching a wider audience of users, it's also getting smarter -- especially on the factory floor. According to Sujeet Chand, senior vice president for advanced technology and chief technology officer for Rockwell Automation, a smarter device implies a technology that holds a capacity for processing and communications. With processing capability, he says, intelligence can be embedded.
Sensing technologies are evolving at a rapid rate, allowing for the possibility of sensing at the device level. Today, for example, factories use motor protection devices such as circuit breakers, which sit on the power line monitoring a spike in current or power source. But, soon, with a little more intelligence in sensing, a device could sense the power consumption and power quality, monitoring and recording any changes in its status -- becoming not only a tool for control, but also providing feedback.

Chip Giant TSMC to Enter Solar Energy

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. is planning its first foray into solar energy with an investment in the island's largest producer of solar cells, a spokesman said on Dec. 10.
TSMC, the world's leading contract microchip maker by revenue, intends to pay 6.2 billion Taiwan dollars (US$192 million) for 20% in Motech Industries Inc., making it the largest shareholder.
"We believe the solar technology sector offers high growth opportunities," said TSMC spokesman J. H. Tzeng.
As growth in the semiconductor business slows, TSMC and other companies in the sector hope to find new ways of making money, and solar energy is one area expected to see rapid expansion in the coming years.
"With this investment we intend to leverage Motech's established platform to accelerate our time to market, better evaluate opportunities along the solar value chain, and further formulate our overall solar strategy," he said.
Motech was established in 1981 as a maker of test instruments, but started making solar cells in 1999.
"We plan to work closely with TSMC to address new business opportunities," Motech CEO Simon Tsuo said. "We believe this partnership would further enhance Motech’s leadership position in the solar industry."
Taiwan plans to boost its use of solar panels by a factor of 200 over the next decade and a half in an effort to increase clean energy, the island's Bureau of Energy said last week.

Solar panels across the island currently have a capacity of five megawatts, enough to power 500 buildings, but by 2025 that figure is targeted to rise to 1,000 megawatts, according to the bureau.

INDEPENDENT POWER SOURCE ON FUEL CELLS.

FIELD: electrics.
SUBSTANCE: invention concerns electric equipment, particularly devices for chemical energy transformation into electrical energy in fuel cells, and can be applied in manufacturing of independent power sources, including in data receiving and processing devices. According to the invention, independent power source with fuel cells includes hydrogen generator with removablecartridges for interacting reagents, reduction and safety valves for anode gas pressure adjustment in fuel chamber, output voltagetransformation unit and valve control unit.Hydrogen generator output is connected to fuel chamber input over reduction valve, fuel chamber output opens into air over safety valve, current outputs of membrane electrode assemblies are connected to output voltage transformation unit input, first output of the unit is connected to control inputs of reduction and safety valves over control unit, and second output of the transformation unit is can be connected to user.
EFFECT: simple, compact and efficient independent power source based on fuel cells. 2 cl, 1 dwg

International Telecommunication Union

The International Telecommunication Union is the eldest organization in the UN family still in existence. It was founded as the International Telegraph Union in Paris on 17 May 1865 and is today the leading United Nations agency for information and communication technology issues, and the global focal point for governments and the private sector in developing networks and services. For nearly 145 years, ITU has coordinated the shared global use of the radio spectrum, promoted international cooperation in assigning satellite orbits, worked to improve telecommunication infrastructure in the developing world, established the worldwide standards that foster seamless interconnection of a vast range of communications systems and addressed the global challenges of our times, such as mitigating climate change and strengthening cybersecurity.
ITU also organizes worldwide and regional exhibitions and forums, such as ITU TELECOM WORLD, bringing together the most influential representatives of government and the telecommunications and ICT industry to exchange ideas, knowledge and technology for the benefit of the global community, and in particular the developing world.
From broadband Internet to latest-generation wireless technologies, from aeronautical and maritime navigation to radio astronomy and satellite-based meteorology, from convergence in fixed-mobile phone, Internet access, data, voice and TV broadcasting to next-generation networks, ITU is committed to connecting the world.
ITU is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and its membership includes 191 Member States and more than 700 Sector Members and Associates.

