New and Emerging Technology News part 165 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Tuesday 4 February 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 165

Aircraft carrier deck crews may one day be able to direct autonomous drones, using standar...
We’ve all seen footage of flight crews on the decks of aircraft carriers, directing taxiing planes using arm signals. That’s all very well and good when they’re communicating with human pilots, but what happens as more and more human-piloted military aircraft are replaced with autonomous drones? Well, if researchers at MIT are successful in one of their latest projects, not much should change. They’re currently devising a system that would allow robotic aircraft to understand human arm gestures.  Read More
Laser 'un-printers' would allow paper to be re-used, reducing the need for virgin wood pul...
If you’re concerned about deforestation, you likely blue-bin the no-longer-needed sheets of paper that have been run through your printer. You should keep in mind, however, that even though the recycling of that paper saves trees, the process still requires considerable energy, and most recycled paper still contains some virgin wood pulp. What would be better is if there were an “un-printer” that took the toner off of the used paper, so you would be left with a blank sheet that you could reuse. Well, thanks to research being conducted at the University of Cambridge, there soon may be.  Read More
The Airhead fits neatly inside the helmet
The Airhead is a simple helmet accessory designed to fit inside the helmet and increase air circulation, keeping you cooler. By limiting your head heat and perspiration, Airhead also promises to combat "helmet hair." Conceived during a road trip on long, lonely stretches of barren Australian asphalt, Airhead tackles the problem head on (pun intended). It is designed to help you maintain the carefully groomed hair that you spent minutes or hours parting and spraying before clamping your dirty helmet on top of it.  Read More
The Gizmon iCA Military Edition iPhone case There’s no arguing that the Japanese love their cameras, particularly classic cameras. There’s no arguing that the Japanese love their iPhones (who doesn’t?). What could be cooler than combining the two and creating an iPhone case that looks like a classic Leica? That’s exactly what Japanese classic camera importer Adplus has done with its Gizmon iCA. Now its introducing an all-black “military” version - available for order worldwide in a few days. These covers don’t just look good either.  Read More
The hypoallergenic egg team: Tim Doran (left), Cenk Suphioglu and Pathum Dhanapala
Of all the childhood allergies, an allergic reaction to eggs is one of the most common. Typically, reactions can include wheezing, nausea, headache, stomach ache, and hives. In extreme cases, however, anaphylactic shock can result, which can itself sometimes lead to death. Eggs are difficult to avoid, too - they find their way into many foods that might not seem particularly "eggy," and are even used in flu vaccines. Needless to say, for some time now, scientists have been working on making eggs safe for everyone. A team from Australia's Deakin University is now claiming that they're well on the way to producing not just hypoallergenic eggs, but the chickens that lay them.  Read More
Moby1 is offering a new take on the traditional teardrop trailer, offering a range of comp...
Moby1 is offering a new take on the traditional teardrop trailer, with a range of compact models that are specifically designed for off-road touring. These teardrop trailers are not only lightweight, but also offer campers extra cargo space, a flexible load-carrying platform, a meal preparation area and cooking station, and a standard mattress. Teardrops were most popular during the 30s through to the 50s, but slowly faded out of fashion as campers grew larger and RVs became super-sized. With current fuel prices, however, the teardrop trailer is starting to make more sense for the environmentally-conscious camper.  Read More
With its ICD-TX50, Sony has introduced what it's calling its slimmest ever voice recorder
With its ICD-TX50, Sony has introduced what it's calling its slimmest ever voice recorder. The quarter-inch (6.4mm) device weighs 1.8 ounces (50 g) - combined with its 4 GB memory (plus microSD) the ICD-TX50 should double as a rather nifty lightweight MP3 player. But the device reserves its most impressive specs for the all-important dictaphone functionality.  Read More
New research from Cambridge University suggests pass-phrases may be vulnerable to dictiona...
