He's done it! Intrepid eco-adventurer Xavier
Chevrin has completed his cross-country journey through deepest Africa
in an electric Citroen Berlingo, taking in six countries and clocking up
over 5,800 km (3,603 miles), including 600 km (372 miles) of rough terrain. Not even blown components and a broken leg prevented the Frenchman from completing the Mission Africa challenge. Read More
Architectural studio Horden Cherry Lee has installed its sixteenth Micro-Compact Home
overlooking Lake Maggiore in Switzerland. The micro-dwelling was flown
in by helicopter last month to accommodate the owner’s last minute
visiting guests and was fully installed in just over 4 minutes. Read More 
The Vanquish name is to return to the Aston Martin stable with deliveries of the 183 mph, £190,000 (US$299,000) sports car
expected in late 2012. There's a lot of the limited edition £1.2m
One-77 supercar in the recipe, with a 565 bhp 6.0-liter V12 driving
through a Touchtronic six-speed automatic gearbox, and 0-100 km/h
acceleration in 4.1 seconds. Read More
Here's a novel take on the home
residence: a block of eight apartments in Japan designed exclusively for
the motorcyclist. Read More 
“Don’t make me angry. You wouldn’t
like me when I’m angry,” the Hulk’s alter ego Bruce Banner famously
said. Now researchers have made a discovery that might one day have
implications for anyone considering Bruce as a potential house guest.
The researchers have identified a brain receptor that malfunctions in
overly hostile mice - a receptor that also exists in humans - and found a
way to shut it down, offering the potential for the development of
treatments for severe aggression. Read More 
Denim jeans
have become a mainstay of wardrobes the world over, but with some
estimates suggesting that over 2,500 gallons (9,463 l) of water, almost a
pound of chemicals and significant amounts of energy are required to
produce just one pair of jeans, their success has a significant impact
on the environment. Now a new process developed by Swiss chemical company Clariant promises to turn blue (and other colored) jeans a shade of green. Read More
With remote control of rovers on Mars out of the
question due to radio signals taking up to 40 minutes to make the round
trip to and from the Red Planet, the European Space Agency (ESA) has
developed a vehicle that is able to carry out instructions fully
autonomously. The ESA team recently tested their Seeker full-scale rover
in Chile where the rover was able to chart its own course through the
Mars-like Atacama Desert. Read More
Italian design house Pininfarina is traveling
across Europe to London to exhibit some of its iconic designs and
concepts. Pininfarina is best known for car designs that have found
their way to automakers like Ferrari and Alfa Romeo, but the exhibition
will focus on designs from Pininfarina Extra, the arm of the firm that
handles everything from product design and packaging to nautical design
and special transport. Most of the designs will be from years past, but
Pininfarina will also unveil the new Personal Rapid Transit concept - an
urban public transit design based on a series of tracked personal
transport pods. Read More
Do you like the idea of
Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Robots, but find them just a bit too primitive for a
techy person like yourself? Well, then you may like the new BattroBorg
20 fighting robots from Takara Tomy. They’re actual, physical toy
robots, that are operated via Wii-like nunchaku-style controllers. Read More 
Although the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft was
unmanned during its recent first flight to the International Space
Station, the success of that mission nonetheless marked a huge step toward future crewed commercial space flights. SpaceX, of course, isn’t the only player in this newly-forming industry – companies such as Virgin Galactic, Boeing, and Blue Origin
are also hoping to take paying customers on rocket rides. However,
while a lot of attention has been paid to the spacecraft themselves, one
has to wonder what those private-sector astronauts will be wearing.
Expensive NASA space suits, perhaps? Not if Ted Southern and Nikolay
Moiseev have anything to say about it. Read More
In the past, we've seen 3D scanning widely used in a variety of industries - clothing retail, law enforcement, medical education, etc. - but it's still a little surprising to see the same technology applied
to a slab of meat. Nantsune's new Libra 165C meat slicer does exactly
that however, capturing a 3D image of a piece of meat, ready to be
butchered, and then using the data to make slices at the same precise
weight every time. Read More
Picture a scene in a sitcom where
some character arrives at a beach party dressed in a suit and tie, and
carrying a briefcase. Everyone thinks that they’re some un-fun fuddy
duddy, until they open their briefcase to reveal that there’s a barbecue
inside! Woo-hoo! Well, that’s the idea behind the real-life Darwin BBQ.
