Cool your house with chemical reactions

Solid, meet liquid.

Acvio, a company out of Finland showcasing its technology at the Nordic Green conference this week at SRI International in Menlo Park, says it has come up with an air conditioning system that consumes 60 percent to 70 percent less power than conventional systems.

The energy savings comes because Acvio's system doesn't require an air compressor to make cool air, the traditional engine inside air conditioners. The system relies upon the energy released when a solid becomes a liquid. It works like this: Warm air from the outside is collected and funneled toward a solid. The heat melts the solid and the melting process takes heat out of the air. That cooler air is then cycled inside to cool down the inside of a home or office. You can also use it in server rooms. Half the electricity in today's data centers gets used to power the air conditioners. (And you thought it was to run the machines in the snack room.)

"Instead of a compressor, we use hot and humid air," said CEO Kari Moilala, during a meeting. "The energy is taken out of hot air."

Acvio's system does require fans, but these can be run by solar panels, Moilala said.

The system can also be used to heat a building by running the process in reverse, but it works better as an air conditioner.

Moilala wouldn't say what the material is that goes from solid to liquid, but it isn't water. A few U.S. companies like Ice Energy are cooling buildings by converting ice to water.

Heat exchange systems--those that shuttle heat and cold back and forth like this-- have been around for a while but are improving in the face of increasing electricity prices. Another one to check out is Hallowell International, which has an air conditioner that also works as a heater in cooler climates.

Via CNET News blogs

First watch crams in Windows Mobile 5

Despite the best efforts of many industrious Chinese startups, multifunctional wristwatches are still far from commonplace--whether they provide music, video, phone service, or all of the above. But no market (or device) is too small for the ubiquity of Windows operating systems.

Epoq, which has already had a video watch on the market for some time, has developed what is believed to be the first wristwatch running Windows Mobile 5. Its EGP-WP98B claims to have an OLED touchscreen, 1.28GB of memory, Wi-Fi networking, Bluetooth, VoIP support, and--get this--handwriting recognition. And a faux alligator wristband, of course. But as Mobile Magazine says, it might be a tad difficult to get full use out of Windows on a 1.4-inch display.

Via Crave CNET | Picture credit: Mobile Magazine

Foosball as object of desire

Its makers call it "The Beautiful Game", and that's no idle boast. 11 embraces the epitome of European chic, with Netherlands-based GRO design and TIM model contributing their designer flair toward this highly sculpted project. The result: A foosball table that's just too pretty for competitive play, not to mention the amount of elbow grease needed to keep those chrome and brass players polished in high shine (and there are 22 of those fellas).

But for those who fancy one as an object d'art just because no one else has it/you have too much money, you should be able to order one at the site eventually. For now, it's making the rounds at the Milan Design Week which ends April 21.

Via Cubeme | Photo credit: 11

Singapore's very own toy and comic convention

If you love gadgets, chances are you will fancy comics and toys as well. It's one of those geek things that seem to come together. Fans will be delighted to know that there will be a Singapore Toy and Comic Convention happening in June. Now, while you can't expect the scale of the famous Comic-Con International held in the US, this localized convention will have its own appeal.

For one, manga (Japanese comics) will probably be more prominent than the western superhero comics. Toys that are popular in Asia, like those from Kubrick, will also feature strongly. Though held in the Republic, companies from around the region, including Taiwan, Malaysia and Japan, will be exhibiting their products. This will be more of a business opportunity for them as they seek out distributors, though it will also be a feast for the public's eyes as toys that might have never reached Singapore get showcased.

One interesting tidbit--Maxsoft, Nintendo's distributor in the region, will be showcasing its newest games including Wii Fit. This Wii game has a health slant to it and will be released in the US at the end of May. Chances are, it will already be available for sale before Maxsoft showcases it at the convention, but at least we now know the console game will be arriving for sure.

The Singapore Toy and Comic Convention will be open to the public on June 28 and 29. It will be held at the Suntec Singapore International Convention & Exhibition Centre with no admission charges.

Materious' umbrella tells you when rain is coming

Sure, you can have the weirdest umbrella inventions, but none of these actually tell you when the rain is coming. Which is the whole point of carrying a brolly, right?

Apparently, the Forecast prototype goes all the way back to 2005 and the idea behind it is really simple. The umbrella comes with a docking station which is able to pull weather data off the Internet via Wi-Fi. Electric leads will then light up an LED on the handle with varying intensity to tell you the likelihood of rain. So you know whether to bring the brolly with you on your way out.

Sounds brilliant, as long as it doesn't get us fried in a rain puddle, or make us look like a goldfish-bowl Martian.

Credit: Materious

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