IoT Corner
Anheuser-Busch InBev is piloting a new IoT monitoring solution in South Africa for its Staycold beer coolers. The 120,000 point-of-sale coolers in bars, restaurants and rural areas are being upgraded with temperature and location monitoring equipment from CIRT, a tech start-up based in Johannesburg.
The system sends data via the Thingstream network, which is optimized to move small amounts of information via cellular networks. This allows the makers of Budweiser to ensure that beer distributed to the coolers is kept at the optimum -2 and +4 degrees Celsius temperature range, as well as track the physical location of the devices.
The system allows for target maintenance schedules for the equipment, saving time and money on service calls while adding customer satisfaction.—Jeremy Losaw
What IS That?
You can probably tell what they are—grass flip flops. The larger question is: Why? These fuzzy, synthetic wonders were launched in late 2011 by “Down Under” company KUSA, which poses the opposite question on its website: “Why not celebrate a piece of Australian fun and sun right now?”
Wunderkinds
Nikita Rafikov of Evans, Georgia, was 11 five years ago when he developed a way to embed GFP (green florescent protein) into windows to create efficient glass and lighting. This can light homes without using electricity; Nikita built a “House of the Future” using this concept. GFP is the protein found in certain jellyfish that creates the bioluminescence effects seen in nature photography.
$38.95
The average median hourly wage for STEM jobs, per the most recent data available—another indicator of the value of STEM education. The median wage for all other types of jobs in the United States is $19.30.
What Do You Know?
1 In almost all countries, how long is it before a utility patent normally expires after its earliest effective filing date?
A) 10 years
B) 15 years
C) 20 years
D) 25 years
2 True or false: The United States Patent and Trademark Office defines a trademark as a brand name.
3 Which was invented first—the doorknob or the door hinge?
4 True or false: In 1993, Gary Burghoff of “M*A*S*H” invented a radar-like device.
5 What does it cost to file a trademark application with the USPTO?
A) $250
B) $275
C) $300
D) $500
ANSWERS
1. C. Assuming all renewal fees have been paid. 2. True. 3. Evidence suggests the first door hinge occurred around 1600 BC in Hattusa, an ancient Near Eastern capital, in the form of large wooden doors pivoting in stone sockets. The doorknob was invented in 1878 by Osbourn Dorsey. 4. False. He was issued a patent for his enhanced fish attractor device. 5. B. The $275 is a processing fee and cannot be refunded.
