The DreamCom 10 Ergonomic Laptop Transformer is similar to every other existing laptop. However, it does include beneficial functions for the user. It is a pretty standard Intel-Based computer (featuring UMTS/HSDPA). It has the ability to transform into multiple configurations for improved user comfort. It does so with an expandable neck and an attached dock allowing for a tipi-like biped stance. It is less hunch-back induced than a standard laptop. 
Currently, millions of tons of fossils fuels are combusted to produce energy through converting thermal energy to electric energy or kinetic energy in an inefficient way. Fossil fuel engines run at approximately 40% efficiency, with the other 60% being lost to the environment. A recent discovery has been made by scientists at Stanford University in the application of silicon nanowires as producers of electricity. A current property of thermoelectric materials is the conduction of electricity when one end of the material is warmer than the opposite end, generating electricity. However, in most cases producing such a material is either very expensive or requires considerable costs to keep one end warmer than the other as since many materials that conduct electricity well also conduct heat well and so near equal temperature is established at both sides. The break through to this dilemma comes with the development of silicon nanowires. These tiny wires have the intriguing property of electrical conductivity but highly reduced thermal conductivity, allowing for significantly increased efficiency in thermoelectric applications. The idea is that the energy lost to the environment primarily to heat escaping, can be converted into electrical energy, increasing the efficiency of fossil fuel usage.
http://spie.org/Images/Graphics/Newsroom/Imported/1087/1087_fig1.jpg
The applications for this discovery are far reaching, as it affects nearly all electronic products, any engine using fuel to evolve thermal energy, and even the efficiency of batteries. A further benefit of the application of this technology comes with the fact that the silicon industry is already well established and so integration of procedures to produce silicon on the nano scale for wiring can be done faster and in a more feasible fashion. In addition, silicon is not considered a rare material, like platinum or gold, but actually exists in a vast quantity in Earth’s crust.
Source: http://www.stsm.ir/resources/10302-16101387085210silicon%20nanowire%20thermoelectrics.pdf
X-Bow Boat Design (pictures at the bottom)
For many years boat design has remained constant, most boat designers believe that changing the boat design would defy the laws of
physics and the boat might not survive on water. The differences between the average boats include the bow of the boat (the front) where there is a “lump” (picture to the side) right below the sea level, this cuts straight through the waves to enhance speed. The X-bow boat does not have this “lump” and still manages to travel more efficiently and faster.
The information below states the advantages of the new design.
The unique and environmentally-friendly X-BOW® hull line design offers significantly higher transit speed in adverse weather conditions, as well as enhanced fuel economics. The bow shape ensures soft entry into waves, thus reducing speed loss, pitch and heave accelerations, as well as eliminating slamming and vibration problems associated with conventional bow flare.
X-BOW® advantages:
– Lower pitch and heave accelerations due to foreship volume distribution and slender hull water line
– Reduced noice and vibration levels in foreship due to soft entry into waves
– Less spray
– Negligible occurrences of green water on bridge deck
– Working deck and deck equipment better protected due to hull extended to full beam in accommodation area
http://www.ulstein.com/kunder/ulstein/cms66.nsf/doc/3A6662B6DEF379B3C12576C70031E17D
Pictures:
http://www.superyachtshipping.com/images/chartered_ship_shipping_boats.jpg
http://www.tgal.us/section.php?xSec=23
http://gcaptain.com/a-viking-ship-redesigned-for-modern-use/?190
Common keyboards force you to type on a flat plane. Also laptop’s have a flat keyboard. This is not the most ergonomically comfortable position to type in. There are several different types of ergonomic keyboard designs or at least designs that claim to be ergonomic. There are contoured keyboard’s like the Kinesis:
In this design the two areas with keys are the same distance apart as average shoulder width. This causes the person using it to not have to make as much shoulder movements.
There are also keyboards that only split the keys into two seperate groups. “Split Keyboards” such as this one made by Apple:
This is the Apple adjustable Keyboard, it allows you to change the angle between the two groups of keys by means of a hinge.
