In 2006, the two professors co-wrote a section of a book called Ethics in Groups, which talked about forces that perpetuate and mitigate unethical behavior in groups. More recently, their collaborative work has appeared in Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, a leading journal in the field.

A professor of executive leadership with a doctorate in social psychology, Northcraft’s view can be summed up in one statement as reported by Physorg.com. “Technology has made us much more efficient, but much less effective,” said the professor. “Something is being gained, but something is being lost. The something gained is time and the something lost is the quality of relationships. And quality of relationships matters.”

The new study involved 200 undergraduate students, who were tasked to perform two collaborative teamwork exercises. Some were allowed to work face-to-face while others were limited to communication via email and video conferences. As expected, face-to-face communications produced the best results, while email produced the least. Video conferencing was somewhere in between.

Physical presence instills trust among collaborators. “Face to face, people just have more confidence that others will do what they say they’ll do. Over e-mail, they trust each other less.” says Northcraft.

The findings are highly relevant to businesses today, which tend to use email and video conferencing more for the sake of expediency, and because more businesses now tend to be spread out geographically. These findings suggest that businesses need to balance their means of communications with face-to-face meetings in order to recharge relationships. According to Northcraft, physical contact has a half life.

In addition, emails are not only used to expedite communications, but also to serve as a reference point for accountability in the workplace. Collaborators are always ready to play the blame game when something goes wrong, which does not do well to elicit trust.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about Technology.

While much has changed since then, the truly radical change in air traffic control is only on its way: by 2010, all planes that fly in commercial airspaces will be required to have GPS tracking devices installed in the cockpit.

The Obama administration has recently given the go-ahead for airlines and private jet operators to start purchasing the equipment needed to make GPS-based air traffic control possible. Early warning is essential as the upgrade could cost as much as $10,000 per plane. Different sources estimate that 4 to 6.5 billion dollars will be the cost incurred by commercial airlines, cargo planes, private jet operators, helicopters and other small aircraft.

The system, called NextGen Air Traffic Control, has many advantages that seem worth the radical change and steep investment. Global Positioning Systems will give air traffic controllers updates by the second, which will allow them to let planes fly closer to one another. The precision of the tracking system will help decongest airways and save fuel. It can also make flying safer by giving controllers a more accurate and timely view of the location of planes, as opposed to the old system. It will also allow pilots to have the same view as air traffic controllers.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will have to deploy new ground equipment to replace the existing radar stations, but this equipment is said to be much less expensive and can be placed practically anywhere.

This is a big leap for aviation around the world, and it will force both private and commercial aircraft owners to pay a hefty price. Yet, it reminds us that despite the recession, America is still a world superpower, at least for now.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about Technology

Spintronics or spin transport electronics (also known as magnetoelectronics) is a field of nanotechnology that exploits the intrinsic spin of the electron and its associated magnetic moment. This technology has the potential to make batteries last for 10 hours longer and make processors work 10 times faster. The result would be much more energy-efficient mobile devices, computers and appliances.

Spintronics is an emerging technology, and the 38-year-old Dr. Sharoni is working out of Bar-Ilan’s brand new nano center. As a condensed matter physicist, Dr. Sharoni also held a position in the University of California, San Diego. He is now set to continue his projects in Ramat Gan, just outside of Tel Aviv.

The technology does not only apply to mobile devices. About 40 percent of electricity is lost before it even gets to the average home. Dr. Sharoni is working to help prevent that loss by investigating better ways to conduct electricity. Currently, superconductors are one step closer to achieving this except that they have to be super-cooled, making them inefficient.

Resistance-free conduction at room temperature is theoretically impossible, but the properties of matter change when working on a nano scale.

Scientists like Dr. Sharoni needed only to look at things from a different perspective in order to achieve what was once thought to be impossible. “I am trying to look at how the physics changes when you don’t make a big piece of material, but when you look at a small portion of it. At the nano scale it looks different and it is different,” says Dr. Sharoni.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about Technology.

