The 5 Most Innovative USB's You Will like to Own.

Right from its inception in the mid 1990s, the 3 inch long device popularly known as USB or Universal Serial Bus has gain wide acceptance, on the context of its usability, data reliability and most importantly portability. Seven giants IBM, Intel,Compaq, NEC, DEC, Nortel and Microsoft came together in 1994 for the development of its first USB 0.7. Since then the device has gone a huge upgradation from USB 1.0 supporting 1.5Mbit/s to the most  recent USB 3.0 which gives a maximum data transmission rate of 5Gbit/s.

An estimate says that till 2008 6 billion USB devices have been sold and about 2 billion USBs are being sold each year. With this increasing demand, definitely more addons are expected in the drive. Here is our attempt to list the top 5 most innovative concepts which will change the way you look at an USB. 

5)  USB/Battery duo Avatar

A rechargable AA battery which pop out as an USB connector and can also be used as a battery. Though the concept proposed by Wonchul Hwang is one of its kind but it raise a very basic question as; what will happen to the data if the battery gets overheated while charging.... 

The product is in concept development stage, and we can expect that many such issues will be addressed. Till that time lets move on...

4) Mnemosyne a $10,000 USB drive

Memnosyne is a cube measuring 72mm on each side; having 5 polished silver pieces housing a black piece, which is the real USB. The manufacturer claims that their USB is more of a puzzle which needs to be solved to reach the storage device inside it. So, even if your cube gets stealed, the thief has to be smart enough to solve the puzzle and get your data.

OK for the people who like solving Rubik's cube may find it interesting to solve and build the cube each time they transfer the data. But with the price tag that it has... it is definitely gonna be a status symbol than a peripheral.

If you feel like buying check more at Mnemosyne.

3) Clap the USB Camera Device

We are all snap happy people. Clicking photos, sharing it on social network has became our hobby. Though we can use our mobiles to click random photos and directly upload it on internet, but still I feel it is in no substitute to a camera, when we want to click some good quality images.

But transferring images from camera to our computer is a tedious job. Remove memory card, find a card reader,or sometimes find the data cable to directly connect the camera. Uuff... a lengthy process. And it becomes more annoying when we cannot find the data cable when we are desperately searching for it. 

Thank God, somebody has paid heed to this problem and we have now a solution in the form of a built in USB inside a camera. The CLAP camera, as it is said is a tiny 2 megapixel camera with image resolution of 1280 x 1024 and an ISO of 100.

It is capable 

of supporting

16 GB memory card, and the pictures can be directly uploaded via the USB 2.0.

Yes I can understand that it is of merely 2 megapixel, and the mobiles available now a days provide us with a better resolution, but lets not forget that it is a very new concept and with this size a new generation of camera or you can say USB technology is getting evolved.

Check out this video for a better overview.

2) Worlds most secure Flash Drive

The military grade AES-256 encryption, only FIPS 140-2 Level 3 flash drive (validation required to be used in government agencies), waterproof, tamper-resistent, built in malware protection, secure browser are some of the unique selling point of Ironkey USB flash drives.

IronKey validation covers not only the cryptographic module but also the circuit board, memory, and authentication system. It also provide you with the option of  remote disable or deny features. If this is not enough it can also self destroy itself giving an extra security assurance. So if you are feeling to buy one, your options will be 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16Gb. Get the full specification from the PDF.

1) iTwin

The first thing which comes to our mind is Oh!! another Apple product in the market...  :) No, it is not an Apple product. Don't get confused with that small "i". 
 iTwin is a USB dongle which is a blend of innovative idea and futuristic design.

We all have realized the problem of large file transfer especially media files. Suppose we want to share a media file with our friend who lives in some different state. Then the usual way is to upload the file to some free uploading site and then we can share the URL, from where he can download. A very time consuming process.

It is this issue which iTwin addresses. The manufacturers of iTwin promises that there device is capable of transferring any data to a person any where in this world.

All you need to need to do is you will have to connect the double ended USB dongle to your PC. The device will autorun its software and will share an encrypted key. Now you detach the USB into two parts and take any half to any where in this world. The only thing you would require is an Internet connected in both the PC to make the transfer possible.

But what will happen if you lost one part! Will any one have the access to use your data. Don't worry,  your data will be secure. The reason is when a connection is established the owner will be sent a remote disable code by email. This code can also be used to break the connection between the two iTwins. 

This device has won many awards in the innovation and design category. Click here for the Official website of iTwin.

 

Would you like to see how an USB is manufactured. Then check out this video. Taken in the factory of Kingston.

Liked this article!!! Leave your footprints behind with a comment.  It will make me feel happy.

