Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Technology. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

Technology, Ecology and Fashion fusing. Any success?

The latest years there is a noticeable fusing between Technological use in ecological matters and fashion. 


There have been noticed many attemps to combine the functionality and the 'look' of clothes and the power generating ability of the solar rays. The idea of ecology in clothes is a very nice one but (as always) some people got the (very) wrog meaning of this.

Here are some examples of clothes where photovoltaic systems have been implemented:

solar powered bikini
                                                                    


At first a hat with the photovoltaic panels on the top. It actually produces energy to run a fan for an extra wave of air. Obviously something that you would not wear outside.. (Really, would you...?)
Also, a t-shirt equiped with panels is quite understandable. But, the swimm suit equiped with photovoltaic system is not just too much? Fine, I also get irritated when I am on the beach and I forgot to charge a gadget but still, isn't it too much? 
To end up, who would wear a a coat on a sunny day?????

Well, I agree that ecology is an essential matter nowadays. But don't you think some people overdid it?



On a more serious approach to the issue, ecological clothes are about to be implemented by many companies that produce clothes. Already, H&M trademark has created the first 'green' clothes. They do not posses some kind of photovoltaic system but they are made from ecological fabric, easily dispensible and environmental friendly.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

Stuxnet, perhaps the greatest computer virus ever..



How many times yor computer has been infected by a virus that has shut down all your current applications? Perhaps rebooted your system? Even erased your hard drive? And you thought that this is a hardcore virus for computers? Think again....


Stuxnet: Anatomy of a Computer Virus from Patrick Clair on Vimeo.


Ever heard of Stuxnet? Perhaps no. Stuxnet is a complex computer virus discovered in 2008 that has been designed to strike against industrial plants, software and equipment. Imagine a virous that is able to shout down oil pipelines, power plants and even nuclear reactors! To be accurate, as you can see below on the virous' history, uranium enrichment facilities where a prime target for Stuxnet.

The malware has a very sophisticated function that makes it so efficient; it spreads through a network to seperate working stations but does not activate unless the system meets certain requirements. For example, Stuxnet might have intruded your PC as well but would not have activated since its software was designed to attack special features of mostly industrial plants.


The origins and the creator of the virus vary according to different evaluations regarding the history of the software:

The specific malware has been detected in 58,85% of Iran computers according to a Symantec study. There have been different rumors that Stuxnet's original use was targeted in nuclear plants of Iran. And it is fact that Stuxnet has created a lot of discomfort in Iran, with Iranian officials announcing that there has been an electronic war launched against their country.Some say that Israel was behind the making f the virous, other claim that it was the US, others put the credit on Mosad etc. One thing is certain regarding the manufacturing of the virus: it wild require a great deal of suport for its designing, such suport that only a large organisation (a country's government for example) would be able to provide.

Of course, defensive mechanism and detection programms now have been developed and Stuxnet can be removed from a computer in case of infection. But the ability of the worm to mutate has made matters more complicated, creating doubts to the certainty of the virous succesful removal.

The interesting fact about this virous is that now Stuxnet is provided as a freeware on the Internet!