Steorn, Ltd. founder answers questions(free, umlimited energy challenge)

Question: Why did you not go ahead and start licensing machines; why do you seek scientific approval.

Answer: With a claim as controversial as we are making, we considered it necessary to gain the approval and the acceptance of the Scientific Community. Simply to start to sell technology without this approval can be seen as a potential fraud. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime17 hours ago

Question: Are you aware of the JREF challenge? Do you intend to accept it? (Please give reasons either way).

Answer: Yes we are aware of the JREF challenge. We have no intention of taking part in this challange. Our purpose in having the technology tested is to provide the answer that everyone is asking - does it work? We do not believe that JREF are qualified to make this judgement, and we do not believe that they will be believed by all in the general public. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: Will the energy that your machines produce, be freely available to the public; e.g., without monetary costs

Answer: Outside of the cost of purchasing the technology (a one time cost when it is in a laptop for example) there is then no cost for the energy it produces. We expect that the cost of the technology will be in line with existing options (i.e. a similar price to the battery and charger that would currently go with a laptop). CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: One of the reporters in an interview or article said that there was a door behind which the device was situated and he was not allowed through. He went on to say that an agitated Frenchman went through the door while he was there.

Answer: Our office has different security zones. The 'agitated' frenchman was coming from an area where our engineering group work (no external parties are allowed into this area) - he was agitated because I was using a test system to show the reporter something - he was in the middle of a test and was upset about the fact he would have to restart it. Note that we have a visitor test lab, this is where the interview was conducted. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: Do you have devices operational in France or any other European country?

Answer: The technology is in development in two countries. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: Are the 3 test systems you have been working with virtual computer models or physical prototypes?

Answer: Our test systems are all physical, we also use simulation software (FEA) CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: I do not quite understand how the analogy about going up and down the hill and suffering a net gain of energy...perhaps a different analogy?

Answer: As everyone knows when you go up and down a hill you lose energy. In many ways our technology is like going up and down a hill (a magnet moves into a magnetic field and out of that field and in doing so gains enery), that was the reason for using the hill analogy - I am sure that there is a better one! CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Answer: The company has 7 engineers qualified to degree or masters level, we have no scientists on headcount but we do work with several scientists under contract. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Answer: I have a degree in engineering and worked developing technologies (real time control and process optimization systems) for the energy industry prior to founding the company. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago edited

Question 1: Could Ed Leedskalnin of Coral Castle fame have been your inspiration? http://www.geocities.com/anti_gravity/Coral_Castle/photos_1.html

Answer 2: We did not set out to develop this technology, we 'stumbled' across it - so there has been no real individual or company that has been an inspiration for the development. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Is this a: 1. Marketing ploy. Such as "Steorn: Remember what we did with a fake product, think what we can do for your real one." 2. A scam 3. You are too weak technically to realize it is not really a free energy device

Answers: 1. No 2. No 3. The Jury will decide CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: It seems that a man by the name of Carlos Luna signed for Steorn patent applications a while ago. I do not see his name anywhere else on your site. Did the Carlos on the patent his PhD research at the Group of Magnetism and Magnetic Nanomaterials Institute for Materials Science of Madrid, CSIC ?

Answer: Carlos worked for us as a software developer, developing software for anti-counterfiet products. Carlos continues to work in this area for a partner company (he is one of the best software engineers we have ever worked with). He is not the Carlos Luna with a PhD from Madrid. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: Can you identify a recent technological advance that made this invention possible? In other words, was this machine possible a decade ago, 25 years ago or a 100 years go?

Answer: The Jury process will prove that the technology works; hence it could have worked 25 or 100 years ago. However the internet has played a key part in making this achievable. Instant access to information (real and unreal) is a key tool that we all use. Also the availability of relatively low cost, accurate test equipment combined with the low cost of computational power has made a significant difference. I do not know how someone could go about this 25 years ago. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime16 hours ago

Question: What are the biggest mistakes you have made in the last six months have you any regrets?

Answer: I guess that the only regret that we have is spending so long to come to the point where we decided to put our challenge in the public domain, also doing interviews late at night with a bad cold is a very bad idea!

And a final regret is using load balancing to host our site instead of a clustered set-up (this was the problem with the forum). CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago

Question: Sean did your company make the following statment? "The company would also seek out other interesting technologies and build a portfolio of products, he added."

Answer: Yes, we have worked on a range of technolgies in the past and also invested in companies that are developing interesting technologies. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago edited

Question: Did you copy your invention from a previous one? I found mention of another irish energy invention here: http://www.devilducky.com/media/27483/

Answer: No CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago Question: If someone tries raise a plaque in your honor, will you let them?

Answer: I hope it’s not a life size representation – they could do themselves damage lifting that! Again it’s a company effort! CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago

Question: Is the guy who discovered this happy with the share options you gave him/her?

