Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority (RTA) is launching a Smart Time Management System at venues of events such as exhibitions and conferences. The system enables the RTA to get real time data on numbers of visitors then deploy the appropriate number of transit means. It also enables passengers to get information on the number of available vehicles along with the expected waiting time. The system comprises screens placed at the start, middle and end of a queue, a device for counting visitors and sorting out the type of service required at the start of the queue, and a device to measure customer satisfaction ratings. http://www.smartcitiesworldforums

Students at the University of Cape Town have created the first ever bio-bricks made of human urine. They mixed last night?s liquids with sand and bacteria to unlock calcium carbonate (a bonding agent) in the urine. The mixture is placed in moulds and hardens (surprisingly) at room temperature. Creating useable bricks out of urine is clever, but doing it without the usual energy-intensive firing process is outstanding. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-10-26/cape-town-university-researchers-make-bricks-from-urine/10432766

We're now in Chobe National Park Botswana Africa and are pleased that the Chobe Game Lodge, where we're staying, uses electric boats for river cruising. They are powered by batteries overnight and use solar energy from panels on the roof as backup power. This means the boats are quieter and respect the surrounding wildlife and environment. They also use electric safari trucks for the same reason.

Researchers from St. John's College, University of Cambridge, have discovered a new way to utilize energy from the sun and turn it into fuel that could directly compete with fossil fuels. The researchers used semi-artificial photosynthesis to explore new ways to produce and store solar energy. They used natural sunlight to separate hydrogen and oxygen. This research could revolutionize the way we are currently utilizing the sun for renewable energy production. Their method was able to absorb even more solar light than the natural process of photosynthesis. https://www.collective-evolution.com/2018/09/12/scientists-discover-a-new-efficient-way-to-turn-sunlight-into-fuel/