New and Emerging Technology News part 184 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Friday 7 February 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 184

Bosch has introduced its new robotic lawnmower, the Indego
Well, the Auto-Mower, Robby Garden XP, Evolution, and Robomow now have another competitor to content with – last month, Bosch launched its Indego autonomous lawnmower. Like existing “robo-mowers,” this one handles the cutting of the grass without human intervention, while its owner presumably lies nearby in a hammock with an iced tea and says things like “Now this is the life!”. According to Bosch, however, it also has a few features that make it special.  Read More
Beyond Meat has launched plant-based protein strips that emulate the flavor and texture of...
A new brand of plant-based protein food that promises to look, feel, taste and act like chicken meat has hit the stores in the US with a promise to offer a tasty alternative to animal-based food. Beyond Meat is the brainchild of Ethan Brown, an entrepreneur who was brought up on a dairy farm in Maryland USA, whose first-hand experience with animal agriculture led him to adopt a vegan lifestyle. Frustrated with the options available, he decided to search for a better plant-based, processed vegan option to replace meat.  Read More
The mini-submarine used in Dive Commander
First-person video games are all very well and good, but there’s no getting around the fact that the person/vehicle that you’re controlling doesn’t really exist. If that sort of thing bugs you, then you might like Dive Commander – it’s a web-based game, in which you control an actual, physical mini-submarine via your computer.  Read More
Apple has chosen WWDC week to announce an update to its MacBook Air line, with the inclusi...
Apple has chosen WWDC week to announce an update to its MacBook Air line. It may lack the Retina display of its newly upgraded, headline-grabbing cousin, the MacBook Pro, but the 2012 Air sees significant advances too. An upgrade from Sandy Bridge to Ivy Bridge processors with improved integrated graphics is chief among the upgrades, and onboard memory has also received a boost.  Read More
Eyes Free is one of Siri's new features in iOS 6
As part of its keynote speech on the opening day of this year's WWDC, Apple mentioned that Siri will be featured in vehicles from no less than nine major global automakers. Not only will Siri be making her much anticipated iPad debut, but she'll also be joining you on your daily commute. Apple calls it the "Eyes Free" system.  Read More
Mountain Lion is designed to provide seamless integration with iOS devices
Having released OS X Mountain Lion (10.8) to developers earlier this year, Apple had already let much of the new features of its Mac operating system out of the bag. At WWDC, Apple has revealed the ninth version of OS X will be available for download from next month.  Read More
Ultra smooth SLIPS (Slippery Liquid Porous Surfaces) developed at Harvard University could...
Although advances in refrigeration technology means we don’t need to defrost the freezer as often as we used to, many of us are still forced to carry out the task on a regular basis lest we find the frosty walls closing in to claim that tub of ice cream. Now a team from Harvard University has developed ultra smooth slippery surfaces that prevent ice sheets from developing by allowing even tiny drops of condensation or frost to simply slide off. As well as keeping freezers frost-free, the technology could be used to prevent ice build up on metal surfaces in wind turbines, marine vessels, and aircraft.  Read More
The 'Polar Hawk' will be designed to airborne provide surveillance in harsh Arctic conditi... Northrop Grumman has announced that it will collaborate with Canadian aerospace and defence company L-3 MAS to send a variant of the Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) into Arctic skies.  Read More
The ECOXPRO Waterproof Speaker Case keeps smartphones safe from water, while playing their...
Many people like to listen to tunes when they’re at the pool or beach, which are both environments where electronic devices could potentially get wet. While waterproof music players do exist, lots of folks now use their smartphone as their own little personal stereo. That’s the reason for the existence of Grace Digital Audio’s ECOXPRO Waterproof Speaker Case. It houses the user’s smartphone – along with some other odds and ends – while playing its music library through a full-range three-inch front speaker.  Read More
Tin anode creator Prof. Grant Norton and student, David Mackay
For over 60 years, electrical engineers have been trying to minimize the problem of tin whiskers. Growing on tin-plated electronics, the needle-like structures get up to ten millimeters long, and can cause short circuits. Instead of trying to eliminate them, however, Washington State University’s Prof. Grant Norton has been looking into ways of growing them – albeit in a controlled manner. His research has led to the creation of a tin battery anode, which he claims could triple the capacity of lithium-ion batteries.  Read More

NEEMO 16 crew members on the wet porch of the Aquarius lab (Photo: NASA)
With the first manned mission to an asteroid planned for 2025, NASA has sent an international group of “aquanauts” to the ocean floor off the Florida coast to test concepts for such a mission. The four-person crew will spend 12 days 63 feet (19 m) below the surface of the Atlantic Ocean in the Aquarius lab located in the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary as part of the 16th excursion of the NASA Extreme Environment Mission Operations (NEEMO) program.  Read More
From standard Android UI to Kytephone UI
Children of all ages are being given their own mobile phones, the lucky ones being handed smartphones that many adults would love to own. The problem with this is the capacity for misuse a smartphone offers kids. They can use the device to access the Web, download apps, keep in touch with anyone and everyone, or take photographs to send to others. Kytephone is a free Android app that seeks to turn any Android handset into a child-friendly smartphone.  Read More
V-MODA's VAMP for iPhone 4/4S features an integrated amp, DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter...