Answer: Refer to the agitated Frenchman mentioned earlier! Everyone in the company is a shareholder, there is no one engineer who made the discovery, it was a team effort. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago edited

Answer: We intend to license the technology to organizations in the mobile consumer electronics market and the automotive market. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago

Question: For my peace of mind, please confirm that your device is not a variation on this theme: http://www.lhup.edu/~DSIMANEK/museum/unwork.htm#cheng

Answer: The technology does not use a magnetic shield. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago

Question: In one of the forum posts a retired patent attorney commented on the number of countries and regions for which you had applied for patents. It was his opinion that this patent application cost in the area of $1,000,000. Have or will you spend more or less than that on patents?

Answer: We expect to spend more than this over the life time of the patents. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago

Question: How long before the first applications will be released to a larger audience

Answer: There are multiple patents on the technology (we continue to file patents). I cannot say when these applications come into the public domain, we are not in control of the patent process. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago

Question: Has Steorn made any products before this energy device? Con men usually just sprout out of nothing so If you can show that Steorn is a real company that has developed real, working technology in the past it will add to your credibility.

Answer: We have developed several technolgies for anti-fraud applications including a hologram verification technology and an optical disc finger printing technology. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago edited

Question: I think I read somewhere that you'd let developing countries use the technology free of charge for making sea water drinkable and such purposes. Is this true? Wouldn't this solve one of the biggest problems in the world?

Answer: Yes it is true (we completed a site survey for a trial project in Africa last week), however the license free use of a technology in itself will not solve any problems - that will require significant commercial and political will power. We simply believe (and are stating up front) that we do not think that profit should be made from such applications in the developing world. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime15 hours ago

Let me tell you a little story - I am based in the Phyiscs Dept of a UK Uni (nameless as there are Non Disclosure Agreements in place), but we were asked to test this Steorn system - Now I wasnt working myself on this but was asked to look at the results - Simply put there was an "anomaly" in the results that we are at a lost to explain - this "anomaly" was that the design of the test system, (where we were given Steorn designs but purchased all components ourselves, built it, tested, etc,) was that there appears to be a net energy gain when you move through the magnetic fields... We stated to Steorn that this "anomaly" required further examination. this was 6 months ago and we cannot find where this excess energy in the system is coming from... We are at a lost to explain it... But magnetics is admittently a bit of a grey area, we know the capabilities of electromagnetism but this is an area that hasnt had the same level of academic research as for example DNA sequencing, astrophysics, etc... the scientific community and industry knew how to create electricity and we left it at that - magnetics is a neglected part of our natural world and the Steorn "anomaly" has left our Dept quite baffled as we are left at a loss to explain it in Classical terms...

I await what the rest of our community says when they have an opportunity to see this Steorn system...

Answer: While several UK Unis have tested the technology I doubt that this posting is true, I have no way to tell. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Answer: Just this project at this time. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Question: Is the voting system on the site bugged or does it intentionally allow repeat votes?

Answer: No there is no bug, we use cookies. The voting was a victim of very large blocks of votes that appeared to be from a bot, however we decided not to correct for these blocks since it might be thought that we where ‘fixing’ the results CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Answer: The idea behind the forum was to allow people to express their views. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Question: You say that you stumbled across this device yet you are quite aware of the legacy and potential barriers of the free energy pioneers before you. Did you believe in free energy devices before your discovery?

Question: Sorry to be off-topic, but what's the difference what the vote is? Revising the accepted truths of modern science is not a popularity contest.

Answer: I agree that science is not a popularity contest. However we felt that it was important that there was enough public interest in our claim to ensure that the world of science was aware of our challange and would 'take us on' CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Question: You say you are modeling using Flux3D. Is this the product shown at http://www.cedrat.com/software/flux/pdf/flux.pdf and have you actually got it to say that your technique is validated?

Answer: Yes we use Flux3D - no Flux3D does not produce the same results, however the difference between the real world and the simulated world is an area of extream interet to us. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Question: You have not openly solicited investments. But are you accepting offers of investment? I imagine they are pouring in.

Answer: We have had a lot of offers of investment, we are accepting none of these offers. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Question: Why haven't any other members of the Steorn team been active on the forum (or have they?) or taken part in any of the interviews

Answer: Well the simple answer is that we are all very busy. With respect to the media interviews we decided that only two people would be involved at this stage (Richard and myself). CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Question: I know you're not accepting investors, but would you accept beer money if someone wanted to treat you fellows to a Guinness?

Answer: We have considered hosting a party for people on the forum, not sure if it is possible since we are in Dublin - views welcome. 1 to 36 of 36

Question: Why can the institutes / names of scientists that did initial tests not be released? Is that a condition of Steorn or of them?

