Monday, October 19, 2009
Will Clean Tech provide an Economic Revival in the US?
See post here http://davidhorneroncleantech.blogspot.com/
Life is no “brief candle”
Great quote. Are You a Clod of Ailments or a Brightly Burning Torch?
This is the true joy in life: The being used for a purpose recognized by yourself as a mighty one. The being a force of nature, instead of a feverish, selfish little clod of ailments and grievances complaining that the world will not devote itself to making you happy. I am of the opinion that my life belongs to the whole community, and as long as I live, it is my privilege to do for it whatever I can. I want to be thoroughly used up when I die - for the harder I work, the more I live. I rejoice in life for its own sake. Life is no “brief candle” to me; it is a sort of splendid torch which I have got hold of for the moment, and I want to make it burn as brightly as possible before handing it on to future generations.
George Bernard Shaw
Sunday, October 4, 2009
Tech transfer in Space
Watched a great lecture by an MIT professor yesterday - the subject "From the Moon to Mars - implications for Space Suit design". The main discussion was around the challenges that astronauts face in travelling to and from Mars over maybe 3 or 4 years! [although in theory the journey can be done in 130 days, Earth and Mars are only well aligned and near each other once every 26 months. So to go and return - with a little exploring thrown in - is a major trip. No popping into the BP gas station for a coffee either!!]. So astronauts face challenges in terms of radiation exposure, changes in muscle tone and bone density, nutrition and mental health.
Although the speaker talked a little about all of these challenges, the main thrust of the lecture was on the design considerations for space suits in the future, given that astronauts will operate in much lower g for much of their journey, but then will be expected to explore, lift objects, and work in about 3/8th Earth's gravity (on Mars) and vice versa on the return trip.
That lead to an interesting discussion about how the brain learns how to adapt in zero g - throwing objects, use of muscles etc is all different. Lots of neck and upper body movement, more like a lizard or snake, much less use of the torso and legs. Intelligent exoskeleton type suits were discussed...and it was here that some of the technology transfer ideas came to light.
For example, the speaker highlighted how the same technology that was being used to simulate the learning expriences of astronauts in zero g, and the ways that their motor-coordination could be trained and assisted, could also be used to help people suffering from the effects of celebral palsy here on Earth.
And how examination of how our skin is layered and built up at a molecular level helps us to understand how to build spacesuits that can cope with the flexing and wear that our skin copes with so easily...and how changes in bone density and shape in lower gravity has learning implications for bone fractures amongst people here on Earth...and how novel engineering designs to create lightweight transport vehicles for use on the surface of Mars using (mainly) upper body strength and arms had direct implications for high performance tricycles that partially disabled people were using to compete in marathons here on Earth. Great stuff - and not something that immediately comes to mind perhaps. I'm already a fan of space exploration, but suddenly some of the spin-off benefits became clearer.
Which leads on to one other point that stuck in my mind that the speaker made: innovation (and I suggest, the tyoe of technology transfer that has really significant impact) only happens in great leaps and bounds when creative minds that are prepared to challenge the status quo are allowed to play and try new things out. Imitation or step by step incremental improvement rarely leads to 'a great leap forward'. The speaker, an academic, went on to say how important it is to maintain that creative, playful dimension in research - and I agree - even though this perhaps goes against the grain of research programmes that often take someone elses work a little step further.
I was reminded of all of this during a conversation with someone from an economical development agency earlier in the week. What can these agencies do to encourage investment, R&D and technology transfer?. A logical approach might be to develop databases of common research topics, build labs, and commercialisation teams. But maybe we need a few artists, and some creative types too. I think it would be interesting to give a disparate group of individuals from a range of different backgrounds some pointy research problems to solve, give them a time limit, the freedom to play, and see what happens....after all, Penicillin, X-rays, the principal of vaccination, the atomic nucleus, and Teflon were all discovered 'by accident' in some way or another...so why not give some creatives a shot?
A further question..for another post..might be around the attributes of an ideal team to commercialise said newly discovered technical wizardry....
Although the speaker talked a little about all of these challenges, the main thrust of the lecture was on the design considerations for space suits in the future, given that astronauts will operate in much lower g for much of their journey, but then will be expected to explore, lift objects, and work in about 3/8th Earth's gravity (on Mars) and vice versa on the return trip.
That lead to an interesting discussion about how the brain learns how to adapt in zero g - throwing objects, use of muscles etc is all different. Lots of neck and upper body movement, more like a lizard or snake, much less use of the torso and legs. Intelligent exoskeleton type suits were discussed...and it was here that some of the technology transfer ideas came to light.
For example, the speaker highlighted how the same technology that was being used to simulate the learning expriences of astronauts in zero g, and the ways that their motor-coordination could be trained and assisted, could also be used to help people suffering from the effects of celebral palsy here on Earth.
And how examination of how our skin is layered and built up at a molecular level helps us to understand how to build spacesuits that can cope with the flexing and wear that our skin copes with so easily...and how changes in bone density and shape in lower gravity has learning implications for bone fractures amongst people here on Earth...and how novel engineering designs to create lightweight transport vehicles for use on the surface of Mars using (mainly) upper body strength and arms had direct implications for high performance tricycles that partially disabled people were using to compete in marathons here on Earth. Great stuff - and not something that immediately comes to mind perhaps. I'm already a fan of space exploration, but suddenly some of the spin-off benefits became clearer.
Which leads on to one other point that stuck in my mind that the speaker made: innovation (and I suggest, the tyoe of technology transfer that has really significant impact) only happens in great leaps and bounds when creative minds that are prepared to challenge the status quo are allowed to play and try new things out. Imitation or step by step incremental improvement rarely leads to 'a great leap forward'. The speaker, an academic, went on to say how important it is to maintain that creative, playful dimension in research - and I agree - even though this perhaps goes against the grain of research programmes that often take someone elses work a little step further.
I was reminded of all of this during a conversation with someone from an economical development agency earlier in the week. What can these agencies do to encourage investment, R&D and technology transfer?. A logical approach might be to develop databases of common research topics, build labs, and commercialisation teams. But maybe we need a few artists, and some creative types too. I think it would be interesting to give a disparate group of individuals from a range of different backgrounds some pointy research problems to solve, give them a time limit, the freedom to play, and see what happens....after all, Penicillin, X-rays, the principal of vaccination, the atomic nucleus, and Teflon were all discovered 'by accident' in some way or another...so why not give some creatives a shot?
A further question..for another post..might be around the attributes of an ideal team to commercialise said newly discovered technical wizardry....
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