Bytemarks Cafe – Episode 16 – Nov. 19, 2008

This week, as part of our tech news segment, HPR’s Kayla Rosenfeld tells us about the test run of NASA’s Lunar probe on Mauna Kea. Later, we’ll talk to Patrick Henry from Univ. of Hawaii’s Institute for Astronomy about Dark Matter.

News stories for the week…

  • Located approximately one mile off the coast of Kaneohe Bay in 100 feet of water, New Jersey company Ocean Power Technologies, Inc. installed one of its wave power generation units. The ocean buoys called PowerBuoy, harness the energy of ocean waves to generate electricity that is then sent back to shore via underwater cable.
  • As the prevalence of broadband internet access grows, its reliance on dial-up connections is dropping rapidly. According to the latest “State of the Internet” study from Akamai — the internet powerhouse with the Hawaiian name — dial-up, or “narrowband” connections, fell nearly 30 percent in the last quarter nationwide.
  • Last week Thursday, Hawaii County Council voted to uphold a ban on growing genetically modified taro and coffee on the island. The council voted 7-0 to override Mayor Harry Kim’s veto of the measure. Anyone caught violating it could face a $1,000 fine.
  • Observatories in Hawaii were able to use advanced optical technology to produce the first “visible light” photographs of a multi-planet solar system outside our own. Scientists were able to see, 130 light years away in the constellation Pegasus, three “gas giants” larger than Saturn and Jupiter orbiting the star called HR8799.

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Bytemarks Cafe – Episode 15 – Nov. 12, 2008

We are joined in the studio by Dr. Bee Leng Chua from HPU who tells us about the upcoming Global Entrepreneurship Week. Then, we speak with Patrick Sullivan from Hoana Medical and Oceanit about Dual Use applications and converting projects to products.

News stories for the week…

  • Mauna Loa on Hawaii Island has been quiet for a long time and it’s been 25 years since it last erupted—but researchers warn that another eruption may be on the horizon. Even so, trying to determine the exact date when the mountain will blow is impossible.
  • Scientists have gotten the first clear picture of the feeding habits of Hawaii spinner dolphins, and they used high-tech acoustics to get it. Unlike other dolphins, Hawaii spinner dolphins are nocturnal and feed and night. Only by using underwater hydrophones were researchers able to “see” just how remarkable their rituals were.
  • The BYU Hawaii Campus Safety and Security department is implementing a new emergency system. The new system, similar to systems deployed at other Universities across the country, utilizes technology such as text messaging and e-mail in the attempt to inform students of danger in a timely and effective manner.
  • Going from YouTube to Hollywood seems an unlikely path for any budding filmmaker, let alone two high school kids from Hilo who had nothing better to do after school than pick up a camera. Now Ryan Higa and Sean Fujiyoshi are bonafide internet celebrities — and budding “real” celebrities — with the recent premiere of their feature film, “Ryan and Sean’s Not So Excellent Adventure.”

Song pick of the Week: U2 – Beautiful Day

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Bytemarks Cafe – Episode 14 – Nov. 5, 2008

This week, after the headlines, we’re joined in the studio by Ted Abe, who tells us about the upcoming Sony Expo. Then, we talk with Dr. Christine Sorensen from the UH College of Education and Mark Hines of the Mid-Pacific Institute about the transformation of the traditional classroom. You can learn more about the transformation of education in Hawaii at the Future Schools site.

News stories for the week…

  • 11,000 feet above sea level, climate scientists from the University of Colorado and the University of New Mexico studying the water cycle have successfully deployed a precision water isotope analyzer at a remote monitoring station near the top of Mauna Loa.
  • The Navy successfully intercepted one of two ballistic missiles this past weekend in the latest test of the nation’s missile defense system. The target missles were launched from the Pacific Missile Range Facility at Barking Sands on Kauai, and two Navy ships — the Aegis destroyer U.S.S. Paul Hamilton and the U.S.S. Hopper — took aim and fired their own missiles to intercept it.
  • Honolulu Community College and the Pacific Center for Advanced Technology Training or PCATT, accept a $327 million technology grant in the form of new software that will help students in Hawaii receive the latest training and gain a competitive edge in business.
  • The National Institutes of Health has awarded $1.31 million to help 6th, 7th and 8th graders in Hawai‘i and the Pacific Region learn about scientific research and possible careers in science. The funding is for the Pacific Education and Research for Leadership in Science (PEARLS) project, headed by Dr. Kelley Withy of the John A. Burns School of Medicine at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa.

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