Special Episodes

Live forum 8:30pm AEDT, Wed Feb 3, 2010
Closed (Read only)

Put your questions to the inventors Michael Miranda (Guardian Comms System), Simon Langdon (EYEfi SPARC), Robert Rankin (Light Concept Tanker) and also New Inventors Panellist, Chris Russell.

A bush bashing, automated fire truck; sounds that bypass your ears and the latest burns technology for our wildlife. Just some of the things you'll encounter in the New Inventors first episode for 2010 - FIGHTING FIRE! One year on from Victoria's devastating Black Saturday Bushfires, The New Inventors tackles the bushfires head on with a special showcase of inventions that could change the way we approach one of Australia's most dangerous natural phenomena.

GUARDIAN COMMS SYSTEM

Fire fighters' lives are at risk every time they go into a bushfire area, or battle a house fire. Fires burn, they produce suffocating toxic fumes, they are unpredictable, so clear communication between fire fighters is essential to protecting lives. The Guardian Comms System bypasses your ears and uses bone conduction to get messages through loud and clear. The beauty of using bone conduction technology, the same technology used in some modern hearing aids, is that vital messages can be separated from the high levels of ambient noise and have more chance of being heard. For example, you can wear hearing protection and still pick up the incoming messages, because the sound is not going into your ear. Similarly, when you speak, the microphone picks up the vibrations directly from your skull, but doesn't pick up the background noise, so your messages come through clearly. Inventor: Mike Miranda, Product Designer from Brisbane.

Email: mikem@innotech.com.au
Web: www.guardian.com.au

EYEfi SPARC

One of the most urgent lessons to come out of the Victorian bushfires of 2009 was the need to drastically change the way we manage information about fires. EYEfi SPARC is an early warning system for detecting, pinpointing and tracking bushfires. It's a managed software system that gives fire authorities the power to monitor conditions remotely using unmanned, solar powered video cameras mounted in bushfire hotspots. These cameras send back constantly updated images and information to a central web-based system. Using just one camera, the remote operator can zoom in on a developing fire and get a fix on the specific location of that fire with a high degree of accuracy. EYEfi SPARC lets the user match the incoming information with up to date mapping systems and emergency services databases to build a picture of who or what is in the path of the approaching fire and issue timely warnings. The system can also verify reported sightings. If a caller reports smoke or fire in a certain location, the user types in the location or clicks on the map, and cameras in the vicinity will lock onto that spot to give an almost instant image of the area. Inventor: Simon Langdon, Electronics Engineer from Melbourne.

Simon Langdon
Email: simon@eyefi.com.au
Web: www.eyefi.com.au

LIGHT CONCEPT TANKER

The development of the Light Concept Tanker was inspired by a tragic incident where a crew were caught by a sudden wind change while fighting what they thought was a low intensity fire. Suddenly the wind increased, the fire grew in intensity and changed direction, cutting off the crew's escape route. The Light Concept Tanker is designed to get crews into and out of areas that are not accessible to heavier trucks. On top of that, it incorporates the latest automated fire fighting systems, so volunteers can fight fires from inside the cabin of the truck while it is moving. Finally it includes the latest in crew protection such as cabin sprinkler systems and fire curtains. The aim is that, should the worst happen, the crew can remain safe within the truck. And to test it, they had to torch the truck itself, which they did using huge flame throwers at the CSIRO's facility at Mogo. Find out how well it survived this trial by fire! The Light Concept Tanker is the culmination of several years of design and testing by CFA Victoria, and the CSIRO to create a safer and more versatile truck for fighting fires in Australian bush conditions. Inventor: Robert Rankin, Engineer and Manager, Fleet Services for CFA Victoria.

Robert Rankin
Email: r.rankin@cfa.vic.gov.au

INVENTORS AT WORK - Dr Anne Fowler

When it comes to treating human burns victims we've come a long way, but how do you adapt what we've learned to treating the thousands of animals who get caught each bushfire season? Dr Anne Fowler is a vet who has spent several years researching and developing adaptations of human "best practise" to treat native animals with burnt limbs and skin. How do you bandage a spiky echidna? What is the best method to treat a Koala with burnt paws? How do you calculate degree of burns to a body when you have to include wings or a tail? These are the questions Anne and her dedicated group of volunteers address every year as they try to save hundreds of injured animals.

Dr Anne Fowler
Email: an.fowler@bigpond.net

Kids took over the studio, as the country’s brightest young people showed their inventiveness. The inventors are kids, the judges are kids and even James may have met his match... The panel was made up of kids who had already appeared on the show as inventors.

Open Water Whale Calf Feeder

The Whale Calf Feeder provides a feasible means by which milk formula can be delivered to orphaned whale calves.

