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Active Power Unveils Revolutionary New Technology

Written by Newstream

Sep 22, 2004 at 04:31 AM

September 2004 (Newstream) -- Active Power, Inc. (NASDAQ:ACPW), a leading manufacturer of battery-free backup power products, on September the 20th announced the details behind its latest breakthrough in alternative energy storage. The new technology, based upon the innovative combination of several mature technologies, constitutes a monumental achievement in energy storage by providing the extended runtimes of lead-acid batteries without any of the well-known shortcomings of these cells. This Thermal and Compressed Air Storage (TACAS) technology will be incorporated into Active Power's newest product that will begin shipping as an alpha unit late this year, the CleanSourceÂ® XR.

CleanSource XR, based on Thermal and Compressed Air Storage (TACAS) technology, represents the latest technological breakthrough from battery-free backup power leader Active Power.

CleanSource XR stores energy in the form of heat and compressed air. During a utility outage, the compressed air is routed through a thermal storage unit to acquire heat energy. The heated air spins a simple turbine-alternator to produce electric power. Air that exits this small turbine is below room temperature and can be used to cool the protected load. Tanks that store the compressed air become cold during discharge, absorbing heat from the ambient environment and ultimately converting this heat into additional backup power. CleanSource XR also contains a small, continuous-duty flywheel that handles small fluctuations in power and supports the critical load during the brief period required for the air turbine to reach full speed in the case of an extended outage.

"Our technical team created a product that is truly revolutionary: it provides minutes to hours of instantaneous backup power without batteries while simultaneously providing backup cooling to a protected load. CleanSource XR transforms what customers don't want - heat in their data centers or telecom huts - into the reliable backup power they do want," said Joe Pinkerton, Chairman and CEO of Active Power. "We believe CleanSource XR will set a new standard in the $10 billion backup power industry."

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Last Updated ( Nov 19, 2004 at 07:18 PM )

FDA Clears Implant to Treat Sleeping Disorder

Medicine & Health

Written by Newstream

Sep 16, 2004 at 05:09 AM

September 2004 (Newstream) -- Imagine if you stopped breathing in the middle of the night. Now, imagine doing that hundreds of times a night. The more than 12 million Americans who suffer from sleep apnea don't have to imagine - to them it's real. Sleep apnea is a serious health condition causing constant interruptions from sleep and depriving sufferers from the benefits of deep sleep. While the most common symptoms are snoring and fatigue, the disorder has been linked to heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke and memory problems. But for the first time, sufferers of sleep apnea can avoid painful surgery and life-long treatment options through a simple, one-time, minimally-invasive procedure.

Click here to watch video which looks at a new treatment for obstructive sleep apnea.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given Restore Medical the 510 (k) clearance to market the Pillar Procedure, the first implantable treatment cleared by the FDA for Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). OSA is caused by a blockage of the airway usually when the soft tissue in the back of the throat collapses and closes during sleep. As a result, people with untreated sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing and may wake up 20 to 30 times during the night.

The Pillar Procedure is designed to stiffen the palate to prevent or lessen blockages of the airway. The inserts are 18 mm in length and made from a soft woven polyester - a material used in implantable medical products for more than 50 years. The procedure is conducted in a single, short office setting using local anesthetic and is completely reversible. The Pillar Procedure offers patients a first-line treatment option with minimal pain, short recovery time, and less risk than other surgeries. To find physician in your area or to learn more about this treatment, visit www.restoremedical.com.

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The First Truly Global Mobile Phone

Everything Technology

Written by Newstream

Sep 16, 2004 at 12:17 AM

September 2004 (Newstream) -- International travel is great -- except when it comes to using your wireless phone. Wireless phones are vital towards having easy access to business associates, friends or families from other parts of the world. However, most wireless phones in the United States use a phone network that's incompatible with those in the rest of the world, making it nearly impossible to use your own phone to stay connected when traveling overseas. Now, however, new technology is allowing Americans to use their wireless phones from almost anywhere in the world.

Click here to watch video which looks at the first truly global mobile phone.

Samsung and Verizon have unveiled the first truly global phone, the Samsung SCH-a790 Global Phone. The phone is compatible with the CDMA network -- the most popular network in America -- and the GSM network -- which is the most popular in the rest of the world. This means that world travelers who used to carry two different phones for each network can now use one phone to stay connected in the U.S., Europe, Asia Pacific, Africa and the Middle East.

Experts say the global phone is the first of a new revolution of phones that will work around the world. Besides its global capabilities, it also offers a host of amenities, including a digital camera, picture and text messaging, Internet connection and games. The SCH-a790 is available now through Verizon Wireless Retailers.

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Scientists Try to Salvage Solar Particles from Wreckage of Space Probe

Everything Space

Written by Jessica Berman for VOANews.com

Sep 10, 2004 at 03:37 AM

U.S. space agency scientists have began examining the contents of a canister retrieved from the wreck of the Genesis space capsule, which crashed this week in Utah, after its parachute failed to open. Scientists hope they can salvage some particles from space that could reveal information about the origins of the universe.

The Genesis science canister is inside a clean room at the U.S. Army Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. Scientists are hopeful that the recovered Genesis samples will be sufficient to achieve the mission's science goals.
(Image credit: NASA/JPL

On Wednesday, mission controllers watched helplessly as the Genesis capsule tumbled through the air and crashed into the desert. A parachute was supposed to have slowed the descent of the 204 kilogram capsule, so it could be snagged by waiting helicopters and eased to the ground. Instead, the capsule smashed into the Earth at a speed of 310 kilometers per hour.

Among those who watching the Genesis disaster on a TV monitor was astronomer Sten Odenwald of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland, where he is education manager for the image satellite project.

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Last Updated ( Sep 10, 2004 at 03:38 AM )