SIEMENS

Some 15,000 LEDs mounted on Durban stadium’s arch will give the structure a unique identity

South Africa is eagerly looking forward to the Soccer World Cup. Work on the stadiums and the infrastructure, including energy supply and transportation, is proceeding apace to get everything ready for the kick-off in summer 2010. Siemens technology is in use in almost all the World Cup locations. And in Durban it will be highly conspicuous. Thousands of Osram light-emitting diodes will light the new stadium in a most impressive — and above all energy-efficient — way. The architects of the Moses Mabhida Stadium have created a new symbol: a 350-m-long arch that curves over the entire stadium with its roughly 70,000 seats. Its greatest height is the equivalent of that of a 30-story building. In the evening and at night, LED lamps on either side of the arch will emit an even light that will be visible for miles.
What distinguishes this architecturally unique solution in Durban in addition to its bold design, is its energy efficiency. LEDs use approximately 20 % less energy than alternative solutions, such as fluorescent lamps, while emitting the same amount of light. The approximately 15,000 diodes to be installed at the stadium will use 30 kW when operating at full power, and are expected to have a lifespan of around 50,000 hours. The entire steel construction of the arch is hollow and accessible from inside, so that maintenance is uncomplicated and inexpensive. It will not, however, be necessary to change the LEDs very often, as they last eight times longer than, for example, a standard fluorescent lamp. The LEDS are installed in rows of 36 in specially-developed Osram luminaires. The 1.8-m-long luminaires look like oversized housings for fluorescent tubes. They conduct heat away from the LEDs and protect the diodes from the environment.
World Cup visitors will experience lighting by Osram in many places, such as the airports in Johannesburg, Cape Town and Durban; in the stations served by the new Gautrain, a high-speed train connecting Pretoria and Johannesburg; and along the freeways. In other words, South Africa will shine brightly when the eyes of the world are upon it.

Dual-energy CT could obviate the need for painful joint punctures for the diagnosis of gout

According to a study at Vancouver General Hospital, doctors could use computed tomography (CT) in the future to diagnose gout much more reliably than is the case with the joint puncture method that is currently in use. Siemens dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) scanner enables a noninvasive examination, which quickly and accurately localizes small deposits of uric acid and marks them in color on a CT image. What makes this possible is a CT system that simultaneously uses two X-ray tubes to scan the patient with two beams that have different energy levels. Uric acid crystals appear red in the images, while bones and calcium appear as grayish blue.
Although gout is the most common inflammatory joint disease, it is nevertheless difficult to diagnose, since there are other diseases such as arthritis that have similar symptoms. A diagnosis can be confirmed only by verifying the presence of uric acid — a procedure that requires fluid to be withdrawn from a joint with a needle. This can be difficult and painful when the joints are inflamed. Doctors taking part in the study reported finding more gout-afflicted sites per patient using DECT than with the conventional examination. The scientists also achieved significantly better detection of gout in the elbow, foot, ankle and knee with DECT than with the puncture method.

Autonomous vehicles find their way with lasers

A Siemens development is now enabling vehicles to move about autonomously in factory halls and warehouses without the need for additional orientation aids. The system surveys its surroundings using a laser scanner mounted on a swivel motor and prepares a three-dimensional map for navigation. New routes are learned by driving along them only once. Systems used until now have required external navigational aids, such as reflectors, magnets or inductive guide wires.

Zeolites make the speedMatic the fastest dishwasher in its class

Special minerals that release heat make the drying cycle of the Siemens speedMatic dishwasher faster and more efficient. Zeolites, silicate minerals with a large surface area and internal voids, heat up as they absorb water and then give off the heat. At 50 °C, for example, the dishwasher completes its standard program around 15 minutes faster than conventional models. The speedMatic is thus the fastest dishwasher in the highest efficiency class (AAA). And thanks to its EnergySave function, the machine consumes roughly 20 % less electricity than the previous best dishwasher in its class worldwide — a new record.