The options for those looking to improve the oft-maligned audio quality of their iOS device have pretty much been limited to getting a better set of headphones or improving the quality of the audio files themselves. V-MODA has already come to the party with its Crossfade LP headphones and now provides another option for audiophiles with VAMP, a case for iPhone 4/4S with an integrated amp, DAC (Digital-to-Analog Converter) and battery pack.  Read More
The jetpack pilot puts an exclamation point on this ad The "world's most expensive billboard" might bring about thoughts of neon lights lofted high above prime city real estate, but it probably wouldn't make you think of jetpacks. However, an interactive billboard with a soaring jetpack is exactly how a Middle Eastern skydiving outfit and American energy drink company found their way to what they call the world's priciest billboard.  Read More
The original prototype Eco-Pak house constructed in Turkey
Thanks to their size, strength and ease of transport, shipping containers have been embraced by architects who have turned them into everything from restaurants and off-grid homes, to school classrooms and modular, portable hotels. The “Eco-Pak” home doesn’t just renovate the inside of a shipping container, but uses a shipping container as an integral part of a larger building, with all the structural components contained within it so it can be delivered just about anywhere in one convenient package.  Read More
The Aviator Travel Jib can be attached to most video and photo tripods and supports camera...
So you purchased a DSLR capable of shooting impressive HD video, thinking it would give your movies a professional look and feel. But watching back some of your wobbly and uninspiring shots you realized there was more to it than having the right camera. The Aviator Travel Jib is looking to solve this dilemma - it's a compact and lightweight alternative to expensive professional jibs that promises to take your cinematography to new heights with sweeping camera shots.  Read More
The Holonic Streetlamp utilizes both solar and wind power
Streetlamps burn all night long, 365 nights a year, yet they also spend all day soaking up the Sun’s rays. This combination of regular usage alternating with sunlight exposure would seem to make them ideal candidates for the solar-power treatment. Indeed, companies such as Sharp and several others currently offer solar-powered streetlamps. Spain’s University of Seville, however, has developed a streetlamp that harnesses the power not only of sunlight, but also of wind.  Read More
Eco Wave Power has revealed the construction and testing of a medium-scale version of its ...
Eco Wave Power has reported the completion of a medium-scale version of its Wind Clapper and Power Wing wave energy generation system. The company has released a video showing the system in action and is currently undertaking testing and evaluation before work begins on the construction of the first commercial scale EWP wave power plant.  Read More
The Powerdrain footwear line will feature Omni-Freeze Zero
Columbia has introduced what it claims to be a new revolution in sports clothing. A special fabric called Omni-Freeze Zero uses your sweat as a cooling agent. When mixed with the fabric, your sweat actually makes it cooler to the touch.  Read More
Griffin says that the acoustic qualities of the wooden casing accentuate vocals and bass o... Griffin Technologies has just released some new eye- and ear-pleasing earbud-type earphones that come with a slice of eco-friendliness, too. The outer housing of the WoodTones Earbuds is made from bits of exotic scrapwoods rescued from the workshop floors of furniture and cabinet makers, which is said to add volume without distortion or coloring while also bringing mid-range frequencies to the fore and delivering even, solid bass.  Read More

Seagate's Backup Plus drives come in a range of colors and size capacities
Backing up data is a simple and yet forgettable part of modern life. If files are important, they need to be stored in multiple places. A desktop or laptop hard drive is the first, and an external drive, disc or the cloud is generally the second. But even if you're diligent - and more than three quarters of us aren't according to data collected by Parks Associates - pictures, videos and other files uploaded to social networking sites might miss that crucial backup. Backup Plus, a new line of storage devices from Seagate, offers to save those photos and videos you posted on Facebook, Flickr and elsewhere with the click of an icon.  Read More
Scientists have created genetically-modified mosquitoes that are incapable of spreading ma...
