14 hours ago by Nancy Owano

(Phys.org) Philips is offering a new deal in tube lighting that can save on energy, installation time and ease labor costs. Philips' new development, announced earlier this month, offers supermarkets and large stores a proposition difficult to turn down. Philips has announced a drop-in LED bulb design that offers 40,000 hours of life. Called the InstantFit LED T8, the replacement tube is, according to Philips, the world's first LED replacement tube that requires no rewiring. The company said the InstantFit lamps were tested with a variety of ballasts to make sure there was compatibility with most Instant Start ballasts. Philips noted how this replacement involves a simple switch that cuts considerably the time it takes to replace the old fluorescent lights. "We studied the process for replacing fluorescent tubes with LED technology step by step to tackle those issues that dissuade facility managers and installers from making the switch," said Rene van Schooten, CEO, light sources and electronics at Philips Lighting "We found speed and simplicity were key."

The company described the Philips InstantFit LED T8 as "a true Linear LED retrofit that replaces existing 4' T8 fluorescent lamps. No wiring is required when replacing T8 fluorescents with the InstantFit lamp, which helps to reduce maintenance and labor costs." A maintenance worker can perform the task of fitting in the tube lamps in a very short time. According to Philips, "the average supermarket can now switch to LED lighting in four days instead of four weeks."

The InstantFit LED T8 lights save about 41 percent in electrical costs over an equivalent fluorescent tube. Also, the Philips InstantFit LED T8 lamps contain no mercury and virtually no UV or IR light. According to Philips, if current fluorescent lighting were replaced by TLED lamps globally, it would result in savings of over $55 billion in energy costs, or the equivalent of energy generated by 210 medium-sized power plants. (The reference to "TLED" stands for LED tube lamps.)'

Philips did not specify price but the company announcement said the Philips' InstantFit LED replacement tube will be available in the first quarter of 2014.

Philips overall prides itself as being one of the world's largest manufacturers of lightbulbs and lamps as well as innovators in light emitting diode (LED) lighting. By 2020, Philips has predicted that 30 percent less energy will be used for lighting compared to 2006 due to energy-efficient lighting adoption. They said the savings translates into a 515 million-ton reduction in CO2 emissions.

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Philips Lighting's Harry Verhaar, head of global public and government affairs, said, "With increasing population growth and urbanization, the demand for light is growing. The good news is that the resulting increase in energy demand is being compensated for by gains in energy efficiency as a result of the adoption of energy-efficient lighting.''

Explore further: Philips LED bulb with rad design set for January arrival

More information: http://www.lighting.philips.com/main/led/masterled/ledtube/index.wpd

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Philips eases switching fluorescent tubes with LED replacements

13 hours ago

Now it's not just people robots are also connected by internet thanks to RoboEarth. Next week, after four years of research, scientists at Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e), Philips and four other European universities will present this online platform through which robots can learn new skills from each other worldwide a kind of 'Wikipedia for robots'. This brings the development of robots that can carry out caring or household tasks a big step closer.

The greying population means there is an urgent future need for robots to take over caring or household tasks. To enable robots to successfully lend a mechanical helping hand, they need to be able to deal flexibly with new situations and conditions. For example you can teach a robot to bring you a cup of coffee in the living room, but if some of the chairs have been moved the robot won't be able to find you any longer. Or it may get confused if you've just bought a different set of coffee cups.

Worldwide sharing

"The problem right now is that robots are often developed specifically for one task", says Ren van de Molengraft, TU/e researcher and RoboEarth project leader. "Everyday changes that happen all the time in our environment make all the programmed actions unusable. But RoboEarth simply lets robots learn new tasks and situations from each other. All their knowledge and experience are shared worldwide on a central, online database. As well as that, computing and 'thinking' tasks can be carried out by the system's 'cloud engine', so the robot doesn't need to have as much computing or battery power onboard."

Opening a box

It means, for example, that a robot can image a hospital room and upload the resulting map to RoboEarth. Another robot, which doesn't know the room, can use that map on RoboEarth to locate a glass of water immediately, without having to search for it endlessly. In the same way a task like opening a box of pills can be shared on RoboEarth, so other robots can also do it without having to be programmed for that specific type of box.

