Hydrogen refueling stations and the idea of fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) are taking root in New England, which surprisingly, given the region’s technology and innovation prowess, has lagged behind the leaders, California and the Mid-Atlantic states. The Public Works Dept. in Hampden, Conn., has one now to fuel public transit vehicles and Nuvera, a fuel cell company, opened a PowerTap station in Billerica, Mass. What’s more, a DOT-backed 31-stop/18-state tour of FCVs from nine manufacturers just kicked off in Portland, Maine.
So hydrogen doubters, take note: the momentum is building. It’s too early for FCVs to put a dent in gasoline consumption, but they will. Crude is falling (it’s up $3 today to $116), and in a lasting sense, the decline is driven by consumers abandoning SUVs, pickup and gas-guzzling sedans for more fuel efficient vehicles (a point which seems to have been overlooked).
Safety networks have become more complex, and have actually become simpler and easier to deploy for plant operators. This slideshow highlights developments in plant safety with an emphasis on integrated safety networks.
As the MEMS industry spans a myriad of industries and markets, the future of MEMS in consumer electronics will enable a myriad of functionality, applications, and personalization.
The Nest is a sleek-looking digital thermostat which can actually "learn" its owners' schedule and then continue to regulate temperature to suit the user's preferences and patterns.
Thanks to embedded electronics, medical devices are getting smaller and smarter than ever. Pacemakers and implantable defibrillators are now able to call physicians. MRIs, CT scanners, and ultrasound machines are gaining mobility. And the venerable Band-Aid may soon be able to detect illnesses ranging from fevers to heart arrhythmias. On February 21, join Design News senior editor Charles Murray for a wide-ranging discussion, "Embedded Angles for Medical Products," which will explore the latest developments in medical electronics. The discussion will examine advances in medical device technology and offer an inside look at the embedded electronics behind it.
To save this item to your list of favorite Design News content so you can find it later in your Profile page, click the "Save It" button next to the item.
If you found this interesting or useful, please use the links to the services below to share it with other readers. You will need a free account with each service to share an item via that service.
Tweet This
19 
