UNDERPERFORM

Sceptics Prevail Over China Transit Elevated Bus Project

Straddling bus project that promoted to be the latest vehicle to break traffic jammed for metropolitan city congestion was in question to carry on. It was about 200 worried  investors struggle to withdraw their loan as the project was seen to be unreal return. Besides the return was uninteresting compared with market interest loan, investors less convinced with the fact that Transit Elevated Buss capable of accommodating mass vehicle pass through underneath it. To avoid scandal began to spread, the government close down peer to peer lending operation and issue new regulation on company registration. (UP01/BL/25/Aug/2016)

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Google To Launch Its Own Smartphone 

Google planned to release a Google-branded phone to compete with major manufacturer like Apple by the end of the year. Following the success of Android operating system, Google intends to step up into hardware. Instead of leaving manufacturing to other companies such as LG and Huawei in producing Google Nexus, this new device enables Google to improve Android software with its own design and manufacturing. The company has also produced hardware by releasing its own tablet computer, and laptops in recent years. To tap into bubble market in mobile device Google hired the former president of Motorola Rick Osterloh to lead a new hardware division in anticipation of company’s growing ambitions. (TI01/TE/26/Jun/2016)

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

China Planned to Launch Straddle Bus Enables Cars Passed Beneath It   

Transit Explore Bus has been working to launch Straddle Bus in two traffic lanes wide on July 2016. China Metropolitan Bus or straddling bus could carry 1,400 passengers, traveling at 60 km/hour and help to lower air pollution. Engineer Song Youzhou said that straddling bus, with the same function as subway, it costs only 16 % percent than a subway cost. Straddling bus has some advantages as time of manufacturing and construction could be done shorter than for subway, he added. The project gets sceptical response but Linda Poon, Citylab writer expected straddling bus project would change local people opinion on car ownership if it has good impact on air quality. (TI01/HU/24/May/16)

     

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION

Man-Made Mountain Will Be Built In UAE

The study of man-made mountain was proposed by the University of Corporation for Atmospheric Research and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), US with initial funding US$400,000 last year. Scientist from NCAR, Roelof Bruintjes said that the project is undergoing to work out modelling study including the height and the slope of the mountain and the effect on the weather. The mountain, according to Bruintjes could make air rise and creating clouds that can be injected with silver iodide droplets. Water coalesces around the droplets could cause precipitation. UAE, as reported by the NCM website is the first country in the Arabian Gulf to boost rainfall with weather modification by using cloud seeding. The project is now stepping forward to look at various location in the UAE that the most potential position based on height and widths for mountain. (BC01/FO/05/May/16)

POLITIC AND ECONOMY

Weighing The Impact Of Losing The UK For Europe

The impact of losing UK for European Union has become hot topic in many open discussions recently. Center for European Reform, London-based research center highlighted the risk of EU as powerful political leverage declining. In 2015, the other research institution, Global Counsel points out that the absent of UK in the European Union would make illiberal measures more difficult to block. However, according to Global Counsel, Brexit could make the EU to liberalize its policies to win competition with UK investment. London might not be the best destination for investment and some financial center could take up the position. London also would deal with new EU regulations that unable to serve European market either for retail banking or euro trading. (PE01/BL/22/Apr/16)

HIGH DIPLOMACY

Saudi Arabia’s King Salman Welcomed Obama With Unusual Reception

King Salman received President Barack Obama's tense visit in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (20/4/16). A CNN reporter said that he saw at the airport King Salman and senior members of the royal family did not greet President Obama. Obama’s visit in the Gulf States was overshadowed by Middle East issues that disappointed Saudi Arabia and Gulf countries concerning president policy on pulling out US military from the region and the US-Iran negotiation on nuclear weapons. King Salman specifically was disappointed with the US initiation to unseal the 28 documents which proposed to sue Saudi Arabia on involvement of the 9/11 attacks. The documents mentioned about fifteen of 19 hijackers were Saudi citizens even the attacks were not legally proved. Some reporters who covered King Salman meeting with President Obama at the opulent Erga palace have seen the meeting as an awkward reception. (HD01/AO/20/Apr/16)

POLITIC AND ECONOMY

Saudi Government’s Anxious On Congress Decision Related With 9/11 Attacks

Saudi Arabia has asked Obama administration to stop Congress passing the law related with 9/11 attacks. The White House reportedly to release decision on Saudi government involvement in 9/11 attacks followed by Saudi reaction to sell billions of dollars in U.S. financial assets. Adel al-Jubeir, Saudi Foreign Minister according to New York Times, has sent message to Congress that his country to consider selling as much as US$750 billions if Washington legally passed the law.  Saudi connection in terror attacks included in 28 pages documents will be sent to Congress for approval to declassify in 60 days. The deadly terror attacks allegedly conducted by al Qaeda killed almost 3,000 people on Sep. 11 2001. The 9/11 commission initially found no evidence on Saudi involvement, however they suggest to include either institution or senior officials get involved in the attacks. (PE01/FO/16/Apr/16)