Explore further: Cloud-computing platform for robots launched

(PhysOrg.com) -- We tend to assume that robots need human input in order to understand the world around them. In the near future humans may not even be a part of the robotic-learning equation. Soon, robots ...

(Phys.org) Researchers of five European universities have developed a cloud-computing platform for robots. The platform allows robots connected to the Internet to directly access the powerful computational, storage, and ...

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Robots learn from each other on 'Wiki for robots'

12 hours ago In the future, photovoltaic facility construction firms besides Siemens will be able to benefit from the layout planning software PVplanet. Siemens offers technical consulting along with the software in order to help customers plan customized and optimally cost-effective photovoltaic facility layouts. Siemens Energy developed PVplanet in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) and Siemens Corporate Technology in order to plan their own photovoltaic facilities more efficiently. Even for installations that only generate a few megawatts, the use of this tool is worthwhile. In a recent example, PVplanet helped to reduce the power generation costs of a planned solar park by six percent.

From now on, photovoltaic facility construction firms besides Siemens can benefit from the layout planning software PVplanet. Siemens offers technical consulting along with the software in order to help customers plan customized and optimally cost-effective photovoltaic facility layouts.

Siemens Energy developed PVplanet in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) and Siemens Corporate Technology in order to plan their own photovoltaic facilities more efficiently. This planning tool was recently made available to facility construction firms outside the company. Even for installations that only generate a few megawatts, the use of this tool is worthwhile. In a recent example, PVplanet helped to reduce the power generation costs of a planned solar park by six percent. Power generation costs are defined as the total cost per kilowatt hour of generated electricity. If this park is built according to the layout designed using PVplanet, it will achieve an additional yield of 350 megawatt hours per year, compared to the original plan. This patented planning tool optimizes the layout of a solar park by taking into consideration a variety of parameters such as location, weather data, distance between the panels, and their angle of inclination, as well as investment costs and anticipated output.

The software generates hundreds of layouts for a given facility within a few seconds. The planner can then compare the advantages and disadvantages of each variation and select the best solution. Without this type of assistance, planners would only be able to work out and compare a few layouts (if any) at this level of detail, due to time constraints.

Since it was first introduced in 2012, PVplanet has been enhanced with several options. The developers presented a comparison of block planning and individual planning at last year's EU PVSEC photovoltaic conference in Paris. This comparison investigated whether it was more cost-effective to cover a given area with standardized solar panel blocks at a relatively low cost or to use more "fine-grained" and time-consuming planning to take the best possible advantage of a particular site.

The dependence of output on the weather is also considered. Probable outputs are an important parameter for calculating the risk inherent in the business model; thus they are part of the basis on which insurers and investors make decisions. PVplanet takes these uncertainties into account at the planning stage and shows the different levels of impact that fluctuations in the weather would have on various layouts. Planners can then, for example, select the layout that offers the most robust earnings or the one that offers the highest earnings potential.

Explore further: Renewable sources can provide stable power

The photovoltaics industry is booming, and the market for solar farms is growing quickly all over the world. Yet, the task of planning PV power plants to make them as effi cient as possible is far from trivial. ...

Renewable energy sources - an area in which Germany is a leader - are becoming increasingly important for the worldwide power mix. Nevertheless, experts are still deliberating which market model is best for ...

Siemens has developed an energy-storage system that can act as a buffer in electrical power grids. The aim is to provide a buffer against short-term fluctuations in output from renewable energy sources. Such ...

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Planning extremely cost-effective solar parks

12 hours ago by Patchen Barss Professor Matt Ratto with a conventional prosthetic (at left) and (at right) one printed by his lab. Credit: Ginger Coons

A University of Toronto lab is partnering with an international NGO and a Ugandan hospital to use 3-D scanning and printing to speed the process of creating and fitting sockets for artificial limbs.

While three-dimensional printing has been around for some time, a new generation of fast, cheap 3-D printers offers up a world of possibilities for highly-customized products.

Prosthetic limbs are a natural application for the technology. Although they can be mass-produced, prostheses must be customized to suit a recipient's individual physiology. Traditional assessing and fitting procedures take many days or weeks, and require specialized knowledge of an on-site prosthetic technician.

