Inspiring Technology: Windstalks, Saphonians, Windbelts

A traditional wind farm

Over the next four weeks the Inspiring Technology posts are going to tackle new technologies that are being used to revolutionize the energy industry. These designs not only make current energy sources more efficient, but they also take energy from some of the most unlikely places.

In today's post, I am going to show you three new ideas that are changing the way wind energy is being collected. From updating the current turbine to using totally different methods altogether, these new generators are inspiring both in their functionality and beauty.

Inspiring Technology: Tube Transportation, Maglev, Automated Cars

There are very few technologies that are as old as transportation. As long as people have lived, transportation has been needed in civilization. From horses, camels, wagons, and sailboats to cars, trains, ships, and airplanes, the technology of our transportation has come a long way. However, in recent years, many new challenges have caused a shift in the way we design our technology. While it may seem that improvements in planes and cars in the last decade have been small compared to improvements in computers and communication, there are many company and research labs that are pushing for new technologies that both conserve energy and provide for the increasing population of  urban areas.