Last year, Prof. Anthony James announced that he and his colleagues had genetically altered Aedes aegypti mosquitoes in a fashion that could drastically reduce their populations. In a nutshell, the altered genes cause the female mosquitoes to be born without wings – this makes it rather difficult for them to go foraging for blood, and turns them into easy prey for almost any predator. The non-biting males are born with wings, and subsequently go off and mate with unmodified females, passing the modified genes along to their offspring. Now, James has done some more genetic engineering, to create mosquitoes that can’t spread malaria.  Read More
The Volkswagen Amarok prepares for battle (Photo: Rheinmettal AG)
For a company that was created at the command of the most notorious, brutal figures in modern history, Volkswagen and its historical stable of cute cars like the Beetle has developed the cuddliest, feel goodiest persona. You could literally hug cars like the Beetle or Golf and not look (completely) strange. But not the new Amarok M. This military-grade truck decked out in heavy-duty accoutrements shows another side of VW, a side that can give children nightmares with its full name alone: Rheinmetall Amarok M Light Multi-Purpose Vehicle.  Read More
Coodo studio has created a series of modular units that can be used separately or coupled ...
At Gizmag we have covered a range of modular housing prefabs, from the living-in-nature LEAP house, to the modern Loftcube and even the futuristic tree-hotel concept ... but it isn’t often that we come across a design that doesn’t leave you yearning for more space, an extra living zone or outdoor flexibility. However, Slovenian architectural studio Coodo may have come up with a solution that not only suits a variety of purposes but can house the entire family.  Read More
TAICHI is powered by 3rd generation Intel Core i7 processors, features SSD storage and DDR...
There's no denying that tablet computers have carved out quite a substantial niche over the past couple of years, but they're not exactly an ideal productivity solution for those of us who spend much of our lives tapping away on a keyboard. Lenovo generated a flutter of excitement at CES 2010 when the company revealed its intention to combine tablet convenience with the power of a notebook in the form of the U1. Sadly, this concept hasn't yet made it beyond prototyping, but ASUS actually delivered somewhat similar functionality with its Eee Pad Transformer series. Now, the company has revealed a new ultrabook that also has a multi-touch tablet on the outer face of the lid. Full specs for the TAICHI are a little thin at the moment, but here's what we do know.  Read More
Upon completion, the E-ELT is expected to be the largest optical telescope in the world
The European Southern Observatory (ESO) council met on Monday in Garching, Germany and approved the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) program, pending the confirmation of ad referendum votes from the authorities of four member states before the next council meeting. Assuming all goes according to plan, the E-ELT is expected to begin operation early in the next decade.  Read More
A prototype of the BYU artificial spine disc replacement
The soft, collagen-rich shock absorbers in our backs, known as intervertebral discs, both add to our height (a full quarter of the spinal column's total length) and cushion our vertebrae from contacting one another. Unfortunately, aging, accidents and overuse can damage them and lead to the costly phenomenon of chronic back pain – roughly US$100 billion is spent annually on treatment in the U.S. alone. Replacement of damaged discs, rather than spinal fusion, is an option that's growing in popularity, especially because it helps maintain mobility in the spine. Now, a team from Brigham Young University (BYU) has unveiled their new artificial disc, a compliant mechanism that they believe has the potential to restore quality of life to millions of those with injured spines.  Read More
With both the Flyboard and Jetovator under US$10,000, an entirely new water sport can be h...
The propagation of new thought in any global arena doesn't take long these days and with rapid development teams capable of building and testing prototypes in just a few months, entire markets can seemingly spring from nowhere. In 2009, JetLev showed its US$100,000 Jetlev (top left). Within months of production starting, French PWC legend Franky Zapata recognized that most of the hardware required for such a device was already contained in a PWC and created the Flyboard (top right) - a US$7500 accessory that attaches to any existing PWC with 150 plus horsepower. Now the people who brought you the Sea Breacher (bottom left) have completed a long-standing project to build the Jetovator (bottom right), a jet bike with a motorcycle seating position and controls. Three competitors makes a market - and all inside three short years.  Read More
Samsung's TecTiles are programmable NFC stickers that can be used to automate various smar...
