Will the growing use of nanoscale silver ultimately cause more harm than good? That is the question posed by many these days, accompanying concerns over the effect of nanosilver on the environment. Nanoscale silver is already embedded into more than 200 consumer products, including residential and commercial appliances, where it is employed for its antimicrobial properties. But silver is classified as an environmental hazard by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency because the metal is toxic to aquatic plants and animals.

A recent report released by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies suggests that widespread use of nanoscale silver will challenge regulatory agencies to balance its important potential benefits against the possibility of significant environmental risk, highlighting the need to identify research priorities concerning this emerging technology.

The issue of assessing the risks posed by nanoscale silver was highlighted after the EPA’s San Francisco office earlier this year imposed a landmark fine of more than $200,000 on a California company selling computer keyboards and mouses coated with nanosilver. EPA issued the fine on the grounds that the products should have been registered under federal pesticide law because of the company’s germ-killing claims.

Similar fines have not been imposed since, but the action is focusing attention on the potential risks posed by nanoscale silver and oversight of nanotechnology as a whole.

“We need not assume that because nano is new, we have no scientific basis for managing risks,” said Samuel N. Luoma, the author of the PEN report “Silver Nanotechnologies and the Environment: Old Problems or New Challenges?” The report offers a dozen lessons concerning silver in general that can be followed for managing the potential environmental risks posed by nanosilver. “Our existing knowledge of silver in the environment provides a starting point for some assessments and points toward some of the new questions raised by the unique properties for nanoparticles that need to be addressed through new research,” Luoma said.

The mass of silver dispersed into the environment from new products could be substantial if one product, or a combination of such products, becomes widespread.

“The silver that went into wastewaters when millions of people had their photographs developed taught us that small additions of silver to the environment make a big difference,” Luoma added. Luoma is a former senior researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey who now leads science policy coordination for the John Muir Institute of the Environment at the University of California, Davis. “Perhaps more significant, we have no means of detecting nanosilver in the environment once it is released, even if concentrations rise to levels that are toxic to aquatic ecosystems.”

The scope of the new challenge is not yet clear because it is uncertain how much nanosilver is now used as an antimicrobial in commercial and consumer products, and because new uses are likely to be discovered in the future, according to J. Clarence Davies, a PEN senior adviser and a former EPA policy official. “Regardless of the scope of the nanosilver problem, it underscores the need for more risk research and new approaches to oversight to deal with new technologies and problems of the new century,” Davies said.

The complete report on nanoscale silver can be viewed at the following web site: http://www.nanotechproject.org/publications/archive/silver

Design Contest: CALL FOR ENTRIES

appliance DESIGN magazine has issued a call for entries for its 2009 Excellence in Design competition. Now in its 22nd year, the competition is open to OEMs and industrial design firms worldwide and covers a broad spectrum of appliance product segments. Products entered must have been introduced into the market within the year 2008.

Judging of the entries will be based on four criteria -— innovation, aesthetics, human factors, and technical merits. Winners will be featured in the June 2009 issue of appliance DESIGN.

Instructions, rules, deadlines, and entry forms are available at: www.appliance DESIGN.com/EID

CHP UNDERUSED. Combined heat and power is an underused technology that could improve energy efficiency if better utilized, according to a report from the International Energy Agency. The IEA is a France-based agency that consults with 28 countries including the U.S. and Canada. The technology uses internal combustion energy to generate electricity, while capturing the excess heat created during that combustion for water and space heating. According to the report, some regions are using CHP more than others. Denmark, for example, generates 40 percent of its power from CHP, while Finland, Russia, Latvia, and the Netherlands also generate a third to a half of their energy with CHP. Other countries are trying to expand CHP integration. Germany is aiming to double its CHP energy component to 25 percent by 2020 through government-backed incentives that will pay CHP owners for extra power they generate and sell back to the grid. These incentives are guaranteed until 2016. Although the amount of CHP generated in the UK has almost doubled in recent years from 3.68 GW in 1998 to 5.55 GW in 2006, it is still a largely neglected energy source, the report says. The UK could potentially generate 17 percent of its power requirements using CHP by 2020. Greater use of CHP globally could reduce CO2 emissions by 4 percent by 2015, a reduction in transmission and distribution costs of around $795 billion over the next 20 years, and reduced electricity costs for end users.

