New and Emerging Technology News part 188 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Friday 7 February 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 188

A high-resolution Doppler radar can detect individual raindrops over 0.5 mm in diameter (P...
A high-resolution Doppler radar has the ability to detect individual hydrometeors, such as atmospheric raindrops, over 0.5 mm in diameter research led by the Naval Research Laboratory has revealed. The discovery should further understanding of the structure and behavior of clouds, and could lead to more accurate forecasting of severe weather.  Read More
Brothers Ezra and Alex Cimino-Hurt marry classic electronics with vintage luggage to produ...
I would hazard a guess that most readers haven't given very much thought to what happens to trusted and faithful luggage when it's retired from frequent use. If they're not exiled to the basement for storage of odds and ends, old suitcases could very well end up just being dumped in the trash. If they're lucky though, brothers Ezra and Alex Cimino-Hurt might get hold of them for conversion into stylish and powerful Case of Bass boomboxes.  Read More
Researchers have developed technology that automatically decode distinct brain patterns to...
Researchers at Maastricht University in The Netherlands have developed a device that gives a voice to those who are completely unable to speak or move at all. Building on previous work using functional magnetic imaging (fMRI) technology, which allowed individuals to give yes/no responses or answer multiple-choice questions, the new approach allows for full, unscripted back-and-forth conversations.  Read More
Google has released its Chrome web browser for iOS devices It has been a busy week for Google, but alongside the unveiling of the Nexus 7 tablet, Nexus Q streaming media player and Project Glass, the search giant still found time in its diary to release Chrome for iOS, bringing features such as Incognito and tab syncing across devices to owners of the iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch running iOS 4.3 or later.  Read More
A natural-color image of Titan in front of Saturn captured by Cassini (Image: NASA/JPL-Cal...
The icy surface of Saturn's largest moon, Titan, is almost certainly hiding an ocean of liquid water according to data received by NASA from its Cassini spacecraft. The finding could shed light on the mystery of how methane in Titan's atmosphere is replenished.  Read More
The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power drew big crowds who enjoyed three days of speed, power, ...
The Cholmondeley Pageant of Power (CPoP) turned on its annual kaleidoscope of horsepower, adrenalin and engineering intrigue this week. The four wheel lap record was shattered by a Caterham, the BAC Mono was the fastest road car, while the cars running against the clock included an Ariel Atom 500 V8, Radical SR3 SL, Aston Martin One-77 and Noble M600. There was a Volkswagen "Schwimmwagen" amphibian, an Edison-Puton Monowheel, and a curious BMW built during WWI using a 45.8-liter V12 BMW aircraft engine. The gallery is a wonderful pictorial celebration of CPoP.  Read More
A single dose of a new nicotine vaccine could provide lifetime protection from the pleasur...
Researchers at Weill Cornell Medical College have developed a vaccine that could help existing smokers quit for good and prevent those yet to try cigarettes from ever becoming addicted. The vaccine turns the recipient’s kidney into a factory continuously churning out antibodies that clear the bloodstream of nicotine before it has a chance to reach the brain and deliver it’s addictive rush. Unlike previously tested nicotine vaccines that only last a few weeks, the effects of a single dose of this new vaccine should last a lifetime.  Read More
The Solarmonkey Adventurer's clam shell case protects and offers added storage
The Solarmonkey Adventurer is the latest in Powertraveller's line of portable solar chargers. It's the company's first to offer an internal storage battery, providing a little more flexibility. As its name implies, the device was built to hold up to the rigors and abuses of field use thanks to the device's two solar panels being contained in an insulated clam shell case.  Read More
Tactical Pad was developed by Brazilian software engineers to aid soccer coaches in the te...
Brazil is a soccer-mad country. As the host country of the upcoming 2014 World Cup, it is even more obsessed with the beautiful game. The love for the sport permeates Brazilian culture and has reached the labs of software engineers, who have created a virtual platform to replace the traditional tactic boards used by coaches to analyze and improve strategies for players.  Read More
Google co-founder Sergey Brin demonstrates Project Glass on stage at the Google I/O develo...