Despite increasing numbers of smartphones sporting near field communication (NFC) functionality, the technology hasn’t really set the world on fire just yet. The simple fact is that, apart from the limited rollout of cashless transaction systems from the likes of Visa, Google and Orange, there’s still not a hell of a lot that these NFC capabilities can be used for. Samsung is looking to change this with the introduction of NFC stickers called TecTiles that can be programmed to automate various smartphone functions.  Read More
Will antimatter fuel the interstellar spacecraft of the future? (Photo: Shutterstock)
Antimatter propulsion is the Holy Grail of spaceflight. When matter and antimatter react, the energy produced is several billion times larger than the thermomechanical energy resulting from burning a kilogram of a hydrocarbon fuel. Now a high school student has developed a new magnetic exhaust nozzle that would double the velocity of an antimatter-powered rocket.  Read More
 
David Brothers has spent the last 18 months researching, designing and producing an ergono...
Much of today's modern workforce has been touched by the helping hand of ergonomic science. In a former professional life, I remember colleagues regularly disappearing on day trips to specialist furniture suppliers arranged by the Health and Safety department to be measured and fitted for a new office chair. Professional musicians, on the other hand, are often required to make do with whatever seating is provided by the concert hall or theater, as if all instruments and players had exactly the same requirements. After spending 18 months studying the needs of various players, David Brothers has now designed an adjustable three-legged seating solution to help promote good playing posture and correct breathing techniques.  Read More
New software could be used to more accurately predict noise levels in a street (Photo: Shu...
House hunters could soon have a useful tool to turn to when seeking out a potential new pad. Researchers from the University of Granada have developed software that they claim can accurately predict future noise levels in a street. The system not only predicts the frequency of noise, but the type of noise that potential residents would have to put up with.  Read More
Clean lines, simple design. John Deere's new E5 The options continue to expand for those of us who'd rather sit on a garden lounge than tackle the task of cutting copious tracts of lawn. Earlier this week we looked at Bosch's foray into the robo-mower market, now it's time for a closer look at John Deere's autonomous offering - the all-weather TANGO E5.  Read More
A ZOE EV going round the speed ring in Normandy on the record-breaking attemot With the age of production electric vehicles still in its relative infancy, it’s not surprising to see new records being claimed on a fairly regular basis. The latest company putting its EV on the world record podium is Renault, which is claiming the world record for the longest distance traveled in 24 hours by a production EV.  Read More
The SousVide Supreme Demi precisely controls food cooking temperatures
Boil-in-a-bag takes on a whole new meaning thanks to Eades Appliance Technology's (EAT) SousVide Supreme Demi. Using a cooking technique that was once the reserve of laboratories and upmarket restaurants, the SousVide Supreme Demi aims to provide home chefs with the means to create perfectly cooked dishes with laboratory precision in a compact, affordable, countertop “water oven” that’s as easy to operate as a slow cooker and only consumes as much power as a 60-watt incandescent bulb.  Read More
Ken Block's ferocious Fiesta returns in Dirt Showdown
The Codemasters crew have long been known for some great gravel grinding off-road racers, but Dirt Showdown marks a move in a fresh direction for the company. The new game is still based on off-road racing and features the stunning looking Ford Fiesta piloted by American legend Ken Block as the centerpiece. However this time around the game eschews a more serious professional rallying approach and instead aims to deliver easier to access and often more spectacular arcade thrills.  Read More
Mice injected with human Epo were motivated to exercise more (Photo: Shutterstock)
If listening to Eye of The Tiger at full bore isn’t enough to get you off your backside to blast those glutes and pump those biceps anymore, then drugs might be the answer. A team of Swiss researchers has discovered that raising the levels of the hormone erythropoietin (Epo) in the brains of mice resulted in the rodents being more motivated to exercise. The discovery provides the possibility of developing a pill that can motivate people to want to exercise.  Read More
Toyota believes the Camatte could spread the joy of car ownership to a younger generation
The latest Toyota concept isn't debuting at the Tokyo Motor Show; it's debuting at the International Tokyo Toy Show. Without the benefit of a background reference, the Camatte concept looks like it could be a new subcompact car. In a way, it is, but it's not designed for the average commuter. It's a working car designed for kids.  Read More
The EPFL UAV rights itself after a fall Researchers from the Laboratory for Intelligent Systems at Switzerland’s EPFL federal research institute were inspired by the resilience of flying insects, and set out to replicate it in a miniature unmanned aerial vehicle. They succeeded, creating a UAV that can crash into things, fall down, then right itself and get back in the air.  Read More
Skype claims its visual ads will serve as entertaining talking points
Skype announced today that Windows users of its popular voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) service who do not possess Skype Credit or subscriptions will be subjected to silent visual advertisements dubbed “Conversation Ads” when making one-to-one audio calls. The move follows last year’s buyout of Skype by Microsoft for a reported US$8.5 billion.  Read More

Vizio has entered the PC market with its 24- and 27-inch All-in-One PCs
Although they’ve been around for decades, the all-in-one form factor has really been embraced by PC manufacturers in recent years. On the back of recent releases from the likes of HP, Dell and Sony, Vizio, a company better known for producing TVs, has joined the party with a couple of all-in-one units in 24- and 27-inch screen sizes that mark the company's entry into the PC market.  Read More
The Juke Nismo gets a body kit and performance upgrades
If you don't happen to have upwards of half a million dollars burning a hole in your investment portfolio, Nissan has another high performance Juke besides the Juke-R. The Juke Nismo isn't nearly as extreme as its big brother, but it does have a variety of enhancements over the stock Juke. And with its red mirror caps and aggressive body kit, it doesn't look half bad either. Nissan is revealing the production version of the hot-hatch crossover for the first time at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.  Read More
The InaTrap insect killer lures insects using an intermittent light and photocatalyst reac...