ECR MOTOR ORDER. Vendo de Mexico, a manufacturer of bottle coolers and refrigerated vending machines, has placed an order for 400,000 electronically commutated refrigeration (ECR) motors from Wellington Drive Technologies, a New Zealand-based company with U.S. offices in Buffalo Grove, Ill. The motors are projected to save energy worth approximately $90 million over the service life of the machines and reduce carbon emissions of more than 600,000 tons. Vendo de Mexico plans to use the motors in the majority of the 250,000 bottle coolers it plans to produce in 2009.

RISK FROM INDOOR AIR. Poor indoor air quality puts nearly 40 percent of the U.S. population at risk for developing serious health problems, according to a new white paper from Air Quality Sciences, an Atlanta-based manufacturer of air quality products. Those populations most at risk are children, older adults, and those with asthma or other chronic illnesses. The white paper chronicles the VOCs, industrial chemicals, and other indoor air pollutants that have been found in homes, schools, and other locations. In addition, the paper reviews readily available technology and strategies to provide healthy indoor environments. For more information, visit www.aerias.org.

ENGINE RULES TIGHTENED. The Environmental Protection Agency has set strict new standards for gas-powered lawn equipment and marine engines. The rule kicks into gear in 2011 for lawn and garden equipment of 25 HP or less. To meet the new standards, manufacturers can employ catalytic converters. When fully implemented, the rule is expected to yield annual emission reductions of 600,000 tons of hydrocarbons, 130,000 tons of nitrogen oxide (NOx), 5,500 tons of direct particulate matter, and 1.5 million tons of carbon monoxide.

NETWORKING CONTROLS GROW. Consumer demand for intelligent control applications will push U.S. revenues for wireless and powerline controls from $740 million in 2008, to more than $3 billion in 2012, according to the report, Opportunities for Wireless & Powerline Controls. The report from Parks Associates forecasts that the installed base for these technologies will grow to nearly 60 million in 2012. This growth is being driven in part by companies entering the market such as Black & Decker, Schlage, Hawking, iControl, and Wayne Dalton. In addition, Zilog, a manufacturer of microprocessors and microcontrollers, announced a new control platform incorporating both wired and wireless connectivity interfaces that provide consumers with remote access and control through WiFi-enabled handheld devices. The report finds remote home monitoring, entertainment controls, and lighting as key areas for future growth.

PANASONIC TARGETS. Panasonic, formerly Matsushita Electric Industrial, is looking to improve its share of the Japanese appliance market to 30 percent, up from 28 percent. The company will launch new products in this effort as it continues to consolidate its product lines under the Panasonic banner. Previously, the Panasonic name was only used for audio and visual products, while the Matsushita name was used for appliances.

The company also announced that it was exiting the clothes washing machine business, which started in 1956. Production stopped in October, and the company will continue to sell products until it runs out of inventory and will continue servicing its products in the future. The company shipped roughly 370,000 units in 2007, valued at approximately $111 million. However, the company had reportedly suffered losses in its washing machine business for 2 or 3 years. To compete, the company launched new products with limited success, including a machine that featured a mechanism that tilts the drum. The company stopped selling the products after three months because of problems with the technology.

HAPPY MOWING. When it comes to walk-behind lawn mowers, John Deere ranks highest in satisfying customers, according to a new report by J.D. Power and Associates. The inaugural study measures customer satisfaction with walk-behind lawn mowers by examining four key factors: performance, maintenance, warranty, and price. Among the 13 brands ranked in the study, John Deere ranks highest with a score of 790 on a 1,000-point scale. Honda and Toro came in second and third. Overall, J.D. Power found very few complaints about walk-behind lawn mowers. Less than one in 10 reported a problem with the mower. The three most common problems that did come up, however, includes the starting mechanism, engine, and drive system.