It's a meme that's been doing the rounds on the internet in recent years: multi-word pass-phrases are as secure as long strings of gibberish but with the added benefit of being easy to remember. But research from Cambridge University suggests that this may not be the case. Pass-phrases comprised of dictionary words may not be as vulnerable as individual passwords, but they may still succumb to dictionary attacks, the research finds.  Read More
The hydrogen-powered CityCat H2 that is being trialed on the streets of Basel, Switzerland
For the past couple of years, a street cleaning vehicle has been washing, brushing and vacuuming the streets of Basel in northwest Switzerland. While there’s nothing unusual about that, what is noteworthy is that the vehicle, known as the CityCat H2, is powered completely by hydrogen. The street sweeper is part of a project to practically test the feasibility of hydrogen-powered vehicles under real-world conditions and the results from the trial indicate that, although hydrogen-powered vehicles can save energy, are environmentally friendly, and technically feasible, the prices of fuel cells, pressurized storage tanks and electric drives must all drop significantly before such vehicles are cost-effective.  Read More
SeeMe would provide eyes in the sky quickly to troops on the ground (Image: DARPA)
DARPA, the United States' defense technology research agency that's created such notable projects as the Internet you're using right this moment, is now looking for help in creating a swarm of "disposable" eyes in the sky. It is seeking technical assistance from a wide range of fields - from auto racing to optics - to create the means to provide on-demand satellite imagery for troops on the front lines.  Read More

A prototype of the new Lockheed Martin Space Fence radar system is currently tracking orbi...
A prototype of the new Lockheed Martin Space Fence radar system is currently tracking orbiting space objects smaller than was ever possible - down to about a centimeter in size. In doing so, it met a key contract requirement during a series of demonstration events by proving it could detect and track such small objects.  Read More
A group of four autonomous underwater vehicles have just set a world distance record, by t... On November 17th of last year, a group of four wave-powered autonomous aquatic robots set out from San Francisco, embarking on a planned 37,000-mile (60,000-km) trip across the Pacific ocean. Recently, the fleet of Wave Gliders completed the first leg of their journey, arriving at Hawaii’s Big Island after traveling over 3,200 nautical miles (5,926 km). By doing so, they have set a new distance record for unmanned wave-powered vehicles – that record previously sat at 2,500 nautical miles (4,630 km).  Read More
Sandberg's BatteryCase is a case for iPhone 4 and iPhone 4S packs impressive specs into a ...
Sandberg's BatteryCase is the latest in a long line of iPhone battery cases that claim to double the life of an iPhone - in this case the iPhone 4, though as you'd expect the case is also compatible with the iPhone 4S. In case you're not familiar with how these things work, there's no mystery: it's simply an iPhone case with an integrated battery. But how does it stack up against two of the market leaders, Mophie's juice pack and juice pack plus?  Read More
A team of Purdue University students has developed a device that uses sensors at a guitari...
No matter the size of the stage, most gigging guitar players are likely to have to return to the same spot from time to time to change the tone, increase the volume, check tuning or to operate the wah effect. Thanks to a team of students from Purdue University's School of Mechanical Engineering, the last of those has now been liberated from the pedal board and strapped to the player's ankle. But this doesn't involve attaching a large brick-shaped wah pedal to one leg, as one's imagination might suggest, but wearing a small wireless transmitter and a couple of sensors instead. Players operate the Ghost Pedal in much the same fashion as a physical pedal, the sensors registering the rocking motion of the foot and feeding data to a base station connected to the amplifier.  Read More
Audi's new R18 e-tron quattro demonstrates the extraordinary boldness of the Audi company ...
Audi's newly revealed R18 e-tron quattro race car is designed to win the 2012 Le Mans 24 Hour Race. Whatsmore, the turbodiesel, electric flywheel hybrid, all-wheel drive prototype will ensure the 2012 race will be a battle of the hybrids (against Toyota's new TS030 ultracapacitor hybrid race car), and a fascinating study of new technologies under race conditions. The car uses electric motors to add 75 kW (102 bhp) of power to each front wheel, and a 375 kW (510 bhp) V6 TDI engine powers the rear wheels. The Williams Hybrid Power electric flywheel hybrid captures energy similarly to the unit Porsche used to such great effect in its GT3 R Hybrid last year with the rear axle powered conventionally, and the front wheels by electric motors. Audi calls it "the electrification of the drive" and it will be a story worth following as battle begins on the racetrack.  Read More
Contents of the box: the OPC, wired keyboard and mouse, power cables, Quick start guide an...