Google's Project Glass has intrigued many since it was unveiled in April. It was then that a compelling video showing how the company imagined this technology would be used made people sit up and take notice. In the three months that have followed, Google employees have been seen wearing the Project Glass devices, ably led by company co-founder Sergey Brin. Fittingly it was Brin who took to the stage at the Google I/O developers conference to offer more details on Project Glass, including the pricing and availability.  Read More

Google claims Jellybean is the fastest and smoothest version of Android yet
Google has revealed the latest version of its Android OS - known as Jellybean, the newest version of Android focuses on improving system performance, as well as adding a few highly requested features to the platform. Announced alongside the Nexus 7 tablet, Jellybean is set to power the next wave of Android smartphones, and will make its way to older handsets starting this July.  Read More
The distance from Earth to the Sentinel space telescope will vary between 30-170 million m...
California-based non-profit B612 Foundation has announced its intention to place an asteroid-hunting infrared telescope into orbit around the Sun. Named Sentinel, the ambitious endeavor is to be the world's first privately funded deep space mission and will aim to map up to 90 percent of all asteroids larger than 140 meters (459 ft) in Earth’s region of the solar system. In addition to these sizable asteroids, Sentinel will further provide data on a number of smaller asteroids, down to a size of approximately 30 meters (98 ft) in diameter.  Read More
Ceramic tiles coated with battery paint and then heat-sealed powered LEDs spelling out 'RI...
While battery technology has come a long way in recent years, it still places constraints on the size and shape of cellphones and other personal electronic devices. Researchers at Rice University are looking to solve this problem by developing a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that can be painted on virtually any surface ... and early results are promising.  Read More
The J30 allows campers to sleep up top while keeping the cabin interior intact
Ursa Minor Vehicles hit the scene several years ago when it unveiled the E-Camper, a converted Honda Element inspired by classic Westfalia Volkswagen van-campers. Given that the VW Microbus was no longer available in the US, the E-Camper was conceived as a sort of modern-day alternative. Now that the Element has gone the way of the Microbus, Ursa Minor is focusing attention on its all new Jeep Camper line  Read More
Canon has announced an impressive firmware upgrade for its EOS 7D DSLR camera that adds a ...
Canon has announced a comprehensive firmware upgrade for its (almost) three year-old 18-megapixel EOS 7D DSLR camera. An impressive list of new features includes higher maximum RAW burst rate, in-camera editing, user-definable Auto ISO and support for the company's GP-E2 GPS Receiver.  Read More
France’s Minitel information service is shutting down for good after 30 years of service (...
After 30 years of service, France’s Minitel information service is shutting down for good. Launched in 1982 by the French state telephone company Poste, Téléphone et Télécommunications (PTT), which later became France Télécom, it was France’s answer to the World Wide Web before the Web was even created. However, despite remarkable initial success, it proved unable to compete with the modern internet and on June 30, 2012 it will be switched off.  Read More
Efrat Barit and Saar Shai have announced that the Ringbow is about to enter its first prod...
Since bringing news of the release of a limited supply of evaluation Ringbow prototypes in April last year, quite a few changes have been made to get the "touchscreen gaming accessory" ready for production. Developers Efrat Barit and Saar Shai have enhanced the directional pad on the outside of the device and narrowed down its main user base to mobile gamers, where the extra control would doubtless be most welcome. It's also moved beyond its Android-only confines to other platforms and includes an internal battery that's said to be good for at least five hours of continuous use.  Read More
The Portable Scoreboard can be used for all kinds of activities...even mini bike races How can you possibly keep track of how much you're "winning" if you don't have something to keep score on? The simply named Portable Scoreboard is a scoreboard for the new generation of winning. Whatever your game is, the digital scorekeeper gives you a variety of ways of tallying up - everything from old fashioned push buttons to an open-source build that allows for external sensors and custom programming.  Read More
A syringe containing the oxygen microparticle solution
Six years ago, Dr. John Khier of Boston Children’s Hospital began investigating the idea of using injectable oxygen on patients whose lungs were incapacitated or whose airways were blocked. He was prompted to do so after a young girl that he was caring for passed away – she succumbed to a brain injury, which resulted when severe pneumonia caused her lungs to stop working properly, which in turn caused her blood oxygen levels to drop too low. Now, Khier is reporting that his team has injected gas-filled microparticles into the bloodstreams of oxygen-deprived lab animals, successfully raising their oxygen levels back to normal levels within seconds.  Read More
BAE Systems claims NAVSOP would complement, rather than challenge or replace, GPS technolo...