CHINA’S GREEN CAUSE. Carrier of Farmington, Conn., has signed a memorandum of friendly cooperation with China’s Energy Conservation Information Dissemination Center (ECIDC) to continue promoting the progress of energy saving and emission reduction in China. Carrier is the first international company to cooperate with the ECIDC. The two groups will collaborate on technology, demonstration projects, and training programs to drive the promotion of energy efficiency and emission reduction, as well as the application of green air-conditioning technologies and solutions.

NEW LAYOFFS. Whirlpool of Benton Harbor, Mich., is laying off 700 workers at its Fort Smith, Ark., manufacturing facility. There is currently no timetable for when employees might be called back. The announcement comes on the heels of the voluntary layoff of 120 employees at its Evansville, Ind., manufacturing facility. The layoffs are part of corporate-wide cost reductions, including the consolidations of several manufacturing facilities. At the same time, the company has accelerated its schedule of product innovations, launching more than 70 new products in North American during 2008.

A.O. SMITH IN INDIA. A. O. Smith of Milwaukee is locating the headquarters of its A.O. Smith India Water Heating venture in Bangalore, India. The company will build a residential water heater manufacturing plant. The 76,000-square-foot facility is scheduled to be finished in the second quarter of 2010 and will initially employ 100 workers. The factory will assemble glass-lined residential water heaters in sizes ranging from six liters up to 100 liters. In addition to water heater assembly, the company will install manufacturing processes to apply glass lining to the tanks. Also, the plant will manufacture co-branded products for Jaquar, an India-based manufacturer of kitchen and bathroom products.

DOE PROPOSES RULES. The U.S. Department of Energy recently published a notice of published rulemaking establishing new energy conservation standards for a variety of commercial refrigeration equipment. The products impacted would include commercial ice cream freezers, self-contained commercial refrigerators and freezers without doors, and remote condensing commercial refrigerators and freezers. The DOE estimates that the proposed standards will save 0.83 quads of cumulative primary energy over 30 years. The proposed standards, if adopted by the DOE in its final rule, will apply to products manufactured on or after Jan. 1, 2012.

CO2 ALARM LAW. The Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute supports the passage of a California law (SB 1386) that requires carbon monoxide alarms to be installed in all occupied homes, apartments, and hotels. California joins with Wisconsin and North Carolinas as the third state this year to require CO alarms in homes.

Plastic Logic 8.5 x 11 electronic reader.

PLASTIC ELECTRONICS. Plastic Logic of Mountain View, Calif., has opened a commercial-scale plastic electronics manufacturing facility. The factory, located in Dresden, Germany, will begin volume production of displays based on Plastic Logic’s technology. The plastic electronics display, first developed at Cambridge University in 2000, uses high-resolution transistor arrays on flexible plastic substrates that have been manufactured at a low temperature. The first product is expected to hit the market in early 2009.

Spanish-language thermostat.

SPANISH THERMOSTAT. Emer-son Climate Technologies, St. Louis, has developed a Spanish-only programmable thermostat line. The Emerson Blue Selecto thermostat features a Spanish language display and Spanish programming. The thermostats have 4-in. blue displays and pre-programmed software for simplified time and temperature programming. To accompany the new thermostats, Emerson has implemented a Spanish-speaking helpline.

VENDING MACHINE LABELS. The European Vending Asso-ciation (EVA) has adopted an energy consumption label for vending machines. The association says that the program is voluntary. The label will rank the vending machines against competitors as “more” or “less” energy-efficient. The protocol, available upon request at www.vending-europe.eu, is divided into two main sections: the first is the protocol for the measurement itself, covering all types of machines; the second creates energy classes for the vending machines, similar to appliances. To be eligible, manufacturers will need to follow the procedure described in the document, and send their self-certifications to the EVA.

GROWTH IN INDIA. Whirlpool of India, a subsidiary of Whirlpool, plans to invest $20 million in new home appliance product lines in the next 12 to 18 months. The funds will be invested in three facilities in India. Growth is expected in a number of product categories including air conditioners, microwave ovens, and dishwashers.