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Get Inspired: Opportunity... written by Berton Braley

     With doubt and dismay you are smitten
        You think there's no chance for you, son?
    Why, the best books haven't been written
        The best race hasn't been run,
    The best score hasn't been made yet,
        The best song hasn't been sung,
    The best tune hasn't been played yet,
        Cheer up, for the world is young!


    No chance? Why the world is just eager
        For things that you ought to create.
    Its store of true wealth is still meager
        Its needs are incessant and great,
    It yearns for more power and beauty
        More laughter and love and romance,
    More loyalty, labor and duty,
        No chance--why there's nothing but chance!


    For the best verse hasn't been rhymed yet,
        The best house hasn't been planned,
    The highest peak hasn't been climbed yet,
        The mightiest rivers aren't spanned,
    Don't worry and fret, faint hearted,
        The chances have just begun,
    For the Best jobs haven't been started,
        The Best work hasn't been done.

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The 4 Most Easiest Ways To Have An Impressive Avatar.

Are you bored of your profile pic? Do you spend most of your time searching net to find an avatar that defines you? Then you will be soon breaking your habit, as I'm gonna tell you the 4 simple ways to edit your photo and form a splendid avatar.

Let us start with the Photoshop. To cartoonize yourself,
Open Photoshop >open your image (try your picture).
Then all you need to do is Go to Filter > Blur > and Gaussian Blur. Increase the radius as you wish.
Then once you are done; click on Edit > Fade Gaussian Blur. Select Darken in the drop down button, and adjust the opacity. Once done your image is ready. You can also choose among many different effects.



You may also give a pencil sketch effect to your image, and it will replicate as if you have created the sketch. The steps may seem to be a little long but don't worry only few minutes of patience will pay off ;) 
 
Just follow this simple steps.

Open the Image > In the layer palette create a duplicate image.
Then in the layer palette from the drop down menu change the Normal mode > Color dodge.
Now go to Image >Adjustment > Invert. 

Once you are done; go to Filter > Blur >Gaussian blur.
You might be getting an ugly image. But don't worry as pencil sketch is always black and white we need to change it to gray scale. To do this click on Image > Mode > Grayscale.
A dialogue box will open click on Flatten image. Again go to Gaussian Blur and increase the radius to 3. Then go to Edit > Fade Gaussian Blur> Select Darken in the drop down  menu button in place of Normal.
Now adjust the opacity to have a nice effect.What I have created is the picture below...

But if you don't have photoshop or you don't want to trouble the right lobe of your brain with it, but still want to have a fabulous image no need to worry there are some websites which provide a simple interface for photo editing and the best part is, they are free.

One of the most useful website to do photo editing and to cartoonize yourself  is befunky.com. All you need to do is upload a pic, edit it as you wish, see the preview and download it whenever you are satisfied. If this is not all, the website also gives you the flexibility of drawing mustaches, create canvas effects speaking bubbles and many other art effects which you will love to explore. 

Another website is cartoonize.net where all you have to do is upload a pic and download it. Just two simple steps and nothing more. So have a great time editing.

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Understanding The Mysterious World Of Memristor

 
 

<< Fig shows the concept of HP's memristor circuit a mesh of perpendicular wires known as crossbar arrays; in which memristors are sandwiched between the crossing points. 

You may think what is so special about Memristor?

Hmm... I can give you a reason that it can lead to analog circuits that can think like human brain... :)

The concept of Memristor starts nearly 4 decades ago when in the year 1971 Leon Chua (a professor of electrical engineering at the university of California ) postulated the existence of a fourth fundamental element after examining the relationships between charge and flux in capacitor, inductor and resistor. Till that time for nearly 150 years capacitor, inductor and resistors were considered as the three fundamental passive circuit elements.

 

The 4 element would give the same relationship between charge and flux that is given by a resistor for voltage and current. Such a fundamental element would behave like a resistor whose value would vary according to the current passing through it; but it would be able to remember that value even after the current disappears.

Long since it was theorized no one was able to built it. It became a concept of profound curiosity. But in the year 2008 the researchers of  Hewlett-Packard Stanley Williams and his group revealed that they have discovered the 4th element. "The Memristor". 

         Memresistor crossbar architecture
 
The architecture of Memresistor is a mesh of perpendicular wires known as crossbar arrays; in which memristors are sandwiched between the crossing points.  

Memristor is a two terminal device whose resistance depends upon the magnitude and polarity of the voltage applied to it and the length of the time for which the voltage has been applied. If you  turn off the voltage the memristor is able to remember the recent resistance until the next time you turn it on whether it is the next day or a year later.. That means if you are working on a spreadsheet on your computer, and you turn it off  without closing the documents you will get it as it is the next time you turn on your computer.

This effect can be duplicated by any circuit combination of  resistor, capacitor and inductor that is why the Memristor is termed as the 4th fundamental element.