The Whale Calf Feeder is designed to provide a temporary means of supplying the necessary nutrients a stranded or stray whale calf might need to have the energy to be returned to the pathway of migrating whales and then hopefully to be reunited with its mother.

The outer tank is constructed of fibreglass-coated polystyrene, making it a boat-like flotation device with exceptional strength and buoyancy. The dimensions of the outer tank (145cm x 80cm x 25cm) allow it to be very stable in the water, as its length and width far exceed its depth. The rounded front of the outer tank allows for maximum safety for the whale calf, by having no corners that can injure the whale calf, and by not allowing the calf to come in contact with the ball valve and fittings that attach the teat / stomach tube to the inner milk tank. The Whale Calf Feeder provides a feasible means by which milk formula can be delivered to orphaned whale calves.

Heidi Goodall is 16 years old and is currently in year 12 at Lindisfarne Anglican Grammar School in Terranora, Northern NSW.

In her own words: "I was deeply saddened by the response to Colin the orphaned Humpback whale calf in August 2008 - I thought in a country such as Australia we would surely have been able to give him a chance. But apparently there was no feasible way. It was at this stage that my HSC Design and Technology course was about to commence, so for my major design project I decided to try to find a solution to this problem."

CONTACTS
Email: heidi_goodall@hotmail.com

SURFVIBE

The Surfvibe is a vibrating waterproof device worn around the arm or leg that alerts the surfer that the person on shore wants them to come back out of the surf. The Surfvibe works by using a pager system, consisting of a transmitter and receiver unit. The receiver unit is a special waterproof pager, housed in silicon, small in size and with a strong pulse that gives off a strong vibration so the wearer can feel it being activated even in rough surf. The pager is housed in a sealed pocket on a band worn around the arm or leg. The band is made of wetsuit material and fastens to the wearer using 'hook and loop' technology.

The transmitter unit is kept by the person on the beach and when the surfer is required to return to shore a simple button push alerts them. The current prototype has a range of up to 800 metres and does not require clear line of sight to function reliably.

Hunter Conochie is a 10 year old keen surfer from Broadbeach on the Gold Coast. He lives with his brother Samson, his mum and dad, who passed on his passion for surfing to Hunter. Hunter loves science, maths and technology at school and loves 'a project,' working out designs and making models.

In Hunter's own words:
"I am 10 years old and I like to surf. My mother takes me to the beach and sits waiting for me. Sometimes I forget the time and stay out the back of the surf for too long. I can't hear my mother calling to me or even if she whistles I can't hear her. So with this invention she can communicate with me to let me know it is time to come out of the surf."

CONTACTS
Email: carolinecdesign@bigpond.com

Visibility Vest

The Visibility Vest is designed to provide greater visibility for motorcycle riders. Indicator and braking lights are on the riders back and so are visible at eye level to car drivers.

Most importantly it puts the blinkers and brake lights at the eye level of car drivers so that the motorcyclist's intentions are more readily communicated.The blinkers (or indicators) and the brake light are the same colours as drivers are used to so there is no chance for any confusion. (Amber) for blinkers, (Red) for brakes.Austin made sure there was no visible wiring so that the invention doesn't look unusual or uncomfortable. In his prototype the electrical wiring is powered and controlled by linking it directly to the motorcycles wiring. A fully developed prototype would probably be made wireless so that the rider is not attached to the bike.Austin used LEDs for the lights on his invention. LEDs have many advantages over traditional light sources including lower energy consumption, longer lifetime, improved robustness, smaller size and faster switching. LEDs are often used in automotive applications as they emit a very bright light without using a lot of power.Austin used a "scotchlok" to connect his wires to the motorbike's electrics. All the wires are insulated. A scotchlok is a simple type of electrical connector. Austin did his own wiring using skills he learned at school. His wiring has been checked for safety by his teacher. All the wires are insulated.

This is Austin Teakle's first invention. In his spare time he enjoys water polo, AFL and riding motorbikes. His favourite subject at school is design and technology.

Austin first thought of this invention after almost being run over by a car while riding his motorcycle. The car driver failed to notice that Austin was indicating and breaking. Austin decided he had to make his intentions more visible.

After a little research Austin found out that according to the RTA over 70% of road accidents involving motorcycles occur because the driver did not see the motorcycle rider. Austin is hoping that his invention will become a mandatory piece of apparel for all motorcycle riders.

CONTACTS
Email: Aussie295@hotmail.com

Live forum (Closed)

Panellists include architect Dr Ian Weir, bushfire experts Justin Leonard, tsunami analysts Dr Ole Nielsen and Stephen Roberts and animal technician Scott Horan.

BUSHFIRE SMART HOUSE

Bushfires are one of the most devastating natural disasters we face in Australia and every summer sees the threat return.