PROMOTING POWERLINE. The Universal Powerline Association, a consortium formed for the design and development of interoperable and open specifications for Powerline communications, has issued two marked requirements documents for Powerline communication-based Smart Grid and Command and Control applications. The MRDs for Smart Grid and Command and Control applications share three fundamental principles: interoperability; maintain an open, non-proprietary protocol meeting; and to facilitate regulatory approvals. The UPA command and control MRDS focuses on in-home applications and those that tie in to the smart Grid such as HVAC, appliance, security, lighting, and energy management applications. The UPA Smart Grid MRDs provides a baseline to clarify the multiple economic, commercial, legislative, and environmental requirements against which UPA members develop products and services. Smart Grids help utilities to integrate the actions of all components and users connected to the grid.

SOLAR ASSISTED HVAC. Dallas-based Lennox Industries unveiled SunSource, an integrated solar-assisted residential heating and cooling system that will be available to the public in 2009. The system integrates solar power by using a single 190 W solar panel that provides power to assist the fan motor move air across the outdoor coil. Even on days with limited sun exposure, the SunSource takes advantage of the available solar resources and reduces energy usage, the company says. The company is evaluating how to integrate solar power into other components of a typical home comfort system, including indoor motors, compressors, indoor air quality products, and thermostats.

EURO TECH CENTER. Deere & Co., Moline, Ill., plans to establish a European Technology & Innovation Center in Kaiserslautern, Germany. The facility is scheduled to open in the spring of 2010. It will accommodate up to 200 engineers who will focus on developing and applying new technology. In addition, the center will provide engineering support for Deere’s work in intelligent mobile equipment technologies and agricultural management solutions.

PHONE STARTS CAR. A mobile phone now has the capability to start a car. The carmaker Nissan Motor, mobile network operator NTT DOCOMO, and electronics giant Sharp, have developed a phone that functions as a key for automobiles. The device incorporates Nissan’s Intelligent Key system, which is a standard feature installed in more than 950,000 cars since 2002. It employs two-way wireless communications technology that can automatically unlock/lock the car door and start/stop the engine. Nissan and Sharp has now integrated the technologies into the new handset. The three firms will continue to develop the product with an aim for commercial distribution in early fiscal year 2009.

SMART APPLIANCES. GE Consumer & Industrial will collaborate with Louisville Gas and Electric Company to help consumers manage their utility bills by enabling them to avoid peak hour energy usage. In the first quarter of 2009, GE will introduce a suite of Energy Management Enabled Appliances able to accept a signal from the local utility. The appliances will receive the control message and react based on the appliance internal programming. It requires no consumer interaction.

KITCHEN BRANDS RATED. Bosch, Kenmore Elite, LG, Samsung, and Whirlpool Gold rank highest in satisfying customers with major kitchen appliances, according to J.D. Power and Associates 2008 Kitchen Appliances Study. For the third consecutive year, Bosch ranks highest in customer satisfaction with dishwashers. Samsung, for the fourth year in a row, ranks highest in side-by-side and French door style refrigerators. For freezer-on-top style refrigerators, Kenmore Elite ranked highest in customer satisfaction. Whirlpool Gold ranked highest among freestanding range brands, which contain both a range and oven and are not built into the countertop. Finally, LG ranked highest in satisfying consumers with built-in cooktops and wall ovens.

Sound damping disposer mount.

QUIET GRINDING. Grind More, Hear Less, is the theme for the InSinkErator Evolution Series waste disposers, which were designed to be 60 percent quieter than in the past. Part of the noise reduction comes from the use of an anti-vibration mount assembly that provides both sealing and sound damping. InSinkErator worked with Minnesota Rubber and Plastics, Minneapolis, to develop the elastomeric and stainless steel component. The supplier custom-formulated the elastomer to meet the OEM’s specifications.

CATCHING THE WAVE. Black & Decker has joined the Z-Wave Alliance and will soon offer new Z-Wave enabled residential access control solutions marketed under brands such as Baldwin, Kwikset, and Weiser Lock. The alliance is an open consortium of companies dedicated to making products based on Z-Wave technology, an interoperable wireless mesh networking technology.

