Article Abstract:
New 'smart' materials are being developed which can alter their properties automatically in response to changes in the environment. Effects such as colour changes can be produced from stimuli such as temperature. Other 'smart' materials can adapt to their environments in a similar way to plants, with actuators and sensors integrated into structural materials such as concrete and steel, allowing the materials to monitor themselves. Designers are in a position to identify needs and develop the best specifications for new materials. Truly intelligent materials could be available in early 21st century, with technology for manipulating molecular order in materials rapidly advancing.
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Article Abstract:
The energy consumed by lighting can be reduced significantly by dimming lights. A decrease of 25% in light intensity has been calculated to provide at least a 20% reduction in energy expenditure. Lighting industry companies such as Lutron, Advance Transformer and Magnatek and Motorola have developed lighting facilities with adjustable light intensity delivery. Wallbox dimmers are designed to cater to residential, commercial and institutional lighting control needs.
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Article Abstract:
Domotechnica household domestic appliance trade fair is concentrating on small domestic appliances, with the absence of many of the major white goods manufacturers such as Hoover, AEG and Zanussi. It features Philips' auto-sensor hairdryer, Sanyo's razor which can analyse beard growth while shaving, and Goblin-AquaVac's vacuum range.
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