Answer: Prior to any testing done on the technology a mutual NDA was put in place. This NDA requires both the consent of the company and the third party for any details to be released. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime17 hours ago

Question: The scientists that are chosen, are they going to be given a set of instructions on how to build the device so they can go off into a corner and build it from scratch?

Answer: The simple answer is yes, if that is what they want to do. I suspect that they will have it built by third parties, but it is their call. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime17 hours ago

Question: Are there going to be ANY restrictions? Could they publish a webcam of them building it, with an open blog on the steps, and on what they are doing?

Answer: Yes there are some simple restrictions, for example the testing will be conducted in three phases as outlined on our main site. Also during the testing process for each phase the details will be kept confidential (but they must be released at the end of the process). There will be no webcams, however the process will be filmed for release after validation. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime17 hours ago

Question: What kind of updates can we expect to see once the validation process is underway?

Answer: We will advise of the start of each phase and publish the results at the end of each phase. We have no plans (at the moment) to provide updates during the process itself - we will discuss this with the Jury members to see what (if anything) works in this respect. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime17 hours ago

Question: Are there any concerns of scientist not coming forward in favor of the devices operation?

Answer: We are confident that the tests will prove our claims, whatever is reported will be published (this will be a contractual obligation between Steorn and the Jury members). CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime17 hours ago

Question: Are there any legal documentation giving Steorn the right to disclose all details of the results of this validation process including names of the scientist, their credentials, and organizations they work for?

Answer: A contract will exist between Steorn and the Jury members that ensures disclosure at the end of each phase of the process. CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime17 hours ago

Question: With whom do you hope that your ‘jury’ will provide validation? (Speaking as an experimental nuclear physicist, I don’t find it an acceptable way to prove your claims. A quick survey of my peers suggests that this is a widely held belief among scientists)

Answer: The reports of the Jury will be placed in the public domain, our purpose in doing this is to prove to the public that our technology does work. I understand your comments about the method that we are using, however we could see no other route (no paper would ever be published for peer review) CommentAuthorSteorn CommentTime2 hours ago

Question: Will the full results of the testing be provided if positive assessment? if negative?

This "technology" may or may not work as claimed. But if this is an intentional scam, it's the slickest I've ever seen, especially since there appears to be NO BENEFIT in doing so.

Technical FAQs to be addressed on the website in the next day or two.

Help me out here. What's the payoff if this is nothing but scientific fraud.

Help me out here. What's the payoff if this is nothing but scientific fraud.

The payoff would be publicity. They are a technology licensing firm. They charge other companies a fee to help the company develop their ideas and products. The increased publicity might result in additional clients and fees.

I just don't see it. Their "publicity" as you say will be entirely negative. They will be laughing stocks in the scientific community for believing one of the foundations of modern physics is WRONG or MISUNDERSTOOD. They won't get any new business from this, they'll be a pariah. So why would a company knowingly commit suicide which is what will happen if they are wrong, intentionally or not.

My guess would be notoriety and the guise of apparent belief and good intent.....to be exploited afterward.

I forget the name of the guy who began Energy Conversion Devices, Inc., but as I read the above all the hub-bub from 30 or so years ago kept intruding. He was going to grow photovoltaic materials so cheap that they would become cost-effective. Since the earth is not covered with them, it is now safe to assume that he failed.....nonetheless the ECD enterprise has grown and evolved into a number of legitimate areas since the notoreity was achieved.

"The payoff would be publicity. "

You mean like the payoff that Pons and Fleischman got? (They were the Cold Fusion guys, and they have practically been in hiding ever since).

Obviously, I have no idea whether they are shysters or not, but hese guys have staked their reputation on this and they will go down in flames if it doesn't work.

Also, this is not just one guy, it's a group of engineers and scientists working on this. Usually the Perpetual Motion scams are perpetrated by one guy.

Energy Conversion Devices is marketing a solar cell of its amorphus design right now, if I recall correctly.

Lurking'

Pons and Fleishman's work has now been replicated in part at several anme brand research facilities, all of which are at a loss to explain what is happening.

Lurking'

You mean like the payoff that Pons and Fleischman got?

Pons and Fleischman, I believe, allowed and encouraged peer-review type studies.

If Steorns is a scam, like others before it, the 12 jurors will be relatively unknown and their work will take a long time. Meanwhile Steorns will reverse their position on investors and start accepting the money. Their initial refusal to accept investors boosts their credibility and increases the future (investor) payoff. If it is a scam.

"Pons and Fleishman's work has now been replicated in part at several anme brand research facilities, all of which are at a loss to explain what is happening."

I knew that they had duplicated the results in one lab but I didn't know how many others. They may be vindicated before it's all said and done.

"Meanwhile Steorns will reverse their position on investors and start accepting the money."

You are making a huge assumption.

I'll agree with your position when they start doing that but until then you don't have enough facts to make such an assertion.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.