SIN LIST RELEASED. An international coalition of non-governmental organizations have released a list of 300 “high concern” chemicals on the market in an effort to speed up the implementation of the European Community Regulation on chemicals and their safe use EC 1907/2006, better known as REACH, short for Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemical substances, which entered into force on June 1, 2007. The list is referred to as the SIN list, for Substitute It Now. The complete SIN list can be found at www.sinlist.org.

RUNTIME IS PIVOTAL. Runtime and battery capacity are the most important factors in selecting batteries for portable products, according to a survey by Nexergy, a Columbus, Ohio, manufacturer of battery packs and chargers. These factors were the most important elements of battery performance among both design engineers and marketers. Cost ranked low on the list of seven factors. Engineers ranked cost fifth, while marketers ranked cost as sixth on the list of most important factors that are used when selecting portable battery technology.

SOLAR CELL RECORD. Scientists at the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have set a world record in solar cell efficiency with a photovoltaic device that converts 40.8 percent of the light that hits it into electricity. This is the highest confirmed efficiency of any photovoltaic device to date. The inverted metamorphic triple-junction solar cell was designed, fabricated and independently measured at NREL. Efficiency was measured under concentrated light of 326 suns. (One sun is about the amount of light that typically hits Earth on a sunny day.) The solar cell differs from the previous record-holding cell, also developed at NREL, which used a germanium wafer as the bottom junction of the device. The new design uses compositions of gallium indium phosphide and gallium indium arsenide to split the solar spectrum into three equal parts that are absorbed by each of the cell’s three junctions for higher potential efficiencies. This is accomplished by growing the solar cell on a gallium arsenide wafer, flipping it over, then removing the wafer. The resulting device is extremely thin and light and represents a new class of solar cells with advantages in performance, design, operation and cost, the researchers said.

MED DEVICES DISRUPTED. A study of medical equipment by Dutch researchers found that wireless systems used by many hospitals to track medical equipment can cause breakdowns in devices such as breathing and dialysis machines. Electromagnetic emissions from the wireless systems can interfere with equipment such as respirators, external pacemakers, and kidney dialysis machines, according to the study. Researchers discovered the problem in 123 tests they performed in an intensive-care unit at an Amsterdam hospital. Glitches occurred in almost 30 percent of the tests when microchip devices similar to those in many types of wireless medical equipment were placed within about one foot from the machines. Nearly 20 percent of the cases involved hazardous malfunctions that could harm patients, including breathing machines that switched off, mechanical syringe pumps that stopped delivering medication, and external pacemakers that malfunctioned. The wireless systems are used to tag and keep track of medical equipment like heart-testing machines, joint replacements, and surgical staplers. They can help quickly locate devices that are elsewhere in the hospital and help prevent theft. The technology also is viewed as a way to prevent drug counterfeiting, by embedding microchips in drug containers, and to prevent harmful medical errors by keeping tabs on devices used during surgery.

Image credit: Rensselaer/Ramanath

SCULPTING NANORODS. Researchers at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have discovered how to direct the growth of nanorods made up of two single crystals using a biomolecular surfactant. The researchers were able to create “branched” structures by carefully controlling the temperature, time, and amount of surfactant used during synthesis. Most nanostructures comprised of a core and a shell generally require more than one step to synthesize, but these new research results demonstrate how to synthesize such nanorods in only one step. The single-step synthesis is an important development toward realizing large-scale synthesis of composite nanomaterials in general, the researchers said. The nanorods are expected to enable the development of new nanoscale thermoelectric devices for power generation, as well as nanoscale heat pumps for cooling hot spots in nanoelectronics devices.

Rensselaer Researchers have discovered a new method to create branched nanorods, such as those in this scanning electron microscope image. Such nanorods could one day enable new nanoscale thermoelectric devices for power generation, as well as nanoscale heat pumps for cooling hot spots in nanoelectronics devices.

RECYCLING REFRIGERATORS. Whirl-pool’s Gladiator GarageWorks, Benton Harbor, Mich., maker of the Chillerator garage refrigerator, has joined with the Department of Energy’s Recycle My Old Fridge Campaign. The company joined the program to encourage recycling of old or inefficient refrigerators that often are moved into the garage as a second food storage solution. The company says that traditional household refrigerators, even very energy efficient models, are not designed to work in a garage, which often have extreme heat and cold conditions.

