For a country like Japan, lacking surface area for solar and still wary in the wake of a nuclear disaster, it makes sense to turn to space for energy needs, as this new successful test of wireless energy transmission confirms.

Unlike conventional solar, which can be impacted by on-the-ground weather, space solar is reliable, but the challenge, of course, is getting that power back down to our planet. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, however, has successfully sent 10 kilowatts of power to a receiver a third of a mile away – the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency has also performed a successful through-the-air energy test.

While large-scale commercial applications are still decades out, the proof of concept is a powerful one, so to speak, and portends good things for the future of space-harvested energy. Eventually, solar stations would consist of geostationary satellites sitting thousands of miles above the Earth, which would transmit collected energy back down to the planet in the form of laser beams or microwaves.

The post Japan Has Tech to Wirelessly Beam Solar Power from Space first appeared on Gajitz.

When the microwave oven first entered our kitchens, it completely revolutionized the way we cook and eat. Dinner in 90 seconds? Heck yeah! Plasticky popcorn from a bag in two minutes? You bet! But other than adding more buttons and making the devices increasingly modern-looking, not much has changed in the actual microwave design over the decades.

Designer Jake Rich has completely made over the microwave oven with a design that simplifies the appliance and makes it easier to operate and to clean. The Mediumwave is a rounded, wheeled contraption that looks like a covered cake carrier. It is roughly the same diameter as a large dinner plate, which gives you approximately the same interior area that you get with today’s square microwaves.

Rather than popping open a door to get to your food, you simply lift up the dome lid. The oven immediately stops so that you aren’t exposed to the harmful waves while you stir your food or check to see if your chicken has defrosted. While it’s working, the translucent lid allows you to watch your food cooking. Shifting the design from an enclosed box to a platform-and-dome makes cleaning much easier and far less disgusting.

The redesigned microwave features a dial that lets you choose the strength of the cooking waves and a simple sliding switch to choose the cooking time. The brightness of the interior light changes depending on the power level being used. The pared-down controls might not be for everyone, but they help the Mediumwave keep its minimalist appearance while taking the superfluous functions out of the equations – who ever uses that baked potato button, anyway?

According to the designer, the Mediumwave is a different way to look at look at our relationship with the common domestic technology we all live with and love. Rich has stated that he does hope to mass produce the revamped microwave, but he hasn’t yet partnered with a company to make that magic happen.

The post Redesigned Microwave is an Adorable Simplified Appliance first appeared on Gajitz.

Being stuck away from home at mealtime where the only food option is a vending machine usually means having something like chips and a soda for dinner. But the Eatwave could make it easier to obtain a more substantial (if not much healthier) meal from a vending machine. It’s the world’s only vending machine that allows hot and cold items to come from the same machine, with the hot items being warmed up before making their way into your waiting hands.

The Eatwave has a capacity of 1020 individual items, with six customizable interior trays. The entire machine is refrigerated so everything stays fresh and cool. When a customer purchases a warm item, an internal microwave mechanism heats up the food in one minute or less – without heating up the cold items around it. The machine would eliminate the need for a separate microwave oven in the office breakroom, which would be a welcome change for the people who have to clean the microwave.

The post Hot + Cool Vending Machine Serves Up Piping Hot Lean Pockets first appeared on Gajitz.