ABR Staff Writer Published 30 January 2014

Hino Motors, Ltd. (Hino) and DENSO Corporation (DENSO) have jointly developed the world's first electric refrigerator system for heavy-duty trucks using a hybrid unit.

This system is used in the Hino Profia, which will be released on Feb. 1, in Japan.

With the combination of Hino's hybrid powertrain system technology and DENSO's electric refrigerator system technology, the two companies have developed a high-quality refrigerator system that helps improve fuel economy, improves refrigeration performance, and is quieter when operating.

Hybrid trucks conventionally use energy generated from hybrid systems to assist the vehicle's driving. However, this new truck uses energy from hybrid unit only for the new electric refrigeration system, which saves fuel.

Heavy-duty refrigerated trucks typically require an auxiliary engine or need to use their main engine power to operate the compressor of the refrigerator. The newly developed electric refrigerator system uses energy generated while driving or regenerated energy from the hybrid unit to operate the refrigerator's compressor. This substantially reduces the amount of fuel normally used to drive the engine to operate the compressor, thus reducing CO2 emissions as well.

Compared to refrigerated trucks that use an auxiliary engine to operate the compressor, the new system is quieter, and contributes to an approximately 150kg weight reduction because it does not need an auxiliary engine.

In addition, compared with those having the main engine-driven compressor system, the new truck can operate the refrigeration compressor at a constant rotational speed using the energy supplied from hybrid system, which stabilizes the refrigeration performance and quality regardless if the truck is moving or stopped.

Trucks with main engine-driven compressor systems need to have separate refrigerator components in the engine compartment, under the floor panel, and in other places. However, the new truck uses a new integrated refrigeration unit that includes an electric compressor, condenser, and other devices. This simplified structure uses fewer tubes and wires and also is easier to maintain.

The new refrigerator system includes a stand-by unit that can be connected to an external 200-volt power source so the refrigerator temperature can be maintained while the engine off for a long period of time. The stand-by unit also has a timer function, which can pre-freeze the refrigerator room without the driver's operation. This helps reduce fuel consumption and manpower costs.

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Hino, DENSO jointly develop electric refrigerator system for heavy-duty trucks

Drew Hutton speaks at Pilliga Protectors concert, 26 Jan 2014
This was a very special event held in the Protectors Camp at Pilliga Forest, northwestern NSW, on Australia Day 2014. The forest is a threatened eco-system a...

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Drew Hutton speaks at Pilliga Protectors concert, 26 Jan 2014 - Video

Microprocessor designer ARM has today unveiled its platform standard for ARM v8-A 64-bit servers, dubbed the ARM 'Server Base System Architecture' (SBSA) specification.

The SBSA is intended to provide a common server standard around which ARM partners can unify, ensuring cross-compatibility of software between different ARM-based servers.

"This new standard was created with collaborative input and support from software companies such as Canonical, Citrix, Linaro, Microsoft, Red Hat and SuSE, and original equipments manufacturers (OEMs) including Dell and HP, along with a broad set of ARM's silicon partners," claimed the company in a statement.

It continued: "It provides a framework for the deployment of innovative ARM architecture-based solutions in data center applications and will help to accelerate software development and enable portability between ARM-based platforms. This specification will align ARM partners around key system elements, empowering the eco-system to build differentiated, value-added solutions that drive innovation and choice in the marketplace."

The aim is to simplify the development and deployment process for the entire developer ecosystem - from silicon to software, all the way through to end-users. "The SBSA specification will help OS, firmware and software developers to focus on innovation and quickly deploy on energy efficient, high performance ARM-based servers," said Mike Muller, chief technology officer at ARM.

"These standardization efforts will help speed adoption of ARM in the data center by providing consumers and software developers with the consistency and predictability they require. By helping increase the pace of innovation in ARM technologies by eliminating gratuitous differentiation in areas like device enumeration and boot process," said Frank Frankovsky, president and chairman of the Open Compute Project Foundation, which has been pioneering open server designs used by companies such as Facebook.

Other organisations actively supporting the initiative include AMD, AppliedMicro, Broadcom, Cavium, Citrix and Texas Instruments.

"Adopting industry standards and defining base platforms are essential for creating a healthy ARM 64-bit server ecosystem. AMD is excited to have worked with ARM on the SBSA requirements. The public release of this specification will accelerate the adoption of ARM 64-bit servers," said Dr Leendert van Doorn, corporate fellow and corporate vice president of AMD, which will be releasing 64-bit ARM parts this year to coincide with the server push.

