Cisco invests in home automator
Cisco has invested in Control4, a maker of home automation and energy products. Control4’s EMS 100 system includes an energy controller, a touchscreen interface that provides data on energy consumption and cost, a wireless thermostat, and associated software for all components. The EMS 100 system provides customers of utilities with information about their energy use and the ability to respond to event notifications during peak periods. Network World
Multilayered solar cell boosts efficiency
Solar Junction’s solar cell is like a tiny layer cake able to crank out more power per inch than most cells. Solar Junction cells are designed to be fitted into concentrating photovoltaic (CPV) solar collectors. Originally used in space, CPV systems concentrate the light hundreds of times using mirrors and lenses onto a small but relatively efficiency solar cell. They are typically mounted on racks to follow the sun in desert areas and are used for installations up to 50 megawatts. CNET
Survey says solar most popular clean energy source
Solar energy is the most popular source of clean, environmentally friendly power in the minds of US citizens. The survey looked at consumer attitudes towards a wide range of clean energy technologies currently used in America to offset carbon pollution, including solar, wind, clean coal, nuclear power, hybrid and electric vehicles and biofuels. The majority of consumers (79 per cent) chose solar energy as their most trusted and familiar renewable energy solution, above wind energy (75 per cent), and hybrid vehicles (64 per cent). In the "unfavourable" environmental column, nuclear power and carbon cap and trade garnered the most negative responses with 19 per cent each. Energy Matters
Manual reading is better
Research published in Health Technology Assessment finds that to detect abnormal cells, manual reading of cervical smear slides is better than automation-assisted reading. Previously, researchers suggested that automation-assisted reading could potentially achieve greater sensitivity in detecting abnormal cells, but the study found that automation was eight per cent less sensitive than manual. The trial also found that the cytoscreeners preferred manual reading as automation-assisted reading was monotonous. News-worthy.info
Questions on ‘frack water’ prompt revocation of permits in US city
Concerns that the sewer authority in the US city of Buffalo may have accepted wastewater containing toxic chemicals generated at gas-drilling sites have spurred the agency to terminate three discharge permits. The controversy surfaced after the publication of an article raising the possibility that a company may have transported "frack water" to the authority’s treatment facility. The City Council unanimously voted to ban any kind of natural gas extraction in Buffalo, including hydraulic fracturing. Buffalo is the second large city in the US to impose such a ban and could spur other communities to take similar action. The Buffalo News