proton

Want better EV range? Hitch it to a fuel cell

Startup Oorja Protonics has dodged some of the traditional barriers to fuel cell vehicles, at least with forklifts. In the future, its hybrid approach could be used on cars and trucks, too.

The Fremont, Calif.-based company is in the process of raising funding from corporate partners to ramp up production of its product. The venture-backed company is also profitable, something that few other fuel cell companies can claim.

Rather than use hydrogen as a fuel, Oorja Protonics converts the liquid fuel methanol into electricity in fuel cells. And its onboard fuel cells are designed only to provide a trickle … Read more

The 404 905: Where we go twice as high with Bridget Carey (podcast)

Bridget Carey makes her first appearance on CNET TV today. She's the host of an upcoming daily tech news show on CNET called Checked In, so be sure to follow her on Twitter so you don't miss the first episode.

She'll help us out with our story rundown today and gives her take on LeVar Burton bringing back "Reading Rainbow" as an iPad app, an LA film studio constructing an underground "post-apocalyptic" fortress, and the resurgence of AOL e-mail addresses as a pre-Internet status symbol.

The 404 Digest for Episode 905

"Reading Rainbow" to be rebooted for iPad. LA porn studio begins construction on "post-apocalyptic" underground bunker. AOL e-mail as status symbol? Follow Bridget Carey on Twitter. The 404's daily bathroom break: Justin and Jeff's "Reading Rainbow"/Husky Dance Mash-up.

Episode 905 Subscribe in iTunes (audio) | Subscribe in iTunes (video) | Subscribe in RSS Audio | Subscribe in RSS Video… Read more

SunHydro opens solar hydrogen refueling station in CT

SunHydro opened its first solar hydrogen fueling station in Connecticut last week, marking what the company hopes will be the start of the East coast hydrogen highway.

From Maine to Miami, the Connecticut-based company plans to open a network of mostly 24-hour self-service stations that generate hydrogen onsite using solar energy and a proton electrolyzer made by Proton Energy, SunHydro's sister company.

The station is in SunHydro's parking lot in Wallingford, Conn., and its rooftop is equipped with 75 kw worth of solar panels that the station's generator uses to produce approximately 2.6 kilograms of hydrogen … Read more

Proton Persona Elegance unveiled

This shaky, handheld video is the official unveiling of the Proton Persona Elegance (facelift) in East Malaysia.

The video, which appeared on YouTube on Thursday, doesn't offer much explanation. But what I gather is, there have been changes to the design of the car to give it a more pronounced front grill, redesigned headlights, and rear LED lights. The new models also offer comfort and safety additions.

The Persona Elegance is expected to boost sales for Proton by 8 percent.

Lotus-powered Proton plug-in hybrid concept coming to Geneva

The Proton Concept will be a city car styled by Italdesign and unveiled at the Geneva auto show. Big deal, right? Euro-styled city cars will be a dime-a-dozen in Geneva. But what makes the Proton interesting is that it will be a plug-in series hybrid powered (a la the Chevy Volt) with a drivetrain developed completely by Lotus Engineering.

The system starts with an electrical drive system with single-speed transmission that provides twist to the wheels at all times. As long as the battery level is at an acceptable charge, the Proton will function as an EV. Once you approach … Read more

A boost for light-duty electric trucks

Smith Electric Vehicles and Proton Power Systems have signed a memorandum of understanding to develop long-range electric service trucks.

The partnership will allow Smith Electric to install Proton Power's fuel cell range extenders into its light-duty range of electric vans and trucks. The change is estimated to increase a Smith Electric truck's average range between charges from its current 160 km (100 miles) to up to 300 km (186 miles) with the fuel cell extender.

The first prototype is expected to be unveiled in April 2010 at the Hannover Messe trade conference, with a roll-out in Germany by … Read more

Researchers accelerate proton cancer treatment

For bone cancer patient Nicole McLaughlin to get proton-beam radiation therapy--a treatment to which she owes her life--it took traveling across the country to what then, in 1999, was the only facility providing such technology.

But new research being developed at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, which could reduce the size of proton accelerator machines from that of a football field to that of a traditional X-ray machine, could soon make proton therapy more easily accessible to all.

Better-known X-ray radiation goes all the way through the body and can cause healthy cell death, which could be potentially catastrophic depending on … Read more

Army backs the hydrogen highway

In a side bet on "green power," the U.S. Army has awarded a $1.8 million contract to develop hydrogen filling stations for military vehicles, hoping it pays off with reduced fossil-fuel consumption and increased efficiency.

At first glance, this may appear to be a throwaway investment for the Army. Hydrogen fuel requires such a large amount of energy to separate it from water and to compress or liquefy before it's delivered to the user, that it has been criticized as neither sustainable nor an economic alternative to fossil fuels.

However the contractor, Proton Energy Systems … Read more