These parts include its "Seattle" ARM A57 64-bit 4- and 8-core Opteron A1100 parts.

Originally posted here:

ARM releases 64-bit server standard in bid to drive eco-system compatibility

ABR Staff Writer Published 29 January 2014

Newport Coachworks, a Californian subsidiary of eco-friendly vehicles distributor Green Automotive (GAC) is set to introduce 100% electric shuttle bus, The e-PATRIOT, at the LCT Show in Las Vegas.

The e-PATRIOT is a fully American built electric shuttle bus. It is manufactured at Newport Coachwork's pant in Riverside, California using advanced proprietary techniques that utilize innovative light weight materials.

With a top speed of 60mph, the bus can travel up to 100 miles on a single charge. It can be equipped with a fast charging system.

Newport Coachwork has started manufacturing its whole range of shuttle buses from the start of 2013.

Green Automotive CEO Ian Hobday said that the company has been working over the past year to achieve their goal to build electric vehicles in America.

"Our aim is to sell the electric shuttle bus not only in the USA but also into other markets," Hobday added.

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Newport Coachworks to introduce electric shuttle bus in US

big gun eco system on 420 rancher

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big gun eco system on 420 rancher - Video

Paperless system comes online

The Waste Transfer Note (WTN) system called edoc has been developed over the past four years by the Environment Agency (EA) in partnership with Government bodies and the UK waste sector.

The main benefit of the new system is the time, cost and administrative burden savings it will drive compared with the current system, according to the EA.

Businesses will be able to create, share, edit, sign and record all waste transfers electronically. And, according to estimates, it could save authorities up to 1m a year by negating the need for costly business waste surveys.

Environment Agency edoc programme manager Chris Deed said: We estimate that UK businesses currently create some 23m waste transfer notes every year.

With the legal requirement to keep documentary evidence for at least two years, thats potentially 50m pieces of paper in storage somewhere across the country at any one time. Were really encouraged by the response weve had to edoc so far.

Its not a mandatory system, but the level of interest shows that businesses want to use it. We believe edoc will become the default option for most companies, and has the potential to move 80% of waste transfer records online over time.

Several of the large waste management businesses and representatives from Morgan Sindall, BPI, The British Council, Eco-Oil, Elite Furniture Ltd and Premier Print and Promotions are among those looking at how they could benefit from switching to edoc.

Speaking about edoc, cleaning and waste management specialist Helistrat chief executive Bernard Amos said: The edoc system is a brilliant idea and Id encourage all companies to take it up. More and more we are moving towards paper-free ways of doing business and this makes perfect sense. Its quicker, easier to trace and will help prevent fraud by removing the opportunity for people to take advantage of the revenue from waste.

It will also be hugely time-saving. We have well over a quarter of a million paper WTNs that we have to scan and it will save our teams a great deal of time when it all goes electronic.

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New electronic Waste Transfer Note system unveiled

Presentations and tutorials focus on increasing system performance

SAN JOSE, Calif. - Xilinx, Inc. (NASDAQ: XLNX) experts will highlight high-performance FPGA design techniques including 28Gbps backplane transceiver design, 3D stacked silicon package design, and comprehensive DDR4 signal-integrity analysis using high-performance UltraScale FPGA silicon and packaging at DesignCon 2014. Through a series of tutorials and paper presentations, Xilinx experts will share their insights for overcoming system-design challenges and increasing system performance. Learn more about Xilinx UltraScale multi-Gigabit transceivers, 3D stacked silicon, and advanced signal-integrity techniques at http://www.xilinx.com/products/technology/index.htm and by attending Xilinx presentations and tutorials at DesignCon 2014 January 28 - 31, 2014 at the Santa Clara Convention Center in Santa Clara, CA.

Xilinx Tutorials

Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Ballroom K

Hands-On Tutorial for Fixture Removal of 28Gbps Tx Measurements

- This tutorial will offer tips and advanced techniques for characterizing a 28Gbps transceiver. Leading experts will provide the opportunity for you to follow along with hands-on computer labs using the latest in software tools for measurement calibration and fixture characterization, simulated fixture channel verification and analysis, and synthesis with in-situ fixture de-embedding with measured data.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 9:00 am - 12:00 pm, Ballroom E

High Density High Performance Package and 3D Interconnect Design

- This tutorial is targeted at design and technology enablement for high-density and high-performance heterogeneous multi-chip integration with 3D interconnects. Multi-chip integration is defined by a broad range of high density interconnect technologies including high density PoP type package, SiP, SoP, TSV, and interposer, and most distinguishingly, addressing interconnect density at silicon level.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at 1:30 pm - 4:30 pm, Ballroom G

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Xilinx Experts to Highlight High-Performance 7 Series and UltraScale FPGA Designs at DesignCon ...