But bushfires are a natural feature of the Australian landscape. We can't stop the eucalypts or heath from burning, but are there ways of making our houses less vulnerable to this powerful natural force? And are there safe ways to live in harmony with our natural surroundings, rather than just calling in the bulldozers to clear the land?

The Bushfire Smart House has been designed to sustain itself in a bushfire without human intervention while remaining in harmony with the surrounding landscape.
It incorporates a number of features that help it do this, including Bushfire-rated reflective glazing in windows that reach down to the floor allow vegetation to grow close to the house. It has fire-rated perforated roller shutters that can be remotely controlled and are resistant to penetration from dangerous embers.

The roof is also designed to prevent embers from getting caught, and there are no eaves. There is a sprinkler system protecting the timber decks and as a last resort, there's a safety zone inside the house that contains dedicated fire fighting and safety equipment.

The Bushfire Smart House celebrates the unique natural landscape rather than treating it as a threat to be cleared away. It aims to reconcile the need for safe, fire resistant housing with environmental sustainability. This applies both to the landscape and the house itself. The fire safe features used in the house design also aid in energy efficiency. For example, the fire shutters are used daily to control sunlight and heat entering the house.

Dr Ian Weir is an architect, researcher and lecturer in Landscape Architecture at Queensland University of Technology. He is also an exhibited photographer.

He is passionate about finding ways to create site-specific architecture which can sit safely within the Australian environment without having to clear the land. His architecture acknowledges the risks, but seeks to find a design solution rather than making the landscape adapt to an inappropriate and unsafe house design.

CONTACTS
Email: ian.weir@qut.edu.au
Website: www.ianweirarchitect.com

SIGHT SKETCHER

The Sight Sketcher is a tool to help the architect, builder or home owner create a more fire-proof house. It measures and maps a house and its immediate environment and then uses various test scenarios to assess its vulnerability to bushfire. It's a virtual window into how an existing house or a new design would perform under certain fire conditions and provides the builder or owner with the tools to compare the effectiveness of a number of design options.

It uses a 2 stage process; sketching the house, then entering and testing the data using a specially designed program.

The sketching device is mounted on a pole and uses 4 sensors; a range finder, a digital compass, a differential GPS and an inclinometer - to take snapshots of the house and any surrounding features such as forest, garden vegetation, or fence lines.

Using this data, a 3D representation of the house and site is created, showing the relevant bushfire risks. These include size and spacing of windows, proximity to trees and fence lines, roof angles and eaves and the slope of the surrounding area. Pop-up options also let the user enter some of the properties of each feature, such as the material it is made from or the texture of the surface.

A test scenario can then be run to see how the house would perform in a fire.
Based on the outcome, adjustments can be made to the design.

This system has been devised partly as a way of taking the expert knowledge and observations accumulated over 25 years of research by the CSIRO and the Bushfire CRC and putting it into a statistical, scientific tool.

Houses burn down because of the weakest link in the combination of landscape and design. By using this tool, people should be able to determine that just by redesigning their fence or adding shutters they may be able to dramatically reduce the risk of losing their house. It gives you a means to statistically analyse in advance the effectiveness of various safety options.

The Sight Sketcher is a joint project between the Bushfire CRC and CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems in Melbourne.

The team leader is Justin Leonard. Justin is a mechanical engineer currently leading the Bushfire Urban Design research area in CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems. This work focuses on the delivery of risk assessment tools and urban design solutions for major clients and community education initiatives. Currently he is working with the Bushfire CRC on a range of projects focusing on urban interface design.

The other team members are Felix Lipkin, a geospacial programmer who has worked on the interface between the hardware and software, and Dr Raphaele Blanchi, a Bushfire CRC-funded research scientist at CSIRO. Dr Blanchi is an expert in natural hazards risk and community risk perception

CONTACTS
Email: Justin.leonard@csiro.au

ANUGA

ANUGA is software created to model water flow of hydrological disasters. The resulting knowledge is used to draft evacuation plans, build protective levees and design cities safely - reducing casualties and damage to property in communities affected by such disasters.

Modelling the effects on the built environment of natural hazards such as riverine flooding, storm surges and tsunami is critical for understanding their economic and social impact on our urban communities.

The ANUGA software program was developed collaboratively by the Australian National University (ANU) and Geoscience Australia (GA).

A major capability of ANUGA is that it can model the process of wetting and drying as water enters and leaves an area. This means it is suitable for simulating water flow onto a beach or dry land and around structures such as buildings. ANUGA is also capable of modeling difficult flows involving shock waves and rapidly changing flow speeds.

The core of ANUGA is the fluid dynamics module which is based on a finite-volume method for solving the shallow water wave equation. The study area is represented by a mesh of triangular cells. By solving the governing equation within each cell, water depth and horizontal momentum are tracked over time.

