The history of electric lighting

you remember my previous rant about ‘Who invented the light bulb?'  The answer, according to google is usually Edison.

During the 19th century 2 types of electric lamps were developed; the incandescent lamp (light created by passing the current through a filament) and the arc lamp (where the light is created by electricity leaping the gap between electrodes). 

Humphry Davy first demonstrated an arc lamp in 1806 but the blinding light was impractical and could not be powered for more than a few minutes.  He was a dazzling speaker and he hosted lectures which became major social events in London.  However, it took quite some time for electricity to become a practical form of lighting.

It was Joseph Swan, an inventor from Sunderland, who developed the first practical lamp and led the way in early electrical lighting.  Swan supplied arc lamps to light the Picture Gallery at Cragside in Northumberland in 1878, the first house to be lit by electricity, and for Mosely Street in Newcastle, the first electrically lit street in 1879. (1879 was, incidentally the year Edison first demonstrated his own lamp in the USA). In 1881 Swan opened Benwell Lamps, the world's first light bulb factory.

So if Edison didn't invent the light bulb, why he is famous for doing so?  Well, true to his American roots, he took it to market!  He successfully registered patents and tried, but failed, to sue Swan, so then took him as a business partner instead.  In 1883 Edison and Swan was formed and created bulbs which were cheaper and lasted longer than anyone else's.  Edison was a highly successful spin doctor and his vision of centralised electricity supply stations was paramount to his success.

Throughout the Victorian era electricity remained extremely expensive leaving gas as the popular choice for most middle-class households.  Wider availability of electricity coincided with the arrival of the Arts and Crafts influence and, from the Edwardian period we begin to see a proliferation of new ‘electroliers' replacing gas fittings (gasoliers).

It is not until after the First World War that electricity found its way into homes on a large scale.  The metal filament lamps had been perfected in 1911 and the Electricity (Supply) Act passed in 1926, led to the establishment of the national grid. We finally had clean, safe lighting at the flick of a switch; no more fumes or bad smells.

So Edison may not have invented the light bulb; Davy can lay rights to that claim.  He didn't even design the first practical light bulb or register the first light bulb patent; that was down to Swan.  What Edison does deserve credit for is making electric lighting available. When he saw he was trailing Swan he cleverly joined forces with him (if you can't beat them, join them!) and developed the supply chain.  He owned a power company, later known as General Electric, and, let's face it, without a source of electricity to light it, a light bulb is just a bulb.

Brain stimulator could be used to boost the performance of pianists

Delivering low-power electrical current through the skull has been shown to speed up the learning of motor skills and scientists believe the technology could help people wanting to become better athletes or musicians, enhance academic learning or aid the recovery of stroke patients
Professor Heidi Johansen-Berg, from Oxford University, led research which involved volunteers pressing buttons in specific sequences, similar to playing a piano.
As they carried out the task, a weak current of around 1-2 milliamps was passed through two rubber electrode pads placed on opposite sides of the head.
The current flowed through the motor cortex of the brain, exciting neurons and speeding up the creation of new nerve connections. Undergoing the stimulation enabled the volunteers to learn the button-press sequences more quickly.
The effect on neurons mirrored that seen in previous brain-training research, said Prof Johansen-Berg. Brain scan studies showed that squeezing a control stick to play a computer game aided the repair of damaged nerve pathways in stroke patients.

Part P of the building regs under review

The Electrical Safety Council (ESC) recently hosted a round- table event to discuss the government’s review of Part P of the Building Regulations for England and Wales, which concerns electrical safety in dwellings.

some like it, many dont, especially the DIYer.

we do think it could be made better.

on the whole, we think we need to retain Part P – although we would as we make lots of money out of all the work DIYers cant do because they cant prove it is safe.

Part P is relevanct to both consumer safety and industry standards. 

current evidence base relating to electrical injuries, deaths and fires in UK homes ays that it is working.

but we admit, it needs a few changes, the govt need to tighten the enforcement and compliance elements of Part P, while reducing the regulatory burden in terms of time and money. Too much paper work

The need to clarify and simplify documentation and increase the awareness of both consumers and electrical contractors to the benefits of Part P needs soerting out

“Taxation is a subscription to a fair society. Regulation is a subscription to a safe society”. 

Part P provides the only regulatory framework that addresses the safety of electrical installation work in homes in England and Wales. We need to reduce the complexities of Part P without compromising safety.

what do you think?????????

Electric shocks to the brain can help stroke patients' recovery

Stroke patients with brain damage can recover more quickly with the help of small electric currents applied to the head from electrodes on the skull, a study has found.