The proportion of technology employees in Cambridge is nearly two-and-a-half times the UK national average and is on a par with the eco-system around Nasdaq companies in the US.

It finds that the technology sector shifted up another gear during the fourth quarter of 2013, with strong inflows of new work driving the steepest expansion of business activity for almost a decade.

As a result, the UK tech segment ended the year on a much firmer growth footing than it started, with a cyclical upswing first emerging in the spring of 2013 and picking up sharply since the autumn.

Charles le Strange Meakin, technology Partner for KPMG in the East of England, said: With a world-class university, world-class research infrastructure and numerous business parks, it is little surprise that the East of England has the highest concentrations of tech employment outside of London. Additionally, the strong tech start-up scene, provides a further boost to the draw of the local area.

The CambridgeStanstedLondon corridor is a key centre of gravity for tech sector employment and major infrastructure advantages for local authorities that lie in this corridor are good road transport links to central London and Stansted Airport via the M11, as well as direct train routes to key parts of the capitals tech scene.

The report also shows that, contrary to popular belief that the UK lags behind the US tech sector, trends in UK tech business activity closely match the performance of the Nasdaq.

As the UK tech sector continues to go from strength to strength, with a sharp increase in business activity, a rise in new orders and an increase in profitability despite higher costs, it can only be really good news for our local economy, creating confidence in the business outlook and solid rates of job creation, well above the rates in other sectors of the economy.

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Cambridge tech jobs match Nasdaq cluster

The state government's announcement of a man-made lake in the RM115 billion Gaur Eco City project in Kota Belud follows its pre-election decision to abandon construction of the contentious Tambatuon dam.

KOTA KINABALU: Kota Belud does not need a dam. And camouflaging a dam under the guise of a man-made lake is not only irresponsible but manipulative and misleading, said local NGO Himpunan Hijau.

Said its chief Wong Tack: Why do we need a man-made lake? It is a dam that theyre talking about. We dont need a dam in Kota Belud.

They are using the term man-made lake to mislead and to manipulate the people.

Wong Tat said the whole concept of building a RM115 billion Gaur Eco-City in Kota Belud was questionable.

You can see quite clearly here, this is a project that was proposed without a proper study, without consulting the people, without looking at the concept as a whole at regional and also as a state.

Eco development is basically you working with nature without destruction and in a sustainable manners. It should not just bring benefits to the people of this generation but future generations as well, he said.

Wong said the project will threaten the existing natural forest and asked why such project was being sited at foothill of Mount Kinabalu.

According to the proposal, the envisaged eco-city will boast various facilities which will all be linked with a cable car system. An integrated transport including a monorail will be built around the man-made lake reminiscent of Venice in Italy. The lake will be dotted with hotels, housing, hospital and a golf course.

Responding to the proposed development, Wong tack asked where in the plan was the eco and sustainable concept.

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A dam by any other name is still a dam

Posted on: 10:14 am, January 25, 2014, by Matt Knight, updated on: 10:17am, January 25, 2014

State Senator Creigh Deeds has introduced several bills in the General Assembly to improve the states mental health system. The legislation follows Novembers incident in which Deeds son Gus stabbed the senator before taking his own life.

Deeds will speak about the attack and the states mental health system in an interview on 60 Minutes on Sunday.

Below is the statement Deeds released detailing his proposed legislation:

Dear Friend,

The 2014 session of the General Assembly is streaking by and will soon be a memory. This years session is memorable for several reasons. First, it is the first year of a new governorship, which always brings a certain level of excitement, together with a period of uncertainty as new people get accustomed to new jobs. Second, the legislature convenes with the idea of addressing problems and balancing the budget for all the people of Virginia. While each session resembles the previous one, new legislators and a new administration guarantee a new twist.

For the past several years, I have been forced to deal with the states system of mental health on behalf of my son. In November a lot of issues related to that system were thrust in my face. I am determined to take the experience I have and use what Ive learned to try and prevent future tragedies. To that end, Ive introduced several pieces of legislation.

