New and Emerging Technology News part 189 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Friday 7 February 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 189

The researchers used a standard T-shirt purchased from a local discount store for their wo...
As manufacturers of smartphones and mobile devices strive to make their products increasingly portable, they repeatedly come up against the constraints of existing battery technology. However, Xiaodong Li, a professor at the University of South Carolina (USC) believes that we will soon be able to employ the clothes we wear to help overcome such challenges and to this end, Li has transformed T-shirt material into an energy storage medium which could one day be used to power portable devices.  Read More
The Sounder is an iPad and iPhone4/S stand and natural amplifier which promises to double ... The Sounder is an iPad and iPhone 4/S stand and natural amplifier which promises to double the volume of the docked device. The Sounder contains no electronics or active elements and each amplifier is hand made from reused wood, and each is unique. The three versions of the Sounder which Sounder Industries offers include a model made from timber which originates from the iconic Coney Island Boardwalk.  Read More
'Desperate Debra' is a caesarean section simulator that trains surgeons to deal with poten...
Though its makers describe Desperate Debra as "the world's first impacted fetal head simulator," it's perhaps simpler to describe it as a practice dummy for caesarean sections carried out due to the baby's head having become wedged in the mother's pelvis: a situation known as impaction. It's a potentially life-threatening complication and one that is tricky to rectify. Manufacturer of medical simulators Adam,Rouilly has come up with Desperate Debra so that surgeons may practice the procedure.  Read More
Sony UK has launched the XQD S Series memory cards, which are said to outpace Compact Flas...
Despite numerous other format developments, Compact Flash has remained the memory card of choice for many of today's photography professionals. It's reliable, rugged and a good size for quick swap overs during shoots. CF is also a good deal faster than other media trying to break into the pro market. The addition of UltraDMA Mode 7 in Revision 6.0 took the format's maximum read/write speed up to 167 MBps but Sony has now managed to nudge ahead with the launch of its faster XQD S Series memory cards.  Read More
A proton-proton collision observed by CMS produces two high-energy photons - behavior cons...
Numbers are yet to be crunched and the data analysis goes on, but one thing appears to be certain: scientists at CERN have discovered a new boson, and it's probably the Higgs particle, the missing particle of the Standard Model which is thought to lend all matter its mass. Both the ATLAS and CMS experiments at CERN observe a new particle with mass between 125 and 126 GeV, comfortably within the band of possible Higgs masses previously identified.  Read More
Fraunhofer researchers have developed a window coating (not pictured) that lets in more li...
With many of us spending more and more time indoors, it can be a struggle to get the amount of sunlight our bodies crave. Modern heat-insulating, sun-protection glazing doesn’t help, as it reflects a noticeable percentage of the incident sunlight in the part of the spectrum that governs our hormonal balance. Researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute for Silicate Research (ISC) have developed a coating for windows that lets in more light, in particular those wavelengths of light that have a beneficial effect on our sense of well-being.  Read More
The prototype athlete-specific sprint shoe created by Luc Fusaro using 3D printing technol...
With sprinting events at the elite level decided by fractions of a second, athletes are always on the lookout for anything that can provide even the smallest advantage over their rivals. We recently looked at Nike’s Pro TurboSpeed suit that is claimed to cut down a runner’s wind resistance by using golf ball-like dimples, but footwear plays an equally, if not more, important role in an athlete’s performance. Now French engineer and designer Luc Fusaro has employed 3D printing technology to create lightweight sprint shoes that are customized for individual athletes that could prove the difference between winning and losing.  Read More
Jeff Greenberg (right) demonstrating the MyFord Touch intelligent test rig (Photo: Gizmag)...
The Ford Motor Company recently invited Gizmag to attend its Go Further With Ford 2012 conference on technological trends, which took place last Tuesday through Thursday in Detroit. One of the presentations that we took in looked at the automaker’s MyFord Touch system, and where that technology may be heading. Among other things, the Ford engineers want the system to be able to automatically ascertain how mentally-taxed the driver is, so it can determine if it should deliver notifications to them, or just shut up and let them drive.  Read More
Valve is planning to release the Source Filmmaker to let gamers animate and record their o...
Valve has gained a reputation over the years not just for consistently putting out great games, but also for the slick trailers and promo videos that go along with them. But now the developer is turning the tables and handing over its own video-making tools to fans free of charge. With the Source Filmmaker, gamers will be able to direct, animate, and record their own videos as if they were shooting on location inside a video game.  Read More
The defining feature of the BMW Olympic Pavilion is its waterfall plinth It's July, which means the London 2012 Summer Games are less than a month away. For the average world citizen, that means simply clearing a little time in his or her schedule to cheer on their country. For BMW and Serie Architects, it means overseeing the finishing touches on a massive pavilion that includes an integrated waterfall.  Read More

IBM's 'ninja polymers' are capable of killing antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as Staphy...
