There is a tremendous amount of technology that goes in some very common, everyday products, so in this edition of GE Global Research's
Innovation Update, we highlight some "Everyday Innovations."
INFRARED CABIN TEMPERATURE SENSOR FROM GE THERMOMETRICS
Imagine a special sensor in your car that measures YOUR temperature and the area around you, and then automatically adjusts the temperature of the car's interior to match YOUR comfort. Now available in selected minivans and sport utility vehicles in the U.S., the Infrared Cabin Temperature Sensor by GE is a smarter way to control your comfort while traveling in a car, truck or van. In addition to being a smarter way to control comfort, the system offers lower total installed cost by eliminating the need for additional wires or sensors.
How is it different from current technologies? Most temperature sensing in the world is done with contact type sensors that measure temperatures where they are installed. While these sensors are well suited for most applications, non-contact sensors (such as infrared sensors) can measure temperatures precisely where they are aimed; for example, across the car at the driver or in the back seat at an infant passenger.
HOME WINTERIZATION A HOT TOPIC AS WEATHER GETS COLDER
GE recently launched the "Space Invader," our newest sealant technology that provides homeowners a compelling reason to "foam home" right away. Our Space Invader(TM) Insulating Foam, is a polyurethane sealant product that invades and insulates holes, gaps and cracks to make your home more comfortable in cooler weather and keep those escalating energy bills at bay. It also offers excellent cold temperature flow rate, which allows you to apply the product when it's needed -- not just when the temperature is right.
The timing is right for this technology, because according to the "Winter Fuels Outlook," a feature of the October 2002 Short-Term Energy Outlook from the Energy Information Administration (EIA), the Household energy expenditures in the United States are likely to rise this winter as normal weather conditions return and energy prices increase. According to this analysis, the chances of household heating expenditures rising by at least 10 percent this winter are over 90 percent for most of the country.
GE DEVELOPS NEW HIGH SPEED COOKING OVEN
By combining various doses of microwave, convective and thermal energy, GE has developed an oven that cooks up to five times faster than a conventional oven. Preliminary testing shows a turkey can be speed roasted in half the time, breads can be speed baked in a third of the time, and side dishes in a quarter of the time. The easy-to-use controls automatically convert consumers' traditional recipes. They simply enter food type, time, and temperature. Once the oven is set, it automatically applies the right combination of energies to optimize cooking performance, delivering delicious results with every dish.
The GE Profile Oven with Advanced Cooking Technology was recently named the Grand Award Winner of Home Technology in Popular Science's "Best of What's New" feature in the December 2002 issue. The ovens will be available for consumers in September 2003.
A GE PLASTIC RESISTS STAINS IN REVOLUTIONARY RUBBERMAID(R) PRODUCT
Rubbermaid(R) Home Products knew that the next generation of food storage containers needed to meet certain consumer demands in order to be successful. First, and most importantly, they had to be stain resistant -- especially to the unsightly stains that come from tomato-based food products. They had to be durable and virtually unbreakable and had to be microwave and dishwasher safe. Finding a material that could meet all of these consumer demands was no small task. After months of work, the Rubbermaid research and development team discovered that the new alloy resin XYLEX(TM) from GE could be reformulated with new properties to complete the stain resistant technology necessary to create Rubbermaid(R) Stain Shield(TM), a patent-pending line of food storage containers.
XYLEX(TM) resin was developed by GE and introduced in 2001, after nearly six years of research. Its first commercial application was in a line of high-end sport sunglasses. The Stain Shield(TM) line is a significant product application for the new resin and is expected to put XYLEX(TM) resin on the map as an important new engineering thermoplastic.
NEW TECHNOLOGY IN PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS
GE has developed Velvesil(TM) 125 copolymer network for use in personal care products. Velvesil(TM) 125 copolymer is designed for use by chemists to deliver sensory and functional benefits - including a soft, velvety feel to the skin - in a wide variety of consumer products such as skin care lotions, antiperspirants, sun care products, shampoos, conditioners, hair styling products, and cosmetics like foundations and lipsticks.
Among its many advantages, Velvesil(TM) 125 offers thickening benefits to the formulation and enhances the consumer's application experience in soft solid antiperspirants. In hair care, Velvesil(TM) 125 copolymer imparts lubricity, combing ease and fly-away reduction in shampoos, conditioners and styling products. And in color cosmetics such as foundations and lipsticks, Velvesil(TM) 125 can improve formulation aesthetics as well as offer added advantages of wrinkle masking, a matte finish and long wear.
For more information on these announcements and other information about GE Global Research, please contact Jim Healy at (518) 387-6284/healyj@research.ge.com or Amanda Hamilton at (212) 931-6131/ahamilton@peppercom.com.
CONTACT:
GE Global Research
Jim Healy, 518/387-6284
healyj@research.ge.com
or
Peppercom
Amanda Hamilton, 212/931-6131
ahamilton@peppercom.com