- University of Athens prints polymer circuits with lasers, speeds us towards low-cost electronics
The dream of ubiquitous technology revolves around cheaper materials, and polymer circuits could help make the dream a reality… if the solvents used to produce the circuits didn’t cause more problems than they cured, that is. The University of Athens’ National Technical University has developed a more exacting technique that, like most good things in science, solves the crisis with lasers. The approach fires a laser at a polymer layer (covered by quartz) to throw some of that polymer on to a receiving layer; by moving the two layers, the scientists can print virtually any 2D circuit without resorting to potentially damaging chemicals. Any leftover worries center mostly around risks of changing the chemical composition as well as the usual need to develop a reliable form of mass production. Any long-term success with laser-printed polymers, however, could lead to more affordable technology as well as more instances of flexible and wearable gear — there might not be much of a downside to ditching the circuit status quo.
Filed under: Science
University of Athens prints polymer circuits with lasers, speeds us towards low-cost electronics originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:32:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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- Google updates Maps and Earth with more high-res and 45-degree images, encourages wanderlust
Google has expanded its high-res Maps and Earth offerings to cover a whopping 164 cities and 108 countries / regions, while its brand new 45-degree imagery is now available for 60 cities (40 in the US and 20 abroad) — the list is long, so check out the source to discover all the locations. The photos are pretty stunning; highlights include a live look at the Space Needle’s orange paint job for its 50th anniversary, an overhead look at Austrian bridges and an angled view of the Thun Castle in Switzerland. Now, excuse us as we stare longingly at these gorgeous vistas — it is Friday, right?
Google updates Maps and Earth with more high-res and 45-degree images, encourages wanderlust originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:58:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
- BitTorrent lands deals with 20 TV makers for peer-to-peer video
The file sharing crew at BitTorrent has so far taken only tentative footsteps into the living room with its certification program. If CEO Eric Kinkler’s comments to Multichannel News are any indicator, though, the company is ready to make itself at home. He reveals that BitTorrent has signed pacts with 20 electronics makers to include its peer-to-peer service for media streaming in new TV sets, some of which will ship as soon as the end of 2012. Kinkler isn’t naming the partners, but he notes that most of the torrent-ready screens are destined for Asia and Europe rather than the US — many TV builders in American shops already have a raft of streaming video deals with the likes of Netflix, the executive says. Don’t anticipate seeing a row of BitTorrent TVs in the local big-box store, then, but do expect the firm to make a name for itself beyond software and the occasional router.
Filed under: Home Entertainment, HD
BitTorrent lands deals with 20 TV makers for peer-to-peer video originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 16 Nov 2012 16:24:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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