The system helps homeowners determine and monitor which electronics are being turned on and off, in order to help them come up with a plan to cut energy usage and save on electricity bills. Logs are created that record which appliances are being used at what time of day. Users can use this information to avoid using high energy consuming appliances during peak hours, or to determine if any appliances are being left on accidentally.

A sensor in the transmitter device detects which appliances are being turned on or off by watching for their unique electricity usage patterns. The display device will receive this information and also be able to control the thermostat and turn certain appliances on and off using custom settings.

According to Mary Murphy-Hoye, an Intel engineer who had a similar sensor system set up in her home, the system can help users reduce their energy consumption by 15 to 30 percent.

Though Intel’s energy monitoring system is just a prototype, users may eventually be able to use Intel’s AppUp Store, which the company created for Intel Atom devices, to download new applications for the system.

While its efforts can be applauded, one has to wonder if Intel has ulterior motives in creating an entire bulky (and expensive looking) display unit instead of allowing the transmitter to be used with standard PCs. Simple processing capabilities and a small memory card could avoid having to keep the PC on all day.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about Technology.

The Sounding Oceanographic Lagrangrian Observer – Thermal RECharging (SOLO-TREC) unmanned vehicle uses a thermal recharging engine powered by the natural temperature differences found at different ocean depths. Scientists and researchers are hopeful that this technology will help us learn a lot more about the ocean, which covers 71 percent of the Earth’s surface, and its depths.

The SOLO-TREC could be the first of a new generation of autonomous underwater vehicles that are not restricted by energy supply limitations. These vehicles could be used for the indefinite monitoring of underwater ocean climate and marine animals, or for exploration and surveillance purposes.

The prototype is equipped with science instruments, a GPS receiver, a communications device and a buoyancy-control pump, apart from its thermal recharging engine. The engine itself uses a remarkable selection of waxy substances known as phase-change materials, which expand and contract with the change in the ocean temperature, causing it to pump a hydraulic motor that generates the electricity the machine needs to run indefinitely.

So far, it has completed more than 300 test dives, reaching a depth of 500 meters. Just last month, researchers from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, were able to complete the first three-month ocean endurance test with the prototype vehicle.

Since we know so little about the ocean, many other scientists are simultaneously looking to the ocean to solve many of the human race’s current quandaries. Research is being done that promises to feed the hungry, slow global warming, develop new sources of renewable energy and more. Technology like this could greatly speed up the progress of hundreds of projects already in the works.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about the Environment.

The Blue Will’s glass roof integrates an array of dye-sensitive solar panels designed to collect the sun’s energy while parked, recharging the battery and powering a small fan to keep the car cool. The power plant is a combination of an all-aluminum 152 horsepower gasoline direct-inject engine attached to a Continuously Variable Transmission and a 100 kW electric architecture. A lithium polymer battery runs the electric motor, a technology Hyundai will be using in its upcoming Elantra hybrid. The Blue Will can travel up to 40 miles on the battery alone, and with both the gasoline and electric engine engaged, gets an average of 100 miles per gallon or more.

One of the more innovative features of the concept car is the tailpipe. Hyundai has developed a thermal generator that mounts to the exhaust manifold to capture exhaust heat, converting it to electricity to power auxiliary systems in the vehicle. But the ideas don’t stop with power generation. Other high-tech innovations include:

• An ultra-thin Transparent Organic Light-Emitting Diode, which replaces the gauge cluster and displays in high-resolution color.

• A touch-screen interface display that controls the HVAC, drive selector, and infotainment systems.

• An “Eco-Coach” that graphically promotes fuel-saving behavior by providing constant feedback about fuel consumption and driving efficiency.

• Carbon-fiber reinforced plastics and nano-composites on the side sills, moldings, and fenders. Bioplastics have been used for panels and other interior and exterior parts.

With all these new innovations and features, one has to wonder what Hyundai will come up with next year.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about concept cars

Last year, California’s community clinics suffered over $80 million in state and local budget cuts. At the same time, clinics are reporting a record increase in the number of uninsured patients as a result of high unemployment. Some clinics are reporting a 50 percent increase in the number of uninsured patients.