Bacteria such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) can not only cause potentially lethal infections, but they are also unaffected by commonly-available antibiotics. Even when it comes to bacteria that can be more easily controlled, we are still constantly being warned about the danger of them becoming antibiotic-resistant. Now, however, researchers have discovered a new antiobiotic-free method of killing bacteria including MRSA ... and it’s based on semiconductor technology.  Read More
The BMW Zagato Coupe is a brand new, one-off, handmade collaboration between BMW and Milan...
The Villa d’Este on the shores of Lake Como in Italy is a most beautiful and exclusive place. Each year it hosts the Concorso d'Eleganza Villa d'Este to celebrate the skills and craftsmanship of the motor industry’s best "carrozzeria" - coachbuilders in English - and a mouth-watering display of classic handmade motor cars is the result. BMW regularly sponsors the event and shows off a vintage car from its collection. This year, however, they pulled off something completely unexpected, a spectacular brand new, one-off, handmade vehicle made in collaboration with Milan’s Zagato workshop.  Read More
Lotus was the featured marque at Goodwood 2012, and the theme of the Festival of Speed scu...
While there was certainly plenty of action on the track at last weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed, that was far from the only automotive eye-candy on hand. Attractions off the tarmac included a display of Alain Prost's Formula 1 drives, a beautiful collection of luxury automobiles celebrating the Diamond Jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, exhibitions from almost every major auto manufacturer, action sports demonstrations, rally cars, motorcycles, racers from yesteryear ... and of course, a smorgasbord of supercars.  Read More
The prototype cooling vest and zeolite chamber
Lowering the body’s core temperature has been shown to decrease the likelihood of neurological damage in the event of oxygen deprivation. In a process known as “therapeutic hypothermia,” hospital medical staff will routinely administer chilled water blankets or insert cold drip catheters, in order to protect patients who have just experienced a cardiac arrest or stroke. What can be done, however, when someone has a heart attack far from a hospital? Well, in the near future, bystanders may be able to suit them up with a cooling vest – possibly saving them from permanent brain injury.  Read More
Eat Balanced nutritionally balanced pizzas won the 2012 'Best New Idea' award at the 2012 ...
Pizza. An oven-baked flat, round bread covered by a combination of tomato sauce, cheese, and other toppings. Despite this rather clinical description, pizza is arguably the most scrumptious item in the ever-widening field of junk foods ... but must pizza be a junk food? Two people, appropriately named Maclean and Lean of Glasgow, Scotland had an idea for making it healthier.  Read More
The RepRap printer, using molten sugar to create the vascular network's mold and filaments...
For a great number of people, the idea of being able to use a patient’s own cells to create lab-grown replacement organs is very appealing. Already, researchers have had success growing urethras (which are essentially hollow tubes), and miniature human livers. Before large, solid, three-dimensional organs can be grown, however, scientists must figure out a reliable way of incorporating blood vessels into them – if the lab-grown organs simply take the form of a block of cells, the cells on the inside won’t be able to receive any nutrients, and will die. Now, a team from the University of Pennsylvania and MIT has devised a way of building such vessels, using sugar.  Read More
The gorgeous Nixie tube chess set made by Tony Adams is now being made available as a limi...
The gentle orange glow of a Nixie display tube has held a special place in the hearts of DIY device builders for as long as I can remember but they seem to be undergoing something of a mainstream revival of late. Many are used as clock displays (as evidenced by our recent coverage of the Ramos alarm clock and ThinkGeek’s DIY Nixie Tube Desk Clock kit), due to the most common tube featuring a stack of numerical cathodes. Some display scientific symbols, of course, and its these Nixie tubes that have been used in the creation of the gorgeous chess board you see above. Developer Tony Adams (otherwise known as Lasermad) has received such a positive response to his design that he's decided to sell a limited number as self-build kits.  Read More
Professor Stephen Hawking (Photo Credit: NASA/Paul Alers)
Tech startup Neurovigil announced last April that Stephen Hawking was testing the potential of its iBrain device to allow the astrophysicist to communicate through brainwaves alone. Next week Professor Hawking and iBrain inventor, Dr Philip Low from Stanford University, present their findings at the Francis Crick Memorial Conference in Cambridge, England. In anticipation, Gizmag spoke to Dr Low about the potential applications of the iBrain.  Read More
A flexible organic solar module developed by researchers at the Karlsruhe Institute of Tec...
The Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, through its Light Technology Institute, this month will initiate new research on printable organic solar cells. The four-year project aims at increasing the efficiency of such cells to more than 10 percent. These promising, cheaper solar cells can be manufactured using existing techniques such as screen printing and continuous roll-to-roll processes. So far, however, low efficiency rates have stood between these cells and the market.  Read More
One of 32 record-breaking animated mosaics projected onto Buckingham Palace (Photo: Bex Wa... A series of striking illuminated animated mosaics projected onto Buckingham Palace has broken the Guinness World Record for the most artists working on an art installation.  Read More
 
Raxibo Hand-Tret-Velo gives you a full body workout
Bicycling can really be a pain in the legs. Your lower limbs pump endlessly to power the bike wheels over miles upon miles of terrain. Meanwhile, your arms just hang there doing little to nothing. The Raxibo Hand-Tret-Velo system evens things out, putting both your arms and legs to work toward cycling forward.  Read More
Ontario's Green Sun Rising has launched the Solar Bench, a picnic bench and table topped b... Ontario's Green Sun Rising has launched a Solar Bench that provides some welcome relief from the heat of the sun for mobile device users, while also offering to keep batteries topped up via flexible solar panels installed on the roof.  Read More
A lab test illustrating how the new system can make raindrops 'disappear'
Driving at night in falling rain or snow can be treacherous, but not just because the asphalt is slippery – visibility is also greatly reduced, as the driver’s view of the road ahead is obscured by brightly headlight-lit raindrops or snowflakes. In the future, however, that may not be so much of a problem. A team led by Carnegie Mellon University’s Prof. Srinivasa Narasimhan has developed an experimental headlight system that renders most foreground precipitation virtually invisible, while still adequately illuminating the road beyond.  Read More
An artist's impression of the Mars Science Laboratory moments before touching the Martian ...
A month from now, the Mars Science Laboratory (Curiosity) rover is set to touch down on the surface of the Red Planet and begin its mission to learn more about the possible existence of life - past or present. Curiosity will attempt to touch down using a complex and unusual landing sequence unlike any other used for previous Mars rovers ... here's how the plan will unfold.  Read More
Unplugged is a prototype of an office work station that powers devices via energy that is ...
Unplugged is an office work station of the future concept that envisions powering your electronic devices via energy collected off the human body. The prototype was created by Swedish designer Eddi Törnberg as part of his final year thesis at Beckmans College of Design, in Stockholm, and you will be pleased to know that it doesn’t mean you'd be required to pedal away while you work. In fact all you would have to do is move about your office as normal, sit in your chair and let the heat of your body do the rest.  Read More
The GameDock turns the iPhone into a home game console The GameDock is a new accessory in the works for iPhone and iPad that converts your mobile device into a retro game console, complete with controller support for two players and video output for big screen gameplay. The controller is similar to the original Nintendo Gamepad and features a single directional pad and two action buttons in a comfortable and well tested layout.  Read More
Del Popolo’s is a traveling pizza truck located in San Francisco, that features an impress... Del Popolo’s is a traveling pizza truck located in San Francisco, that features an impressive wood-fired pizza oven. The mobile restaurant has been constructed from a recycled shipping container which has been completely remodeled to include a modern kitchen workspace and two large glass doors that open out to the public.  Read More
The eco-friendly ATM booth constructed from environmentally friendly raw materials
Brazil’s Edra Equipamentos has developed an eco-friendly ATM booth crafted from environmentally friendly raw materials. Instead of conventional, oil-derived resins, the walls and ceiling of the booth are built from a polymer derived from a combination of recycled plastic, such as PET bottles, and renewable sources, such as oilseed plants. A photovoltaic solar panel on the roof powers the booth’s LED lighting at night, while during the day natural light floods in through a clear “Solatube” system coated with a film from 3M that blocks more than 80 percent of infrared rays to help keep the interior cool.  Read More
Postdoctoral fellow Guihua Yu, Associate Professor Zhenan Bao and visiting scholar Lijia P...
Researchers at Stanford University have created an electrically conductive gel that feels and behaves like biological tissues, but conducts electricity like a metal or semiconductor. The gel can also be printed or sprayed as a liquid before being turned into a gel. The researchers say this combination of characteristics gives the gel enormous promise for developing new biological sensors and energy storage devices.  Read More
The system developed at Langley flies a kite in a figure-8 pattern to power a generator on...