First, I introduced legislation requiring the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) to review the qualifications of workers charged with evaluating people in crisis. Current regulations require the person performing the evaluation to have a Masters degree or its equivalent or be a registered nurse with a certain amount of experience in the psychiatric field. However, based on my experience, it is not clear that every person charged with doing evaluations has the necessary skills and qualifications; I have asked the Department simply to review the regulations and make a report to the General Assembly. Before wholesale changes are made to current law, we need to take into account that which is currently on the books and review whether it works.

Second, Ive called for increasing the amount of time a person may be held under an emergency custody order (ECO). Current law allows a person to be held for four hours with, under certain circumstances, one two hour extension. That time frame is the shortest in the nation. Most states hold people between 24 and 72 hours before a determination is made that they should be held pursuant to a temporary detention order. While that legislation has drawn a lot of fire, specifically from the Virginia Sheriffs Association and the ACLU, it makes sense to me to bring Virginia in line with the rest of the country. There should not be an incident of one who is in need of stabilization services being released, or streeted.

Just as important as extending the time period is to eliminate the requirement that the duration of the ECO be extended by a magistrate. Particularly in rural areas, merely having to seek an extension is a waste of precious time.

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Creigh Deeds sponsors bills to improve state’s mental health system

CALGARY - A University of Calgary student has won a national award in the Next 36 Elevator Pitch contest.

Adil Vegdanis SaveIt! idea - an electronic payment system for the eco-friendly consumer - captured the contest which asked post-secondary students to submit an elevator pitch for an innovative business that can be started with a maximum of $100,000 in funding in nine months or less.

SaveIt! gives consumers the option to have refunds from their recycled beverage containers directly deposited into their bank accounts or accrued for a year-end lump sum.

The 23-year-old Vegdani is in his third year at the University of Calgary studying economics and management with a focus on applied energy and sustainability.

Really the idea came to me after doing some research into the waste management industry, he said. What I discovered is that human beings are inherently wasteful . . . I think its more prevalent in Western society. People understand the concept of reduce, recycle. However I dont think we fully appreciate the magnitude of waste we create every day.

His idea is for a smartphone application coupled with a laser technology system.

The pitch needed to be a maximum of 100 words and applicants had a chance to win $2,500. The entries were judged on a combination of creativity, originality, content and the ability to thoughtfully present the idea in a direct and succinct manner.

The contest was presented by StudentAwards, The Next 36 and the Trajectory Brand.

Rob Henderson, president and chief executive of yconic, the parent company of StudentAwards, said the idea was to promote an entrepreneurial culture.

We wanted to capture some of the great ideas in 30 seconds or less, he said. Now the thing about an entrepreneur or even being a great business person being able to write down and consolidate and be very clear with your ideas in 100 words or less is an extreme talent which is why we wanted to base the whole competition on that criteria.

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U of C student wins national elevator business pitch award

Unlike trickle down economics which forgot to trickle down, Formula One has been known to develop race technology that has meandered its way into the mainstream in consumer form. McLarens carbon fiber monocoque, albeit an expensive design innovation reserved for high end exotics, was the direct result of F1 engineering. For the 2014 season, new hybrid technologies and requirements designed to make F1 racing more energized and eco-friendly are being introduced.

For 2014 not only will technology and energy recovery systems play an integral role in the cars power makeup, but the engine size itself will be significantly reduced. In 2013, F1 teams were allowed a 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated V8 engine with power output of 750 bhp, but for the 2014 season, engines will lose two cylinders and almost a liter of displacement. At 1.6 liters, the new twin turbocharged V6 engines will generate 600 bhp, down 150 hp from the previous season. However, the loss of power through the gas powerplant will now be subsidized by new Energy Recover Systems (ERS).

The new ERS system for F1 is a next generation uptake on the previous Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS). For those unfamiliar with KERS, it involves capturing waste energy during braking, which is then transformed into electrical energy. When activated, energy stored in a small capacitor-like device provided teams with a sort of electric nitrous oxide shot to the tune of 60kW (80 bhp) for up to 6.67 seconds per lap. With the new ERS system for 2014, drivers will not only have access to longer power bursts of 33 seconds, but double the power to the tune of 120 kW (160 bhp). An electronic rear brake control system will also be introduced into all cars in order to cater for the extra power generated by the ERS system during braking.