The ITU mission: bringing the benefits of ICT to all the world’s inhabitants:
ITU’s mission is to enable the growth and sustained development of telecommunications and information networks, and to facilitate universal access so that people everywhere can participate in, and benefit from, the emerging information society and global economy. The ability to communicate freely is a pre-requisite for a more equitable, prosperous and peaceful world. And ITU assists in mobilizing the technical, financial and human resources needed to make this vision a reality.
A key priority lies in bridging the so called Digital Divide by building information and communication infrastructure, promoting adequate capacity building and developing confidence in the use of cyberspace through enhanced online security. Achieving cybersecurity and cyberpeace are amongst the most critical concerns of the information age, and ITU is taking concrete measures through its landmark Global Cybersecurity Agenda.
ITU also concentrates on strengthening emergency communications for disaster prevention and mitigation. While both developing and developed countries are equally vulnerable to natural disasters, poorer nations are hardest hit because of their already fragile economies and lack of resources.
Whether through developing the standards used to create infrastructure to deliver telecommunications services on a worldwide basis, through equitable management of the radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits to help bring wireless services to every corner of the world, or through providing support to countries as they pursue telecommunication development strategies, all the elements of ITU’s work are centred around the goal of putting every human being within easy and affordable reach of information and communication and to contribute significantly towards economic and social development of all people.
ITU remains dedicated to helping the world communicate.

Legal Framework of ITU:
The basic texts of ITU, adopted by the Plenipotentiary Conference, establish a binding, global framework for international telecommunications and set forth the structure of the Union as well as its diverse and far-reaching activities promoting telecommunications. In addition to the Constitution and Convention, the consolidated basic texts include the Optional Protocol on the settlement of disputes, the Decisions, Resolutions and Recommendations in force, as well as the General Rules of Conferences, Assemblies and Meetings of the Union.

TRANSMISSION TECHNOLOGY

Centrifugal clutches and brakes are used when input and output side should be separated during a standstill and the output side should work speed-dependant. Advantages of centrifugal clutches are load-free starting and slip-free torque transmission at operating speed. Centrifugal brakes are often used as emergency braking system. They can lower or slow down loads at a defined speed.
Electromagnetic clutches and brakes from SUCO are notable for straightforward design and ease of installation. Like centrifugal clutches, electromagnetic clutches and brakes can only be used for dry running. Reliable torque transmission without residual torque is guaranteed.
Once activated the field coil of the electromagnetic clutch creates a magnetic field using no collector ring. This magnetic field attracts the driven side towards the input drive hub. Friction linings between input and output side are transmitting the torque to the output drive.
SUCO designs and manufactures individual, customer-specific solutions when standard models cannot be used. Our engineers check enquiries to make sure they are practicable, and, as far as possible, the design of the product complies with the customer’s wishes

Graphic design

The term graphic design can refer to a number of artistic and professional disciplines which focus on visual communication and presentation. Various methods are used to create and combine symbols, images and/or words to create a visual representation of ideas and messages. A graphic designer may use typography, visual arts and page layout techniques to produce the final result. Graphic design often refers to both the process (designing) by which the communication is created and the products (designs) which are generated.
Common uses of graphic design include magazines, advertisements and product packaging. For example, a product package might include a logo or other artwork, organized text and pure design elements such as shapes and color which unify the piece. Composition is one of the most important features of graphic design especially when using pre-existing materials or diverse elements.

History

While Graphic Design as a discipline has a relatively recent history, graphic design-like activities span the history of humankind: from the caves of Lascaux, to Rome's Trajan's Column to the illuminated manuscripts of the Middle Ages, to the dazzling neons of Ginza. In both this lengthy history and in the relatively recent explosion of visual communication in the 20th and 21st centuries, there is sometimes a blurring distinction and over-lapping of advertising art, graphic design and fine art. After all, they share many of the same elements, theories, principles, practices and languages, and sometimes the same benefactor or client. In advertising art the ultimate objective is the sale of goods and services. In graphic design, "the essence is to give order to information, form to ideas, expression and feeling to artifacts that document human experience.