Currently, land-based tower wind turbines are the dominant source of wind power, but they take up a lot of space and generally need to be placed in high visibility areas, such as the tops of hills or ridges. They are also located close to the ground, where friction from the Earth’s surface slows the wind and increases its turbulence, negatively affecting the efficiency of the turbines. NASA engineers are looking at technologies that would help airborne wind power systems, capable of generating much more power, get off the ground.  Read More

The creators of the Chapul Bar consider eating insects a way of conserving resources
After a successful Kickstarter campaign, a protein snack bar made from crickets is set for an August launch. Chapul claims its bar is the first in the world to use the ubiquitous summer chirpers as a source of protein. And they're not necessarily as gross as they sound.  Read More
A system developed by Indian researchers blocks mobile phone signals while driving (Photo:...
By now, everyone should know that using your mobile phone while driving is dangerous. Yet, when hitting the road the chances are you’ll still see someone holding a phone to their ear while behind the wheel. Researchers in India are aiming to take away the ability for drivers to chat on the phone altogether by developing a system that blocks the a driver's mobile phone signal, while not affecting the phones of other passengers in the vehicle.  Read More
The Masten Xaero landing vertically on it's launch platform in the Mohave desert
In celebration of the two hundred and thirty sixth anniversary of the signing of the United States Declaration of Independence from British rule, Masten Space Systems has performed a record-setting flight of their vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) Xaero suborbital rocket at the Mohave Air and Space Port. Unlike the rockets designed specifically for the NASA Lunar Lander challenge, the Xaero is the only VTVL rocket intended to carry payloads into suborbital trajectories. The test flight saw the Xaero propelled to an altitude of 444 meters (1,457 feet), before returning to Earth and making a perfect landing on its jets. However, the test flight took place on July 3 - after all, who wants to work on the fourth?  Read More
Microsoft's Surface Pro tablet powered by Windows 8 marks a shift in the computing industr...
Windows 8 represents a big change for Microsoft’s industry leading OS. It breaks from tradition by doing away with the long serving Start button and replacing it with a tile-based and touch-friendly Metro UI. While this move has widely polarized opinion, especially in the enterprise sector, it does represent a major trend across the industry, with mobile-tablet operating systems becoming more and more closely related to their laptop and desktop counterparts. This trend is personified by Microsoft’s in-house tablet, the Surface Pro.  Read More
New technology based on the eye of a moth improves the quality of X-ray images without com...
To increase stealth and evade predators, the moth has evolved a remarkable eye that, rather than reflecting light, absorbs it almost completely. Engineers have mimicked its nanostructure in the past to design better solar panel coatings and antireflective surfaces, and are now using the same principle to design a thin film that will absorb radiation from X-ray machines more effectively, exposing patients to a significantly lower risk while obtaining higher quality imaging.  Read More
Every component of the GV62711 vacuum cleaner except for the bag, motor, and wheels is enc...
Every now and then, we here at Gizmag like to take a look at how the other half (or one percent) live. And why not? It's nice to occasionally fantasize about say, waking up in a private, underwater hotel room, to be chauffeured in a Mercedes-Benz to a weekend getaway on your own personal floating island. But does that fantasy involve personalized, gold-plated cleaning appliances? If it didn't before, it sure can now with GoVacuum's GV62711 vacuum cleaner and it's US$1 million price tag.  Read More
The Lola-Drayson B12/69EV has set a speed record for electric cars, at the Goodwood Festiv... This past January, the Lola-Drayson B12/69EV was unveiled to the public. Created by Drayson Racing Technologies and the Lola Cars group, it promised to be the fastest electric-powered racing car in the world. Well, it looks like it’s on its way to fulfilling that promise, as it set a speed record this week at the Goodwood Festival of Speed.  Read More
The Apollo dress shirt from Ministry of Supply uses NASA space suit technology to regulate...
So you're looking dapper in your snappy business suit as you head out into the afternoon sun to walk a few blocks to your next meeting but by the time you arrive you're a good deal less fresh than when you set off just moments before. Your expensive new super white cotton shirt is stuck to your back and something nasty is taking to the air around you. This is precisely the kind of scenario that the Apollo shirt from Ministry of Supply was designed to combat. The wrinkle-free dress shirt makes use of NASA technology to help regulate body temperature, while also neutralizing pit-pong and adapting to the movement of the wearer.  Read More
EyeMusic is an experimental system for the blind, that translates visual information into ...