Designers submitted around 600 ideas for new lighting concepts to Osram. The winners included "Light shell" (above), "Chromatic Ball" (center), and garden lights that resemble bamboo

Osram is turning to open innovation for the development of new lighting solutions. Professional designers and hobby tinkerers alike were given the opportunity to spotlight their ideas in the "LED-Emotionalize your light" contest. The objective: practical and affordable lighting solutions that are easy for the user to operate and install. There was only one condition. The bright ideas had to use light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and impart a cozy atmosphere. The entrants submitted their ideas in the form of application scenarios, graphic designs, and technical notes to a website. A community of registered users and a professional jury assessed the ideas and then selected the winners. Around 600 ideas from 95 countries were submitted before the entry period closed at the end of July 2009. A total of €7,000 in prize money was awarded. You can admire the winning designs at
www.LED-emotionalize.com.

Ultra-fast field emitters that are made of carbon nanotubes and permanently mounted in computed tomography scanners could one day replace the rotating X-ray tubes now in use

X-rays have been produced in exactly the same way for over 100 years. A hot filament in a vacuum tube emits electrons that are accelerated by a high voltage and crashed into an electrode, where they induce the release of X-rays. This principle has remained unchanged from the earliest machines to the very latest computed tomography (CT) scanners. But an innovation currently being developed in a joint venture between Siemens and XinRay System of Research Triangle Park, North Carolina could revolutionize the process. Dr. Jens Fürst of Siemens Healthcare, who is working to commercialize a solution based on the fundamental research conducted by Dr. Otto Zhou of the University of North Carolina, explains: "We apply a large number of carbon nanotubes to metal. These field emitters, which are activated individually via control electrodes, act as mini electron sources. We bombard an electrode with the emitted electrons, as usual, and the electrode gives off the radiation upon impact." The primary advantage here is that the field emitters can be activated in less than one millionth of a second, whereas it takes several hundredths of a second to trigger conventional X-ray sources.
To get a 3D image of the inside of a human body, the best CT scanners available today are equipped with two X-ray tubes that rotate around the patient roughly 3.5 times a second as the patient is slowly moved in the CT tube. In the future, hundreds of miniature X-ray sources could be permanently installed in a circular tube. They would then be triggered sequentially to achieve virtual rotation times in excess of ten per second. This would enable fast processes such as the distribution of a contrast agent in the blood to be observed with high image quality. In addition, this would be achieved with a lower dose of radiation for the patient (assuming identical image resolution). It would also be possible to take sharp X-ray images during radiation therapy to destroy tumor tissue. The new X-ray sources are still in an early stage of development, and it will be years before a device for medical applications can realistically be expected. However, use of the technology to scan baggage at airports or in industrial environments could happen much sooner. The most important factor for achieving fast throughput is scanning speed, and the novel scanner is already phenomenally fast.

Magnetic resonance tomography (MRT) can help animals just as much as people. Dogs frequently suffer from slipped discs, for example. The technology can even reveal problems with turtle eggs

High-tech diagnostic methods such as magnet resonance tomography (MRT) have generally been reserved for humans. But Siemens has now developed programs and special miniature coils suitable for use with animals. These new features help to ensure a reliable diagnosis and targeted treatment of illnesses by veterinarians. After refitting, MRT devices used primarily for people can also reveal details from inside the bodies of small animals. Until now, veterinarians could only use X-rays or ultrasound to examine their small patients. Unlike people, animals must be anesthetized for an examination, as im-mobility is the key to a clear diagnostic image. Prior to an examination, the anesthetized animal is secured to the patient table. A blanket protects against hypothermia.

Organic photodiodes are efficient and long lasting

In collaboration with Osram, researchers at Siemens Corporate Technology (CT) have developed a relatively low-cost manufacturing process for production of organic photodiodes. A flat-screen X-ray detector produced using the new spraying technology is even performing better in some ways than the detectors used to date. Organic photodiodes are made of organic plastics rather than crystalline semiconductors. Such diodes represent a low-cost alternative for use in future large-area detectors.

A drop-shaped coating enables use of finer structures

Siemens researchers have developed a non-stick coating based on chemical nanotechnology that makes it easier to produce printed circuit boards (PCBs). The lotus effect (water repellency) is used on stencils on which the solder paste is printed onto boards, enabling production of solder structures of a few hundred micrometers. The process also enhances the quality of the PCBs and reduces production time as the coated stencils require less cleaning than conventional ones. The coating is already in use.