Read More
There's still more good news
for those of the opinion that electric bicycles are precisely
50-percent wheel-deficient. Designer Dimitris Niavis has unveiled a
concept for a new electric-assisted tricycle, named the Kaylad 2.0. Read More
In comparison to some of the bulkier
solar panel-packing iPhone cases we’ve seen, such as the AQUA TEK S and Solar Surge,
the EnerPlex charger is positively Kate Moss-like. Made by
Colorado-based Ascent Solar using its ultra light, thin and flexible
solar panels, the EnerPlex for iPhone 4/4S adds just 72 g (2.53 oz) to
the weight of the phone while providing the ability to top up the
battery from the sun’s rays. Read More
A 3D printer that pops out steaming
hot burritos before your very eyes? That sounds like the plot of the
next stoner movie turned cult hit. In this case, though, it's actually
the thesis project of an NYU masters student. And it's fast becoming a
reality. Read More
Google Street View, which offers
street-level imagery of towns and cities around the world, is one of
those innovations that we now take for granted, but we really shouldn't.
It's easy to forget how innovative the effort is, and what a
large-scale mission Google has undertaken in attempting to map the whole
world. The technology exists for us all to create our own 360-degree
panoramic vistas of the places around us, and DIY streetview is a kit
containing everything one needs to get started. Read More
GM is looking at ways in which
semi-autonomous driving technologies, which could be available in
production vehicles by mid-decade, will influence driver behavior.
Because the technologies set to be introduced in the coming years are
designed to lighten the driver's load in certain circumstances but
aren't advanced enough to let them "tune out" completely, GM is
attempting to ascertain which technologies will help ensure the safety
of vehicles with future autonomous systems. Read More
Instaglasses is a new product concept by German designer Markus Gerke. Influenced by Google's Project Glass, Gerke decided to combine the idea of a camera-capable pair of glasses with the various filters of the Instagram photo-sharing mobile app. Read More
Infiniti introduced the high-tech Emerg-e hybrid supercar
at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year. At the time, the company
didn't confirm that it plans to produce the car, but definitely didn't close the door
on the possibility. The latest news is that the first working prototype
of the electrifying concept car will be unveiled at the upcoming
Goodwood Festival of Speed in the U.K. with F1 racer Mark Webber behind
the wheel. Read More
Smart TV manufacturers are making a smart move.
Instead of offering competing technologies for connected TVs, they're
looking to partner and form a universal platform. While manufacturers
are currently pushing Smart TV technology as a way to sell more sets,
the disparate platforms being developed by individual manufacturers leads
to consumer confusion and requires developers to customize their apps
for different platforms. In order to develop a standard that can create a
thriving ecosystem for developers, a number of TV manufacturers have
established the SMART TV Alliance and are looking to bring competitors
into the fold. Read More
In the past, we've seen 3D scanning widely used in a variety of industries - clothing retail, law enforcement, medical education, etc. - but it's still a little surprising to see the same technology applied
to a slab of meat. Nantsune's new Libra 165C meat slicer does exactly
that however, capturing a 3D image of a piece of meat, ready to be
butchered, and then using the data to make slices at the same precise
weight every time. Read More
Some readers may recall the Torch T1, a prototype bicycle helmet we recently featured. It incorporates light panels
on the front and back, to make sure that cyclists get noticed by
drivers when riding at night. Well, while it may seem to offer quite the
light display, it's decidedly subtle compared to the LumaHelm. Designed
by a team of researchers at the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology’s Exertion Games Lab (which previously brought us the Joggobot), it’s a bike helmet covered with an array of 104 multicolored programmable LEDs. Read More
This Monday, Air Canada became the latest in a lengthening list of airlines – including Lufthansa and KLM
– that have experimented with running their airliners on biofuels
during regular passenger flights. In this case, the aircraft in question
was an Airbus A319, traveling from Toronto to Mexico City. It was
tanked up with a 50/50 mix of regular aviation fuel and biofuel made
from recycled cooking oil. Read More
Lighting is possibly the single most important
aspect of good photography and filmmaking, yet it's frequently
overlooked and considered the reserve of professionals. This is a shame,
because you don't need a professional lighting setup to see a marked
improvement in your shots. The Kick is a budget full-spectrum lighting
studio which can fit in your pocket and is controlled by your iPhone.
