The concept of “last few mile mobility” is one
which we'll all grow accustomed to over the next decade as the world's
cities become more congested and non-polluting micro mobility concepts
begin to supplement other forms of transport. In the last year alone
we've seen Toyota's Winglet, Honda's U3-X, Nissan's electric skis, and
now Volkswagen has shown a micro mobility concept which it has dubbed
the "Bik.e" – a folding electric bike with one of the most ingenious
folding mechanisms we've seen. With a range of 20 kilometres (12.5
miles), the Bik.e has 20 inch wheels and folds to a footprint identical
to that of a car spare tyre, enabling it to be stowed away easily.
Whatsmore, the bik.e will definitely see production, and possibly even
before the end of the year. VW's choice of form factor is as fascinating
as its choice of a recognisable name is inspired. The Bik.e could turn
out to be as important to VW as the iPod has been to Apple. Read More
While Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic is moving steadily along the space tourism trail, Space Adventures,
Ltd, - featured regularly on Gizmag - is currently the only company
skyrocketing people into space (and bringing them home again). It has
even placed “privateers” in the International Space Station. The company
has just announced that it has joined forces with Armadillo Aerospace,
LLC, makers of reusable rocket-powered vehicles, to market and sell
exclusive trips on Armadillo Aerospace’s future suborbital spaceflight
vehicles, currently in development. Read More
The makers of what has been described as the “world’s greatest weapon”, the Russian Kalashnikov machine gun,
were also pretty handy at constructing motorbikes, selling around 11
million of them since their formation in 1927. For many years, this
Soviet motorbike factory ran second only to Japan in production numbers.
One of its most popular bikes was the 1929 Izh-1, and this is a 2012
take on the motorcycle by designer Igor Chak. The concept design comes
with more safety features than 10 Volvos combined and is aimed at making
riding on the highways and byways safer than walking. Read More
The use of remotely-controlled robots to perform delicate surgery
is growing. The approach offers benefits to both patients and doctors
including reduced fatigue, quicker recovery times and a reduced risk of
infection. Now another breakthrough in the field has been reported in the U.K., where doctors have performed a first in remote-controlled heart surgery. Read More
Could walking or running generate enough energy
to power your cell phone or GPS device? Dr. Ville Kaajakari has
developed an innovative piezoelectric generator prototype small enough
to be embedded in the sole of a shoe that's designed to produce enough
power to operate GPS receivers, location tags and eventually, even a
cell phone. Read More
It's more than 40 years since the first human set foot on the moon, so where are all the robot space explorers? While rovers like those that have been trawling the Martian surface in recent times could properly be called robots, and machines like the legless R2
are heading to space, these don't match the classic science fiction
image of a bi-pedal humanoid bot that we've all become accustomed to.
Now a Japanese space-business group is promising to set things in order
by sending a humanoid robot to the moon by 2015. Read More
With BenQ's new E1260 HDR wide angle 12 megapixel
compact, the company is offering snappers the opportunity to easily
capture amazing images no matter the lighting conditions. The new model
includes proprietary technology "designed bring out the finest details
in the darkest and brightest parts of an image," along with 720p HD
movie recording and user interface simplicity. Read More
Zi Ye and Hammad Khalid from the Human Media Lab
at Queen's University in Canada have created a truly flexible, portable
gaming interface called Project Cobra. Users of the system interact with
images projected onto a handheld board by physically bending and
twisting sections or applying pressure to areas containing sensors. Read More
Putting the pressure on algae to create biofuel
By Ben Coxworth
April 29, 2010
If you’ve read even a little bit about potential
sources of biofuel, you’ll know that algae is one of the big ones.