By listening to the complexity of radio signals that pervades the human environment, BAE Systems thinks its new positioning system is as accurate as, but more secure than, GPS. Because its Navigation via Signals of Opportunity (NAVSOP) system uses a wide range of signals such as Wi-Fi signals and radio and TV broadcasts, it's resistant to the jamming or spoofing of individual signals to which GPS is vulnerable.  Read More
 
Lotus begins testing of its Evora 414E Range Extender Hybrid Electric Vehicle
Lotus has announced that its Evora 414E Range Extender Hybrid Electric Vehicle (or REEV for short) has begun testing at its headquarters at former RAF base Hethel in Norfolk, UK. Labeled a "technology demonstrator," the 414E delivers two and a half times the torque of the supercharged Evora S.  Read More
The Cardsharp 2 is available in natural brushed stainless steel and Teflon black blade col... Several years ago, designer Iain Sinclair launched the Cardsharp, a razor-sharp stainless steel knife folded into a credit card-shaped package. The knife combined real-world function with sleek, aesthetic design. Now Sinclair has updated the knife into the Cardsharp 2.  Read More
INSTEON's new LED light bulb can be paired with its free iOS and Android app so that the b...
Purveyors of fine home automation technology INSTEON claim to be first to market with a "networked remote control dimmable LED light bulb". Compatible with any INSTEON remote control, the bulb can also be paired with INSTEON's free iOS and Android app so that it can be turned on, off, or dimmed, using most contemporary smartphones.  Read More
Sony snaps up cloud-gaming company Gaikai for US$380 million
Sony Computer Entertainment (SCE) announced today that it has acquired cloud-gaming company Gaikai for approximately US$380 million. Sony further confirmed that it is to employ the newly acquired technology to launch a brand new cloud service of its own, perhaps pointing toward the tantalizing possibility of PlayStation Vita integration in the near future.  Read More
Terrafugia flying car during Phase I flight test (Photo: Terrafugia)
Six years after the initial announcement that Terrafugia, Inc. would develop a "roadable airplane", the Transition has completed the first phase of flight testing. The flight testing, carried out at Plattsburgh International Airport in northern New York State, assessed the light sport aircraft's full performance envelope. The Transition prototype was reported to perform "exceptionally well", allowing the testing to be carried out quickly.  Read More
Rapamycin, a bacterial product first discovered in a soil sample from Easter Island, has b...
Rapamycin, a bacterial product first discovered in a soil sample from Easter Island – also known as Rapa Nui, hence the name – is an immunosuppressant drug used to prevent rejection in organ transplants that has now been found to enhance learning and memory in young and old mice alike. Researchers at the School of Medicine at The University of Texas (UT) Health Science Center San Antonio made the discovery while looking for a way to prevent the decline in cognitive skills that comes with age.  Read More
VSS Enterprise glides to earth on its latest successful glide flight test (Photo: Chris Va...
Virgin Galactic’s suborbital, air-launched spaceplane, SpaceShipTwo (SS2), aka VSS Enterprise, is back in the air after a break of nearly nine months following a recent integration period for rocket motor systems and maintenance. The June 26 flight coincided with another successful full duration test fire of the spaceship’s engine RocketMotorTwo (RM2) on the same day. The tests mark an intensification of activity that sees Virgin Galactic aiming for powered flights by the end of the year.  Read More
The musical umbrella was created by Berlin-based Alice Zappe and Julia Lager
During this year’s Amsterdam-based Music Hack Day, two intrepid hackers originating from Berlin created a musical umbrella which produces a random series of lo-fi 8-bit tones. The tones are triggered by raindrops striking the outside surface of the umbrella's canopy and the abstract results bring to mind a warped soundtrack for the first generation Nintendo Game Boy.  Read More
Diamonds in your washing machine can make your clothes sparkle (Photo: Shutterstock)
We all do laundry, or are perhaps lucky enough to have someone who does laundry for us. Most of that wash is done in warm or hot water, because, regardless of the claims made for laundry detergents, most detergents don't work very well in cold water. Unfortunately, the wash water has to be heated, and given an average wash temperature of about 40°C (104°F), this uses around 5-10 kWh per load. If both the temperature of the water and the amount of water used in clothes washing could be cut in half, nearly a trillion kilowatt-hours of energy could be saved each year - 0.5% of the world's total energy use. All that is stopping us is finding better laundry detergents. That's where the diamonds come in.  Read More