The ERS system will also employ not one but two energy recovery sources. Regenerative braking technology for the season will remain relatively the same with minor updates. The Motor Generator Unit - Kinetic (MGU-K) in partnership with the Energy Store (ES), takes braking and heat energy from the brake rotors during the race, then converts it back out into the system in the form of that 160 hp electric burst through the generator unit. One of the main drawbacks to this system is that in the event of a breakdown, teams would lose a significant chunk of available power. Unlike V8 systems from last year, where teams still had reasonable power to continue and remain competitive, the loss of KERS and 160 hp in 2014 would most likely translate into a DNF (did not finish).

But all is not lost, as there is another ERS device on board to supplement the power-hungry diet. The second addition for 2014 is the introduction of a thermal capture device. The similarly named Motor Generator Unit - Heat (MGU-H), attached directly to the turbocharger shaft, captures exhaust heat and coverts it, like the kinetic system, into electrical energy. This capturing device has the ability to dump power straight into the system on demand or store it in the Energy Store for later use. When activated, the MGU-H gives drivers another electric power shot to the drive wheels via the dedicated generator unit. And unlike the MGU-K, the thermal recovery unit can provide unlimited supplemental power throughout the race. For 2014, Formula 1 has limited energy recovery from the MGU-K to 2 megajoules (MJ) per lap with the ability to release stored energies to a maximum of 4 MJ per lap.

Another fancy power management trick is the way in which the MGU-H thermal unit manages turbo speed. Contrary to a conventional turbocharger system where a wastegate is used to vent out excess engine pressures derived from the turbocharger, the new unit actually controls the speed of the turbocharger impeller. The ability to speed up or slow down the turbo allows teams to not only better manage wastegate pressures in the engine but to spin up the turbocharger low in the rev cycle. As boost is enabled sooner, power comes on quicker, and that power procrastination thing known as turbo-lag essentially disappears from the equation.

Other technical changes and challenges for teams this year will include a fuel limit of 100 kg (220 lb) per race. For 2013, teams on average used around 160 kg (353 lb) during a normal race. This means that teams will need to carefully consider where and when the ERS system is engaged. Since hybrid technology brings with it the unfortunate side effect of weight gain, Formula 1 teams will now be able to plump up their cars from a minimum weight of 642 kg (1,415 lb) to 690 kg (1,521 lb). The cars exhaust systems will also change from a two-pipe setup to a single pipe, which according to F1, must be angled upwards to prevent exhaust flow from being used for aerodynamic effect. The entire exercise should be interesting to follow, to see how teams react to the new hybrid technologies and whether or not faster laps will be a result.

According to Renault, a typical lap using the new ERS systems will look something like this:

Under acceleration the internal combustion engine (ICE) will be using its reserve of fuel. The turbocharger will be rotating at maximum speed (100,000 rpm). The MGU-H, acting as a generator, will recover energy from the exhaust and transfer it to the MGU-K (or battery). The MGU-K, which is connected to the crankshaft of the ICE, will act as a motor and deliver additional power to pull harder or save fuel, dependent on the chosen strategy. At the end of the straight the driver lifts off for braking for a corner, at which point the MGU-K converts to a generator and recovers energy from the braking event. Under braking the rotational speed of the turbo drops due to the lack of energy in the exhaust which leads to turbo lag. To prevent this lag, the MGU-H acts as a motor for a very short time to instantaneously accelerate the turbo to its optimal speed, offering the driver perfect driveability.

Engine development will also be frozen during the season, and only five Power Units will be permitted per driver for the year. The 2014 Formula One season begins March 14 in Melbourne, Australia.

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Turbocharging and advanced hybrid tech coming to Formula 1 for 2014

Published: Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 10:42 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 10:42 p.m.

About 50 residents attended a forum Thursday to hear a panel of experts discuss what two of three panelists characterized as North Carolinas systematic rollback of environmental protections.

Sponsored by the Environmental and Conservation Organization, the public forum at the City Operations Center featured N.C. Rep. Chuck McGrady, Senior Attorney D.J. Gerken of the Southern Environmental Law Center and Co-Director Julie Mayfield of WNC Alliance.

The speakers focused primarily on the impact of three bills that became state law last year: a 59-page regulatory reform act, a bill to prevent local governments from updating building codes more than every six years, and a bill sponsored by McGrady to regionalize water and sewer service.