The tiny electric currents are believed to stimulate the re-growth of nerve connections in the brain that have been lost as a result of oxygen starvation caused by stroke, scientists said. Tests on a small group of healthy volunteers have shown significant improvements in the sort of brain activity that could also benefit stroke patients, the scientists said.

The research supports the idea that the brain can to some extent repair itself by rewiring and reconnecting itself to bypass damaged areas, according to Professor Heidi Johansen-Berg of Oxford University.

a Croatian super car - Rimac Concept One Electric

There’s no shortage of unknown companies announcing plans for ridiculously powered electric supercars, but few, if any, actually turn up at international auto shows to show off their wares.

Croatian firm Rimac Automobili is one of these companies working on a new electric supercar project, but unlike many that have come before it, Rimac’s new concept certainly looks promising.

Unveiled this week at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show, the new Rimac Concept One electric supercar is the creation of Rimac founder Mate Rimac and designed by Adriano Mudri and Goran Popovic, a pair of Croatians who allegedly have worked for the likes of Lamborghini, McLaren and Maserati.

The idea behind the project came about when Rimac decided to convert an old BMW into an electric race car.

Today, Rimac develops high performance electric car technology including drivetrains and battery systems. And the old BMW has since been officially homologated as a “Rimac Automobili e-M3“and is used as a test-mule for battery technologies, battery management, propulsion systems and latest in-house development.

As for the Concept One, its unique powertain design consists of four sub-systems, each consisting of one DC electric motor, inverter and reduction gearbox. Each of those systems drive a single wheel, independently from the others.

Sophisticated software controls each of those systems using the input of many precise sensors placed all over the car.
Combined peak output is claimed to be 1,088 horsepower and 2,800 pound-feet of torque, which Rimac says will rocket the Concept One from 0-60 mph in just 2.8 seconds and see it reach an electronically limited top speed of 190 mph.

A battery array is said to have a capacity of 92 kWh and the entire thing should weigh no more than 3,700 pounds.
Rimac says that production of 88 Concept One supercars will commence in 2013, although we wouldn't hold our breath waiting for this particular electric car to go on sale anytime soon--at least in the state of tune Rimac promises.

The Sound of silence II

As we have been discussing, the new flock of electric cars run virtually silent. It has been said that new cars will have an electronic soundtrack to warn the less abled and the stupid of a vehicle approaching.

I have seen reports of cars that will sound to alert pedestrians a similar sound to when "you hear the doors close, or use the transporter" on the USS Enterprise. Much as I love star trek, I think they are missing an opportunity here. Pedestrians alerts could be the next big thing like mobile ring tones were in the nineties.

Forget the geeky trekkie soundtrack, how about something that resonates to the tune of the internal combustion engine you had to sacrifice to save the planet.

How about car with personal preference soundtrack. In the morning you could go to work to the sound of something a little more pleasing Ferrari and Lamborghini, or a throaty high-powered V8, go to lunch in a Carrera GT then for a Sunday blast in the country, how about ruptured eardrums with a Corvette C6-R or the mentalness of the Zonda F

Go home to the sound of a V8s Zender, and just as you pull into your street, switch it to a Mercedes' AMG.

What would be your soundtrack??? Dauer Bugatti EB110, Nissan Skyline R31 or McLaren F1, Bugatti Type 35B or Ferrari 275, Lambo Miura, Bristol 401, TVR Tuscan

the Sound of Silence

in a few years, the government will require electric cars and gasoline-electric hybrids to emit some type of noise at low speeds, when their battery-driven motors usually run silent. The promised rules—aimed at making the vehicles safer for vision-impaired pedestrians and others who rely on aural cues—have launched auto makers on a quest for the perfect sound.

The new electric cars are nearly silent, and that's a potential hazard for pedestrians who are blind or visually impaired. The Nissan Leaf has added sounds for when the car starts up and accelerates, or backs up. WSJ's Mike Ramsey reports.

Among those considered: noises reminiscent of jet engines, bells, birds, flying saucers and revved-up sports cars.

In developing their electric car, the Leaf, Nissan Motor Co. marketers initially saw the false-sound feature as a branding opportunity, a chance to create a distinctive sound, like a Jetsons jet pack, that would identify an approaching vehicle as a Leaf.

The near-silence of a battery-powered car is a point of pride for many hybrid drivers, an illustration of its ability to run at speeds of 40 mph or more without burning fossil fuel. The quiet ride has been a marketing point for auto makers, who spend millions on insulation and sound-damping technology to make cars quieter.