Ideum's Platform multitouch table has scratch-resistant glass While this week the web is full of talk about Microsoft's Surface tablet, it's less well known that that Microsoft originally used the name "Surface" for a prototype multitouch table. Commonly used in public settings such as museums, these tables have been brought to market in recent years by developers like New Mexico-based Ideum, which is now releasing its fourth-generation multitouch table.  Read More

Firefox OS is based on the Boot to Gecko project
Mozilla has announced that its Firefox OS mobile operating system will be appearing on handsets in Brazil from early 2013, available through Telefónica’s commercial brand, Vivo. Firefox OS is based on Mozilla's existing Boot to Gecko technology and each app for the platform is to be constructed in HTML5, the markup language increasingly used for structuring online content such as media and web apps.  Read More
Portuguese designer Gabriela Gomes has created a portable shelter prototype that somewhat ... Portuguese designer Gabriela Gomes has created an interesting mix of art and architecture with this portable shelter installation. The cloud-like "Shelter ByGG" has been designed do provoke sustainability at its core, using 100 percent non-polluting and recycled materials such as cork and solar roof panels to supply the module with energy.  Read More
The 'flat boombox' - though really it's a speaker A Master's design student from Germany has developed a concept for the audio speaker that might just hint at how the product will look in the future. In a word, it's flat.  Read More
ASUS has announced a new Plus Edition version of its Xonar Essence One external digital-an... ASUS has announced a new Plus Edition version of its Xonar Essence One external digital-analog converter (DAC) and headphone amplifier that offers audio lovers even more control over the sound they hear. The only real change to the setup is the addition of an op-amp swap kit that gives users another five unique tonal customization options.  Read More
IBM’s Fiona Doherty demonstrates an augmented reality shopping app that automatically deli...
While the rise and rise of online shopping has eaten into the profit margins of bricks and mortar retailers over the past decade, the vast majority of consumers (92 percent according to Forrester Research) still do their shopping in-store. But with the Internet providing a wealth of product information in the form of reviews and comparisons, as well as special offers and promotions, more and more shoppers are browsing their mobile devices in store. Now researchers at IBM Labs are looking to make it easier for shoppers to get instant product details and deals in-store with a new augmented reality (AR) shopping app.  Read More
Fuso's second-generation Canter Hybrid gets 25% better fuel economy Mercedes-owned Fuso is to expand the availability of its newly announced second-generation hybrid Canter truck in Europe. Designed at Daimler’s Global Hybrid Center in Japan, the new truck promises an identical driving experience and servicing costs, plus a 25 percent improvement in fuel economy.  Read More
New 'rubber-band electronics' technology could pave the way for flexible, stretchable medi...
In the quest to develop implantable electronics to monitor the human body from within, flexibility and stretchability have been major hurdles. We’ve seen numerous developments including stretchable LED arrays, an implantable device for measuring the heart’s electrical output, and an electrode array that melts onto the surface of the brain. Now researchers have developed technology that combines a porous polymer and liquid metal that allows electronics to bend and stretch to more than 200 percent their original size.  Read More
The Sansa 3D viewer displays 3D YouTube content using an iPhone
Wanting to jump on the 3D bandwagon but don’t have the cash to lay down for a big screen 3D TV or even a Nintendo 3DS? This 3D viewer from Japan’s Sanwa provides a cheap and easy way to enjoy 3D YouTube content on an iPhone. Functioning like the venerable View-Master stereoscopic viewer or more recent MY3D viewer from Hasbro, the device sends the left/right images from 3D videos in the side-by-side format (yt3D) to the appropriate eyeball.  Read More
The Eggasus is a three-wheeled electric vehicle fitted with an electric hub motor, enclose...
