The machine by UK company Xeros Ltd uses 3mm-long nylon beads that can get into all crevices and folds of clothing and absorb stains and dirt. Stephen Burkinshaw, a polymer chemist at Leeds University, discovered that nylon beads at 100 percent humidity could attract stains away from clothing and into the center of the beads, preventing any re-deposit back onto the clothes.

The machine uses a small amount of water to dampen the clothes and to reach the right humidity level, then the drum is flooded with the beads. When the cycle is complete the beads drain away with the water to be reused hundreds of times.

Due to the very small amount of water used, drying is also greatly reduced saving even more energy.

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From the article:

Just a few days ago, the $41 million Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental & Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE), a 55,000 square-foot building designed to LEED Platinum certification, was dedicated. The facility was built to be a living laboratory and platform to showcase technological innovation. Currently, the south facade of the laboratory wing includes a spot to test building envelope and window systems, and it's currently testing this innovative integrated concentrating dynamic solar facade.

The facade system provides electrical power, thermal energy, enhanced daylighting, and reduced solar gain, all at the same time. It was designed by the Center for Architecture Science and Ecology (CASE), which is a research consortium co-hosted by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and Skidmore, Owings & Merrill.

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A new study from NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies has identified on-road transportation as the most significant overall source contributing to global warming. Power generation, while having the greatest total impact, also includes a large number of compounds that increase cloud reflectivity and provide other effects to offset some of the warming they are responsible for.

The study looks at the range of gases and aerosols that are released by each of 13 sectors of the economy, and finds that on-road transportation has the greatest overall effect on global warming.

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Sun Catalytix is out to show that plants are not the only means to efficiently split water into its separate elements -- artificial photosynthesis. In a presentation at the ARPA-E conference (the Advanced Research Projects Agency) Sun Catalytix founder Dan Nocera indicates that the process his company is developing could generate 30 kilowatt hours of electricity with only four hours of sunlight, a bottle of water and a photovoltaic array. The company considers 30 kilowatt hours to be average for 1 home for 1 day.

The 30k assumption aside, I'm curious why the recipe described is so special that they can collect such a large amount of energy. The key to the article seems to be the quantities. As I can not find the original article, just other blogs, I take this with a big grain of salt. Before getting too excited, how big is the solar array and is the bottle of water the water cooler type or one that fits easily in a persons hand? I am curious and want to know more. If I find out more, I will post it.

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Researchers at the University of Michigan have unveiled their latest breakthrough: A tiny solar power system that contains a processor, battery, and solar cells all in 9 cubic millimeters!


The miniature system measures 2.5 by 3.5 by 1 millimeters - 1,000 times smaller than any comparable commercial system. It's extremely energy efficient and the scientists say that it could almost operate perpetually if the battery didn't have to be replaced after many years.

The first thing that comes to mind for me is the monitoring of aging monuments without distracting from their artistic beauty, like the Golden Gate Bridge or others that require maintenance.

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