A further development of the split keyboard is the angled split keyboard such as the maltron keyboard. 
The keys are located at different heights and towards the inside they get higher making your index finger type higher.
As human beings spend lots of time sitting and sleeping it is essential to choose ergonomic bedding and seating products that further provide them with the proper amount of support and comfort which is necessary to maintain a healthy and comfortable life. Every man and woman has their own unique body shape and thus their own sleeping and sitting posture. The Grand Adjustable Base Mattress is an example of an ergonomic friendly product as it is designed to contour to your body to provide the proper spinal alignment and support necessary for a restful night’s sleep and stress-free day. The Grand Ergo adjustable base allows the user to be in control as it has an infinite number of ergonomic rest positions and rejuvenating massage. The wireless remote lets you control movement from the comfort of your bed, as it electronically adjusts to your every movement.
SOME OF ITS ERGONOMICS INCLUDE:
VIDEO SHOWING ERGONOMIC OF TEMPURPEDIC MATTRESSES
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3C-mM0ehxgM
Bibliography:
http://www.tempurpedic.com/Adjustable-Bases/Adjustable-Bases.asp
http://www.sleepcountry.com/uploads/images/products/tempurpedic/tempurpedic-ergo-515-325.jpg
http://www.wovel.com/
Inventor: Mark Noonan
Product Website: http://www.wovel.com/
How does it work?
This product (a shovel on a wheel) is quite simple to use, but requires practice for some. The first step to take is to push the snow with the product, like pushing a stroller. Then, push the handle down to get rid of the snow wherever you please. The product must be assembled before it can be used.
** “A study at the University of Massachusetts found back strain from the Wovel is roughly akin to walking, reducing the risk of lower-back injury from shoveling snow by 85 percent.”
Disadvantages: More expensive than a shovel, and must be assembled.
Advantages: Ergonomic, convenient, and three times faster than a shovel.
For those who live in snowy climates, this product proves very useful: it saves time, and most importantly it significantly reduces the risk of back-injuries, and related heart injuries.
Sources:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/21/nyregion/21towns.html?ref=ergonomics#
http://www.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,1939342_1939395_1939660,00.html
http://www.wovel.com/Products/default.aspx
Everyone would like to be able to fly above the water, for unlimited time, and that is exactly what Jetlev-Flyer allows you to do. It is designed by a company named MS Watersports GmbH, a German company. The water jet pack is easy to maneuver and extremely stable, the main website explains that “the bilateral nozzles are positioned higher than your center of gravity, so your body behaves like a pendulum or hanging flower pot. The nozzles are also designed to counteract against rolling motion from side-to-side. The hose and water inside it adds a great deal of extra weight below your center of gravity, so the higher you fly, the more roll stability you have. In forward motion, drag from the hose provides a third stabilizing point, ensuring stable forward motion. Finally, the jetpack’s rigid back rest, saddle and body harness keep your upper torso rigid while the trapeze prevents your legs from flailing in the air.” So those qualities make the jet pack extremely flexible for the user allowing ease of use, and anyone older than 18 years old can use it, as long as they are in good physical shape and good health. The JetLev-Flyer can go up to a maximum of 30 feet above the water, and if someone falls, they will be falling at a speed less than 30mph and the water drag will slow them down, so they won’t hit the water so hard that it will cause injuries, plus the users use protective equipment. Another cool thing is that the JetLev-Flyer was designed so it can take up to 6 minutes to learn how to use it, so in no time you will be able to fly above the water. It also allows you to do a certain moves, such as 90 and 180 turn while up on the water, also you can do tight turns and many other more moves. And for people that don’t like noisy products, the JetLev-Flyer has no engine and no moving parts other than the articulated thrust assembly, the only noise is the water jets making splashing noises when they enter the water and the boat unit which provides the water for the jetpack has a great sound insulation. In conclusion the JetLev-Flyer is a fun product to use, which allows you to fly around, plus the jetpack is a quiet, comfortable product, the only negative aspect is the insanely high price varying from 79,900 – 99,900 Euros, so in other words only people with a great amount of money can afford such product.