Over the last six years, BSCF has invested nearly $40 million in over 200 community clinics and their associations across the state of California. These clinics are able to stay open and continue to provide care to Californians in need because of core support from BSCF’s Clinic Initiative.

In addition to direct support for California clinics, BSCF also awarded $100,000 to residents of San Diego for healthcare coverage to develop a San Diego Roadmap to Health Coverage and Care. With the help of the Foundation, the organization will assess the local need for better access to care, identify options for expanding coverage, and develop a plan to strengthen local safety net providers.

Now more than ever, California health care needs core support. I believe the best way to provide an immediate lifeline to vulnerable families is to support California’s community clinics. Support grants can make a critical difference.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about grants

BASF’s contributions to the concept car allow for far greater fuel efficiency, a lower environmental impact, freedom of design, as well as greater comfort and safety. The i-flow’s energy concept provides an impressive example of high tech, encapsulating a modern diesel engine with a rigid foam polyurethane insulation system that protects both the engine and the environment. A brilliant effect is provided by a new mirror-like paint from BASF Coatings – the liquid metal basecoat makes the i-flow look as though it is chrome-plated rather than painted. In addition, the innovative iGloss clearcoat makes the paint surface both scratch resistant and weather resistant.

“The i-flow is a milestone on the road to the car of the future. Because Hyundai was quick to involve us in the development process, we were able to offer our full strengths. We are very happy with the outstanding results of our cooperation,” said Dr. Wolfgang Hapke, head of BASF’s Performance Polymers division, at the presentation of the new concept car in Geneva on Wednesday. “BASF proved to be a true partner, with whom we jointly developed innovative solutions for design and engineering. For example, our new ‘fluidic sculpture’ body language is particular well expressed by the innovative coating technique used for the i-flow concept car,” explained Thomas Bürkle, head of Hyundai’s European design center.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about Hi Tech

First, it could indicate a significant revival of the U.S. technological innovation that has largely slipped away into the hands of China, Germany, and other nations. China is currently excelling ahead in terms of solar power development.

A fuel cell the size of a loaf of bread providing power for home and businesses would also significantly reduce some of the heavy costs of producing and transmitting electricity, as well as drastically cut down on the use of some fossil fuel products. Additionally, such a device would improve air and water quality, and could lead to byproducts yet to be explored or even imagined.

Several major corporations – Wal-Mart, Google, FedEx, Coca Cola, Bank of America, and Cox Enterprises – have ordered the cell boxes, which have been in development for nearly a decade by Bloom Energy under the supervision of a space scientist.

Although the “box” won’t be available for use in homes for several years, care must be taken meanwhile to prevent this promising new product from being smothered in the marketplace by other energy producers fearful of competition.

I personally believe that Bloom’s “box” should be embraced for what it is – an industrial breakthrough whose benefits to society and industry can be adopted and shared, not dreaded.

View a previously written post by Mouli Cohen about California Clean Energy

I-GATE was submitted to the state by the city of Livermore in partnership with Sandia National Laboratories/California (Program Lead), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and several others. Its mission is to maximize the economic impact of green transportation and clean energy technologies through expedited technology transfer, entrepreneurial assistance, collaboration opportunities, academic alliances, and a technology incubator for the development of high-growth green businesses.

The i-GATE initiative is designed to drive the Livermore Valley as the core of an energy resource cluster that would expand to benefit the regional economy and the state of California, create jobs, mitigate climate change, increase energy security, and form an interlocking innovation web.

The i-GATE hub will be leveraged by LVOC, a joint venture between Sandia and LLNL that will promote greater collaboration between the scientists at those laboratories and their partners in industry and academia. According to Energy Secretary Steven Chu in a press release last year, the LVOC will maximize the return on the nation’s investment in nuclear security. Chu stated, “By leveraging the groundbreaking research of our nuclear security labs through private sector collaborations, we will bring breakthroughs to the market faster and find new solutions to the energy problem.”

I think these developments represent an exciting opportunity to both advance technology in the transportation arena and to increase partnerships with the city of Livermore and local businesses.