In this episode of MBT's Manufacturing Newswire, we'll discuss the latest on new manufacturing hubs, as well as a partnership for batteries. We'll also talk about the near-perfect supercar and take a look at the AllSee gesture technology.
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[Mfg. Hubs]
Chicago and the Detroit area stand to reap millions of dollars in federal grants and private sector investment as part of the White House initiative to boost innovation in manufacturing and create jobs. A Detroit-area manufacturing institute will focus on lightweight metals, while a Chicago hub will push innovation in digital manufacturing and design.
Both institutes are each being seeded with $70 million from the Department of Defense, and $70 million from non-government sources. The President says a bill now before Congress would create a network of high-tech manufacturing hubs all across the country.
[Battery Plant]
Panasonic Corp. is considering setting up a new plant jointly with Tesla Motors Inc. in the United States to make lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles. Investment in the plant is expected to be between $4 and 5 Billion, with the prospect of starting operation in 2017.
In addition to the U.S. EV manufacturer, Panasonic is also considering supplying batteries to Toyota, which has a business alliance with Tesla. Sites in Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico and Texas are being considered and the plant would employ around 6,500 people.
[Big Sky]
Turns out the worst state for carbon dioxide emissions per person isn't smoggy California or bustling New York, but a place famous for its big, clear skies: Wyoming. As the least populated state, but the top coal-mining state with customers around the world, Wyoming produces the largest amount of CO2 per person.
But Wyoming is engaging in big efforts to make its coal cleaner. First, $50 million have been allocated toward new coal-burning technology at the University of Wyoming. Second, the state plans to support a proposed $10 million X Prize to develop economically feasible carbon-capture technology.
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[Face to face]
In this week's Face to Face, we've invited Wireless Week Senior Editor, Andrew Berg to talk about IBM’s big announcement last week at the World Mobile Congress in Barcelona Spain.
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[Automotive News]
Mexico is on track to replace Japan as the second-largest exporter of cars to the United States by the end of the year. Despite Mexico's surge, the vast majority of the cars and trucks made in North America, are still produced in the U.S. Experts say Mexico's relatively low wages, closeness to the U.S. and free-trade deals have made it one of the favorite locations for international automakers to invest since recent economic pressures have forced companies to find ways to cut costs.
[Near-Perfect Supercar]
Take a look at the near-perfect supercar. The British-made McLaren 12C Spyder provides roaring excitement that's easy to live with... at a price. Among the specs, the McLaren 12C is able to go 0 to 60 in 3 seconds, has 616 horsepower and 440 foot pounds of torque. But be prepared to pay because this car starts around $265,000 and options out to $311,000
[Speed Record]
If the McLaren is a little too cheap for you, consider the Venom GT. Hennessey Performance has announced that its Venom GT hit over 270 mph, setting a new world speed record for a 2-seat sports car. The time for the Venom GT was independently verified, but has yet to be officially recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records. If you’re interested in buying a Venom GT, be prepared for a real hit to the pocketbook, because the record-breaking version sells for $1 million.
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[Clip of the Week]
Wouldn't it be cool if you could skip to the next track without taking your phone out of your pocket — or without touching anything at all? You may soon be able to thanks to new gesture-recognition technology. The relatively tiny AllSee device developed by University of Washington computer scientists works as a receiver that can recognize gestures based on changes in wireless signals floating through the air. When you move your hand, it disrupts the amplitude of these wireless signals, and AllSee measures the change.
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