Magna Steyr 3-in-1 pickup truck, convertible and SUV concept car
By C.C. Weiss
February 28, 2012
Major automakers come up with pretty cool
concepts on their own, but for really "wow-worthy" designs, sometimes
you need to pay attention to what the other firms are doing. Take the
MILA Coupic concept from Austrian engineering firm Magna Steyr. This
innovative concept gives you the hauling capacity of a pickup truck, the
family moving comfort of an SUV and the stylish driving enjoyment of a
convertible - all from the same driver's seat. Read More
The electromagnetic (EM) railgun prototype launcher
that was recently installed at the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC)
in Dahlgren, Virginia, has commenced firing, kicking off a
two-month-long series of full-energy tests. Predictably, the first full
energy shots make for some pretty impressive video. Read More 
The days of having to hang up and
start another call to switch from voice to video calls look to be
numbered with LG demonstrating seamless switching from voice to video
over an LTE network at Mobile World Congress 2012.
The system also allows the real-time sharing of videos over an LTE
network as they are being recorded, which should prove handy for
newshounds. Read More 
Mercedes-Benz took the unusual step of combining
the unveiling of the 2012 Mercedes Petronas AMG W03 Formula One car with
the launch of the AMG version of the new SL Roadster. This was probably
quite a smart move. Although these F1 launches are good photo-ops there
is always a severe lack of hard information, for understandable
reasons. A new AMG however is always an interesting story - plus,
‘Shuey’ and Nico get to ferry a few privileged journos around the
Barcelona F1 track. Extensive galleries of both the road and track cars
included. Read More
The potential for electric-assisted,
human-powered vehicles to play a substantial role in the transport
systems of the future is immense, and there has never been a better
example of this potential than the Emcycle concept. The Emcycle is a
tilting, three-wheeled pedelec (electric pedal assist), with a
foam-reinforced, Tegris composite monocoque body, full suspension and a
kerb weight of just 36 kg (80 lb). The Emcycle is initially planned as a
500 W electric assist but could easily be built in 1000 W (1 kW) and
greater versions. Importantly, the Emcycle offers many of the amenities
of a car (instrumentation, wipers, entertainment etc), plus weather and
crash protection, and a huge lockable carrying capacity. In terms of
weight, the Emcycle can safely carry 320 pounds (144 kg), including the
weight of the rider, making it ideal for the citybike rental and inner
urban delivery markets. A target price of US$4000 to US$5000 is
envisaged. Read More
The Sunflower focuses sunlight where you want it
By Ben Coxworth
February 28, 2012
Some people have a cool, gloomy room in their
house that receives little if any direct sunlight, even though it has a
window. Should you be one of those people, and you want to save
electricity, perhaps a home heliostat is what you need. Heliostats are
motorized mirrored devices that move to compensate for the changing
angle of the Sun as it moves across the sky, reflecting its rays onto a
fixed target such as a window, photovoltaic panel, or solar oven. While
almost all commercially-available heliostats are aimed at industrial
users, Massachusetts-based company Wikoda is now offering what it claims
is the world's only heliostat designed and priced for residential use.
Read More
Most anyone that can swim can handle a float
across the pool without significant risk of drowning, but being out on a
large, open body of water like the ocean or a lake brings dangers to
even the surest swimmer. While a personal flotation device (PFD) is a
simple solution that will keep you afloat, it can be restricting and
cumbersome to wear, making it uncomfortable for athletic activities like
surfing or kiteboarding. The Restube gives you some of the life-saving
power of a traditional flotation device without the unwanted bulk and
discomfort. Read More
Conventional search engines are definitely
something of a paradox – you use them to find out new information
regarding a certain topic, yet the top hits that you receive mostly
contain information that everyone already knows. Not only does this
hinder peoples’ efforts to think about things in new ways, but it can
also reinforce mistruths and stereotypes. That’s where YossarianLives!
