Congratulations to our own Adam Riess, Krieger-Eisenhower Professor of Physics and Astronomy and staff member of the Space Telescope Science Institute, on his 2011 Nobel Prize in Physics for his work on Type Ia Supernovae and Cepheid stars, which led to the discovery of dark energy and that the universe is indeed expanding. We look forward to the next discovery to be made at Johns Hopkins. Hit those books people!
Friday, October 14, 2011
RIP Dennis Ritchie
Less than a week after the death of Apple's Steve Jobs comes the equally upsetting news that Dennis Ritchie, the man who developed the C programming language and influenced the Multics and Unix operating systems, died on October 8. A true trailblazer in coding and computer systems, Ritchie received the Turing Medal in 1983 and the National Medal of Technology 1998. When he retired from Lucent Technology Services in 2007, he was the head of the System Software Research Development office. He was 70 years old.
Ritchie was the son of prominent Bell Labs scientist Alistair E. Ritchie, himself a pioneer of switching circuit theory. Dennis Ritchie was educated at Harvard University where he received degrees in physics and applied mathematics. He later earned his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1968 after working briefly at Bell Labs. His mentor was Patrick C. Fischer
A modest man, Ritchie embodied the spirit of computing with his understanding of the simple systems that make complex machines. He will be missed.
Here are some quotes of his that exhibit his character and his views on life:
Ritchie was the son of prominent Bell Labs scientist Alistair E. Ritchie, himself a pioneer of switching circuit theory. Dennis Ritchie was educated at Harvard University where he received degrees in physics and applied mathematics. He later earned his Ph.D. from Harvard in 1968 after working briefly at Bell Labs. His mentor was Patrick C. Fischer
A modest man, Ritchie embodied the spirit of computing with his understanding of the simple systems that make complex machines. He will be missed.
Here are some quotes of his that exhibit his character and his views on life:
- I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of the demigodic party."
- "Usenet is a strange place."
- "UNIX is very simple, it just needs a genius to understand its simplicity."
- "C is quirky, flawed, and an enormous success.
Friday, October 7, 2011
RIP Steve Jobs
The day after the iPhone 4S debuted, the face of the company died. Steve Jobs, who was able to rebuild the reputation of Apple, who became its face and its figurehead, passed on Wednesday, October 5 from pancreatic cancer. "Cancer took our Jobs!" wrote one Reddit user. This comment has risen to the top of the thread, for good reason. Steve, what a life. You will be missed.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Hot Air Isn't Just Nonsense
It's no secret that one of the hardest problems for America today is how to sustain our energy needs in the age of declining oil supplies. This has nothing to do with politics or reducing our dependence on the Middle East; this is a real problem that college students of today will inherit tomorrow. The most challenging part of this problem is that there's no one type of alternative energy that the entire American public has rallied behind. Sure, solar energy is flashy, but there isn't a mass push to make it more of a dependable source. This is partly because of a lack of cheap, mass-produced technology.
So why not take advantage of another thing that the world is full of: hot air?
That's exactly the idea of Australian entrepreneur Roger Davey, who is going to use the hot air that naturally rises off the Earth to power turbines, which will translate that energy into electricity. In an official statement, EnviroMission, Davey's company, boasts that it can create up to 200 megawatts of power, which is enough to power 100,000 homes. This is an extrapolation from data already collected. The Hot Air Technique has been tested on smaller scales on the plains of Spain, where prototypes of the solar updraft tower created about 50 killowatts of electricity per day. Some external engineers are skeptical of the projected 200 megawatt power ratings, but not one of them can deny the sound engineering of his device.
The tower will be surrounded by a plastic dome as wide as a football field, which will help heat air. When it reaches 194 degrees, the hot air enters the tower and travels up to the turbines. The increased height will increase the strength of the air flow, which will make the turbines turn faster, which leads to more electricity generated. Because the Earth continues to cool after the sun goes down, this is an energy that will not cease at night.
