They can take advantage of environmental characteristics, like cool climate, to design more-passive systems.

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It uses so-called passive systems for cooling, such as the gravity flow of water and natural circulation based on thermodynamics.

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In particular, they don't have the passive safety systems that might have helped prevent the Fukushima accident in Japan.

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And, Dr Roberts says, passive-surveillance systems tend to undercount mortality.

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These "passive" 3-D technology systems put most of the technical heavy lifting on the TV screen -- instead of on the glasses, as was the case with older models.

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The model Southern is building, the AP1000, is totally new, with safety systems powered by gravity instead of electricity, a so-called passive design.

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The DA-F60 incorporates neodymium magnets and a passive radiator to produce results typically found in high-end Hi-Fi audio systems, including tuned low-frequency reproduction and virtually no distortion even at high volumes.

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Instead, the company's selling SteornLab testing equipment to other organizations working on magic fairy-power rotary and magnetic systems, and it's also got plans to sell something called "ZeroF passive magnetic bearings" later this year -- we'd assume ZeroF means "zero friction, " which is nicely impossible and totally in line with basically everything Steorn stands for.

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The passive feature means they rely less on electrically driven pumps and valves, for safety, and more on systems designed to shut down plants safely in emergencies and to prevent operator error.

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