In the News

Pages27-27
27
Denmark was named the world’s top green technology
producer in a recent report commissioned by the World
Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) according to a report by
the Associated Press. Denmark earns some US$9.4 billion
– 3.1 percent of its gross domestic product (GDP) – from
renewable energy technologies and energy eciency.
Growth of green technologies in China, however, out-
stripped the performance of other countries with a re-
markable 77 percent annual growth rate, according to
WWF. China is the largest producer of green technolo-
gies in monetary terms, with earnings of some US$64
billion or 1.4 percent of GDP. Germany, Brazil and Lithuania
are also among the top ve clean-tech producers in
terms of percentage of GDP, after Denmark and China.
The report was compiled by Roland Berger Strategy
Consultants (Germany).
in the neWs
Researchers have recently unveiled a prototype, interactive paper-thin smartphone that can do everything bulkier
smartphones can – make and take calls, send messages, store books and play music – according to a recent BBC
News report. The exible PaperPhone is made of electronic paper which, when bent, folded and exed at its corners
or sides, triggers dierent functions or features. “This is the future. Everything is going to look and feel like this within
ve years,” said one of its creators, Dr. Roel Vertegaal. “This computer looks, feels and operates like a small sheet of
interactive paper” he said; “you interact with it by bending it into a cell phone, ipping the corner to turn pages, or
writing on it with a pen.”
The PaperPhone’s display, just millimeters thick, consists of a 9.5
cm diagonal thin-lm, exible E-ink display. Larger versions of
these computers promise to eliminate the need for paper and
printers. “The paperless oce is here,” said Dr. Vertegaal in a
statement; “everything can be stored digitally and you can place
these computers on top of each other just like a stack of paper.”
The new appliance was created by a team of researchers from
The Human Media Lab at Queen’s University, Canada and the
Motivational Environments Research Group at Arizona State
University in the U.S. The inventors of this super lightweight
device are seeking international patent protection for it using
WIPO’s Patent Cooperation Treaty (WO/2011/005318).
Denmark & China named top
green-tech producers
Paper-thin smartphone debuts
African parliamentarians focus
on science
In early May, Africa Onli ne Ne ws
reported the launch of the African
In ter- Par lia ment ary Fo rum on
Science, Technology and Innovation
(AIPF-ST I). An initiative by African
parliamentarians, the Forum seeks
to give scien ce, technol ogy and
innovat ion a more c entral r ole in
policymaking across the continent.
Membership of the Forum includes
all national African parliaments, the
Pan -Afr ican Parl iamen t and all
regional parliamentar y assemblies.
According to Ms. Opoku-Mensa of
the UN Economic Commission for
Africa (UNECA), the move by parlia-
mentarians to stimulate interest in
ST I “will help push its agenda within
their governme nts so it g ets due
att enti on”. The aim is t o hel p
improve research and development
structures across the continent to
address Africa’s development chal-
lenges.
Photo: Queen’s University, Canada

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