Unlike solar power, which is scarce on a cloudy day, and wind power, limited both at high and low wind speeds, the capture of hot air is something that happens every day without fail because of earth's natural specific heat. This is a solution that can be used everywhere, but especially in Australia. Another advantage is the long projected lifespan of the hot air towers, which EnviroMission says will be up to 80 years, far longer than a solar panel's lifespan.
As of right now, EnviroMission is the only publicly traded developer working on this job, but even with the encouraging data from Spain, the entire plan is still in the planning phase. Understandably, Oil companies have reason to be nervous, but Davey says the Hot Air is not meant to replace anything, yet. The current idea is that hot air will come to be a low emission alternative to fossil fuels, and, if the sentiment sticks, a primary source of fuel.
So why not take advantage of another thing that the world is full of: hot air?
That's exactly the idea of Australian entrepreneur Roger Davey, who is going to use the hot air that naturally rises off the Earth to power turbines, which will translate that energy into electricity. In an official statement, EnviroMission, Davey's company, boasts that it can create up to 200 megawatts of power, which is enough to power 100,000 homes. This is an extrapolation from data already collected. The Hot Air Technique has been tested on smaller scales on the plains of Spain, where prototypes of the solar updraft tower created about 50 killowatts of electricity per day. Some external engineers are skeptical of the projected 200 megawatt power ratings, but not one of them can deny the sound engineering of his device.
The tower will be surrounded by a plastic dome as wide as a football field, which will help heat air. When it reaches 194 degrees, the hot air enters the tower and travels up to the turbines. The increased height will increase the strength of the air flow, which will make the turbines turn faster, which leads to more electricity generated. Because the Earth continues to cool after the sun goes down, this is an energy that will not cease at night.
Unlike solar power, which is scarce on a cloudy day, and wind power, limited both at high and low wind speeds, the capture of hot air is something that happens every day without fail because of earth's natural specific heat. This is a solution that can be used everywhere, but especially in Australia. Another advantage is the long projected lifespan of the hot air towers, which EnviroMission says will be up to 80 years, far longer than a solar panel's lifespan.
As of right now, EnviroMission is the only publicly traded developer working on this job, but even with the encouraging data from Spain, the entire plan is still in the planning phase. Understandably, Oil companies have reason to be nervous, but Davey says the Hot Air is not meant to replace anything, yet. The current idea is that hot air will come to be a low emission alternative to fossil fuels, and, if the sentiment sticks, a primary source of fuel.
Friday, September 23, 2011
The Sky Really is Falling
We all know that the dinosaurs probably met their end when a giant asteroid came hurtling down from outer space and smashed into the Yucatan Peninsula. When the dust cleared, the dinosaurs were gone. Of course, this isn't the first time a mass extinction occurred, but no one ever expects something to fall from the sky. Well, expect the unexpected, because it's about to happen, and America is in its path.
The Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS) has been monitored by NASA since it began to slow down a few days ago, but the government agency still doesn't have an idea of where or when the satellite will come back into the atmosphere. This is not because the scientists are not paying attention; this satellite is unstable about its axis of rotation as it comes back to Earth, and when it's traveling at speeds ranging from 10 to hundreds of miles per hour, there's a lot of room for error.
In addition to the high speeds and unstable axis, the satellite is literally breaking up in front of NASA's eyes. NASA believes it will break up into a maximum of 26 pieces made of titanium and beryllium, metals that will heat up but not burn up in the atmosphere. Despite all these risks, NASA is fairly unconcerned.
This is not the first time that a satellite has come crashing down ahead of schedule. In 1979, a 70-ton space station called Skylab fell out of orbit, and pieces of it landed in Australia. A woman in Oklahoma was walking with some friends at 3:30 in the morning in 1997 and got hit by space junk and sustained no injuries. While being hit by hot, heavy metal with high velocities is not a laughing matter, the chances of it hitting anyone are slim to none.
