SIEMENS

Thanks to a new gas sensor (above right), asthma patients could be able to analyze their own breath by blowing into a device.

A new gas sensor from Siemens can tell hours ahead of time if someone is at risk of experiencing an asthma attack. The system analyzes an asthma sufferer’s breath and registers whether the user’s air passages are about to become inflamed. This enables the patient to take anti-inflammatory medication in time to prevent an attack. A prototype unit outfitted with the new sensor is just as sensitive as larger systems that are more expensive and hardly portable.
Previously, the only way to predict an asthma attack was to conduct expensive pulmonary examinations that measure the patient’s breath to determine the concentration of nitrogen monoxide (NO) gas that is released into the air passages as a result of inflammation. The patient is at risk of an attack if his or her breath contains heightened levels of NO. The Siemens sensor could allow patients to analyze the NO in their breath themselves. The system first converts the NO into nitrogen dioxide and then allows air to flow across the actual sensor. Only those particles signaling an attack adhere to the sensor’s surface. This generates a voltage that is measured by a field-effect transistor. The voltage is directly dependent on the concentration of nitrogen monoxide in the patient’s breath. Depending on the amount of this gas, the patient will know the minimum dose of medication he or she should take. ne

Siemens’ new charging station (left) can completely recharge an electric car in an hour. Non-contact charging techniques are being tested (below).

Recharging electric vehicles will become faster, safer, and more convenient thanks to a new charging station developed by Siemens. The system can fully recharge standard batteries with a power of 22 kilowatts (kW) within one hour using alternating current. Safety has very high priority. Thus, the station’s power socket does not carry any voltage until the vehicle is connected, the user registers with a non-contact chip card and launches the charging and payment process on a display.
But in the future, motorists may not even need a cable to recharge their electric cars’ batteries. A non-contact inductive charging technology developed by Siemens Corporate Technology and BMW works if drivers only make a short stop to recharge — at cab stands, for example. The charging stations can be easily incorporated into practically any setting, making them almost invisible and effectively protecting them from vandalism and wear and tear. The charging station is connected to the public grid by a primary coil that is completely underground. A secondary coil is mounted under the car; the distance between the two coils is typically between eight and 15 centimeters. When the driver starts the charging process, an electric current begins to flow through the primary coil, creating a magnetic field. This induces an electric current in the secondary coil, which recharges the battery. Electricity is transmitted from the grid at 3.6 kW through all of the components to the battery at an efficiency of over 90 percent. The magnetic field is generated only in an exactly predetermined area between the two coils. In summer 2011 several vehicles will be used to test the systems’ capabilities in Berlin. hd

Thanks to new software, these photovoltaic modules with movable mountings always follow the sun.

The sun’s position varies depending on the time of day and year, so most sunlight hits solar cells mounted on fixed panels at an oblique angle. Maximum electricity yield is achieved only when sunlight strikes cells perpendicular to their surface. With this in mind, Siemens has come up with software that allows photovoltaic modules on movable mountings to precisely follow the sun. The new system’s control software uses parameters such as longitude, latitude, and the exact time to calculate the sun’s position. Three-phase alternating current motors align the photovoltaic modules accordingly. They swivel the modules in a semicircle around the azimuthal support axis, tracking the sun’s daily course from east to west, and tilt the module around the zenithal axis, tracking the sun’s height according to the time of day and year. The modules’ energy yield is over 35 percent higher than that of fixed systems. ne

The Train of Ideas (above) is a mobile exhibition about green cities. The train’s six containers provide insights into the world of tomorrow.

With a view to addressing the challenges posed by environmental protection in urban areas, the city of Hamburg, Germany, which is the recipient of the European Commission’s 2011 Green Capital Award, has organized an interactive exhibition called “Visions for the Cities of the Future.” This April, as part of the exhibition, the city launched its “Train of Ideas” for a European tour. The train showcases more than 100 projects from throughout Europe, presenting them in over 70 exhibits and on 26 touch screens. This mobile exhibition, which is housed in six display containers, is targeted at a general audience. It provides a thrilling, easily understandable look at topics such as mobility, energy, and energy use. The topics are addressed from perspectives that range from personal and local to regional and global. As a premium partner for green infrastructure, Siemens is supporting Hamburg by supplying some of the train’s equipment. Among other things, the company has provided the train with the latest model of an energy-efficient locomotive, supplied a number of exhibits, and enabled visitors to experience electric mobility and smart grids. The company has also created a special issue of Pictures of the Future devoted to green cities. From now through October 2011, the Train of Ideas will tour 18 European cities, including Brussels, Vienna, Zurich, Munich, and Paris — some of the places where Hamburg and Siemens plan to hold events on sustainable cities. hd

An envelope reader processes over 50,000 pieces per hour. Subscribers can delete unwanted mail.

Customers suffering from clogged mailboxes, long delivery times, and unwanted advertising will soon be able to benefit from Trust-Ebox. This automation solution from Siemens will enable postal service companies to cost-effectively make physical mail accessible in digital form. Using new sorting and recognition technology, the system registers images of the envelopes of incoming letters and then forwards these images by email to Trust-Ebox customers. At the click of a mouse, customers can then decide which letters the service provider should immediately destroy and which should be sent by normal mail or be opened and scanned for transmission. The system not only saves customers time but also radically cuts postal service costs. The Swiss Postal Service plans to begin offering private end customers a Trust-Eboxbased service this summer. Hd

Siemens simulation software is helping Formula 1 Red Bull Racing cars win the title.

The Formula 1 Red Bull Racing team has been using Siemens Teamcenter and NX simulation applications since 2005. The products enable the team, which is headed by world champion race car driver Sebastian Vettel, to simulate a vehicle’s performance on a specific track, identify modifications that could improve results, and order appropriately-modified parts. For example, if a simulated race shows that a Red Bull car needs more downforce for the track in Monaco, this data is immediately passed on to NX developers, who can then adjust the design of the front fender accordingly. A mouse click then ensures that new parts are cut and pressed right away. No data has to be entered by hand or transferred into other IT systems. This has enabled Red Bull Racing to accelerate design and manufacturing processes by up to 75 percent. The team’s success speaks for the software’s effectiveness. In the 2010 season the British team won the Formula 1 Championship title in both the driver and constructor ratings. ne