Read More
Microsoft has certainly been keeping us all on our toes as of late, and just a couple of days after its big Surface
tablet reveal, the Redmond-based team are back in the headlines – this
time appearing at the Windows Phone Summit to spill the goods on Windows
Phone 8, due for release sometime in the final quarter of this year. So
what's new? Well, quite a lot actually. Read More
Picture a scene in a sitcom where
some character arrives at a beach party dressed in a suit and tie, and
carrying a briefcase. Everyone thinks that they’re some un-fun fuddy
duddy, until they open their briefcase to reveal that there’s a barbecue
inside! Woo-hoo! Well, that’s the idea behind the real-life Darwin BBQ.
Read More
The National Bike Registry tells us that
thousands of bikes are stolen every day in the United States alone,
estimating a cost of around US$200 million per year. A stolen bike can
take hundreds or thousands of dollars out of your pocket, leave you
without a means of transit and turn into a frustrating, angering
experience. The SpyBike Covert Bicycle GPS Tracker protects you from
theft by tracking down your bike. Read More
Taraxacum officinale, or dandelion, the
herb used for tea and salads, is an excellent liver tonic and diuretic.
But there’s another variety of dandelion known as Russian dandelion, aka
Taraxacum kok-saghyz, which Bridgestone Americas is
researching as raw material to make high-quality rubber for car tires.
After preliminary tests, the company said it will continue to assess the
material at its technical laboratories in Akron and Tokyo in coming
months, and will follow that with larger-scale testing in 2014. Read More
If you’re into activities such as windsurfing,
sailing or kite-flying, then you’re going to want to know where and how
hard the wind is blowing. While weather reports may give average wind
speeds for your city as a whole, they’re usually not very specific.
That’s where Shaka comes in. It’s a tiny wind meter that works with your iPhone. Read More
There's still more good news
for those of the opinion that electric bicycles are precisely
50-percent wheel-deficient. Designer Dimitris Niavis has unveiled a
concept for a new electric-assisted tricycle, named the Kaylad 2.0. Read More
What once seemed science fiction
may be becoming a reality. The futuristic SeaOrbiter ocean explorer, a
concept conceived by French architect Jacques Rougerie, has been trying
to reach fruition for the past twelve years. However recent developments
suggest that the vessel is set to start construction this October, with
possible completion in 2013. Read More
The recently-released XP Mod is an Android Launcher, or home screen replacement,
that recreates the look and feel of Windows XP. Perhaps its most
impressive feature is the functional Windows Explorer clone, which makes
finding files stored on your phone a similar experience to browsing
files on a PC, making the app more than mere novelty. Currently in beta,
XP Mod is missing a few key features that will likely keep it from
being an everyday application, but this could change with future
updates. Read More
While digital cameras such as the Hasselblad H4D-200MS and Nikon D800 have pushed the megapixel boundary in recent times, and Nokia’s inclusion of a 41-megapixel camera into its 808 PureView smartphone got plenty of attention, researchers at Duke University and the University of Arizona
say the age of consumer gigapixel cameras are just around the corner –
and they’ve created a prototype gigapixel camera to prove it. Read More
Canon has announced a new augmented reality tool geared toward speeding up the product design
process and easing the transition between the conception and execution
of a product idea by allowing virtual prototypes to replace physical
ones. The Mixed Reality (MR) System will make use of full-scale,
three-dimensional computer generated (CG) images that change in real
time based on the movements of the user. Read More
In comparison to some of the bulkier
solar panel-packing iPhone cases we’ve seen, such as the AQUA TEK S and Solar Surge,
the EnerPlex charger is positively Kate Moss-like. Made by
Colorado-based Ascent Solar using its ultra light, thin and flexible
solar panels, the EnerPlex for iPhone 4/4S adds just 72 g (2.53 oz) to
the weight of the phone while providing the ability to top up the
battery from the sun’s rays. Read More
A 3D printer that pops out steaming
hot burritos before your very eyes? That sounds like the plot of the
next stoner movie turned cult hit. In this case, though, it's actually
the thesis project of an NYU masters student. And it's fast becoming a
reality. Read More
Traveling at 80.74 mph (129.94 km/h) on four
wheels won’t usually grab you a Guinness world record, but when that
feat is achieved on a vehicle that relies on only leg power and gravity,
it’s another story. That’s just what 28-year old Mischo Erban has done
in a record-breaking downhill skateboard run at Les Éboulements in
Quebec, Canada, this week. Read More
Google Street View, which offers
street-level imagery of towns and cities around the world, is one of
those innovations that we now take for granted, but we really shouldn't.