Since 70% of the Earth's surface is water, the chances of it crashing into land are diminished. Plus, since there is a chance the satellite or one of its pieces could hit a man-made structure, a lot of people are paying attention to where it's going. The Federal Aviation Administration released a notice on Thursday calling the satellite a "potential hazard," and asking all pilots and other aircraft operators to keep a sharp eye out for any falling debris. They are to report anything to the nearest traffic control center.
Once these pieces of metal enter the atmosphere, it will only be a few minutes before they hit the ground. So if you're looking up at the sky on Friday or Saturday (9/23 or 24) and you see something coming at you, run. It's not just a story anymore.
The Upper Atmospheric Research Satellite (UARS) has been monitored by NASA since it began to slow down a few days ago, but the government agency still doesn't have an idea of where or when the satellite will come back into the atmosphere. This is not because the scientists are not paying attention; this satellite is unstable about its axis of rotation as it comes back to Earth, and when it's traveling at speeds ranging from 10 to hundreds of miles per hour, there's a lot of room for error.
In addition to the high speeds and unstable axis, the satellite is literally breaking up in front of NASA's eyes. NASA believes it will break up into a maximum of 26 pieces made of titanium and beryllium, metals that will heat up but not burn up in the atmosphere. Despite all these risks, NASA is fairly unconcerned.
This is not the first time that a satellite has come crashing down ahead of schedule. In 1979, a 70-ton space station called Skylab fell out of orbit, and pieces of it landed in Australia. A woman in Oklahoma was walking with some friends at 3:30 in the morning in 1997 and got hit by space junk and sustained no injuries. While being hit by hot, heavy metal with high velocities is not a laughing matter, the chances of it hitting anyone are slim to none.
Since 70% of the Earth's surface is water, the chances of it crashing into land are diminished. Plus, since there is a chance the satellite or one of its pieces could hit a man-made structure, a lot of people are paying attention to where it's going. The Federal Aviation Administration released a notice on Thursday calling the satellite a "potential hazard," and asking all pilots and other aircraft operators to keep a sharp eye out for any falling debris. They are to report anything to the nearest traffic control center.
Once these pieces of metal enter the atmosphere, it will only be a few minutes before they hit the ground. So if you're looking up at the sky on Friday or Saturday (9/23 or 24) and you see something coming at you, run. It's not just a story anymore.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Robots Save The World
Welcome back to the Johns Hopkins STS Tech Blog! After a long summer hiatus we are back in the production room on campus, and ready for some exciting new projects to come our way. First off, in our own tribute to 9/11, the STS Tech Blog is going to analyze the good that technology did on and has done since that day.
There is no doubt that robots are some of the most efficient and beneficial tools we have to monitor and save our lives. They run heart monitors, control vehicles, deliver oxygen to firefighters, and help police communicate in times of danger and confusion. So why can't they also retrieve information from disaster sites that humans are unable to go to?
This is exactly what Robin Murphy of Texas A&M University thought on September 11, 2001. She and her team of computer scientists used their compact robots, called PackBots, to explore areas of Ground Zero that were still on fire, full of debris, or too small for humans to enter. The robots didn't have to worry about the heat or lack of oxygen, but their tank-like treads made it hard for them to move everywhere, and even quickly. This only made the A&M team more determined to make better robots to aid in human efforts to respond to disasters.
As the robots' technological sophistication increased, so did the Government's funding and media attention. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in late August 2005, flying robots were deployed to aerially search for people stranded on roofs or in boats, and because it was faster than people going out to look for victims, responders were able to save many more lives. After the BP Oil Spill in 2010, a robot called the Seaglider was able to dive to previously unattainable depths to monitor the spread of damage. It measured vital ecological data that will help marine biologists and petrologists get the Gulf back to equilibrium. Last March after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (and earthquake and tsunami that accompanied it), robots were used to closely monitor the radiation levels and air temperature around the reactor sites.
Clearly, robots have an advantage over humans because they are unaffected by most physical extremes; however, there is still no substitute for human maneuverability and compassion. Again, this is just a promise of things to come in the near future. Some researchers are planning to build robots with more autonomy, but the trade-off is that the robots would look like worms or giant snakes, which may end up scaring victims more than helping them. It sounds a bit silly, but a disaster leaves people in very unstable emotional and physical states. Nothing is impossible if you've just lost your home.