ANUGA is also capable of modeling hydraulic jumps due to the ability of the finite-volume method to accommodate discontinuities in the solution. To set up a particular scenario the user specifies the geometry (bathymetry and topography), the initial water level, boundary conditions such as tide, and any forcing terms that may drive the system such as wind stress or atmospheric pressure gradients.

The biggest hurdle to detailed impact modeling is the non-availability of reliable, high-resolution bathymetry and elevation data. Consequently, the Australian state agencies and Geoscience Australia will conduct a first pass analysis to identify which communities are most at risk from tsunami, with each jurisdiction then investigating the availability of data to support detailed inundation modeling.

Once modeling has been completed emergency services agencies will work closely with the communities to help develop effective mitigation and response options. Geoscience Australia will also develop a set of guidelines for the state agencies outlining the requirements for the collection of bathymetry and elevation data. These guidelines will assist the exchange of data between agencies while also providing guidance for third parties in the collection of data.

A very important and original attribute of ANUGA is the fact that it is open source and therefore available online free of charge for anyone with the knowledge to use it andwants to download it. By giving it away, Geoscience Australia and Australian National University receive lots of contributions and feedback. Open Source is a very important phenomenon that really allows anyone to leverage off tools already developed to create better software tools in the future. According to Ole it enables you to 'stand on the shoulders of scientists who have come before you' and learn from their research.

Stephen Roberts is an Associate Professor with the Department of Mathematics at the Australian National University. He is the researcher at the ANU's Mathematical Sciences Institute whose 15 years of work underpins the workings of the ANUGA software.

Dr Ole Nielsen got his PhD in scientific computing at the Technical University of Denmark in 1998. He joined the ANU Data Mining group where he researched multilevel techniques for predictive modeling, large scale data mining and bio-informatics.

Ole Nielsen took up a position as modeler-come-software-engineer with the Urban Risk Research Group at Geoscience Australia where he is developing tools to assist the group pushing for increased awareness of open source.

CONTACTS
Email: Ole.Nielsen@ga.gov.au
stephen.roberts@anu.edu.au
Website: datamining.anu.edu.au/anuga/

ARK

The ARK trailers provide a command and control point for the re-location and/or control of animals affected by a major event, such as bushfire or disease outbreak.

There are two ARKs currently in Canberra. They are owned by the ACT Government however the portability of the trailers allow them to be used anywhere in Australia. They were recently deployed to help in the Victorian bushfires, which was their first major operation. They can be towed by a standard 4WD or similar vehicle.

The ARKs are designed to travel to emergency situations and sit just behind the front lines of the disaster. They situate themselves close to where the displaced persons are being looked after. The victims of the emergency bring their pets to the ARK or people who have found lost pets also bring them to the ARK. They are then tagged (with a plastic tag around the pet's collar) or micro chipped if needed and the owner given a receipt. Their details are put into a database and the animal is kept briefly until they can be put into pre-arranged temporary accommodation. Depending on the animal's condition these temporary accommodations can be the local RSPCA, Veterinary Practice, animal pound or a locally organised venue such as a local sporting field. The ARKs also keep a record of pets that are missing so that if they turn up they can be reunited with their owners.

The details put into the database include name of pet, of owners, contact details and alternative contact details, ear markings distinct markings, microchips, location animal is being sent to, photo of animal and the condition of animal. The database is available online to be easily searched.

The facility is not designed to keep animals long term but rather to provide a mechanism and procedure to streamline the process of re-location of animals into temporary care and then be able to find them to return them to owners. It allows the owners to get their pets out of danger's way quickly and efficiently and be confident that they will be well cared for. The animals are transported to their next destination via Domestic Animal Services' customised vehicles which have a capacity to carry 3-8 animals depending on requirements.

The flexible design allows for containment and management of many animal breeds. Up to 40 dogs, 60 cats, 50 sheep, snakes and other exotic pet species can easily be accommodated for periods of up to 24 hours without additional support.

A vast range of medical supplies are stored on the ARK as well as a fridge to contain them in and protective gear for the rangers including biosecurity equipment for the use in an exotic disease outbreak. There is 'run' (steel cable attached between two star pickets), which multiple dogs can be attached to.

The ARK is a work in progress and there is also plans in the next fit out of the ARKs for a mini stable and fencing to be included in the trailer for larger animals to be penned or if animals need to be quarantined in cases such as avian bird flu or equine influenza.

The ARKS have been deployed with rangers. Although they would welcome veterinary assistance on site if it was available but in emergency situations vets are usually inundated. The rangers operating the ARKs are all animal technicians with years of experience and different animal specialities.

The ARK has been designed to be able to fit in a C130 and C19 aircraft to be shipped around the country quickly. It has not however been constructed for a heli-lift situation as it is designed not to go off road.