                     Stanley Williams (left)

You need to boot your computer as the logic circuits do not hold their bits after the power is turned off. But as Memristor is able to remember its history, the wide application of it would be in non-volatile memories. So a computer driven by memristor won't need a reboot. Hence processing time would reduce with much flexibility in computation.

Overall Memristors can be made extremely small and they can be used to make analog circuits working on the same physical principles as a brain. Such a circuit would even lead to machines that can recognize patterns as humans do, real time data analysis for multiple sensors, intelligent physical infrastructure that can provide structural assessment and so on.

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Autonomous Power Efficient Microchips Generating Its Own Power.

          Solar cell generated within the layers of microchip

Power management and reduction of area required in a microchip are the two most important fields researchers are working upon.
Autonomous chips are created by harvesting solar energy to meet the power supply requirement of the chip by embedding a solar cell separately at its top. 

This type of chips won't require any battery or any other external energy sources. Hence they are very useful in wireless communication and space technology for their power efficiency.
But researchers have now succeeded in finding out a more efficient production process.They used a chip as a base and applied the solar cell to it layer by layer. 

One major advantage of this is that the chip would require fewer materials and hence performance would increase. Also it is highly suitable for industrial serial production.
The prototypes so far constructed showed that the electronics and the solar cell worked perfectly.

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10 Best Motivational Songs to Make You Roar.

So many times, it happens too fast, you change your passion for glory. Don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past.You must fight just to keep them alive. A collection of 10 best motivational songs which will drive you, motivate you and make you roar in your difficulties.

Remember: "All the Powers are within You. You can do anything  and everything. So stand up be strong, be bold and know that you are the creator of your own destiny." -Swami Vivekananda

1. Eyes Of The Tiger- Survivor

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=6516371&song=Eye+of+the+Tiger

2. I've Got The Power- Snap

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=6523652&song=

3. Chariots of Fire- Vangelis

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=2716203&song=Chariots+Of+Fire

4. It's My Life- Bon Jovi

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=7672681&song=It%27s+My+Life

5. The Final Countdown- Europe

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=4066360&song=The+Final+Countdown

6. We are the Champions- Queen

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=7003547&song=We+Are+The+Champions

7. The Prayer- Celine Dion & Andrea Bocelli
http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=7127392&song=The+Prayer

8. We will Rock You- Queen

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=7610310&song=We+Will+Rock+You

9. Affirmation- Savage Garden 

http://www.4shared.com/account/audio/vs3VOE7P/01_Affirmation.html

10. Here I Am- Bryan Adams 

http://beemp3.com/download.php?file=7647959&song=Here+I+Am

Though it is not related to electronics but sometimes it requires more than knowledge to keep our moral high. I could not resist sharing these songs with you, as this songs are really close to my heart. Whenever I feel low I listen to the songs; to raise my inner self, conquer my challenges. I hope you will like this songs.

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Changing Trends In Nanocircuits

Nanocircuits can be explained as a simple electrical circuit, at a dimension such that the quantum mechanical effects become important to be considered.  It's size ranges within 10^-9 meters. The concept of nanocircuits arose when Intel's co-founder Gordon Moore suggested that the number of transistor that can be fabricated on a silicon integrated circuit will double every 18 to 24 months. More the number of transistors, more will be the speed of the computer.

But why should we worry about fabricating a transistor, can't we obtain a similar performance using resistors, capacitors or diodes?

The reason behind this is, transistors can act as a switch and can quickly turn on and turn off, regulating the flow of electricity. They can even amplify a signal ie; transforming a weak signal into strong signal. Most of the transistors we use in a circuit are silicon transistors. But opposite to this, when we are dealing with a nanocircuit silicon transistors cannot be used. It's because the silicon transistor of today are as small as allowed by the laws of physics and the resistivity of the circuit increases when the size shrinks to 30 nanometers.

So, it became a necessity for the Scientist and Engineers to device an alternate way if they wanted to add more functionality and reduce the size at nanoscale. So what they came up with, was a atomic scale wire made of carbon atoms and bonds. They named it Graphene (graphite+ene). Graphene is one atom thick  densely packed carbon atom bonds structured as a honeycomb crystal lattice. (See the above image) They are actually insulating materials but when the temperature is increased they act as conducting material.

Scientist are enthusiastic about graphene as the electrons meet with less resistance when they travel along graphene and also because they are faster and consume less power. Till now nobody knew how to produce graphene nanostructures on such a reproducible method. 

But recently some scientist claim that they have devised a simple one step process based on thermochemical nanolithography (TCNL) for creating nanowires from reduced graphene oxide.

Use of graphene interconnect could facilitate in integrated circuit performance once sizes drops to approximately 20nm. Also the high mobility of carriers in graphene could allow the fabrication of FETs with low channel resistance resulting in a high operational speed. The figure below shows a first ever logic gate and complementary inverter developed on graphene.

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