Tech News - World's Super 'Spy'

In the middle of Atacama Desert of the republic of Chile, there lies one of the world's premier astronomical location called Las Campanas. The region is popular because of it clear. dark skies and outstanding astronomical image clarity.
Due to the above reasons GMTO has chosen a site in Las Campanas to do the world's biggest Telescope called Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT).

Las Campanas - Chile

Did you miss yesterday's blog??>>WiFi to Wi-FM 

The project dubbed GMT when completed in 2021 will be ten times more powerful compared to the current 'biggest'  telescope, Hubble Space Telescope. That means the astronomers will get better pictures that will answer queries in astrophysics, cosmology and studying plants.

“We are thrilled to be breaking ground on the Giant Magellan Telescope site at such an exciting time for astronomy,” says Board Chair, and Director of the McDonald Observatory at the University of Texas at Austin, Dr. Taft Armandroff. “With its unprecedented size and resolving power, the Giant Magellan Telescope will allow current and future generations of astronomers to continue the journey of cosmic discovery.”

                                               Generated GMT image from GMTO

According to the GMTO website, this is a unique design that makes use of seven of the largest mirrors that can be produced, aprox size 870cm in diameter, to make a single telescope effectively 250cm in diameter.  

The mirrors are developed by Richard F. Caris Mirror Lab of the University of Arizona. Each mirror is said must be polished to an accuracy of 25 nanometers. So far one mirror has been polished to the specifications above. The GMT is expected to be in full operation in the year 2021 but more work will still need to be done to reach its full potential hence another decade will pass before achieving full operation capacity.

“An enormous amount of work has gone into the design phase of the Project and development of the giant mirrors that are the heart of the telescope. The highest technical risks have been retired, and we are looking forward to bringing the components of the telescope together on the mountain top,” says Patrick McCarthy, Interim President of GMTO.

Video : “Giant Magellan Telescope – GMTO Corporation.”

This project might answer and clear out speculations of other forms of life in the solar system and beyond but until the year 2030 people are free to speculate about the existence of aliens, Mass people, Moon life etc.

See also : The Skreemr Supersonic Jet

Tech Review - WiFi to Wi-FM

Today I will start by saying WiFi does not stand for Wireless Fidelity...as popularly believed.
WiFi is basically a name given to mean IEEE 802.11x, a wireless technology that makes use of radio waves to create a network connection for the purpose of providing internet and network connections.

This great invention has become very popular such that it is starting to be it's own undoing, because many if not all modern houses/apartments have some sort of a WiFi system.
If in your neighborhood you have over five different WiFi signals then this will causes a lot of interference in terms of CCQ. connection quality. You might end up getting only 10% of the internet connectivity hence resulting to slow internet connection.

Yesterday's Blog >>>>>Meet Robotic Salamander

Aleksander Kuzmanovic alongside Ph.D students: Uri Klarman and Marcel Flores from McCormick School of Engineering of Northwestern University proposed the use of Wi-FM. They explained with the use of Wi-FM Wireless connections will be allowed to coexist, stop competing and basically start sharing.
With the prototype the team did tests in several buildings and as per the results, the system apparently did boost the connection speeds 1.5 times or at average ratio of 1.35. Unlike Wi-Fi, the Wi-FM has the capabilities of penetrating well through obstructions like walls and even trees.

Transmitting devices with Wi-FM capabilities will be able to listen to FM radio signals in order to send data at times when other networks aren’t being used as much. The technology creates a shareable pattern of busy and quiet transmission times, so that interference is reduced and networks don’t interfere with one another during high Internet usage times.

This great research discovery has even better news, if this system is to be adopted then all you need to change is the router, for the devices, all you will need is an app to be installed in your phone. 

The team challenged electronics manufacturer to adopt the system and roll it out in every next device they make.

Tech News : Robotic Reptile

Meet the Pleurobot the Robotic Salamander that is changing the face of science.

This is the creepiest and most useful 'Reptile' robot from Swiss Federal Institute that resembles a salamander.  

The Robot was designed and build for scientists to study and understand how the spinal cord works and help them come up with new treatment and therapeutic methods.

Science is making advances and surely the medical field is getting a boost in terms of understanding the animal's body better.

Video courtesy of Electronic products magazine

Tech Review : The Skreemr

There is a proposed design  by Charles Bombardier of a supersonic jet that is intended to achieve speeds of up to March 10, equivalent of 12,345 km/hr or 7,673 mph, it is called The Skreemr.
This has happen in a wake of Airbus just patented Concorde 2 designs that is suppose to achieve speeds of upto March 4.

