Stanford University is at the forefront of bookless libraries. The periodical shelves of the Engineering Library are almost bare. Starting Cialis Professional in 2005 most engineering periodicals went online. Students now read them from laptops and mobile devices. Because engineering is a fast changing field – particularly in specialties like software and bioengineering – traditional textbooks are soon outdated. When the new Engineering Library opened in August 2010, there were 85% fewer books. According to a survey by the Association of Research Libraries, American libraries are spending more on electronic resources and less on books. It’s 21st century “resourcefulness”.

The resourcefulness shown by e-mailing doctors helps people stay healthy. According to a study published in Health Affairs, patients with diabetes or hypertension who were in e-mail contact with their doctors experienced better health outcomes. The 2-month study looked at over 35,000 patients and about 500,000 e-mail conversations stripped of identification information. Most e-mails were initiated by patients to discuss changed health conditions or lab tests. Patients who e-mailed scored better on cholesterol and blood pressure tests. According to a Harris poll, in 2010 only 9% of Americans communicate with doctors via e-mail. That’s an “unhealthy” percent.

Vibrating car seats are healthy. They prevent car accidents by alerting drivers to cars in their blind spots. Unlike visual or audio warnings, touch transmits the location of cars without drivers having to turn their head. Vibrating cell phone motors embedded in the driver’s seat create continual soft vibrations. When another vehicle moves behind or beside the car, the vibrations against the driver’s back increase in pressure and correspond to the position of the approaching vehicle. However, by continually vibrating instead of activating only in emergencies, the touch system increases driver awareness of all surrounding cars. – creating more “carful” driving”.

For more careful flying there’s the Solar Impulse. The experimental solar-powered plane completed its 24-hour test flight July 7, 2010. The single-seat plane with a wingspan of a Boeing 777 climbed to 28,000 feet and had a top speed of over 75 mph. The Solar Impulse flew at night by recharging its batteries using 12,000 solar cells. By day it was powered by the sun. However, the Swiss-led project’s goal isn’t to replace jet propulsion. It’s to circle the globe in 2013 making only 5 stops to prove new technologies can break dependence on fossil fuels – to give us “higher hopes” for the future.

Author Bio: Knight Pierce Hirst takes a second look at what makes life interesting and it takes only second at http://knightwatch.typepad.com

Category: Technology/Gadgets and Gizmos
Keywords: library, e-mail, car seat, plane, solar power