During photosynthesis, the unicellular aquatic plant turns sunlight and
carbon dioxide into oil. It’s grown in ponds, where it’s not taking land
away from food production, and yields much more oil than other biofuel
crops, such as corn or soybeans. Researchers at the University of
Michigan have recently come up with a method of getting algae to give up
its oil more quickly and efficiently than has previously been possible -
they pressure cook it. Read More
Microsoft is preparing the launch of an all-new Windows Live Messenger as part of its Wave 4
version of Windows Live. The range of new features will appeal to the
modern online generation and are a significant step up over previous
versions. Read More
If you are trying to search the web using a
language other than English and you don't have the correct keyboard
handy, well, there's bound to be a problem. Google has come up with a
solution by integrating virtual keyboards into its search engine. Now up
and running in 35 languages, the on-screen keyboards allow input in a
local language script without any additional software and no matter what
computer you are using. Read More
Consider the humble camping stove. It requires
fuel - perhaps some unwieldy bottle that air carriers object strongly
to. Maybe it needs batteries to run a fan, or billows out smoke so you
smell like smoked sweatshirt for the rest of the trip. The solution
might be the BioLite stove - it's a collapsible wood-burning cook stove
that uses almost any forest-found fuel and converts its own heat energy
into electricity to achieve efficient combustion with ultra-low
emissions. Read More
The nPower PEG we first tried in prototype form at CES 2009
finally goes on sale tomorrow (May 3, 2010). The PEG is a light-weight,
titanium encased portable generator that can recharge a handheld device
(phone, media player, camera, GPS etc.) when you are away from the
grid, though it is unlike any other mobile power solutions in that you
DON'T need any fuel, don't need to turn hand cranks and you don't need
the sun. The US$150 PEG is 9 inches long, weighs 9 ounces and harvests
kinetic energy as you move about in your daily life. Just put it in your
backpack, bumbag, handbag, brief case or glovebox and it will collect
and store energy from your movements. The first 1000 units will
appropriately be engraved as “First Mover” Editions. Read More
Audio and video electronics giant Pioneer has
announced four new media player docking stations. Highlights of the
"Works with iPhone" certified systems include a 2.1 speaker and
subwoofer setup, DNLA networking compliance, Bluetooth connectivity and
CD to MP3 ripping. Read More
If, like me, you've spent significant time and
precious funds seeking out decent earphones for your portable media
player only to end up having to try again, digiZoid reckons that its Zo
personal subwoofer could save you from further earache and
disappointment. About the size of an iPod nano and weighing less than an
ounce, the Zo is said to work by dynamically adjusting audio signal
input to present the listener with clearer bass, crisp highs and smooth
mids without having to increase overall player volume. Read More
Zagato is celebrating its long term links with
Alfa Romeo during the marque’s centenary year by crafting a modern
interpretation of the classic Alfa TZ and TZ2 racing cars of the 1960s.
Like the originals, the cutting edge TZ3 is designed to minimize weight
yet use the most powerful drive-train possible, so the 1960s aluminum
tubular frame has been replaced by a carbon fiber monocoque with
hand-crafted aluminum panels and in place of the original four cylinder
engine is an 8C Competizone 4.2 liter V8. The final equation is 420 bhp
pushing a curb weight of 850 kg for a 0-100 kmh in 3.5 seconds and a
top speed of 300 kmh… and good looks and wicked roadholding. Read More
Back in the 70’s, Mad Magazine ran a satirical
article proposing crazy new methods of dealing with garbage. One of them
involved taking the trash, compressing it into cubes, then building
things out of those. Flash forward to 2010, and a Houston company is
doing almost that very thing, and with medical waste, no less.
Sharps Compliance takes items like needles, syringes and lancets, and
presses them into a pelletized building material called PELLA-DRX. Read More
Redrock Microsystems, a manufacturer of
cinema-quality camera accessories for digital filmmakers, has unveiled
its new MicroRemote focus control system for use on DV and HD DSLR
cameras. The wireless system includes an iPhone-compatible remote
control unit, base station, motorized focus ring, and a sonar
rangefinder. Read More
As developing nations such as India and China
continue down the road to prosperity, it’s not surprising that their
citizens have been eager to spend their newfound wealth on material
possessions. Makers of consumer goods are increasingly turning their
attention to the developing world as a potentially huge market. All that
consumption will ultimately lead to something else, however - a glut of
worn-out, obsolete electronic products, chock-full of toxic substances.