"The major issue with prosthetics in the developing world is not access to the materials of prosthetics; it is access to the expert knowledge required to form and create them," says Matt Ratto, a professor in the Faculty of Information. "We're lacking prosthetic technicians, not prosthetics themselves."

Today, though, a 3-D scan of a Ugandan's residual limb can be sent within seconds to another part of the world where a prosthetist can digitally design a replacement, sending that file back to Africa to be printed. Printers are increasingly sophisticated, capable of using a wide range of resins and polymers to create three-dimensional objects.

The implications of such a system are many, but one is the capacity to make a prosthesis in less than 24 hours. For many Ugandans, speed is more than a matter of convenience; it's the difference between getting a prosthetic limb or not.

"The underserved population is largely rural," said ginger coons (who spells her name in lower-case), a PhD student in Ratto's lab. "People have to come to the hospital. Not many can afford the long stay. We want to make their stay a lot shorter."

Ratto and coons hope that what they learn from the Uganda project will help them develop similar solutions in other parts of the world.

Their research also explores the increasing blurriness between physical and virtual realms. While the loss of a leg and its replacement with an artificial limb are fundamentally bodily experiences, the body scans and prosthetic designs are digital.

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Using 3D printers to create prosthetic limbs for Ugandans

Updated from 1:47 p.m.EST to include press release statement from the company.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Tesla Motors (TSLA) closed 1.2% lower to $145.72 on news that the company is experiencing more problems with its wares, as the company's wall chargers have overheated in some cases.

First reported by Bloomberg, CEO Elon Musk noted the company would be mailing out the updated charger connectors within the next two weeks.

Tesla has come under scrutiny in recent months over fires that have occurred from its Model S electric vehicle. The company has experienced three fires associated with its popular Model S, two domestically, and one in Mexico.

Palo Alto, Calif.-based Tesla provided a statement on the matter, noting that the updated adapter would have a thermal fuse. "In December 2013, Tesla provided an over-the-air software update that addressed potential overheating at the socket and would even protect a customer if there was bad wiring on the house side," the company said in an email. "We believe this fully addresses the problem. However, to provide additional protection for Model S customers, we have designed a new wall adapter with a thermal fuse. This upgraded adapter will be provided to all existing and new customers starting in a few weeks."

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is probing the Model S for investigation over these fires. However, the government agency recently reaffirmed its 5-Star safety rating on the car, as Tesla awaits final word on the probe.

Following the close of trading, the company issued a press release on the matter. Full text is below:

PALO ALTO, Calif. - A variety of factors such as corrosion, physical damage to receptacles, or inappropriate wiring or installation of electrical outlets can cause higher than normal electrical resistance when using the Universal Mobile Connector ("UMC") NEMA 14-50 adapters to charge Tesla Model S vehicles. When charging, higher than normal electrical resistance connections to external energy sources may cause excessive heating of the adapter. In December 2013, Tesla released an over-the-air software update to address this issue, enabling the Model S onboard charging system to automatically reduce the charging current by 25 percent if it detects unexpected fluctuations in the input power to the vehicle. This fully addresses the issue by substantially reducing the heat generated in any high resistance connections outside the vehicle. This update increases robustness and safety considerably in the unlikely event that a home wiring system, receptacle, adapter or cord is unable to meet its rated current capacity.

Because this was an over-the-air update, customers can confirm receipt without having to bring their vehicles into a Tesla Service Center or other location by simply tapping on the 17" touchscreen and verifying that their Model S is running software version 5.8.4 or later. Any vehicle that is not within range of the wireless network or is not remotely accessible for any other reason can have the update installed through Tesla authorized Service Centers or Tesla Rangers.

Tesla believes that this software update fully addresses any potential risks. However, to provide another layer of assurance to Model S customers using the 14-50 socket, we have designed an improved wall adapter with a thermal fuse. Even if the circuit breakers on the house side and car side don't trip, the thermal fuse will prevent current from flowing if the wall socket region heats up for any reason. Although we do not believe the improved adapter is required to address the issue, we are taking this step as part of our commitment to full customer satisfaction. We will provide this upgraded adapter to existing and new customers free of charge starting in a few weeks.