The design would make use of launch system that is magnetically charged hence launch the jet at bullet-like speeds. Then the jet is expected to burn liquid oxygen so as to achieve speeds and altitude (about 40,000 feet) that would enable the 'turbo' to compress air for engine combustion.
The engine is expected to burn hydrogen and compressed oxygen to get to the March 10 speeds.

The proposed design has a capacity of 75 seats.


Charles Bombardier and his team are know for legendary designs that are said to make people start thinking.

France Attack: Disaster or a Hoax

I send my condolences to the people of France and and the government of France during this difficult time.
Eye witness raw video footage of some of the gruesome event unfold.

 Click for more >>>>> articles

Now here comes the Hoax explained. If this is/was a hoax then the world is doomed.

Be the judge, hoax or disaster?

Tech Review - "Pull Over" Google Car

Hahaha! some news, men, will kill us.
Apparently BBC reported that the above car, a self driving Google car was actually pulled over for driving to slow.
"Wee! weka gari kando"
"wapi driving licence...haiya, hii mutu amatoroka?"
Hilarious Monologue of kenyan police on the road.
Anyway, so the police from California actually stop the vehicle with occupants inside for driving slowly..

The model was intended to reduce accidents since most accidents reports point out to human error as a cause of accident.

Tech Review - Meet Alexa

Alexa is a cloud based voice service that Echo from Amazon uses to interact and make people's life easier and works as well as Siri for IOS, Google Now for Android and Cortana for windows phone.

This is just like a portable bluetooth speakers but without battery, hence means has to stay plugged in all the time. The Echo makes use of cloud to access information and music which it plays on request.

"Echo connects to Alexa, a cloud-based voice service, to provide information, answer questions, play music, read the news, check sports scores or the weather, and more—instantly. All you have to do is ask. Echo begins working as soon as it detects the wake word. "

I call it smart speaker because 97% of the Echo consists of speakers and the sound molding mechanisms. 

This is surely an investment for Amazon because it seems to me that the main target is easing online shopping through their portal.

We should see the likes of Jumia, Kilimall, Rupu and Kaymu team up and come up with such products for kenyan market.

Tech Review - Green Washing Machine

Unlike ordinary washing machine that consumes like 50 litres of water and noticeable power energy this ka-small thing can do the same work where there is no electricity and uses at most 10litres of Water.

Introducing Drumi Green washing machine from Yirego a Toronto-based company.
This has been a successful venture for Yerigo although still as pre-ordered costing $319.00

 "a foot-powered washing machine that requires no energy. It is portable, easy to use, and time efficient. It is a sustainable solution for hand washing personal garments. This washing machine uses 80% less water and detergent as a regular washing machine cycle, and requires a fraction of the time"

Skreemr updates 

This product seems like an excellent innovation but the pricing will make the green not to pick up in sales.

Tech Review - TallyThe Retail Robotic supervisor

The major retail stores or Supermarkets and malls have always had a problem with inventory, purchase orders and correct pricing display. The retail business has always been suffering in silence and the discrepancies in prices has almost always drive the business in major losses.

Simbe Robotics has released what they call Tally. This robot stands at least 96cm high and weighing 13.6kg, having wheels, the robot requires no special infrastructure for it to manoeuvre around the store.
The Tally Robot will link to the existing system of the store to update the inventory and confirm the pricing to be displayed. The retail store has grown tremendously with variety of goods growing every day and night the work that was once done comfortably by the keepers with high accuracy has proved to be taking a lot of time.

This Robot will not replace the need of real humans in the store but rather assist them to identity discrepancies and where the shelves needs refilling/re-stacking.

We are looking forward to seeing you Tally in our local malls.

Watch Video : Simbe Robotics

 

Tech Review - MICROBOT PUSH

Today I will be reviewing a new product that was launched recently called PUSH that has brought criticism and praise in equal measures.

Robotic crazy>>> Click here

Naran, has recently launched a very useful and 'smart mechanical push' gadget that is supposed to 'give brain' to rather brainless functions like pressing a simple light switch, microwave button, old media player, and any other mechanical operated switching you can imagine.
The gadget consist of two parts the main unit that must have connection to the Internet and the 'fingers' that are attached next to the switch, this 'finger, will do the actual switching.

The main unit get instructions from a phone or a computer through the internet connection and sends the information to the 'fingers' through blue-tooth connection. The 'finger' converts the signal to mechanical motion that intern pushes the button hence the name PUSH.
I have to say the wireless robotic finger is not only a marvellous gadget but also integrates itself to the modernization of Internet and wireless connection.

This system helps automate already existing system, it is a cheaper and easy way of integrating modernization to the rather manual set-ups.
Anyone can set-up this system hence making it user friendly and no harmful emissions, hence safe to use.