disney

Disney has developed a way to use a sheet of paper as a power source, thereby eliminating the need for batteries. The concept is being tested and, if those tests prove successful, the idea could be used to make Disney children's books. But it could ... also prove useful for a range of gadgets. The system uses electret, a material that permanently holds an electrical charge. It works with static electricity, but can be compared to a magnet. Teflon, more commonly associated with non-stick cookware, is an electret material. If you rub Teflon against paper, it creates an opposing electrical charge in ... (view more)

Disney researchers at Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University have successfully given common houseplants electronic sensors that make them responsive to human touch. Called Botanicus Interacticus, the project leverages an innovative technology that ... allows humans to interact with everyday inanimate objects in ways never before thought possible. At the heart of the project is a custom-built 'capacitive sensor module' which transmits a low current through an otherwise ordinary plant. This allows the plant to 'sense' when and where an individual touches it. Because the human body is naturally ... (view more)

Disney has taken one step closer to posting many of its popular ABC and ESPN shows on YouTube. For now the deal includes only "short-form video content," but hopes are that the media giant will eventually begin shifting popular TV series to Google's ... iconic video site. It also appears that YouTube mainstream media concerns over copyright conflicts are beginning to dissipate. Despite a recent expedition by Warner to censor any videos using its music, previous deals with studios like MGM demonstrate that YouTube is now being taken very seriously by Hollywood and silver screen heavyweights. ... (view more)