MICROBE KILLERS. Researchers at Auburn University have produced new antimicrobial coatings that use some of the same ingredients that are found in mouthwash. The researchers mixed solutions of lysozyme, a natural product with antimicrobial properties, with single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs). By using a layer-by-layer deposition process, the team demonstrated the inability of intact Staphylococcus aureus cells to grow on antimicrobial surfaces. Researchers plan to adapt processing to enable the assembly of coatings on a much larger scale. As a foundation for future applications, the combination of single-walled carbon nanotubes with DNA, proteins, and enzymes enables a range of possibilities for sensing and smart-functionality capabilities.

CHIP CANCELS NOISE. Wolfson Microelectronics of Edinburgh, U.K., has tested an active noise cancellation chip designed for mobile phone applications. Wolfson’s ambient noise cancellation technology focuses on the receive path and uses active anti-noise to cancel background sound at the handset speaker. The company is working with a number of manufacturers and believes that handsets containing this advanced technology will be on sale in 2009.

TRU2WAY ACCORD. LG Electronics of Englewood Cliffs, N.J., has signed a memorandum of understanding with six U.S. cable operators to support the “tru2way” technology platform for delivering two-way interactive digital cable services without a set-top box. Developed by Cable Television Laboratories, tru2way plug-and-play technology is backed by the nation’s six largest cable companies — Comcast, Time Warner, Cox, CableVision, Charter, and Bright House Networks — which together account for an estimated 80 percent of all U.S. cable subscribers.

Fraunhofer’s Care-O-bot 3.

CARING ROBOT. Research scientists at the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation IPA in Stuttgart, Germany, have developed a prototype for a new generation of service robots designed to help humans in the household. The Care-O-bot 3 is fitted with stereo-vision color cameras, laser scanners, and a 3-D range camera to register its surroundings in three dimensions in real time. If a person moves into the radius of its arm, it stops moving. The small, flexible helper can also move in any direction thanks to its omnidirectional platform with four separately steered and driven wheels. The robot has a highly flexible arm with seven degrees of freedom and a hand with three fingers. This allows it to pick up objects and to operate machines. Force sensors prevent it from gripping too hard. A tray is mounted at the front of the robot, on which it can carry requested items. Integrated in the tray is a touch screen by which the robot assistant can be controlled. The robot can also be directed by spoken commands, and can recognize and respond to gestures. It can also learn to recognize new objects. The user simply places the unfamiliar object in the robot’s hand so that it can gain a three-dimensional impression of the item.

TELESCOPIC PIXELS. Scientests at at Microsoft Research have developed a pixel that uses a pair of mirrors to block or transmit light could lead to displays that are faster, brighter, and more power efficient than LCDs. The new telescopic pixels switch completely off and on within 1.5 ms. Because the telescopic display switches so rapidly, red, green, and blue light-emitting diodes can be put behind each pixel, and they can be sequentially lit to create a color shade. By contrast, LCDs are more complex. The pixels are made of three subpixels — red, green, and blue — that are lit simultaneously at different intensities to create a color shade. Each subpixel is controlled with a separate transistor circuit. The telescopic pixels are also significantly brighter. In an LCD, by the time light passes through the polarizing films, the liquid-crystal layer, and the color filters, only 5 to 10 percent of it comes out. The telescopic pixels, on the other hand, let through about 36 percent of light. The new pixels use two micromirrors to pass or block light. The first is a 100-micrometer-wide, 100-nanometer-thick aluminum disc with a hole in the center. The other mirror, also a thin aluminum film, is as big as the hole and placed directly in front of it. Light is projected on the disc-shaped mirror from behind the second mirror. In the off state, both mirrors reflect light back to the source, so nothing comes out of the hole. In the on state, a voltage applied between the disc and a transparent electrode bends the disc toward the electrode. Now, light bounces off the disc toward the second mirror and then out through the hole.