comes in. Named after the main character in the paradox-centered book Catch-22, it’s a “metaphorical search engine” that’s designed to generate new knowledge instead of reinforcing existing knowledge. Read More
Hydrogel could grow new heart tissue, without the need for surgery
By Ben Coxworth
February 28, 2012
Universities and scientific organizations all
over the world are currently looking into ways of growing functioning
heart cells on the heart, to replace the tissue that dies when a
heart attack occurs. As things currently stand, the body replaces that
tissue with non-beating scar tissue, leaving the heart permanently
weakened. Most of the experimental techniques for generating new tissue
involve introducing some sort of micro-scaffolding to the affected area,
providing a framework for new cells to grow on. That scaffolding has
consisted of materials such as carbon nanofibers and gold nanowires,
which would have to be surgically applied to the heart, sort of like a
Band-Aid. Now, however, researchers from the University of California,
San Diego are reporting success in animal trials, using an injectable
hydrogel. Read More
A new iPad is on the horizon. Apple
sent out invites today to an event next Wednesday at the Yerba Buena
Center for the Arts in San Francisco, where it promises to “have
something you really have to see. And touch.” The event is set to go
down at 10am, and is widely speculated to be the announcement of the
iPad 3. The tablet is widely rumored to have an updated 2048x1536
“Retina” display, faster processor, LTE, and an 8-megapixel camera. Read MoreWorld's first biodegradable joint implant grows new joints
By Ben Coxworth
February 29, 2012
Joint implants should always be made of materials
like titanium, so they can last the lifetime of the patient ... right?
Well, not according to researchers at Finland's Tampere University of
Technology. They’ve developed a product known as RegJoint, which is
reportedly the world’s first biodegradable joint implant. Unlike
permanent implants, it allows the patient’s bone ends to remain intact,
and it creates a new joint out of their own tissue. Read More
The trend toward ever more practical
vehicles continues with Jaguar announcing a new XF-based Sportbrake.
It's an XF with heaps more room, an eight-speed automatic tranny, and
self-leveling air suspension, so it can be expected to be a particularly
accomplished tow vehicle. Read More 
This Monday, California-based Envia Systems made
an announcement that could mean big things for the mainstream acceptance
of electric vehicles. The company claims to have broken the world
record for energy density in a rechargeable lithium-ion cell, with an
automotive-grade battery that reportedly has a density of 400
watt-hours/kilogram (Wh/kg). Not only is that figure two to three times
higher than what is currently possible with commercially-available
cells, but Envia also claims that its battery should cost less than half
the price of existing li-ion batteries. Read More
Ferrari F12 Berlinetta - the fastest Ferrari yet built
By Mike Hanlon
February 29, 2012
When Ferrari's new 740 bhp, 6262cc, 65° V12,
F12berlinetta hits showrooms later this year, it will be the fastest
naturally aspirated car to see series production, taking over from the
McLaren F1. The replacement for the 599 is the fastest Ferrari ever and
boasts an array of technologies we haven't seen before, such as Aero
Bridge, Active Brake Cooling, a new generation of carbon-ceramic brakes
(CCM3), a further evolution of the magnetorheological suspension control
system (SCM-E) plus the usual E-Diff, ESP Premium, F1-Trac, and
high-performance ABS control systems. Read More
Laser refrigerator cools to 4 degrees above absolute zero
By Brian Dodson
February 29, 2012
Researchers at the Niels Bohr Institute have
succeeded in using a new form of laser cooling method to cool a two and a
half square millimeter semiconducting gallium arsenide (GaAs) membrane
with a thickness of 160 nm from room temperature to four degrees above
absolute zero - the temperature of liquid helium. Read More
Raspberry Pi goes on sale, online Pi stalls collapse
February 29, 2012
The Raspberry Pi
went on sale just hours ago through UK electronics companies vendors
Premier Farnell and RS Components, the latter quoting a price of
GBP21.60 (US$34.43) for the enhanced-spec, credit card-sized Model B -
the only one available for purchase today. I say "available" -
unfortunately the websites of both vendors went down due to a high
volume of traffic from hopefuls clamoring for their piece of the tiny
Linux home computer. Read More
Over the past few years, it seems almost
impossible to even take a trip to the grocery store without bumping into
dozens of QR codes - those square graphics that can be scanned with a
smartphone camera to bring up all sorts of information. Now it appears a
Seattle-based organization has found another place to put them: in your
pants. In hopes of promoting safe sex, Planned Parenthood of the Great
Northwest distributed 55,000 condoms with QR codes that track when and
where people make the beast with two backs through their website,
WhereDidYouWearIt.com. Read More
By now we've seen quite a few examples of
augmented reality being used to let people zap virtual creatures in
devices like the Nintendo 3DS and the appBlaster. Now John Atherton, inventor of the jaja stylus,
is shaking up the concept by making the targets your friends and adding
virtual collectibles and objectives into the mix. With his AppTag Laser
Blaster attachment for smartphones, you'll be able to play first-person
shooter games in the real world on any iOS or Android device, complete
with virtual power-ups and other features usually reserved for console
games. Read More
BMW puts a lot of stock into its 1 Series motor
cars. As its entry level line, the 1 Series was meant to both eradicate
the memory of the failed BMW Compact and to lead first-time BMW owners
toward more prestigious performance models, such as the M class. The BMW
Concept M135i, which is slated to be put before the public at the 2012
Geneva International Motor Show on March 7, 2012, is BMW’s latest
attempt to create a hot hatchback that combines and expands on both the 1
Series and the M lines. Read More
A strong and highly selective instant adhesive inspired by the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes has been developed by Oxford University researchers. S. pyogenes
is a common resident of human throats that is normally kept in check by
the body's defenses, but when it gets out of control it can cause
diseases ranging from strep throat to toxic shock syndrome or
flesh-eating disease. By engineering a protein that is central to S. pyogenes'
infectious arsenal, the researchers have developed a new superglue that
can't be matched for sticking molecules together and not letting go.