Most troubling to the panelists as a whole was House Bill 74, a catch-all that McGrady a past national president and board member of the Sierra Club said started as a two-page bill and quickly morphed in the Senate to include everything from hog lagoons to carbon monoxide detectors.

One provision of the massive bill is that local governments can only adopt environmental ordinances stricter than state law by unanimous vote, Mayfield said.

If you pay attention to local politics, you might know that getting a unanimous vote on anything is difficult, she said. Getting a unanimous vote on an environmental regulation is almost impossible.

The regulatory reform bill also requires that the states Environmental Management Commission review all state environmental regulations and re-adopt them within an aggressive timeframe or the rules will automatically expire, Mayfield said.

We really dont know how this is going to play out, but there is a huge amount at risk here, she said. Allowing rules to expire will be easier, she said, because the legislature passed a bill firing all the EMC members who were appointed by previous governors and allowed new members with greater ties to polluting industries.

Potentially, theres a little bit of the fox guarding the hen house here, Mayfield said.

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ECO forum focuses on state’s environmental ‘rollback’

Defense in Depth: Bridging the Security Gap
From BriForum 2013 Chicago Presented by Rainer Enders It is all about communication, the rest is technology. Communication from anywhere, over any type of ne...

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Defense in Depth: Bridging the Security Gap - Video

Engineering Watch initiating "Campus Walks" with the sprawling Campus of United Group of Insitutions
Engineering Watch will unravel the majestic world of the techno-managerial campus across the country. EW covered United Group of Institutions under this cate...

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Engineering Watch initiating "Campus Walks" with the sprawling Campus of United Group of Insitutions - Video

The vision to transform Dubai into a higher education hub was set about a decade ago. We built the three free zonesDubai Internet city, Dubai Media city and Dubai knowledge village.

We segregated knowledge into two categories: 1. A hub where development and empowerment of human resource took place - the Dubai Knowledge Village (DKV), and 2. A higher education zone primarily to host national and international institutions- the Dubai International Academic City (DIAC)

We conceptualised DKV as a regional destination for education and invited institutes of higher learning, assessment centres and professional training academies to set up their campuses here. DKV provides services to even regions like East Africa and India. It houses over 500 training institutes, executive search firms and HR consultancies, and educational services providers.

Of the worlds 200 international branch campuses, the highest number, 37 are in the UAE. 25 of these are in Dubai under the DIAC umbrella. We started with 2000 students and now we have 22,000 students of 120 different nationalities pursuing higher studies here.

We constantly try to attract world class institutions to uplift our education standard.We encourage institutions to design programmes to cater to our diverse regional market. We have about 400 programmes at the under graduate, post graduate and doctoral level.

Boston, which hosts over 70 multi-tiered universities, is our role model. It is a vibrant hub where universities catering to masses rub shoulders with the classy Ivy League institutions. We are in the process of building a similar edu-ecosystem, where institutions from USA, UK, Australia, Canada and our next door neighbours like India, will co-exist, and where a diverse students community with intellectual capacities will grow together. While Boston is all American, we have gone global- 21 of our 25 universities are international. Four to five of these are Indian. They are next door neighbours to allow a free flow of culture and learning.

We focus on student and faculty exchange, curriculum development programmes, research and development collaboration; sharing of facilities and staff. The latter to give the staff an international exposure.

Foreign universities wanting to come here have to comply with certain rules. Knowledge and Human Development Authority (KHDA), the governing body, has established the University Quality Assurance International Board to assess and license institutes. KHDA also attests degree/ diploma certificates thereby making it possible for students to get jobs easily. Commission for Academic Accreditation (CAA), which is a federal body , also issues accreditation to universities.

DIAC has evolved a 34-pont criteria for the assessment of institutions. National and international ranking of an institution, quality of its programmes, research expertise and its ability to respond to the needs of the region, are a few of them. Only about 20 universities have got permission during the past five years.

Oil and gas form only five per cent of our GDP. So we are focussing on human resource development. Our government has selected 12 sunshine sectors that could contribute to the economy of the country and the region. These include transportation and logistics, construction and real estate, tourism and hospitality, aviation, fashion, media, oil and gas, public health, renewable and nuclear energy and education. We are encouraging universities to weave fitting courses to create the right human capital to support these industries. Courses in solar and nuclear energy, energy management as well as transportation and logistics are increasingly becoming popular.