In fact, according to a new report from the American Chemical Society,
by 2030 the e-waste generated by developing nations will be double that
of the developed world. Read More
Many of us have spent precious hours on the
Internet researching products, hotels or services when we had better
things to do. If only we could hand the task to someone else. Well
here's a new way to delegate. For a small fee, “Fancy Hands” offers to
take the legwork out of your personal administration, leaving you to get
on with more interesting things. Read More
Mercedes-Benz is now equipping its popular
C-Class 180 CGI, 200 CGI and 220 CDI models with BlueEFFICIENCY.
Featuring six-speed manual transmissions and ECO start/stop
functionality, the company says this technology will reduce the
vehicles’ fuel consumption and CO2 emissions by 10 percent . The
newly-configured C 220 CDI will now consume only 4.4L/100km and CO2
emissions drop to 117g/km. Also added to the line-up for the first time
is the C 250 CDI 4MATIC Blue EFFICIENCY four-cylinder 4WD diesel. Read More
For a good while now the Eee Keyboard PC
from ASUS has been is a recurring state of "coming soon" but the
company has made things a tad more certain by issuing an official launch
statement. Connecting the keyboard-computer hybrid to an external
monitor, projector or HD television gives users yet another portable
web-enabled multimedia entertainment center or stylish boardroom
presentation solution. Read More
There are many pens on the market today that
claim to be biodegradable, or ecologically sound – but are they really?
DBA in New York wanted to produce a responsible alternative to the vast
numbers of wasteful and toxic pens we use and dispose of unethically
every day, and claims to have designed not only a pen that looks good
and writes well, but is also the world's only 98% biodegradable pen.
Read More
RM Auctions’ inaugural Sporting Classics of Monaco
event held on Saturday leaves little doubt that fine automobiles can be
a rapidly appreciating investment. The average price achieved by the 88
cars which crossed the block was in excess of US$500,000 while the
highest price fetched was EUR2,800,000 (US$3,799,600) for a 1962 Ferrari
400 Superamerica Cabriolet Pininfarina SWB (pictured top right). Some
remarkable cars were sold on the day, including (pictured clockwise from
bottom right) one of the world’s most significant pre-war sports racing
cars, the 1937 BMW 328 MM ‘Buegelfalte’ (undisclosed but believed to be
in excess of US$6 million), a handmade Rolls Royce which was the most
expensive car made in the world in 1933 (US$1,975,792) and a Maserati
Tipo 61 ‘Birdcage’ (US$3,343,648). Full details, images and story
inside. Read More
The hydrogen economy that may one day replace the
hydrocarbon economy came a step closer this week with the announcement
that researchers have discovered an inexpensive new proton reduction
catalyst - seventy times cheaper than the platinum commonly used now -
that can significantly reduce the costs of producing hydrogen using
electrolysis to split water into molecules of hydrogen and oxygen. Read More
All lenses have their little quirks, but anyone
importing and processing huge stacks of shots at any one time will know
what a pain it is to manually correct these nagging traits. Available
now as a pre-release Adobe's Lens Profile Creator gives photographers
the power to bulk correct lens distortions in images captured by a
particular lens. Read More
How do we get a good picture of what trees are
where, how they are affecting or contributing to the environment, and
what problems they might be susceptible to in today's changing world?
The main problem with recording this vital information is (to borrow a
line) “tree people like planting trees, they don't like entering data.”
So why not throw the task open to the local community? The Urban Forest
Map is a one-stop repository using information contributed from any
willing group or individual and aims to engage community participation
to build a complete, dynamic picture of the urban forest. Read More
Its prototype might not have been found in a bar,
but the leaks and rumors surrounding the Nokia N8 can now be put to bed
following official outing of the new smartphone. The N8 is the first
device to be powered by Nokia's new Symbian^3 platform, and the company
believes that it will put some dedicated point-and-shoot cameras to
shame with its 12MP camera featuring Carl Zeiss optics and Xenon flash.