The ARKS were funded by Emergency Management Australia and the Attorney Generals Department as part of their "Working Together to Manage Emergencies" grant. They were designed by Domestic Animal Services and the ACT's Territory and Municipal Services.

Drew McLean a former registrar with Domestic Animal Services had the idea for the ARKs and along with his colleagues had a lot to do with their production.

Drew's now left the department and the ARK was represented by ACT Domestic Animal Services registrar Scott Horan and ranger Matt Guest.

CONTACTS
Email: Scott.Horan@act.gov.au

MAVSTAR

Video: MAVSTAR

Until recently the main options for searching a disaster area or reconnaissance were to send in humans or animals. But now researchers are developing Micro Aerial Vehicles that can be flown into unsafe territory and send back information while their pilots remain safely outside the danger zone.

Mark Whitty and the team at the University of New South Wales have created a MAV that is "self guiding" with a light-weight carbon fibre frame. This allows a camera as well as sensors and microcontrollers to be carried on board.

Localization and obstacle avoidance is achieved using an on-board GPS and proximity sensors, digital compass and colour camera.

It can currently stay in the air for up to 12 minutes and carry a pay load of 100 grams if necessary, enough for a medical supply to be delivered in times of emergency.

CONTACTS
Website: http://cmr.mech.unsw.edu.au/mavstar/

EMERGENCY SHELTER

Video: EMERGENCY SHELTER

Robert Watson is an architect and industrial designer from Melbourne who has been working with the DSTO (Defence Science and Technology Organisation) on developing simple to erect, reusable emergency shelters. After a major disaster such as an earthquake, tsunami or bushfire finding a suitable way to house the homeless is one of the first priorities.

Emergency shelters need to fulfil a number of functions. They must be easy to transport, easy to assemble, robust enough to protect people from the elements, and be relatively economical.

Robert has designed 2 types of shelter using rotation moulding to create hollow components that are both lightweight, strong and have good thermodynamic properties.

The first design is a rectangular folding shelter designed so that 4 flat packed shelters will fit into a standard shipping container. Only 10 pins are required to construct the shelter, and those same pins hold all the components together during transportation.

The second shelter design has an arched roof and is constructed from just 3 design elements: 21 universal planks, 23 universal connectors and 2 base corners. All the components are extremely lightweight, meaning the entire structure can be built by hand without the need for any lifting equipment - ideal in a disaster scenario where power and resources are limited.

CONTACTS
Email: robert@watsonarchitecture.com

Live Forum (closed, read only) »

Witness the future of transport. And discover how we can enjoy low operating costs while helping save the environment.

As 2008 draws to a close we stand on the edge of a revolution in transport. The signs are obvious. Petrol prices are rising, and inevitably one day the supply of petrol will start to dry up. Also, we need to find ways of getting around that don’t produce as much carbon. Something has to change. Something big. The New Inventors: Re-inventing the wheel presents inventors who are answering these challenges in revolutionary ways.

View the Transport Poll Results

TREV

Watch video

The University of South Australia's lovable electric car is named TREV which stands for “Two-seater Renewable Energy Vehicle.” TREV uses less than a fifth of the energy of a conventional car.

Our modern cities developed on the promise of cheap oil when climate change was not on the radar. Now, the suburban dream is turning out to be an environmental nightmare. So how will we turn this around?

TREV is the ideal way to get around town. Staff and students at the University of South Australia designed and built Trev. Its features include:

• two comfortable seats, since more than 90% of urban trips have only one or two people in the car;
• enough luggage space for at least two overnight bags;
• 300 kg mass-because using a 2.5 tonne vehicle for commuting is ridiculous;
• energy-efficient tyres, brakes and suspension;
• a clean, quiet and efficient electric drive system;
• compliance with road safety and worthiness regulations;
• good performance, with a top speed of 120 km/h; and
• Design range of 150 km of city driving before the car must be recharged.

Most importantly, it uses less than 1/5 of the energy required by a conventional car, and can be recharged using electricity from clean, renewable sources such as solar and wind.

CONTACTS
Email: peter.pudney@unisa.edu.au
Website: http://www.unisa.edu.au/solarcar/Trev/default.asp

Renewable Hydrogen Boat

Watch video

These days the disadvantages of fossil fuels are clearly evident. The supply of oil we have been relying on for transport for the last 100 or so years is running out. And even if we could find enough oil to supply our growing demands, we would then have to suffer the consequences of all the carbon pollution it would produce.

And in the short term, as oil becomes more expensive, large heavy vessels such as ships which require enormous amounts of fuel to run will become less financially viable.

Colin Salmond's company hopes to create a sustainable and safe method to power a boat using hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels.