For more information you can visit the main website at http://www.jetlev-flyer.com/home.html
At the U.S. Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory, research is underway to recycle our unwanted plastic bags and convert them into carbon fiber. Not only that, but the properties of the fibers themselves could be fine-tuned, allowing different types of carbon fiber to be created for specific applications.
The main scientist on the project, Amit Naskar, began with polyethylene-base fibers which could conceivably come from waste plastic sources, such as shopping bags and carpet backing scraps. Using a “a multi-component melt extrusion-based fiber spinning method,” the surface contours of these fibers can be customized, and their diameter can be manipulated with submicron precision.
Bundles of these fibers are dipped into a proprietary acid chemical bath. A process known as sulfonation causes the plastic molecules to bond with one another, transforming each bundle of fibers into one joined black fiber.
When exposed to very high temperatures, these fibers won’t melt but instead, the heat will cause their chemical components to turn to a gaseous state. After the gass has been released, a fiber composed of most carbon is all that remains.
Due to its tunable porosity, many uses are envisioned for the plastic-derived carbon fiber. Scientist hope the material will be of use to the production of applications such as filtration or energy harvesting, but more importantly it is hoped to be used in the American auto industry, to make tough yet lightweight, inexpensive car parts.
The process holds great economic value as common material, such as polyethylene used in plastic bags, could be turned into something far more valuable.
“Our results represent what we believe will one day provide industry with a flexible technique for producing technologically innovative fibers in myriad configurations such as fiber bundle or non-woven mat assemblies” – Amit Naskar
http://www.gizmag.com/carbon-fiber-polyethylene/21985/
A few years ago there was a demonstration by a team at Fulton Innovation of a product called eCoupled. Using the principle of electromagnetic induction, by which an electrical charge can be stimulated in a wire coil by placing another one nearby, the crazy boffins were able to display wireless power transfer.
Despite being high voltage, they said, it was safe, efficient and could be applied to any surface. The demo room consisted of a kitchen without plugs, but full of lights that could be stuck anywhere and a frying pan that heated up just by sitting it on the counter. Put a phone on the same counter and it began charging. Clearly, this was the future.
Fulton are still working on wireless power, but it’s a different company that’s beat it to the shops, Powermat – and its products are expensive for something that replaces a 50p mains plug.
The Wireless Power Consortium are going to be finalising a standard for wireless power called Qi later this year, which should mean prices drop and manufacturers have the confidence to build the technology straight into devices, rather than requiring an adaptor.
Another similar technology is the Airnergy by RCA. It’s a tiny dongle that can turn Wi-Fi signals back into electricity for charging phone batteries and the like.
What Is It? Dr. Riter’s ErgoChair is a new and exciting ergonomic chair designed by a group of physicians, health practitioners and engineers in Switzerland to promote correct posture, to help strengthen the muscles in the abdominal area and the spine, and to take stress off the back and neck’.
What Does It Do? Most people who sit in front of a computer or at a desk for prolonged periods of time assume poor posture. It results in flattening of the lumbar spine and altered head carriage. This can result in chronic lower back pain, weak abdominal muscles, and neck problems that often lead to headaches.
Prolonged sitting in most office chairs can also cause poor circulation in the legs resulting in painful leg cramps or the sensation of the legs falling asleep.
The ErgoChair enables individuals to achieve proper posture. The egg-shaped flexible ball allows free movement of the body – up and down, back and forth, and side to side – for the body to find the best posture to relieve and prevent back pain. The egg-shaped ball can be inflated or deflated to the desired height for different individuals and an air pump is included for easy re-inflation. The ball can also be removed from the chair frame and used for stretching and exercising with included exercise manual.
By using the ErgoChair many different abdominal muscles naturally tense to tilt the pelvis and the lumbar spine flexes and extends reaching the balanced position of optimal function and stability. The muscles will then contract to hold the position. This makes the body aware of the correct posture. After about one to two weeks of use, you will notice that you have better posture sitting in any chair.
Sources: http://www.roclar.net/archives/1122
http://sitincomfort.com/dorier.html