Excerpt from:

Ours is a multi-tired education-eco system: Dr Ayoub Kazim

The Fragile -Environment from the Viewpoint of Metals-
2008 29 Traditional Ironworks Rurban Mining Iron and gold have influenced our history, society, industry and modern lifestyle more than any other me...

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The Fragile -Environment from the Viewpoint of Metals- - Video

YCEEYA an Entrepreneur and Business Eco-System !
YCEEYA an Entrepreneur and Business Eco-System ! To all fellow business owners and entrepreneurs YCEEYA is especially for you. Please join us YCEEYA! let #39;s w...

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YCEEYA an Entrepreneur and Business Eco-System ! - Video

Toyota is the fifth and last automaker to hit the road with an eco-car, and it has made damned sure that its new model has the oomph to become the market leader.

Accompanying the Vios sedan, the Yaris had been previously sold in Thailand as a subcompact hatchback with a 109hp 1.5-litre engine. But even with its zippy performance, it was no match for the more practical Honda Jazz, which is one of Honda's best-selling vehicles here. The Yaris, meanwhile, was priced higher than the Vios and did not attract as many customers.

But this time around, the Yaris is poised to become a highly-sought-after model in Toyota's line-up. Enjoying eco-car tax privileges, the Yaris now costs less than the Vios, and could even outsell it with monthly sales of about 5,000.

Still, the Yaris is priced from Bt469,000 to 599,000, which is higher than the competition. But there are many reasons for this. Despite being labelled an eco-car, the Yaris is actually a subcompact if you consider its body size. Its wheelbase is 2,550mm and the car weighs 1.01-1.04 tonnes. The trick behind the Yaris is its engine - a 4-cylinder DOHC 16-valve 3NR-FE that has a displacement of 1,197cc. Pumping out 86hp and 108Nm, the 1.2-litre also comes with Dual VVT-I, just like other Toyota models. A CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) is used across the range, which is superior to normal automatic transmissions in terms of efficiency and responsiveness.

Before I got in behind the wheel of the new Yaris, I didn't really expect to get great performance from the 1.2-litre engine, but I was proven wrong during a test drive in Krabi last month. The engine and gearbox teamed up to offer zippy performance. On the highway, I was able to smoothly - and calmly - overtake other vehicles, what with the adequate engine power, and that gave me a good dose of confidence. And to make it an even better drive, the steering was surprisingly lively, offering quick, precise response to even the slightest steering input.

This car's suspension has a soft setting that's commonly Toyota but, believe me, the long wheelbase and wide track make it the most stable eco-car on the road. While some eco-cars lack the capability to travel faster than 100km/h under stable conditions due to their small sizes and tiny tyres, you'll find this problem doesn't exist with the Yaris. You can drive pretty fast with it and not feel nervous. Driving visibility is also excellent. And depending on which of the four Yaris models you choose, you'll get either the 175/65 R14 or the 185/60 R15 tyres.

Apart from the extremely satisfying performance, the Yaris has another important attraction - the interior. As I mentioned earlier, the Yaris is the most stable eco-car on the road, but I must add that it is also the largest. Yes, it's even larger than the old Yaris and for that matter other B-segment subcompacts. The vehicle's long wheelbase has allowed designers to stretch its cabin further, and the space inside is nothing short of amazing. Headroom, legroom, shoulder room, you name it, the Yaris has got it all.

The interior looks attractive with a sporty instrument panel and steering wheel, which is multi-function for the upper models, along with automatic climate control. The audio system accepts both USB and AUX inputs, but too bad for Bluetooth - you'll have to order the upgraded DVD player in the accessories list.

There are electric windows on the top three models, but for the J Eco model you'll need to wind them down manually the old-fashioned way. This left me a little surprised - I was under the impression that this manual system was extinct by now. Actually, most of the common market features aren't offered in the entry-level model, such as electric mirrors, height adjustment for the driver's seat, a central locking system, an immobiliser key and more. So this is stronger reason to pick a model in the higher price range.

Well, with its Yaris eco-car, Toyota has proved that the last one to arrive makes the loudest market clamour. This B-segment eco-car is not only spacious but also offers respectable performance and driving enjoyment.

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New Yaris all set to lead the eco-car pack

TIME TO CARE FOR EARTH - YELEMA
Time To Care for Earth - YELEMA (Yelema translated from Wolof means People Wake Up To What Is Happenning To Our World) I first wrote this song 20 years ago i...

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TIME TO CARE FOR EARTH - YELEMA - Video