This is an interesting article about how mobile phones and other devices use the wireless charging system called Qi. New chips developed allow up to 50 W of power transfer and have safety circuits to prevent overheating foreign objects that might come between the energy source and the load.
Source:
https://www.allaboutcircuits.com/news/how-does-qi-wireless-charging-standard-work/
Communications Alliance has published two draft standards for public comment on their web site, which now incorporate the principles of the new hazards-based standard: AS/NZS 62368.1:2018 (IEC 62368-1 2nd ed [MOD]). There is also an explanatory background paper. Public commenting closes on 24 May 2019. The standards are:
DR AS/CA S008:2019 Requirements for customer cabling products, and
DR AS/CA S009:2019 Installation requirements for customer cabling (Wiring rules)
Background Paper: DR S008 & DR S009 public comment background paper
The drafts are available for download from Communications Alliance at the following web address:
https://www.commsalliance.com.au/Documents/public-comment
Draft: DR S008_2019 (1,025 KB)
Draft: DR S009_2019 (2,442 KB)
(Letter to the Sydney Morning Herald, March 20th, 1890, about the electrification of Sydney’s street-lighting, replacing gas, and the electrification of the steam-tram network. Post borrowed from the Old Sydney Album in Facebook)..
IF ORDINARY PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN THERE IS INFINITELY LESS DANGER IN THE USE OF ELECTRICITY THAN IN THAT OF GAS.
During the past decade (1880-90) there were in the whole of Europe only 13 deaths occasioned by electricity.
The city of Sydney,with a population of less than the 1000th part of that of Europe, can furnish a much heavier record of mortality against gas, and yet people have long ago ceased to complain of the danger attaching to the use of the latter agent.
There are far more deaths attributable to the careless use of “Rough On Rats” and many other household poisons, than to electricity.
No less than 300 persons were injured and 135 killed by the explosion of a cartridge factory at Antwerp last September, and 13 women were killed by the collapse of a carpet factory at Glasgow last November, whilst nearer home, and still more recently, about 150 lost their lives in the ill-fated SS QUETTA – still no one suggests dispensing with cartridge and carpet factories and mail steamers.
Every week has something to record in the way of boiler explosions, killing in the majority of cases over a dozen persons; gas explosions are items of every-day occurrence, yet the cranks who become furious at the bare mention of an electrical accident hardly think such mishaps worthy of mention.
During the year ending December 31, 1888, out of a total of 1258 deaths by accident in New York, electricity gave only 6, versus illuminating gas 32, kerosene 17, and drowning 173 – this alone should suffice to show that electricity is, relatively speaking, safe, and the testimony may be considered of especial value, coming from New York, where nearly every street, shop, and store of importance, and a very large number of public buildings and private dwellings, are lit by electricity, whilst a large number also of factories and workshops and tramway systems are supplied with power by the same agent”.
Yours, etc
Wilfred J. Spruson
Source: https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/13763694?
(photo from City of Sydney Archives shows electric tram, electric arc-lamp and telephone wires in Redfern St Redfern, c.1909.)
Shoppers who register new and old appliances with the relevant manufacturer will greatly reduce the risk of a fire in their home.
Thousands of consumers are missing out on product safety warnings because they are not registering their fridges, freezers, toasters and washing machines. “There are more than 100 million large appliances in use in our homes and we keep them a very long time, but less than half (47%) of consumers registered the last product they bought. Unlike cars, this leaves the vast majority untraceable if a safety action or product recall becomes necessary,”.
Manufacturers need to identify and contact owners swiftly to organise a repair. SFRS is urging consumers to register their new and used appliances by logging onto the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances (AMDEA) website – www.registermyappliance.org.uk – where they will find registration pages for 62 leading brands. The public should register all their appliances, including the older ones.
Product recall information can be found at http://www.registermyappliance.org.uk/products/recall-list/
Source: Register Your Electrical Appliances To Stay Safe | Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service
Imagine tiny wireless sensors the size of a grain of sand that can be implanted in the human body to monitor nerves, muscles and organs in real time. … engineers from the University of California, Berkeley recently created these batteryless sensors, opening the door to ‘electroceuticals’ — an emerging field in which these devices are used to treat disorders like epilepsy, stimulate the immune system or reduce inflammation by stimulating nerves and muscles.
Source: Infinity in a grain of sand: neural dust sensors monitor the body from inside
The Minister for Infrastructure and Transport Darren Chester issued a reminder to airline passengers to carefully consider items in their carry-on luggage after a lithium battery in a passenger’s carry-on bag caught fire at Sydney Airport.“ On this occasion the battery caught fire while the plane was on the ground and the issue was resolved. Whilst there was no damage to the aircraft, several passengers did report feeling ill.
Source: Travel warning: carriage of lithium ion batteries on aircraft
Tesla said it had reviewed data to confirm the car was in autopilot mode, a system that takes control of steering and braking in certain conditions. The company, which is investigating the crash, also said it was the driver’s responsibility to maintain control of the vehicle. In this case, it said, the driver’s hands were not detected on the steering wheel.
Mr Luo, who filmed the incident with a dashboard camera, said his car hit a vehicle parked half off the road.
Tesla owners all said salespeople described the cars’ function in Chinese as “self-driving”, a term the company generally avoids using in English, and took their hands off the wheel while demonstrating it.
Source: Tesla car on autopilot mode crashes in Beijing – ABC News (Australian Broadcasting Corporation)
There has been a concerning jump in the number of products recalled in Australia in the past year, the ACCC says.
Source: Hoverboard fires, food scares fuel jump in Australia product recalls: ACCC
Ms Rickard said button batteries, which can be lethal to children of swallowed, are a continuing concern across a number of products.
“We’ve been working with industry to get a code in place that’s going to lead to much better containment of button batteries, and major retailers not being able to sell products that don’t have batteries properly screwed in,” she said.
“We most frequently get the recalls around children’s novelty products which flash, things like kids bracelets, flashing rings, drinking cups which are cheaply made so easily break.
“They’re also there in car keys, TV remote controls, kitchen scales, hearing aids, so they’re virtually ubiquitous, so we’re saying to anyone who supplies products that contain button batteries, unless they are securely contained so children can’t access them, they shouldn’t be sold at all.”
Where does the line fall between an acceptable ‘work experience’ or ‘internship’ arrangement and an actual ‘employment relationship’ requiring payment?
paulspiece.com 
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