Eni

MIT's new paper chase: Cheap solar cells

CAMBRIDGE, Mass.--Rather than close the blinds on a sunny day, perhaps you'll pull down the solar panel.

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology here today presented early results of research projects funded by Italian oil company Eni, including paper-thin solar cells, which could be used as window covers, and a paper-based material to collect oil spilled in water.

MIT showed prototypes of paper solar cells able to generate enough current to light a small LED display. A commercial solar paper device could be available in five years, said chemical engineering professor Karen Gleason, whose lab is doing the work. … Read more

An electric unicycle that doesn't clown around

The wheel is being reinvented yet again, this time in the form of the eniCycle by Slovenian inventor Aleksander Polutnik. Think of the foot rests as handle bars, with directional steering done by pressing on the left or right foot rest, and the speed controlled by leaning forward or backward.

Less of a Segway clone than the Orbis Urban Mobility Vehicle, this self-balancing electric unicycle is said to be so intuitive, the average new rider just needs a maximum of 30 minutes to master it. But don't take our word for it. Check out the video after the jump to make up your mind as The Gadget Show takes up the challenge. In fact, you may get to try out the eniCycle in person sooner than you can say "gyroscopic stabilization," as Polutnik's on a one-wheel crusade to get this mass-produced early. … Read more