Crazy things-11 – Hi-Tech – Kommersant

From greenhouse carbon dioxide through baking soda to the deep sea. Communicator for operational communication of doctors. A robot friend for children who never gets bored. Eco-friendly biodegradable grill that disappears without residue after use. A sanitizer robot that’s good in bed. Kommersant continues to talk about new and old inventions with great potential.

From the atmosphere through the soda to the sea

Given the level of air pollution on the planet, the issue of creating technologies that would allow the removal of pollutants from the atmosphere, in particular greenhouse carbon dioxide, remains relevant. Research and development on this topic is done quite a fewmany of them are quite efficient, such as launched in 2021 near Reykjavik by Climeworks, a complex for the utilization of greenhouse carbon dioxide by its mineralization. The complex, called Orca, captures carbon dioxide, dissolves it in seawater and pumps it into the earth’s crust, where it gradually mineralizes into rock. But so far, this method can only utilize up to 4 thousand tons of carbon dioxide per year, which is equivalent to the emissions of 790 cars. Therefore, the search for more effective solutions continues.

One of them is a technology that was recently discussed in magazine Science Advances scientists from Lehigh University (USA). They have improved direct air capture technology by developing a new absorbent material, and have achieved that it is possible to capture two to three times more carbon dioxide than has been achieved so far. The trapped gas then reacts with seawater to form ordinary baking soda, which is then simply dissolved in the sea without adverse effects.

By words one of the authors of the study, professor at Lehigh University Arup Sengupta, the planet’s oceans are “bottomless sinkholes.” “If all the CO2 that is released into the atmosphere every day is released into the ocean, its concentration will increase very little,” he says. The scientists propose placing carbon dioxide processing facilities directly at sea to simplify the process. The new study has already been praised by fellow scientists, who called the development “nice and smart chemistry,” noting that it would indeed make it easier to absorb and recycle carbon dioxide.

Not a wand, but a lifesaver

Devicewhich is significantly simplifies communication options for physiciansworking in hospitals, was offered by the American company Vocera. Communicator Vocera Smartbadge resembles a small smartphone, which is not necessary to hold in your hands, but can be hung around your neck or attached to clothing, and it is controlled by voice. Thus, the hands of the doctor or healthcare worker remain free, and he can deal with the patient, while at the same time contacting colleagues, other specialists or the necessary institutions via the communicator. To connect, you just need to name either the name of the person, or the specialty, or the profile of the desired institution.

Vocera Smartbadge connects to more than 140 medical information systems and systems for interaction between departments of medical institutions, databases of clinical trials, databases of electronic medical records. The device also functions as a button to call a nurse, an emergency team or a security service, and also allows remote monitoring of the physiological parameters of patients. The Vocera Smartbadge also has a text message feature in case the doctor has free hands and time. In addition, the device provides a “do not disturb” function if its owner is busy with something so important that he cannot answer.

Robot friend and inspiration for kids

Charming and friendly moxie robot developed company Embodied. Moxie is aimed at children aged 5-10 years old, and its main goal is to be a child’s friend, attentive and supportive, rejoice at his successes, empathize with his difficulties, inspire him to interesting things, give advice in different situations, fill his leisure time. Given the target audience, the developers have made Moxie such that they like it. Outwardly, he partly resembles the heroine of the cartoon “Wally” Eve, who has taken possession of the “heart” of the awkward cleaning robot, the main character of the cartoon. Moxie has movable “arms” that he constantly uses to reinforce words, his body is quite mobile, he can rotate, tilt, his “face” is made in the form of an oval screen with large eyes, expressive eyebrows and a mouth.

Communicating with the child, Moxie confidently supports the conversation, asks questions, shares his impressions. The program embedded in it allows him to read the expression on the face of the child and react accordingly. In addition, Moxie can come up with tasks for the child to help instill good habits or solve some psychological problems. For example, he can teach a child to recognize the emotions of other people and name their own emotions, you can discuss with him what personal space is, what friendship is and how to make friends, how you can show kindness to your neighbors or pets, and much more. Studies have shown that interacting with Moxie helps improve children’s social skills and even correct behavior. In reviews of this device, many parents express regret only that Moxie did not appear before the pandemic: it would be much easier to pass the time in self-isolation with it.

good in bed

Traveling the world, staying in hotels, hostels or renting accommodation, we often find that the level of cleanliness in these premises does not meet our requirements. This does not bother someone, but for someone, especially for people with weak immunity, with mysophobia or germophobia, this is unacceptable. Interestingly, harmful microbes are found in large numbers not only on remote controls, on switches or door handles, but also on the bed. To solve this problem, it was invented CleanseBotminiature a robot capable of disinfecting all surfaces in a roomespecially the bed.

The small size of the device, resembling a cake on wheels with a diameter of 13 cm and a weight of 220 g, allows you to take it with you on trips and travels. The developers, citing independent research, claim that CleanseBot is able to destroy 99.99% of germs and viruses, as well as dust mites. The robot is equipped with 18 sensors, 4 germicidal lamps (ultraviolet C (UV-C)), works on one battery charge up to three hours. It is enough to put it on the bed, turn it on and leave it, and it will pass not only on the surface, but also climb under the covers to destroy germs on the sheets and in the mattress. At the same time, oddly enough, CleanseBot does not fall off the bed.

Cardboard grill

As proven by the Danish company Casus Grill, even a grill can be environmentally friendly and biodegradable. The body of the collapsible grill she designed is made of cardboard, so it is lightweight. Inside, the body is lined with a layer of volcanic chips, and the grate on which food is placed is made of bamboo. The grill is sold unassembled in a flat box, which is convenient to take with you to the forest, park, to friends and anywhere. It assembles easily in a couple of minutes.

This grill does not have a high fire, since charcoal briquettes, also made of bamboo, are used for cooking products. They give a higher temperature than charcoal and keep a good heat for an hour. And one more pleasant moment, at least based on the feedback of those who have tried the CasusGrill in action: after use, it does not need to be washed, cleaned, folded, packed and carried back. It can simply be burned, using parts of its construction as fuel for a fire.

Alena Miklashevskaya