Sensory substitution devices work by converting one type of sensory input into another – examples would be systems such as CASBLiP and EYE 21, which allow the blind to “see” by assigning sounds to images. Now, a team of researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have created a similar wearable device, known as EyeMusic. It “employs pleasant musical scales to convey visual information,” and could one day help the visually impaired more easily perform tasks that the rest of us take for granted.  Read More
Some brightly outlined lettering and a surprise audio message attempt to bring the 'don't ... The United States celebrated its independence yesterday, and one state turned to a unique tactic for fighting the drunk driving that unfortunately goes hand in hand with major holidays. The Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning has teamed up with the Michigan Licensed Beverage Association toward putting talking urinal cakes into restaurants and bars throughout several counties in the state. The electronic sanitary discs provide an on-the-spot reminder not to drive after drinking, using both written and motion-activated audio messages.  Read More

ARCHOS has announced the first in a new line of low cost Elements Android tablets in the s...
French consumer electronics company ARCHOS has just detailed the first in a series of budget Android tablets. The new Elements range will include 7- and 8-inch models but the first out of the starting blocks is the ARCHOS 97 carbon which, as the name might indicate, features a 9.7-inch display. The screen supports up to five simultaneous touch points and features In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology for wide viewing angles.  Read More
Sensors ensure the Lampbrella is deployed to offer pedestrians shelter whenever it starts ... You can't always predict a downpour, or (if you're anything like us) remember your umbrella, and as such we've all been soaked while walking around a city. But designer Mikhail Belyaev doesn't think that forgetting to check the weather forecast before heading out should result in you getting wet. That's why he created Lampbrella, a lamp post with its own rain-sensing umbrella.  Read More
The iTikes toys include a keyboard, map, microscope, and an art canvas
Any parent knows that irrespective of what engaging and exciting toys you buy for your children, they will always be more interested in your mobile phone or tablet computer. It's an inescapable fact of modern day parenting. With this in mind, toy firm Little Tikes has revealed a range of iPhone-friendly toys which can connect with your iOS devices.  Read More
18 year-old engineering student Chris Rieger has spent the last 6 months building his LevL...
The inclusion of a floating lamp, bed or just about any appropriately-sized household object in a room is almost certain to be received with open-mouthed wonder and demand closer inspection from the curious minds of young and old alike. Add the wireless transfer of power into the mix and you're guaranteed to have a winner. Such is the case with 18 year-old Chris Rieger's LevLight. It's not exactly huge, doesn't break any new ground in a technical sense and is more functional than flashy. Nevertheless, the floating LED is quite the visual feast.  Read More
Image of the shadow of a single ytterbium atom (Image: Griffith University)
A team of researchers at Griffith University has managed to stretch the capabilities of microscopy to its ultimate limit. Culminating a five-years effort, the scientists have obtained a digital image of the shadow cast by a single atom, in a development that might soon lead to important advances in scientific observations ranging from the very big to the very small.  Read More
Charge your gadgets on the move from a small, integrated power supply Timbuk2, a manufacturer of bags and packs of all shapes and sizes, has announced a new line of packs with gadget-charging capabilities. The San Francisco-based company has teamed up with Joey Energy to deliver the Power Commute messenger bag and Power Q backpack, which include Joey's T1 power supply.  Read More
A dozen emerald-green laser beams emanated from the Shard to pick out iconic landmarks inc...
Spectators turned out in the hundreds to witness the light show that marked the climax of the inauguration of Europe's tallest building, the 309.6-m (1016-ft) Shard in London. A dozen emerald-green laser beams emanated from the Shard to pick out iconic landmarks including the London Eye, St. Paul's Cathedral and Tower Bridge. The tower's 95 floors were lit up with color-changing lighting, and 30 search lights flared outwards and upwards from surrounding buildings.  Read More
Mock-up: how an iPad Mini might stack up
The trickling of rumors suggesting an iPad Mini is in the works has grown to become a raging torrent, with mainstream sources now seriously reporting on Apple's plans for a smaller iPad. Previously, websites such as Digitimes have been the source of such rumors, but with The Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg now on board there seems less and less room for doubt such a device is on its way.  Read More
EXIT Architects' 'rehabilitation' of a 19th century prison
That EXIT Architects describes the redeveloped Palencia Civic Center as a rehabilitation rather than a refurbishment is apt considering the 19th century building was originally a prison. Somehow, refurbishment is too small a word for such a radical change of use, implying a mere lick of paint here and a scrubbed-down banister or two. No. EXIT quite literally tore the roof off the place.  Read More
The new cannabis strain offers the drug's medicinal benefits to patients who do not wish t...
Situated in an undisclosed location near Tzfat, northern Israel, is a government-approved medical marijuana plantation founded in 2004 by a retired biology teacher. Named Tikun Olam, the plantation has created a new cannabis strain which contains very low traces of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the main constituent in cannabis responsible for making people feel "stoned". By virtually eliminating THC in the new strain, Tikun Olam can now offer the drug's medicinal benefits to those patients who wish to keep a clear head.  Read More

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