While hydrogen powered boats exist, the difference with this design is that it is a system to use renewable energy (solar, wind or hydro) to produce electricity which then runs a hydrogen generator to power the vessel. By using the available green energy supplies - either the abundant wind available at sea or solar power to generate the electricity, and then using purified sea water to generate the hydrogen, it should be possible for the boat to create its own energy supply. This power would be free (once you had paid for the infrastructure) and also, because the only by-product of the process is water, it would create zero carbon emissions.

His company are devising a system for linking all these technologies together and the key to this is their programmable operating system which manages the pathways of the drive system safety and efficiency through a programmable logic controller.

So it's a drive system for a drive system if you like!

CONTACTS
Email: csalmond@electrygen.com
Website: www.electrygen.com

Co-axial Rotor Helicopter

Watch video

Helicopters are handy little vehicles, they can hover and they can land in difficult to reach places and in congested areas. However there are a lot of disadvantages with current helicopter design.

They are noisy, and they are enormous gas guzzlers (a Bell 206 L4 helicopter travels just 1.47 km per litre - a family car travels 10-13kms per litre.) When their tail rotors fail the chopper goes out of control usually resulting in a crash landing. They're complex to control, extensive training is required. It is easier to learn to fly an aeroplane than a helicopter. Helicopters vibrate. An unadjusted helicopter can easily vibrate so much that it will shake itself apart.

Coaxial rotor helicopters can solve a lot of these problems but up till now they've been so expensive and technical that only the military has been able to afford them. Coaxial rotors are a pair of rotors turning in opposite directions, but mounted on a mast, with the same axis of rotation.

The Co-axial counter rotating helicopter offers considerable advantages over traditional models:

The absence of a tail rotor with the inclusion of a coaxial main rotor makes these craft more stable, more manoeuvrable, quieter, safer and provides a better power to weight ratio. The rotor system has greater lift and is much more efficient than traditional helicopters.

Technological advances and a lot of research and development have allowed the Wieland Helicopter Company to build a coaxial counter rotating helicopter that is competitive in the civilian market. Running costs, particularly with the electric motor version, are significantly lower than traditional helicopters.

Since the WHT range of helicopters are much easier to control and to fly, pilot training is much simpler and therefore takes a lot less time and money to complete.

The electric version of the helicopter will be powered by batteries that run an electric motor to turn the co-axial rotors

CONTACTS
Email: sean@wielandhelicopters.com.au
Website: http://www.wielandhelitech.com

Extras

Watch video

Live Forum (archived)

EPOC HEADSET

The brain is the centre of our every thought and feeling, and yet at the same time it is tremendously remote. We use words and pens, keyboards and joysticks to translate what is in our brains to what we want to communicate and achieve in the world around us. Isn’t there some kind of … short cut? Something to turn us from John Citizen to Yoda?

The EPOC™ headset reads what is inside our head and translates it into virtual reality. Using EEG technology and sophisticated algorithms the headset can read your emotions, facial expressions and conscious thoughts, and then translate them into actions in a virtual reality world inside a computer.

A large team has been responsible for developing this technology at a research facility in Pyrmont, Sydney. These people include physicist and neurobiologist Professor Allan Snyder of Sydney University, technology entrepreneurs Nam Do and Tan Le, and electronics engineer and entrepreneur Dr Neil Weste.

The inspiration came from discussions between Tan, Nam and Allan; they were bemoaning the current state of computer interfaces. Why couldn’t you bring the person closer to the virtual world by reading what was actually happening inside their brain?

They brought into the team star electronics engineer Neil Weste, who, along with a team of young engineers and researchers from signal processing and machine learning, made the EPOC headset a reality.

www.emotiv.com

DRIVER ASSIST TECHNOLOGIES

Driving is a complex and dangerous task. According to the World Health Organisation, 1.2 million people die on roads around the world: that’s one in four injury related deaths. In 2007, 1616 of these were Australians. Despite this death toll, driving is not becoming any less important –there is simply no alternative that offers people the independence that they need. So how can we extend the capabilities of the driver to give them a better chance of surviving the roads?

Researchers from the National Information and Communications Technology Australia and the Australian National University are developing several technologies that it hopes will be the basis for new early-warning systems for motorists, even enabling older or visually-impaired drivers stay safely on the road for longer. The two systems featured on Reinventing the Body can identify and warn of approaching objects, and identify and warn of road signs.

The team includes Dr Niklas Pettersson, Dr Lars Petersson, Dr Nick Barnes and Chris McCarthy. The project began at ANU and has since become part of NICTA’s research and development. Their aim has always been to design systems that will make driving safer by observing the surroundings, the car and the driver, as well as creating low-vision mobility aids.

http://nicta.com.au/

http://nicta.com.au/research/business_areas/intelligent_transport_systems

MICROVALVE

Babies are lovely, but you don’t want too many of them. Sex is also lovely, and you want as much of that as you can get. Anyone see the conflict? People wanting lots of sexual intercourse but not so many babies have for many years reached into a bag of tricks called contraception. From early withdrawal to the rhythm method to condoms to the vasectomy, male contraceptives have lagged behind the high-tech implants and chemical options designed for women.