We all remember the horrors of September 11. Now we have the chance to nurture the little good that came out of that rubble and allow it to help us all. Robots are already a huge part of our lives, and this is just the beginning of a new era of American history.
There is no doubt that robots are some of the most efficient and beneficial tools we have to monitor and save our lives. They run heart monitors, control vehicles, deliver oxygen to firefighters, and help police communicate in times of danger and confusion. So why can't they also retrieve information from disaster sites that humans are unable to go to?
This is exactly what Robin Murphy of Texas A&M University thought on September 11, 2001. She and her team of computer scientists used their compact robots, called PackBots, to explore areas of Ground Zero that were still on fire, full of debris, or too small for humans to enter. The robots didn't have to worry about the heat or lack of oxygen, but their tank-like treads made it hard for them to move everywhere, and even quickly. This only made the A&M team more determined to make better robots to aid in human efforts to respond to disasters.
As the robots' technological sophistication increased, so did the Government's funding and media attention. When Hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in late August 2005, flying robots were deployed to aerially search for people stranded on roofs or in boats, and because it was faster than people going out to look for victims, responders were able to save many more lives. After the BP Oil Spill in 2010, a robot called the Seaglider was able to dive to previously unattainable depths to monitor the spread of damage. It measured vital ecological data that will help marine biologists and petrologists get the Gulf back to equilibrium. Last March after the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster (and earthquake and tsunami that accompanied it), robots were used to closely monitor the radiation levels and air temperature around the reactor sites.
Clearly, robots have an advantage over humans because they are unaffected by most physical extremes; however, there is still no substitute for human maneuverability and compassion. Again, this is just a promise of things to come in the near future. Some researchers are planning to build robots with more autonomy, but the trade-off is that the robots would look like worms or giant snakes, which may end up scaring victims more than helping them. It sounds a bit silly, but a disaster leaves people in very unstable emotional and physical states. Nothing is impossible if you've just lost your home.
We all remember the horrors of September 11. Now we have the chance to nurture the little good that came out of that rubble and allow it to help us all. Robots are already a huge part of our lives, and this is just the beginning of a new era of American history.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
VNCB is Launched
On April 28 members of STS and the Johns Hopkins Medical Administrative Board celebrated the official public launch of the Virtual New Clinical Building (VNCB) and began the official countdown to the opening of the physical NCB. There's no turning back now!
The VNCB is the result of an 18-month joint project between STS and Hopkins Medicine, made to make the transition between the physical building and the NCB easier for staff. In the Fall 2010 semester alone, about 4,000 student hours were worked on this project, doing the work of 10 full-time staff members at Johns Hopkins.In total, 23 students worked on this project in varying degrees of intensity with respect to the project, and they were all honored last week at the Medical Campus for their work on the VNCB.
For security reasons, no one outside of the Hopkins servers can view the finished product, but rest assured that it is a beautiful piece of technological art. If you're familiar with Virtual JHU, this is bigger and more detailed than that. It's no wonder it took so long to complete!
This is more of a celebratory update than a blog post on recent research or new technological developments, but since this is such a big event, it's definitely worth congratulating the entire team on a job well done! Just in time for finals, we've finished the largest project ever undertaken by STS. Great job everyone!
The VNCB is the result of an 18-month joint project between STS and Hopkins Medicine, made to make the transition between the physical building and the NCB easier for staff. In the Fall 2010 semester alone, about 4,000 student hours were worked on this project, doing the work of 10 full-time staff members at Johns Hopkins.In total, 23 students worked on this project in varying degrees of intensity with respect to the project, and they were all honored last week at the Medical Campus for their work on the VNCB.
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| Members of the STS Team and the JHMedicine Administrative Board |
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| The Finished Product |
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| The head of the STS Team, Justin Tibbels |
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| Two of our most enthusiastic teammates |
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