Electric Cars To Replace Gasoline Cars In The Next Decade

Electric car associated with costly battery that makes gasoline car still on top of demand. According to Bloomberg analysis, battery prices fell significantly 35 percent last year could drive producer start of mass production for electric cars. With low cost battery, industry will sets up more affordable price such as for long-range car less than US$22,000. Some companies like Tesla and Ford Model T Cruise forecast their sales rise 60 percent by 2020, the number that Electric Vehicle worldwide sales grew last year. In the next few years, Tesla, Chevy and Nissan plan to release new model with tag price around US$30.000. Battery essentially is not an issue because after 2030, the costs predicted to be lower as materials used in the battery chemistries less than 1 percent of lithium, nickel, manganese and copper reserves. Moreover, the next technology revolution expected to make the units becoming more sophisticated, cheaper and smaller. (PE02/CB/17/Apr/16)

    

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Start Your Day With Sending Message To Alien In Space

If you ever wanted to explore space on your own, now you can. Arizona State University developed a tiny spacecraft called The SunCubeFemtoSat. The cube size is 3cm2, weighs 35g and costs US$1000, beneficial to perform functional check on damaged spacecraft. The femtosats enables individual like having GoPro camera and front-seat view in space. Jekan Thanga, Assistant professor in the School of Earth and Space Exploration works with his professor Erik Asphaug to launch prototype into space next year in a mission to explore and examine asteroids composition in space. (TI01/WI/08/Apr/16)

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Google DeepMind Robot Can Learn By Itself

Google bought DeepMind from University College London that capable of learning for itself. The machine is not pre-programmed and it learns automatically. DeepMind algorithms system would be working to improve many well-known Google products. Many Google products would work with DeepMind such as image recognition, text identification and scription and speech recognition. The reason Google interested in DeepMind, besides accuracy issues, Google said to consider sense of generality, flexibility and adaptiveness. Having seen DeepMind learning without human intervention, should we be scared of Artificial Intelligence in the future. (TI01/TE/15/Mar/16)

  

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Amazon Dash Button Makes Order Fast and Simple

Amazon customers can now order from home over hundreds items with the push of a button. Dash button is helpful particularly to get everyday needs delivered regularly. It’s convenient not only to store up items on your cupboard when you're lazy to go around but also to list monthly order of paper towel roll etc. Dash button comes for free as it would be refunded when customer grab his pocket 5 dollars for using first time. (TI01/WI/31/March/16) 

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Microsoft To Release The Holoportation Application

The holoportation works based on image captured by 3-D camera and recreates in your a VR headset. By wearing headset you could see people or friend in the same room with you in real time. Instead of using monitor or talking through mobile, the application let you interact with friend or people who living thousands miles away as if he is sitting right next to you. The application also enables the event to save as a memory or to play back anytime. (TI01/NE/29/M1r/16)

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Light Is To Replace Washing Machines

Researchers at Australia’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) are working on creating self-cleaning clothes technology. To remove stains from fabric by exposing clothes to light and then it dissolves organic matter. The self-cleaning fabric based on copper and silver nanostructures grow on the textile. The nanostructures to form about 30 minutes and cleans the textile in six minutes. (TI01/GI/23/Mar/16)

       

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Vertical Farming in Store

Berlin-based food producer, INFARM installed mini green-house in store. As a pilot project, INFARM intends to serve customer, with fresh product is really grown in-store. The technology of a vertical farming using LED Lights, microsensors and data processing to thrive herbs and vegetables hydroponically. The INFARM is said to use no pesticides at all and grows all year round. Customer benefited from technology for safety and quality of food while producer improved vertical farming with using less floor area than a standard display. (TI01/GI/23/Mar/16)

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Self-Cleaning Bathrooms

Boeing engineers developed self-cleanings bathroom using UV lights to destroy microbes with accuracy of killing 99.99% pathogens. An automatic mechanism works to close and lift the toilet seat quickly and clean every surface. The UV light also wipes odours out in just three seconds. The UV light points out throughout the lavatory to sanitize toilet seat, sink and countertops. (TI01/WI/04/Mar/16)

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Japan to Build Solar Power Plant on Moon

Japan has no more choice to solve the world energy problem than building power plant on moon. Shimizu, Japan architectural and construction company is to bring idea to set up giant belt solar panel along 400 km surrounding the moon. Power plant on moon would transfer energy to stations on earth without disruption since the moon has no significant atmosphere. The Luna Ring project is expected to produce energy 13.000 terawatts daily. (TI01/BO/01/Dec/14)

        

TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION

Smartphone Could Be Used To Steal a 3D Printer Objects

Smartphone could record the sound of objects being produced by 3D printer and reproduced the object precisely after analyzing the vibration. Director of UCI’s Advanced Integrated Cyber-Physical Systems Lab, Mohammad Al Faruque said that object could be recreated after smartphone received entire data from the printer. Until now the sound came out from a common 3D printer is difficult to protect, he added. (TI01/WI/04/Mar/16)