Read More
A see-through screen, digital 3D objects
manipulated by hand, perspective adjustments according to the user's
viewing angle - these are the core features of a prototype computer
desktop user interface created by Microsoft's Applied Sciences Group.
The prototype uses a "unique" Samsung transparent OLED display through
which the user can see their own hands to manipulate 3D objects which
appear to be behind the screen. Read More
What do you do when you're the world's largest
museum but can display only 2 percent of the 137 million items in your
collection (a mere 2.75 million) at any given time? In an effort to get
more of their treasures into the public eye, specialists at the
Smithsonian Institution's nineteen collective museums and galleries hit
upon the solution of digitizing their collection and 3D printing key
models and displays suitable for traveling exhibitions. It's a tall
order, but one that's sure to give the rapidly blooming business of additive manufacturing a huge boost. Read More
Hyundai's newest concept car, the
4.4 meter-long (14.4 ft) four-seater i-oniq electric sports hatchback,
features a 109 PS electric motor and a range-extending 3-cylinder 1.0
liter petrol engine. In electric-only mode, the i-oniq has a range of
120 km (75 miles), but with the petrol engine producing electricity, the
range extends beyond 700 km (435 miles). In range-extender mode, the
i-oniq is an emissions champion, producing a paltry 45 g/km of CO2. Read More 
Could Apple be releasing an 8 GB iPad 2 next week? According to a DigiTimes
source, Cupertino will be launching a new smaller-capacity iPad 2 at
its event March 7 alongside the the new iPad 3. According to the source,
Apple will be releasing a 16 GB and 32 GB iPad 3 and an 8 GB iPad in
order to compete with more budget priced offerings from other tablet
manufacturers. Read More 
We’ve reported on numerous different approaches
by scientists looking to tackle Alzheimer’s disease. While some, such as
the anticancer drug bexarotene and a compound known as J147,
show great promise, there is still no approved treatment to slow the
disease’s progression. The latest promising candidate for a treatment
comes from Canada’s Simon Fraser University (SFU), where a team has
concluded that ensuring that sugar levels in a brain protein known as
tau are maintained could slow or prevent the fatal disease. Read More
Microsoft has gotten official with its latest
version of Windows, Windows 8. The next generation of the PC operating
system is designed to blur the line between the OS on tablets and that
on computers, sporting a design that looks reminiscent of Microsoft's Windows Phone 7 platform. Read More
While Microsoft isn't set to release
Office 15 as a public beta for a few months yet, the company provided a
sneak peek to a select group of businesses, partners and OEMs on
January 31st in the form of a technical preview. Despite the testers
being required to sign non-disclosure agreements, some screenshots and
details have started to leak out from those who received access to the
beta. Read More One-of-a-kind inflatable snowboard from Signal Snowboards
By C.C. Weiss
February 29, 2012
In its Web series "Every Third Thursday,"
California-based snowboard company Signal Snowboards gets loose and
creative in the shop and designs experimental one-offs that push the
boundaries of what a snowboard is all about. Last month, the team made a
surfboard-snowboard hybrid, and in the most recent installment, they created a snowboard that operates like a bike tire called "Air if you Dare." Read More
The PriNXT may not be the first
functioning printer made of Lego, but given that it was made by 14-year
old Lego Mindstorms wunderkind Leon Overweel, we won't hold that against
it. Read More 
The new Golf GTI Cabriolet will be
shown next week at the Geneva Motor Show. It uses the same 154 kW
2.0-litre turbocharged four as the GTI hatchback, mated to a six-speed
manual or six-speed dual-clutch DSG gearbox, enabling a 0-100 km/h (62
mph) time of 7.3 seconds (versus 6.9 seconds for the hatch), and a top
speed of 237 km/h (147 mph). Read More 
Inspired by the fluid that wraps your brain in a