Visual arts
Main article: Visual arts
Before any graphic elements may be applied to a design, the graphic elements must be originated by means of visual art skills. These graphics are often (but not always) developed by a graphic designer. Visual arts include works which are primarily visual in nature using anything from traditional media, to photography or computer generated art. Graphic design principles may be applied to each graphic art element individually as well as to the final composition.
Typography
Main article: Typography
Typography is the art, craft and techniques of type design, modifying type glyphs, and arranging type. Type glyphs (characters) are created and modified using a variety of illustration techniques. The arrangement of type is the selection of typefaces, point size, line length, leading (line spacing) and letter spacing.
Typography is performed by typesetters, compositors, typographers, graphic artists, art directors, and clerical workers. Until the Digital Age, typography was a specialized occupation. Digitization opened up typography to new generations of visual designers and lay users.
Page layout
Main article: Page layout
Page layout is the part of graphic design that deals in the arrangement and style treatment of elements (content) on a page. Beginning from early illuminated pages in hand-copied books of the Middle Ages and proceeding down to intricate modern magazine and catalog layouts, proper page design has long been a consideration in printed material. With print media, elements usually consist of type (text), images (pictures), and occasionally place-holder graphics for elements that are not printed with ink such as die/laser cutting, foil stamping or blind embossing.
Interface design
Main article: User interface design
Graphic designers are often involved in interface design, such as web design and software design when end user interactivity is a design consideration of the layout or interface. Combining visual communication skills with the interactive communication skills of user interaction and online branding, graphic designers often work with software developers and web developers to create both the look and feel of a web site or software application and enhance the interactive experience of the user or web site visitor. An important aspect of interface design is icon design.
Printmaking
Main article: Printmaking
Printmaking is the process of making artworks by printing on paper and other materials or surfaces. Except in the case of monotyping, the process is capable of producing multiples of the same piece, which is called a print. Each piece is not a copy but an original since it is not a reproduction of another work of art and is technically known as an impression. Painting or drawing, on the other hand, create a unique original piece of artwork. Prints are created from a single original surface, known technically as a matrix. Common types of matrices include: plates of metal, usually copper or zinc for engraving or etching; stone, used for lithography; blocks of wood for woodcuts, linoleum for linocuts and fabric plates for screen-printing. But there are many other kinds, discussed below. Works printed from a single plate create an edition, in modern times usually each signed and numbered to form a limited edition. Prints may also be published in book form, as artist's books. A single print could be the product of one or multiple techniques.

Chromatics
Chromatics is the field of how eyes perceive color and how to explain and organize those colors in the printer and on the monitor. The Retina in the eye is covered by two light-sensitive receptors that are named rods and cones. Rods are sensitive to light, but not sensitive to color. Cones are the opposite of rods. They are less sensitive to light, but color can be perceived.[10]
Tools

Examples of graphic design made on a computer, setting out various possibilities for a Wikimedia Commons project icon.
One may consider the mind to be the most important graphic design tool. Aside from technology, graphic design requires judgment and creativity. Critical, observational, quantitative and analytic thinking are required for design layouts and rendering. If the executor is merely following a solution (e.g. sketch, script or instructions) provided by another designer (such as an art director), then the executor is not usually considered the designer.
In addition to making key content decisions, method of presentation (e.g. arrangement, style, medium) may be equally important to the design. The layout is produced using external traditional or digital image editing tools. Selecting the appropriate development and presentation tools for each project is critical in how the project will be perceived by its audience.
In the mid 1980s, the arrival of desktop publishing and graphic art software applications introduced a generation of designers to computer image manipulation and creation that had previously been manually executed. Computer graphic design enabled designers to instantly see the effects of layout or typographic, and to simulate the effects of traditional media without requiring a lot of space. However, traditional tools such as pencils or markers are often used to develop ideas even when computers are used for finalization. Indeed, a designer or art director may well hand sketch numerous concepts as part of the creative process. Some of these sketches may even be shown to a client for early stage approval, before moving on to develop the idea further using a computer and graphic design software tools.
Computers are generally considered to be an indispensable tool used in the graphic design industry. Computers and software applications are generally seen, by creative professionals, as more effective production tools than traditional methods. However, some designers continue to use manual and traditional tools for production, such as Milton Glaser.
New ideas can come by way of experimenting with tools and methods. Some designers explore ideas using pencil and paper to avoid creating within the limits of whatever computer fonts, clipart, stock photos, or rendering filters (e.g. Kai's Power Tools) are available on any particular configuration. Others use many different mark-making tools and resources from computers to sticks and mud as a means of inspiring creativity. One of the key features of graphic design is that it makes a tool out of appropriate image selection in order to convey meaning.[11]