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Tesla Drops on Concerns Over Wall Charger Fires (Update 2)

Carlos Pablo, of A-1 Solar Power, carries a photovoltaic panel onto a roof as he a two others install photovoltaic panels on the roof of a home in Concord, Calif., on Friday, Sept. 13, 2013. (Dan Honda/Bay Area News Group)

Eight years elapsed before installing solar panels at home moved from our wish list to reality.

It's a good thing I'd learned a thing or two about patience during that time, because the actual process of getting solar panels up and running involved another lengthy wait -- but one that was well worth it.

Solar panels first landed on my radar in 2005 while I was researching an article. They sounded like an incredible way to cut electric bills, but at too high an upfront cost.

Then last year a nearly $200 June electric bill got my husband and me thinking that solar panels -- also known as photovoltaic systems -- were an option worth exploring again. Here are a few things we learned along the way:

Lease or buy?

Homeowners can either buy or lease rooftop solar panels.

The latter costs less upfront, and maintenance and repairs are usually handled by the leasing company. Perhaps that explains why two-thirds of California's residential installations in 2012 and 2013 were leased, according to the California Solar Initiative.

Instead, we opted to buy, because of tax and home-value advantages. While it's hard to quantify the precise home value that solar panels add, a 2011 study by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory found they increased the average worth by $17,000, based on sale prices of 72,000 California homes.

For good measure, I consulted a friend who is a longtime real estate agent. "They can only make it easier to sell your home," he said. "The new owners get the benefit of savings without the hassle of installing."

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Solar panels: Installation a lesson in patience

Published 12:06pm Thursday, January 9, 2014

Falkville Town Council approved a low bid of $244,727 from ReidCo General Contracting of Vinemont for the renovation and expansion of the Town Hall building at its regular meeting Tuesday night.

Four contractors submitted quotes for the project in early December with ReidCo coming in $25,951 under the next low bidder.

Mayor Bob Ramey said site work for the 21,000-square foot addition would be done by Morgan County District 3 equipment and personnel. A separate contract will be awarded for the installation of wiring for computer and surveillance equipment.

Commissioner Don Stisher has told me theyll start with site work as soon as weather permits, said Ramey. After the courtroom and meeting hall is turned over to the contractor for renovation, well have to schedule council meetings at another location for one or two meetings.

The project involves adding a new courtroom and council chamber with restrooms, and the renovation of the existing courtroom for police department use.

The project will be financed with the towns court fund and general fund.

The council acted on other matters as follows:

Repealed the existing Southern Standard Building Code and replaced it with the 2012 version as it applies to the regulation and control of materials, erection, installation, alteration, additions to, use or maintenance, condemnation and demolition of all applicable structures and real property located within the town limits.

The vote followed a public hearing at which time no one in the audience offered comments.

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Falkville approves bid for town hall expansion

Job Summary Anadarko is hiring an E&I Technician located in Carrizo Springs, TX as a team member of the Southern Region & Appalachia organization.

Qualifications -Minimum of two or more years' experience required -Position requires the ability to troubleshoot, make complex repairs, maintenance, and installation of electrical and mechanical systems and equipment such as motors, pumps, wiring, switches and end devices related to LACT operations -Experience in the use of computers and basic knowledge of Word and Excel are also required -Knowledge of electrical and electronic principles with certification to work on medium voltage equipment up to 600 volts preferred -Capstone Turbine Field Trained Technician preferred

Responsibilities -Install, troubleshoot, repair and/or replace electrical motors of a variety of horse power and voltage -Install, troubleshoot, repair and/or replace centrifugal pumps of a variety of sizes -Assist in the commissioning and construction of new installation of LACT units, transfer units, motor control centers and Capstone Turbine generators -Assist the team in the daily economic optimization of operations -Coordinate with and represent these duties to the appropriate Foreman -Coordinate and communicate with engineering teams for economic optimization -Lead electrical and mechanical projects as needed -Coordinate and direct contractors when required -Update, record, and maintain maintenance records on all LACT equipment -Coordinate and/or perform maintenance duties required to maintain operations and regulatory compliance -Evaluate and take appropriate action based on regular report analysis -Assist in and supervise contract operations as required for maintenance and operation of the area -Continually self-educate and maintain familiarity with daily operations and hazards through EHS department and other operations within APC -Ensure job duties are carried out in a safe manner, with due regard for the environment and in compliance with all applicable state and federal regulations -Maintain effective communication with all other personnel, vendors and contractors to ensure individual job performance aligns with identified objectives/goals -Accomplish job responsibilities/duties in accordance with Anadarko's Core Values

Education Candidates must possess a high school diploma or equivalent.