It's easy to forget how innovative the effort is, and what a
large-scale mission Google has undertaken in attempting to map the whole
world. The technology exists for us all to create our own 360-degree
panoramic vistas of the places around us, and DIY streetview is a kit
containing everything one needs to get started. Read More
Although barbecuing can be fun, the person doing
the grilling is usually stuck having to hover around the barbecue,
checking the meat and adjusting the cooking temperature
accordingly. BBQ Guru is attempting to change that situation, with its
new CyberQ Wi-Fi. Using included probes, the system monitors the
temperature of the barbecue itself and up to three pieces of meat that
are cooking within it, then sends that data to the backyard chef via
their mobile device or PC – they can then remotely adjust the barbecue’s settings as needed. Read More
Shma's bold "water city"
concept is a reimagining of the medieval Thai city of Ayutthaya, that
rethinks flood defenses for the 21st century by drawing inspiration from
the past. It's a concept, yes, but one worthy of a second look, given
that this is a uniquely Thai response to the catastrophic flooding that
hit the country last year. Gizmag takes a moment to set Shma's scheme in
its proper context: that of the very recent past, as well as that of
Ayutthaya's heyday as one of Asia's, if not the world's, foremost
cities. Read More
Ireland-based B9 Shipping has started work on a
full-scale demonstration vessel as part of its goal to design the modern world’s first 100 percent fossil fuel-free cargo sailing ships. Unlike most conventional large cargo vessels, which are powered by bunker fuel, B9 Shipping’s cargo ship
would employ a Dyna-rig sail propulsion system combined with an
off-the-shelf Rolls-Royce engine powered by liquid biomethane derived
from municipal waste. Read More
While wireless sensors for detecting the strain placed on bridges and buildings, such as the SenSpot,
are easier and cheaper to install than embedded wired networks of
sensors, they still need to be in physical contact with the structure
being monitored. Researchers at Rice University
have now developed a new type of paint, infused with carbon nanotubes,
that could make strain detection of materials in buildings, bridges and
aircraft possible without actually touching the material. Read More
Those who value having a myriad of information on
the world around them right at their fingertips may have something
extra to add to their Christmas or birthday wish list. Sensordrone, a
Kickstarter project that has managed to triple its initial funding goal
of US$25,000, packs a dozen environmental sensors into a keychain-sized
dongle, collecting highly localized data and relaying the information to
any Android device via Bluetooth. Read More
GM is looking at ways in which
semi-autonomous driving technologies, which could be available in
production vehicles by mid-decade, will influence driver behavior.
Because the technologies set to be introduced in the coming years are
designed to lighten the driver's load in certain circumstances but
aren't advanced enough to let them "tune out" completely, GM is
attempting to ascertain which technologies will help ensure the safety
of vehicles with future autonomous systems. Read More
Like the rest of us, the blind can use speaking
navigation apps to find their way around the city. A new Android
application developed at Spain’s Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona,
however, is designed specifically to help blind people get to their
destination by bus. Appropriately named OnTheBus, the app could also be
used by the deaf, the cognitively-impaired, or anyone else. Read More
For many people, grilling is an activity that's
limited to the warmer months, when clear weather makes preparing dinner
outside both practical and enjoyable. Once the weather turns, the rain
cover comes out and grilling is over. The Element Indoor Smokeless BBQ
brings grilling inside, where people can enjoy it year round. Read More
Although it’s known to kill bacteria, selenium
has never been tried as an antibacterial coating for implanted medical
devices ... until now, that is. Engineers from Rhode Island’s Brown
University have applied coatings of selenium nanoparticles to pieces of
polycarbonate – the material used for things like catheters and
endotracheal tubes – and then exposed those samples to Staphylococcus aureus bacteria. In some cases, populations of the bacteria were subsequently reduced by up to 90 percent. Read More
I have to admit to a tinge of sadness as I report that both of the LED learning sleeve for guitar
projects we featured back in April have so far failed to appear.
Development of both projects is said to be continuing but Tabber
withdrew its presence on Kickstarter after only two weeks to regroup and
improve the product and the LED Sleeve didn't make its funding target.