The MicroValve is being developed by a team of engineers with expertise in electronics and biomedicine. Using a piezoelectric polymer that will deform when exposed to a specific electric field broadcast from a key fob (like a car alarm) the valve will open or close, preventing the passage of sperm, but not seminal fluid.

Professor Derek Abbott from the University of Adelaide is a physicist and electronics engineer who’s work encompasses contributions toT-ray imaging, stochastic resonance and Parrondo's paradox. Dr Said Al-Sarawi has worked with Derek for some years, since being a PhD student under his supervision. He’s now pushing the project ahead with two PhD students of his own.

Derek began to develop the idea about 10 years ago when a good friend of his had a vasectomy. It seemed to Derek that male contraception was really in the dark ages, and so started to think about ways in which you could bring it into the 20th, or ideally, the 21st century.

http://www.eleceng.adelaide.edu.au/personal/dabbott/

FOAM BONE

Full metal titanium implants wear down other bones nearby – although they have plenty of strength, they don’t allow other bones to share the load.

The new ‘foam bone’ material twins the properties of the metal to that of the bone and means more evenly distributed weight-bearing properties. This keeps other bones connected to the artificial bone healthy.

Professor Peter Hodgson is the senior partner investigator on this new project. He brings biomedical skills and expertise to complement Dr Wen's materials knowledge and Dr Wenji Yan's mechanical engineering approach to give a really multidisciplinary approach to this important problem.

The materials that Cui'e and Hodgson are developing will be porous and have mechanical properties very close to those of natural bone.

http://www.deakin.edu.au/scitech/cmfi/index.php

DNA IDENTIKIT

In the event of a crime, witnesses are a vital asset for law enforcement – but what if there are no witnesses? Using DNA found at a scene has for many years been a method for identifying criminals, but at the moment it does little beyond identifying a specific person. Yet many secrets of our identity are locked up in our DNA … what if we could unlock them for the public good?

Dr Angela van Daal and her team at Bond University are demonstrating DNA markers for individual physical traits that relate directly to an actual person. They aim soon to be able to establish methods to not only identify someone’s pigmentation (hair, eye, skin colour) but also characteristics like height, frame and facial features.

http://www.bond.edu.au/about/faculties/hsm/

A special snap shot of the future from cutting edge thinkers and innovators with ideas and prototypes for our homes, cities and lives.

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Where will we be in the year 2020? What will our homes look like? How and where will we work and what will be the tools of our trade? What will the world look like in 2020 and how will we sustain ourselves, communities and cities? From what we can gauge so far big changes loom in the way Australians will live, work, play and interact with technology. This week, The New Inventors: Destination 2020 special, future thinkers and innovators explore and explain what may lie ahead.

Adjunct Prof Alan Pears (RMIT, Melbourne)

Australians are finally learning to cut water consumption but there’s still a long way to go. There’s increasingly less fossil fuels for manufacturing and transport and the price of food and materials is increasing rapidly. So what does this all mean for the way we live and our relationship with our homes in the future?

Adjunct Professor Alan Pears (RMIT, Melbourne) takes a glance at what could await the average three-bedroom house in 2020 and beyond...!

Materials and construction of houses will be very different. Aerogels will replace both sections of walls and windows to let in light but achieve amazing insulation performance. Buildings will be super insulated and will require very little heating or cooling.

Smart energy demand management controls in homes will rule the roost. During times of high demand or expensive pricing, things will automatically shut down or cycle on and off to manage the problem through pre-programmed preferences.

Interaction with appliances will also be a lot more intimate! Australians will be able to manage them remotely and they will be able to tell where a fault is. In other words, they will 'self heal' and repairers will know what parts to bring and what they need to do before they reach their destination. And in the backyard, natural energy sinks and micro-labourers will be actively employed in solid waste removal.

Professor Elmars Krausz and Dr Warwick Hillier

Sustaining our communities? Molecular bio-fuels

We need more power. For centuries we’ve used fossil fuels to drive our global economy. These have been so cheap and plentiful that consumers have grossly misused it.

Power is the new gold! Now Australians are facing not only post-peak oil production, but suffering the consequences of all that carbon dioxide and assorted pollutants that have been dispersed into the atmosphere

Powering the future will play a key role in 2020. Photosynthesis oxygenates the world and Australian National University’s Professor Elmars Krausz and Dr Warwick Hillier believe that artificial photosynthesis could use plants’ extraordinary potential to create a truly renewable fuel as well as suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and turn it into food!