Grade and salary will be commensurate with relevant education and experience.

Certifications/Licenses Valid driver's license with no restrictions that would prohibit driving a company vehicle.

Licensed electrician preferred, not required.

Relocation This position may be eligible for domestic relocation.

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E&I Tech III

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) January 08, 2014

Fast internet speeds, well-designed structured cabling, seamless wireless network coverage, and the handling of large files is now a necessity for businesses to compete in the local and global marketplace. From corporate offices that need to fill the high tech demands of their staff to the cafe owner who wants to offer WiFi to its patrons, data and network cabling needs are increasing all over the west. Los Angeles Network Cabling and Fiber Optic has expanded its service area to offer data/voice cabling, wireless network installation, fiber optic installation and termination services, CCTV/IP cameras and business phone/VOIP systems to commercial and business customers throughout the entire west coast of the US including California (CA), Nevada (NV), Oregon (OR), and Arizona (AZ).

As well as expanding its service area, Los Angeles Network Cabling and Fiber Optic offers state of the art fiber optic termination, testing, and splicing services. These specialty fiber optic installations require specialty tools and trained, skilled technicians. Fiber optic cabling is a great choice for connecting areas that are farther than 300 ft, networks requiring high speeds and bandwidth, or connecting networks within different buildings. Most new voice and data networks are designed to best optimize the companies needs while utilizing fiber optic cabling, cat5e or cat6 wiring, VOIP phone systems, and a series of switches and patch panels. Using an experienced telecommunications contractor assures the network will be designed to suite your needs, according to your budget and time frame.

New and existing customers are thrilled about the expansion as it comforting to work with an honest and reliable vendor for network cabling and comes in good time for many as they expand their offices, relocate to larger facilities, and open new field branches.

To schedule a site survey for a free quote call Los Angeles Network Cabling and Fiber Optic at (888) 228-1595 or request a quote online at, http://los-angeles-cabling.com/request-for-quote.aspx.

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Los Angeles Network Cabling and Fiber Optic Expands Data/Voice Wiring Services Throughout California, Arizona, Nevada ...

Description Albemarle Corporation is seeking an E&I Project Engineering Specialist -- Corporate Engineering Department in the Houston Area. Position will be responsible for providing instrumentation, controls, and electrical design expertise on site capital projects. This role will be required to provide instrument/electrical design support and leadership for site capital projects during conception, design, and execution.This position will be based in Pasadena and will support projects for both Pasadena and Bayport Texas locations. Requirements: *Bachelor's Degree in Electrical Engineering * Minimum of 8 years engineering experience in the chemical/petro-chemical industry with at least 5 years of E&I design experience * P&ID development for instrumentation and electrical * Knowledge of Electrical Hazardous Area Classifications for instrument/electrical equipment selection * Instrumentation specification, sizing and design, including flow, pressure, temperature, level, power, etc * Pressure relief valve and rupture disk sizing and specification * Plant Field experience, including instrument/electrical loop-checks, configuration, troubleshooting, new equipment set-up and start-up assistance * Coordination and support of I&E design/drafting activities, including instrument indexes, location plans, wiring diagrams, installation details, etc. * Definitive project design work, including scope development, project cost estimation, definitive design work, purchasing, reporting, scheduling and liaison with construction contractors and vendors * Electrical equipment specification and design, including 480v motor circuits, power, MCC, lighting, etc (typically < 2300v)

Preferred: * Familiar with DCS & PLC programming, troubleshooting and installation * Plant work experience required * Computer skills: Excel, Access, Word, PowerPoint, MS Project, Lotus Approach, SAP (Project Module), Instrumentation sizing software and AutoCAD * Familiar with applicable code, requirements, standards (NEC, ISA, OSHA, NFPA, etc) * Ability to work with all levels of plant personnel, from wage roll to plant management * Excellent verbal and written communication skills

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Senior Project Engineer Electrical