protective, wet blanket, Multi-directional Impact Protection System
(MIPS), which is the name of both the technology and the company behind
it, claims to offer superior protection for your head. Major helmet
manufacturers are starting to turn on to what is self-hailed as the
"next generation" of helmet design. Read More
Although it was released in the UK last year,
American consumers can now also get their mitts on the Smart Baby
Monitor. Made by French company Withings,
the monitor allows parents to check on their little ‘uns via their
iPhone, iPad or iPod touch. The word “smart” in its name refers to the
fact that it contains not only a camera, but also sensors that detect
sound, movement, temperature and humidity levels. So in other words,
it’s a smart baby monitor, and not a monitor that’s designed
specifically for use with smart babies – as far as we know, it’s
compatible with babies of any level of intelligence. Read More
The soothing sound of canal water gently lapping
against wood as you fall into peaceful slumber has got to be one of the
best ways to end a relaxing day of leisurely cruising past sights that
many Londoners rarely glimpse. Doing so on a vessel that gets the power
for its motor, lighting and modern appliances from the Sun, features
multi-layer insulation, underfloor heating and a charming wood-burning
stove, and is surprisingly bright and roomy inside, seems too good to be
true. Meet the Bauhaus Barge, a Dutch-style wide beam houseboat which
is all of that and more. Read More
With malaria still responsible for millions of
untimely deaths in more than 90 countries each year, the search for
effective antimalarial drugs, vaccines and mosquito repellents
continues to heat up. Recently, researchers at the University of
Illinois (UI), led by chemistry professor Eric Oldfield, found that a
chemically-altered form of a commonly prescribed osteoporosis drug can
easily enter red blood cells and dispatch malaria parasites without
harming the host (in this case, a mouse). That's potentially huge news
for the countless thousands who continue to suffer from this recurrent,
debilitating and all-too-often fatal disease. Read More
University of Colorado aerospace engineer Ryan
Starkey is currently designing what he claims will be fastest, most
fuel-efficient aircraft in its class. Known as the GoJett, the unmanned
aerial vehicle (UAV) will be powered by a new type of jet engine that he
is also developing – the L-FX00. According to Starkey, that engine
already has twice the fuel-efficiency of similarly-scaled jet engines,
and he expects to double that efficiency again before the GoJett’s first
flight. Read More
Dub box USA offers a new solution for nostalgic
folks yearning for a camper as cool as the Volkswagen Type 2 of the
1950s and 60s. Its line of camping trailers is inspired by the classic
VW buses, and is offered without the expense and headaches of restoring
an old Type 2. You get out-of-the-box convenience with timeless, retro
looks. Read More
While we love the dangling treetop retreats located at Sweden's Treehotel, and the House Arc
had us yearning for a private backyard hideaway, the eco-PERCH has to
be the Rolls Royce of modern modular tree-houses. This eco-lodge concept
was created by the UK architectural firm Blue Forest, which has a
background in the design and construction of luxury treehouses and
lodges. Read More
In what seems to be a response to
public fears about radiation levels following the Fukushima crisis, a
Japanese organization called Radiation Watch has launched Pocket Geiger,
a Geiger counter iPhone peripheral and accompanying app aimed at
concerned individuals. Read More 
When we last heard from the University of
Pennsylvania's General Robotics, Automation, Sensing and Perception
(GRASP) Lab, researchers there had provided video of a swarm of
quadrotor robots, which they had programmed to perform some pretty impressive precision flying.
Well, now the GRASP quadrotors are back, performing a feat that’s
certainly much more ... entertaining. In a video that was presented
yesterday at the TED2012 conference in California, a group of the little
guys are shown performing the James Bond theme on musical instruments.