We know there’s an ongoing quest to build a better mousetrap, but what about a better insect trap? That’s just what Acase, working with design house inadays, believes it has done with the creation of the InaTrap. With an appearance not dissimilar to a designer lamp, the InaTrap attracts, traps and kills insects so you can ditch the swatter and insect spray.  Read More
The lab prototype of the pizzicato knee-joint energy harvester
If you’ve ever worn a knee brace, then you may have noticed what a large change in angle your knee goes through with every step you take, and how quickly it does so. A team of scientists from the U.K.’s Cranfield University, University of Liverpool and University of Salford certainly noticed, and decided that all that movement should be put to use. The result is a wearable piezoelectric device that converts knee movement into electricity, which could in turn be used to power gadgets such as heart rate monitors, pedometers and accelerometers.  Read More
Kinsight is an experimental system that uses networked Kinect cameras to locate missing ob... Have you ever wished that your computer could answer questions like “What did he mean when he said that?” or “Should I go to that party?” Well, while that may never happen, it could conceivably provide you with an answer if you asked it, “Where did I leave my wallet?” – if it were running the Kinsight system.  Read More
The Satechi WTR-A lets you control your Canon DSLR from a distance of up to 50 ft (15 m), ...
With the introduction of smartphone apps like Triggertrap and ioShutter, which allow you to control your DSLR from your phone, you might wonder why anyone would still buy a dedicated remote unit ... until that is, you miss a once-in-a-lifetime shot because you needed the phone for something else at the crucial moment. Sometimes simple is better. The Satechi WTR-A is a budget wireless timer remote for Canon DSLRs.  Read More
The HeatSeeker is a cooling mister that replaces the existing hose port cap on a fire truc...
Firefighters face many dangers, including burns, smoke inhalation and structure collapses. Because they're required to wear all that heavy gear while performing strenuous activities, however, they also risk heat stroke. That’s why firefighter Michael Robinson invented the HeatSeeker – a device that attaches to a fire truck’s existing hose port, creating a cooling mist.  Read More
Let's Pizza vending machines will be introduced in the U.S. later this year
Remember how people reacted when McDonalds announced that it was going to start selling pizzas? Well, if buying pies from a chain best known for cheap hamburgers might have been difficult for some folks to get their heads around, they will likely find this even stranger – buying them from a vending machine. Nonetheless, that’s exactly what Dutch company A1 Concepts is hoping Americans will do, when its Let’s Pizza machines arrive in the U.S.  Read More
BMW has unveiled a new pedal-electric bike concept named i Pedelec, ahead of the grand ope...
BMW has further strengthened its commitment to an electric mobility future by announcing the opening of its first i Store on July 25. To celebrate the event, the German auto giant has developed a new folding pedal-electric bike called the i Pedelec. Like the Voltitude, the new bike can be rolled along when folded to make getting on and off trains or buses, or in and out of elevators, a little less troublesome, and benefits from a geared electric hub motor, high performance batteries and disc braking at the front and rear. BMW also says that two folded i Pedelec bikes can be comfortably squeezed into the trunk space of its forthcoming i3 EV, and that their batteries can be charged while in there.  Read More
The computer model uses “similarity ensemble approach” (SEA), to detect similarities betwe...
A team of scientists from the UCSF School of Pharmacy, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research (NIBR) and SeaChange Pharmaceuticals has developed a set of computer models that can predict negative side effects associated with existing drugs. By speeding up the process and increasing accuracy, the software could potentially save billions in research and decrease the number of animals used in toxicity tests.  Read More

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