Fortunately, there is an existing system called Fretlight that uses
lights embedded in the neck to show would-be players exactly when and
where to place fingers on a fingerboard. The recent addition of the
rather attractive FG-461 PRO electric guitar to the range offered the
perfect opportunity to take a closer look. Read More
A hundred years ago, the state-of-the-art of automotive technology
was being pushed forward as quickly by shade-tree mechanics as it was
by formal industrial R&D. To paraphrase John Steinbeck: "Two
generations of Americans knew more about the planetary system of gears
than the solar system of stars." The current situation in robotics could
be seen in a similar light - open source hardware and software
provide very similar tools and capabilities to hobbyists and robotics
start-up company alike. To ease entry into the field, Freescale
Semiconductors has just introduced FSLBOT, which provides the basic
hardware and software for development of a walking, sensor-laden robot starting at only US$200. Read More
If you're anything like us, you probably spent
many an hour in your younger days bouncing up and down on a seesaw (or
teeter-totter or teeter board, depending on where you grew up. And, even
now, you might fight the desire to relive your childhood and jump on
one as you walk past a playground. But Melbourne-based design group
ENESS has created a seesaw, which comes complete with hundreds of LEDs
and a physics engine to explore the forces at work on the familiar
playground staple, that might just prove too difficult to resist. Read More
They say an ounce of prevention is worth a pound
of cure, but when it comes to road maintenance, an ounce of prevention
is worth several tons of tarmac. A tiny crack in the asphalt may not
seem like much, but once it lets in rain and frost, it’s a ticket to
potholes and a very expensive resurfacing. The problem is that crack
repair is time consuming and labor intensive, so the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) has come up with an automatic pavement crack detection and repair system that operates at comparable speeds to conventional methods, but with fewer people and less exposure to hazardous fumes. Read More
Instaglasses is a new product concept by German designer Markus Gerke. Influenced by Google's Project Glass, Gerke decided to combine the idea of a camera-capable pair of glasses with the various filters of the Instagram photo-sharing mobile app. Read More
After a rather lackluster showing at this year's
E3, Nintendo took to the web to announce the newest model in its
hand-held line up, the 3DS XL. Featuring 4.88-inch (12.4-cm) 3D display
and improved battery life, the 3DS XL is set to launch around the globe
Q3 2012. Read More
Skateboards are definitely a part of the urban
landscape, but you know what else is? Stairs. Generally, the two don’t
go together – when skateboarders reach a set of stairs, they typically
have to pick up their board and carry it. London-based product designer
Po-Chih Lai would like to see boarders be able to roll right on down
those stairs, however, so he created a one-off skateboard that lets them
do just that. It’s called the STAIR ROVER. Read More
The British Army's new Foxhound light protected
patrol vehicle is a functional combination of heavy-duty armored rover
designed to soldier through explosions and light, nimble field vehicle
that can go where others can't. Thanks to a partnership with top names
in racing, including McLaren and BMW, the Foxhound is as quick as a fox
... or at least as close as an eight-ton military vehicle can possibly
be. Read More
Now here's a clever solution for transporting,
storing and charging multiple tablet computers for hospitals, schools,
retailers and even bingo halls. The PowerCRATE is a portable (you can
even air-freight tablets in situ) solution for charging 25 tablets
simultaneously without connecting any power leads. Any brand of tablet
can be used, charging can be on demand or programmed to take advantage
of night-time electricity tariffs and each tablet can be locked inside
its individual charging bay. Read More
Bowler, a British manufacturer of rally raid
cars, is well known for its performance off-roaders. What it's not known
for is street-legal cars. That all changes with the new EXR S, a
road-engineered version of its EXR rally car. The car is the first
fruits of a new partnership agreement with Land Rover. Read More
It’s probably safe to say that with some of our
friends, we communicate with them almost exclusively via social networks
such as Facebook and Twitter. While these networks are fine for sending
typed messages and photos, however, there are times when the sound of
someone’s voice is much more appropriate. Video is one alternative,
although many people are uncomfortable appearing on camera. That’s why
four graduates from the School of Informatics at Spain’s Universitat
Politècnica de Catalunya created uWhisp – it’s a plug-in for use on
existing social networks, that lets users send prerecorded voice
messages. Read More
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