Dr Peter Corke, Research Director, CSIRO Autonomous Systems Laboratory and Dr Dave Henry Principal Researcher, CSIRO Livestock

How will we work? Smart Farms

Dr Corke is working towards the 'Smart Farm' of the future with research focusing on Wireless Sensor Networks and their potential to transform the Australian agriculture industry.

‘Pastures From Space’ provides farmers with a suite of tools to enable them to literally farm from their home computer! The system comprises groups of ‘nodes’ each measuring a variable, such as soil moisture in a given paddock, which gather information from their immediate surroundings. This information is then sent via satellite to the base computer. The nodes could also be attached to an animal to monitor their welfare, such as provide information on heart rate, hormone level, and location of the animal.

But this is just the start. Researchers are also looking at ways the system could get accurate estimates of the amount of feed in pastures, how quickly the pastures are growing and the pasture quality. The same technology could play a role in computer activated dosing, controlling a ‘virtual fence’ which could move herds from paddock to paddock via the home computer and in a future world enable the farm to be self-managing!

Farming land is increasingly moving across from smaller independent ownership into the hands of large corporations and the appeal of this kind of system in this context is immeasurable. Large farms would find significant efficiencies of scale; smaller farms would be able access niche markets and create a customised market. Their produce can be tracked and traced by people for example who want guaranteed ‘organic’ or other niche foods.

Professor of Biological Sciences Andy Beattie Biomimicry
The inspiration for future inventions are spinning webs, clinging upside down from smooth walls, and building homes from mud with natural air conditioning. Welcome to Professor Andy Beattie’s world and work. For billions of years wild animals and plants have solved their own engineering problems using only their own bodies and the resources of nature.

Biomimicry explores how animals, plants, even bacteria have solved problems of building homes, finding food and fuel, moving from place to place - exactly the same problems faced by humans. By understanding their solutions biomimicry offers technological fixes for the modern world. Evolution is not a 19th century Darwinian curiosity but at the cutting edge of industrial R&D.

Professor Beattie talks through some amazing possibilities for 2020 and beyond - things like architects replicating termite nests for its natural ventilation and heating principles; examining the Venus Flower basket with its beautiful sponge that makes glass-like silica fibres which have an uncanny resemblance to industrial optical fibres telecommunications industries use; cockroaches, centipedes and crabs are all subject to research for stable, multi-jointed and multi-legged robotics for adaptable use in rugged terrain; and bees and dragon flies are under investigation as engineers seek to mimic their aerodynamic qualities.

It is impossible to ignore the fact that Australia is in the middle of a severe water crisis. This episode of The New Inventors dives into the world of water-saving to discover how Australian inventors are taking action to conserve this precious resource. Plus, we exposed the "Water Diaries" kept by host James O'Loghlin and the panel to find out who is the most conservative when it comes to water usage.

We also took a walk through a sustainable house in Sydney; looked at an invention that used condensation and kinetic energy to make water out of thin air; and caught up with some previous inventors from the program to see how they've come along with their water-saving devices.

SUSTAINABLE HOME DEMO - by Michael Mobbs

Ten years ago, Michael Mobbs told the water board to turn off the mains of his inner-city, 19th century terrace, as he had transformed it into an entirely self-sufficient home. He no longer draws water from the mains and no sewage leaves his 5mx35m property. Michael takes us on a tour to follow the journey of a drop of water in his house.

WATERWALL - by Gail Davidson and Mitch O'Sullivan

The waterwall is a slim-line, above-ground, modular water storage system for collection of rainwater in urban settings. More »

PERPETUAL WATER - by John Grimes and Dr Marilyn Karaman

The Perpetual Water system is a fully automated urban grey-water treatment system that treats shower, bath and laundry water to the highest standard. It makes it safe for long term garden watering, toilet flushing, and clothes washing. More »

MAX WATER - Max Whisson

Perth's Dr Max Whisson set out four years ago to do something about Australia's lack of water. The result is Max Water, a simple way of harvesting pure water from an unlimited source - the atmosphere. Designed to have minimal impact on the environment, be space efficient and use zero fossil fuels, Max Water uses condensation and the kinetic energy of a wind turbine to literally make water out of thin air.

WATER DIARIES

James O'Loghlin and the Saving Water Special panellists have kept "Water Diaries" for 1 week and on the show, we'll reveal who was the wisest water user. Was it host James O'Loghlin? Science journalist and environmentalist Bernie Hobbs? Inventor and architect Sally Dominguez? Or Agricultural scientist Chris Russell? PLUS viewers can get involved by downloading the Water Diary template (PDF), and measure their own water usage.

MICHAEL MOBBS - TURNING OFF THE MAINS »