Read More
It's good to see a national gas company taking
the lead in renewable energy. British Gas in the UK has announced a new
pilot scheme with Thames Water and Scotia Gas Networks to build a plant
that will clean biomethane gas harvested from human waste and inject it
back into the grid for use in kitchens and heating. Read More
We’ve all seen cards with images that move or
provide a 3D effect without glasses when the viewing angle is moved.
Although the technology has been around since the 1940s, its limitations
in viewing distance and clarity has seen it largely remain a novelty
for prizes in cereal boxes, collectible cards and the occasional movie
poster. Now researchers have updated the technology for the 21st
Century, enabling a much clearer 3D image on posters up to five meters
in size which can also be viewed from a distance. Read More
Maingear has recently unveiled what it claims to
be the fastest 15" gaming laptop on the market. Offering top-of-the-line
components while still allowing for several customization options, the
new eX-L promises to satisfy even the most demanding of hardcore gamers.
Read More
British digital and internet radio enthusiasts
have enjoyed the quality sound and cool styling of PURE products for a
good while now. Happily, the company has just announced that three of
the range first announced at CES 2010 will shortly be available to U.S.
customers. The award-winning EVOKE Flow, the independence-inducing Oasis
Flow and the Siesta Flow bedside companion are leading the charge, with
others following a little later. Read More
Authorities around the world have long puzzled
how to effectively deter those who would endanger innocent lives by
driving recklessly on public roads. Car confiscation laws are now in
place in many jurisdictions within America, Canada, Australia, Holland,
Israel, South Africa and Poland, and in Iran you can have your car
confiscated if it is carrying a pet or an inadequately covered female or playing loud music – indeed, in Iran, you can even be imprisoned and flogged for driving offences. Maybe that would be preferable for some, compared to what happened to this guy. Read More
Swiss researchers have reported laser-powered
cloud seeding success, both inside and outside the laboratory. Inside
the lab, a powerful infrared laser caused visible clouds of vapor to
follow in its wake when fired into a water-saturated chamber and
sensitive weather apparatus recorded spikes in water droplet density
when it was fired into the skies of Berlin, although nothing was visible
to the naked eye. Read More
We've all been there - you're trying to
communicate with someone who doesn't speak your language and you don't
speak theirs, and no amount of charades and gesturing will do the trick.
You need a toilet and he's wondering why you're telling him your
brother eats flies. Converse is the name of a new app that will soon
become available which is claimed to turn your iPhone into a double
ended language translator – a multilingual, face-to-face instant
messaging conversation. It's one of the most innovative uses of the
iPhone's form factor we've yet seen, with both people able to type on a
keyboard in their own language at the same time and have the words
translated and displayed for the other person. If it works as
advertised, Converse is set to significantly reduce communication
problems on holidays and business trips. The new app enables an English
speaker to communicate with people in 51 different languages and
keyboards accommodate non-Latin languages such as Arabic, Chinese,
Japanese, Korean, Russian, Thai, Czech, Hebrew and Ukrainian scripts.
Read More
If your residence is cramped for space, so much
so that you don’t have any shelves left on which to place your
iPhone/iPod dock, then you need one of these. Finite Elemente’s
Hohrizontal 51 is a shelf with a built-in dock and speakers that not
only provides a special place from which to play your tunes, but also is
big enough to house other things – like that vase your mother-in-law
bought you as a house-warming gift. Read More
Volkswagen presented its electric mobility vision
to some very high-profile guests in Berlin this week. German Chancellor
Dr. Angela Merkel and transport minister Dr. Peter Ramsauer were
treated to a closer look at the 93 mile (150 km) range Golf
blue-e-motion, which is set for fleet testing next year ahead of a
planned 2013 launch. Read More
A team at University of Florida has developed a
new thin film technology that can convert infrared light into visible
light. In layman terms, we can stop eating carrots to improve our night
vision because it might soon be applied cheaply to our eye glasses, car
windshields, even our cell phones, and it could be here in a little as 18 months. Read More
Is your iPhone 3GS not being taken seriously any
more because all your friends have one too? You need a Gizmocase to
turn heads (and bottle tops). This groovy silicone skin protects against
impact and your phone’s ports and buttons are protected against dust
and moisture, helping to prolong the life of your device. Read More
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