OLED JOINT RESEARCH. The Japanese government plans to support Sony, Sharp, and other Japanese companies involved in the joint development of super-thin TVs based on organic light-emitting diodes. The group wants to develop a 40-in. OLED display sometime after 2015, according to the New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, a Japan government agency that promotes research into new technologies. Last year Sony introduced an 11-in. OLED TV with a 3-mm screen, and is working to mass produce a 20-in. model by next year. Sony wanted to work with component makers and companies that will produce manufacturing equipment in order to develop an infrastructure like the one that exists for LCDs. The joint research is to run through March 2013, and will focus on the longevity and power efficiency of OLED TVs, as well as efficient manufacturing. Other companies involved in the effort include Sumitomo Chemical Co and Hitachi Zosen Corp.

3D STANDARD. The Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) established a task force to define the parameters of a stereoscopic 3D mastering standard for content viewed in the home. Called 3D Home Display Formats Task Force, the group will explore the standards that need to be set for 3D content distributed via broadcast, cable, satellite, packaged media, and the Internet and played-out on televisions, computer screens, and other tethered displays. After six months, the committee will produce a report that defines the issues and challenges, minimum standards, evaluation criteria and more, which will serve as a working document for SMPTE 3-D standards efforts to follow.

WIRELESS HD. Sony, Samsung, and other consumer-electronics companies are uniting to support a technology that could send high-definition video signals wirelessly from a single set-top box to screens around the home. The consortium will work to develop an industry standard around technology from Amimon Ltd. of Israel called Wireless Home Digital Interface (WHDI). Amimon is already selling its chips and feels that the consortium will help develop more WHDI-enabled devices. WHDI uses a radio band at 5 gigahertz, a level that is used by some Wi-Fi devices, which means it can take advantage of research in that field. To get around bandwidth limitations, Amimon’s chips separate out the signal into important components and give them transmission priority. Less important components, such as tiny variations in color over a small area, are given a lower priority. That means the transmission works over relatively long distances, albeit with lower image quality as the distance increases.

Shooting At The Star

The October 2008 issue of Consumer Reports magazine contains a report that blasts the federal government’s Energy Star program, saying that the program’s standards are lax and out of date. The report said that the percent of products that qualify for Energy Star is increasing because standards are too easy to reach and federal test procedures haven’t kept pace with new technology. In addition, the magazine said its tests found that the energy consumption claims reported on some products’ EnergyGuide label significantly understate what consumers are likely to experience.

The magazine’s report also cites the lack of independent verification as another flaw in the 16-year-old voluntary program that is administered by the DOE and EPA and covers more than 50 product categories. The report says that many companies self-certify that their products comply with the standards, but that the DOE does not actually test the products for compliance.

Consumers Union, which publishes Consumer Reports, made some recommendations for improving the Energy Star program, including:

• Testing procedures should be brought in line with the technology available in consumer products. The DOE and EPA should more frequently review procedures and standards as new technology and products hit the market.
• The DOE should require some independent verification of test results.
• The program should consider a graded qualifying system that uses letters.
• Federal officials need to better police companies and enforce standards, including increasing spot checks of Energy Star-qualified products.

Meetings:

JANUARY

2009 International CES
Jan. 8-11, Las Vegas, Nev.
Contact: 703/907-7600.
Email: cea@ce.org
Website: www.ce.org

IMA: International Trade
Fair for Amusement and
Vending Machines 2009
Jan. 13-16, Dusseldorf, Germany
Contact: +49 2 11 90 19 11 34
Website: www.reedexpo.de

2009 International Builders’ Show & Nextbuild
Jan. 20-23, Chicago, Ill.
Contact: 202/266-8111
Website: www.buildersshow.com/Home

2009 ASHRAE Winter Conference
Jan. 24-28, Chicago, Ill.
Contact: 800/527-4723
Email: ashrae@ashrae.org
Website: www.ashrae.org

AHR Expo 2009
Jan. 26-28, Chicago, Ill.
Contact: 203/221-9232
Website: www.ahrexpo.com

FEBRUARY

The 2009 NAFEM Show
Feb. 5-7, Orlando, Fla.
Contact: 312/673-4772
Email: info@nafem.org
Website: www.thenafemshow.org