Don't get me wrong. I care deeply about the environment and I believe that we should do more — a lot more — to make it better. But, sometimes, I think people would rather embrace fashionable solutions than do the right thing. Like consume less.
But, hey, enough of my skepticism. It’s Earth day, so let’s celebrate! To get things going, let me tell you about some QNX-based systems that are making the world a little bit greener:
- Building automation system helps Boeing conserve electricity — This system, designed by Tridium, allows a large Boeing plant (over 1 million square feet) to slash power consumption by 20% during peak periods. More.
- Automated sensor system prevents soil pollution — This system monitors the insulating foil in a waste landfill site, ensuring that dangerous substances don’t seep into the surrounding soil. More.
- Traffic control system optimizes traffic flow — This system from Delcan minimizes traffic jams and shortens waits at intersections. Which means less gas is wasted going nowhere. More.
- Autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) monitor underwater pollution — Pollution monitoring is just one of the talents of these Russian-designed AUVs. More.
- High-speed simulation system speeds fuel-cell research — Fuel-cell hybrid vehicles (FCHV) hold the promise of cleaner air. This system speeds up the simulation of FCHVs based on proton exchange membranes. More.
- Monitoring system helps factories reduce emissions — This system, designed by Bailey Controls, dates back to the early 1990s. You won’t find much about it on the Web, but if you have old copies of QNXnews lying around, look for Volume 6, Number 2 (1992) and turn page 5.
How about you? Have you or your company designed a system that uses electricity or fuel efficiently? That minimizes pollution? That prevents environmental disasters? I’d love to hear about it!