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Performance demands will drive green construction growth
Michael J. Berens Construction & Building MaterialsOf all the trends affecting the rise in sustainable construction, none is having a greater impact than the drive for higher building performance. As owners, engineers and builders strive for greater efficiencies, they are turning to green building practices for solutions.
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Tech companies unveil a wave of smart watches, but will consumers care?
Ross Lancaster Science & TechnologyIn the tech world, the biggest brands have an incredible influence on their immediate competitors. Apple's impact on the recent Mobile World Congress show and its related unveiling of the Apple Watch on March 9 proved yet again why it is the most powerful name in tech.
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Plastic materials offer exciting possibilities in electrical applications
Adolfo Benedito EngineeringThe immense possibilities of design and finishes of plastic materials plus the great potential of transformation processes have contributed to the huge growth of these materials in some determined sectors. Nevertheless, we cannot forget an essential property of plastics: their dielectric properties.
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A perfect storm may be ready to destroy auto industry gains
Alan Kelsky ManufacturingEven before the Great Recession, it seemed that the U.S. auto industry was in its death throes. Two of the big three automakers — Chrysler and General Motors — went bankrupt. Yet less than 10 years later, the auto industry is back on its feet and is on track to sell nearly 17 million light duty vehicles in 2015. Adding Canada and Mexico to the list, the number of cars and pickups will close in on 20 million.
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Innovative smart polymer material and process advances on the rise
Don Rosato EngineeringKey to the development of smart polymers is our growing understanding of the world at the molecular level — and our ability to manipulate it at that level, too. Smart polymers engineered for special qualities and capable of interacting with the larger environment serve purposes from helping/protecting us to conserving energy
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Zoomable contacts could be next eye-opener in vision technology
Cait Harrison Medical & Allied HealthcareLook out: The next generation of wearable vision technology is closer than you think. Among the up-and-coming trends is a unique product: telescopic lenses that zoom as much as 2.8 times — activated by a wink.
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Strength in ‘Union’ for cooling and heating technologies
Andrew Gaved ManufacturingThe potential influence of the cooling and heating sectors on reducing energy use is well known, but this week's release by the European Commission of its strategy framework for an Energy Union is set to put energy-efficient cooling and heating center stage.
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How can low gas prices be bad for the transportation industry?
Ryan Clark Transportation Technology & AutomotiveNothing affects the transportation industry quite like fuel. Whether it's price, type or scarcity, the specter of gas always looms heavy over the nation's infrastructure and the industry of trains, planes, boats and automobiles.
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Tesla talks up its battery to power homes, but should we be excited?
Ross Lancaster Natural ResourcesFor as much news coverage as Elon Musk's Tesla Motors receives for its electric cars, the company does its business in a section of the auto world that has a tiny market share (0.6 percent in the U.S.). Furthermore, the price point of Tesla's flagship Model S isn't exactly attainable for a majority of Americans.
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Robots could cut US labor costs 22 percent by 2025
Alan Kelsky ManufacturingOne of the most important technological trends taking place in the United States' manufacturing sector is the use of advanced robotics on the production line. Now that the economic recovery is a reality, U.S. manufacturers still need to be able to shut down cheaper manufacturers overseas. To accomplish this, they need to meet a goal of reducing costs and maximizing efficiency.
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