Fans of personal, futuristic eco cars have something to "eggcited" about with the arrival of Eggasus, which is slated for northern hemisphere fall launch in the US. The designers are currently taking orders of the cute, no-emissions three-wheeler, which recently made the finalist list of the Sierra Nevada Innovation Challenge.  Read More
Ferrari F60 Forumla 1 car speeds past Goodwood house at the 2012 Festival of Speed
The phrase "Mecca for motorsport fans" often gets trundled out when it comes to major automotive events, but when you're talking about the Goodwood Festival of Speed, it's a perfectly accurate description. Just about anything that has a motor and wheels is represented at Goodwood and not only can you get up close and personal with supercars, the latest concepts and legendary racers both past and present, you can also see them in action on Goodwood's famous 1.16 mile hillclimb.  Read More

McLaren's new 12C Spider features a retractable hard top (RHT) folding roof
McLaren has delivered a convertible sibling for its MP4-12C supercar. Aside from a unique retractable hard top (RHT) folding roof that can be operated at speeds of up to 30 km/h (19 mph), the new 12C Spider is pretty much identical to the 12C, with the same carbon “MonoCell” chassis and upgraded 616 bhp (625 PS) engine announced for the MP4-12C last month.  Read More
Designer Martin Keen, with his Locus semi-standing work station
With digital technology making its presence felt in an increasing number of fields, more and more people are finding that their formerly somewhat-active jobs now entail their sitting at a computer all day. Unfortunately, as most of us are by now aware, sitting for long periods of time has been shown to significantly raise a person’s chances of dying from cardiovascular, metabolic, or other types of disease. While stand-up work stations have been offered as an alternative, standing for too long can also take a toll on our well-being. Focal Upright Furniture has attempted to reached a best-of-both-worlds middle ground, however, with its new Locus work station.  Read More
Plantronics BackBeat GO wireless earbuds
Going wireless usually involves some level of compromise and with Bluetooth earphones like anything else, it's a question of whether the benefits outweigh the disadvantages. Does the convenience of cutting the cord trump the potential downside of a Bluetooth audio experience? We've been spending time with Plantronics BackBeat GO wireless earbuds in an effort to find out.  Read More
The ChildMinder Infant-Toddler Elite Pad System is designed to keep parents from forgettin...
Hard though it may be for most of us to believe, it is possible for parents to forget that they’re driving with a baby in the car. If they subsequently leave the infant locked in a very hot or cold parked vehicle for several hours, the results can be deadly. That’s why Baby Alert International is offering the ChildMinder Infant-Toddler Elite Pad System – it’s a setup that notifies absent-minded parents if they try walking away from their car, sans baby.  Read More
Researchers from Imperial College London have built a music creation engine where popular ...
Researchers from Imperial College London have built a music creation engine where popular sounds are paired and mated with other successful tunes to create new offspring that inherit features from both parents. Audio loops that fail to please become extinct, parents die off and children get the same rating treatment given to their ancestors. Over time, some rather pleasant electronica has formed without so much as one human composer in sight.  Read More
The main breakthrough of the research is the successful synthesizing of a protein produced... Researchers at Butantan Institute in São Paulo, Brazil, have developed a powerful new anti-inflammatory to relieve hard-to-control pain. Initial tests have confirmed the efficacy of the medication, which is based on a protein found in the blood.  Read More
Bruce Munro's vision to transform the Australian desert landscape around Uluru
Artist Bruce Munro has come up with an ambitious plan to transform the desert landscape around Australia's iconic Uluru (Ayres Rock) into a field of glowing solar flowers. If fulfilled, Munro’s long-held dream would see the installation of over 250,000 solar powered light stems over a one square kilometer (0.4 square mile) area.  Read More
The Modbook Pro is set to bring Mac OS X Mountain Lion to tablets
The Modbook Pro is not your average tablet - powered by Mac OS X Mountain Lion, and controlled via a Wacom stylus, it is one of the most powerful tablet computers to launch this year. It starts life as an Apple MacBook Pro, which is then transplanted into a tablet casing, and given full stylus support. The end result is a high performance tablet featuring the flexibility and precision of stylus-based control.  Read More
The EMERG-E cruises past Goodwood house One of the most eagerly awaited runs at the Goodwood Festival of Speed on the weekend was that of the 402bhp (300kW) Infiniti EMERG-E, which appeared as a fully-functional demonstrator for the first time.  Read More
Two-faced solar cells boost yields by up to 50 percent
Israeli photovoltaics developer bSolar has developed a double-sided solar cell it claims can boost the energy yields of solar panels by up to 50 percent when installed vertically, or by between 10 and 30 percent in more typical installations. The "bifacial" cells rely on a back surface field (BSF) of boron rather than aluminum, which bSolar claims not only allows for an open rear face but also increases the efficiency at the front of the solar panel.  Read More

1 comment:

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