Read More
This rather novel solar collector draws
inspiration from the lotus flower to provide small-scale solar energy -
both electric and thermal - to domestic and small business users. The
aptly named Monarch Lotus' (rebranded from the Solar Umbrella) 18 petals
unfold to to form a 4-meter (13-foot) diameter flower that will, if
development goes to plan, produce 3 kW of photovoltaic electrical power
and 3 kW of solar thermal power per 100-kg (220-pound) unit in ideal
conditions. Read More
Despite the continuous onslaught of competitors, the GoPro HERO
is still quite likely the world’s most popular actioncam – this is no
doubt due in part to its tough polycarbonate housing, for which a wide
variety of aftermarket mounting accessories are available. Portland,
Oregon-based videographer/inventor Jim Clark, however, has some issues
with that housing. He managed to break his when his HERO fell off of a
car, and he also feels that it could use some more attachment points for
things like lights or tripod heads. The result: his heavy-duty aluminum
HEADCASE PRO and HEADGEAR housings for GoPro. Read More
Children in the First World have a lot of choice
when it comes to scientific toys. In fact, there are whole stores
devoted to selling things like robotics kits, ant farms, and simple microscopes.
In the developing world, however, such fancy toys are relatively
scarce. So, what's an adult to do if they want to get the local children
interested in the sciences? Well, in the case of Arvind Gupta, they
show the kids how to make scientific toys from trash. Read More
A collection of vintage Leica
cameras are set to go to auction later this year at the WestLicht
Photographica Auction. One of the standouts is a 1923 Leica 0-series
camera. The 0-series model represented in the auction was one of just 25
of the cameras made by the company and has retained much of its
original glory, although this particular camera as been fitted with a
Galian finder rather than the folding version found on the original
(typical for these cameras). The camera is in fully-working condition,
and has the original paintwork and parts. The 0-series is expected to be
the most expensive item at the auction, and sell for around US$807,755.
Read More 
Canon has chosen to kick off its 25th EOS anniversary with a new enthusiast-level digital SLR. As expected, the company has decided against challenging Nikon's 36.6 megapixel D800
and has instead opted for a 22-megapixel full frame sensor for its EOS
5D Mark III digital SLR. The new camera shares many high performance
features with Canon's much more expensive flagship professional model,
the EOS 1D X, yet still manages a few tricks of its own. Read More
Infectious diseases these days seem to have
gotten a lot of attention, with media hype and threats of pandemics
often being portrayed in apocalyptic sci-fi movies. We all know that
several types of these diseases can spread rapidly, and it is crucial
that doctors be able to identify them quickly in order to prevent an
epidemic. Unfortunately, current testing methods can take hours and even
days, delaying the process of adequate prevention. It should then ease
your mind to hear that researchers at the University of Tennessee have
invented a device that can rapidly detect these unwanted afflictions.
Read More
Researchers at Cornell University have built a
robot prototype capable of navigating a three dimensional truss
structure, disassembling and reassembling the structure into new forms
as it goes. The project hints at a possible future when buildings and
robots may be designed in close harmony for autonomous buildings
maintenance. Read More
New research released today by the Institute of
Advanced Motorists in the UK doesn't tell us much we didn't know before,
but it does put it in context. The smartphone is headed for ubiquitous
usage, and the wonderful real-time communications and information
services it offers are making the roads considerably LESS safe due to
the distraction. Due no doubt to its higher levels of engagement, social
networking while driving is considerably less safe than texting,
drinking to the legal limit and smoking marijuana. And yes, talking on a
mobile phone with or without a hands-free is definitely not good for
your health, or the health of other road users. Read More
Leap day 2012 saw the completion of the world's
second tallest structure, the Tokyo Sky Tree television transmitter and
observation tower. At 2,080 feet (634 m) the tower stands nearly twice
as Japan's previous tallest frame, the 1,091-ft (333-m) Tokyo Tower
transmitter. It's an audacious technological feat when one considers
this is at the heart of an earthquake zone. Read More
All those readers impressed with the All-Electric Lightcycle
we looked at last year now have the chance to get one in their garage –
and help the environment. The opportunity comes courtesy of
Charitybuzz, which is auctioning off a replica Lightcycle, otherwise
known as a Xenon Light Motor Bike. Read More LG’s WPD-800 turns wireless charging on its side
By Darren Quick
March 1, 2012
Wireless charging of mobile devices is all the
rage if the number of wireless chargers hitting the market is anything
to go by. Until now, most of the units on offer follow the flat slab
design ushered in by the Powermat and WildCharge that sees recharging devices laid down flat on the charger. LG followed that form factor with its WCP-700 Wireless Charging Pad
but has come up with something slightly different for its successor,
the WCD-800. The new unit is designed to hold the mobile device upright
so you can watch a video or make a video call while the charger goes
about its business. Read More
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