* "Thomas the Elf" named Chief Toy Engineer of the new Lab
* Children and adults of all ages invited to become "toy engineers" by visiting www.ge.com/toylab
* Engineers play interactive online game, matching advanced GE technologies with classic Christmas toys to help Santa and the elves meet holiday deadline
* For each of the first 1,000 players to post their high score to www.facebook.com/edisonsdesk, GE will donate $5 to Toys for Tots
NISKAYUNA, N.Y. and NORTH POLE, December 15, 2010 -- With the winter holiday season in full swing, GE Global Research, the technology arm for GE, announced the creation of a new toy lab for Santa Claus at the North Pole and invites children and adults of all ages to join their toy-making team.
Visit Santa's Toy Lab at www.ge.com/toylab and help Santa and the elves as they race to meet the holiday deadline.
Once in the Lab, toy engineers can test their speed and skills in an interactive online game. The game objective is to pair advanced GE technologies with classic Christmas toys as fast as they can. The more toys you match the higher your score, helping Santa get ready for his big night.
Once you play the game, please be sure to share your highest score on the Edison's Desk Facebook page at www.facebook.com/edisonsdesk. For each of the first 1,000 players who report their score, GE will donate $5 to Toys for Tots.
Chief Toy Engineer Thomas the Elf, who leads Santa's new Toy Lab, said, "I find out what the kids need from Santa, and I proceed to invent. With so many toys still left to make, we need as many new toy engineers as possible to play our gift matching game and help Santa Claus get ready for Christmas.
Thomas the Elf added, "We've got some great GE technologies that will add a little 'elf magic' to some classic holiday toys. But time is of the essence. We're racing as fast as we can to make sure all of the toys are completed on time."
Newly recruited toy engineers can enhance classic Christmas toys such as a toy car, a doctor's kit, and a robot dog, by matching them with the right GE technology, including:
- Hybrid Drivetrain System - The days of pushing your toy car by hand while saying "vroom, vroom!" will be over. Soon, we'll be saying "wooosh" and powering our cars with electricity. GE is developing a hybrid drivetrain that uses electricity instead of burning fuel. Imagine that, hours of fun and no need to refuel. To learn more, visit - http://ge.geglobalresearch.com/blog/an-ev-battery-just-the-right-size-and-cost-for-buses/;
- GE Brain - Who's a good dog? Who? That's right, your robot dog - if it has a GE Brain. It's a mobile sensing, processing, and communication hub that has situational and contextual self-awareness. So your robot dog will think on its own, understand you, and be a lot of fun to play with. That's a good dog. To learn more, visit - http://ge.geglobalresearch.com/blog/ge-brain-connects-us-to-our-machines/;
- LED light bulb -- GE scientists employed jet engine cooling technology to cool down high-output LED lights. So in the future, your tree topper will shine brighter, last longer and use less energy. To learn more, visit http://www.genewscenter.com/content/detail.aspx?releaseid=11256&newsareaid=2;
- V-scan - A stethoscope is nice, but what if doctors had pocket-sized ultrasound technology allowing them to see into the body from the palm of their hand? That's Vscan. In the future, it could become as indispensable as the stethoscope. But not as cold. It's what makes this doctor's kit state-of-the-art. To learn more, visit http://www.gereports.com/vscan-pocket-sized-ultra-smart-ultrasound-unveiled/;
- Icephobic coatings -- We're applying the same coatings that we are developing for use on airplanes to prevent icing. It repels water, so ice won't stick to the blades, and they'll glide more smoothly. Smoother blades = faster sled. Careful going down that hill. To learn more, visit - http://ge.geglobalresearch.com/blog/creating-anti-icing-surfaces/; and
- Carbon fiber composites - How do you use a 6-axis robotic cell for filament winding of complex geometries? We use it to make ultralight, super strong carbon fiber composites. If used in our hover board, it would be able to carry an adult, yet weigh ounces. That should float your board. To learn more, visit http://ge.geglobalresearch.com/blog/automated-manufacturing-for-commercial-use-of-carbon-composites/.
Once you are finished helping Santa, be sure to check out his newest sleigh. Nearly a dozen GE technologies were incorporated into the sleigh, ranging from OLED lighting and carbon fiber composites to wireless sensors and special nanomaterials. To learn more, visit www.ge.com/santa.
About GE Global Research GE Global Research is the hub of technology development for all of GE's businesses. Our scientists and engineers redefine what's possible, drive growth for our businesses, and find answers to some of the world's toughest problems. We innovate 24 hours a day, with sites in Niskayuna, New York; Bangalore, India; Shanghai, China; Munich, Germany; and our newest location in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Visit GE Global Research on the web at www.ge.com/research. Connect with our technologists at http://edisonsdesk.com and http://twitter.com/edisonsdesk.
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Todd Alhart
GE
[email protected]
1-518-387-7914