The first OPC from Orange Amps was made available in August 2010 and we've been closely following its development ever since. The bundled musician-related software has remained pretty much the same since launch but the musician's computer was given a serious hardware upgrade towards the close of 2011, and it's the new Core i7 system which I've been getting to know over the past few weeks. I've also managed to discuss some of the finer details with the driving force behind the OPC, and its lead developer, Charlie Cooper.  Read More
The GameGadget is a mobile gaming console designed for classic games titles
It wasn’t so long ago that the mobile gaming space was dominated by Nintendo and Sony. While both companies continue to stake a claim for the mobile gaming pie with the release of their latest handhelds – the 3DS and PlayStation Vita – dedicated mobile gaming consoles have been under serious fire from smartphones in recent years. But that hasn’t stopped a UK-based company entering the arena with the GameGadget – an open source console designed to let fans get their hands on classic games titles.  Read More
Super Stardust Delta makes our top 5 PlayStation Vita games list
If our gushing review of the Vita has you ready to drop some cash, but you're not sure what games to get, read on for our selection of the five best launch titles for the PlayStation Vita (in no particular order).  Read More
The Dual V6 with smoke lenses
Attempting to read your watch or bike computer through sweat-fogged glasses while simultaneously keeping half a pupil on the road ahead can be difficult and dangerous. And those expensive electronics don't do you much good if you can't read them. That's why Dual Eyewear has created sunglasses equipped with magnifying lenses that make reading those small, grainy LCD screens a little easier.  Read More
The Weltzeituhr (World Clock) at Alexanderplatz, Berlin, Germany isn't anywhere near as ac... The NIST-F1 atomic clock that currently serves as primary time and frequency standard for the U.S. is expected to neither gain nor lose a second in more than 100 million years. That might sound pretty accurate, but a proposed nuclear clock could make it look like a cheap digital wristwatch. It is claimed that the proposed clock would neither gain nor lose 1/20th of a second in 14 billion years. To put that in context, that’s the estimated age of the universe.  Read More
 
The cyborg snail with a biofuel cell implant that generates electrical power from glucose ...
Earlier this year we reported that researchers had implanted a cockroach with an enzyme-based biofuel cell that could potentially be used to power various sensors, recording devices, or electronics used to control an insect cyborg. While it may not be the most dynamic of creatures, a team from Clarkson University has now performed a similar feat with a living snail.  Read More
Hotels and Restaurants category winner: Tori-Tori Restaurant, Polanco, Mexico City (Photo:...
For some, architecture is considered "the will of an epoch translated into space" (Mies van der Rohe), for others, it's "frozen music" (Goethe), but for most of us, the topic remains quite subjective. Now, top online architecture review site ArchDaily has finally sifted through over 65,000 votes to come up with the winners of their 2011 Building of the Year awards - a fascinating selection of innovation and creativity that will wow some and challenge others. Numerous images for each structure are available in the gallery.  Read More
The process can dynamically switch the texture of plastics between patterns ranging from d...
Imagine a pair of rubber gloves whose surface texture could be altered on demand to provide more grip for climbing. Or maybe gloves with "fingerprints" that can be changed in the blink of an eye. They are just a couple of the many potential applications envisioned by researchers at Duke University for a process they have developed that allows the texture of plastics to be changed at will.  Read More
The Signal crew surfs powder in roped 'Snurfer' fashion Photo: Erin Paul Hines
Part Swiss Army knife, part splitboard and part old school powder surfer, the Signal Snowboard Survivor Split snowboard is a one-of-a-kind, experimental board that equips you with all kinds of tools for the backcountry - it can cut wood, start a fire and shovel snow.  Read More
The beta-blocking medication propanol could also block subconscious racist attitudes.
Although racism is widely believed to be a learned behavior, findings from an Oxford University team suggest that taking a heart disease medication may also help mute subconscious racist attitudes in individuals. Researchers gave the drug propranolol to 18 subjects, and placebos to a control group of the same size. Those that received the drug scored markedly lower on a standard test that measures subconscious racial bias. Does this mean we could one day see a pill to counter racist tendencies?  Read More
Twin Creeks Technologies' Hyperion process is claimed to be able to produce crystalline si...
Boosting solar cell efficiency is seen as a key factor in making them more practical, but there is another way of looking at the matter ... if the price of those cells were lowered, we could generate more power simply by using more of them. That’s where Mississippi-based Twin Creeks Technologies comes into the picture. The company has developed a method of making crystalline silicon wafers which it says could reduce the cost of solar cell production by half.  Read More
The My Book Thunderbolt Duo from WD is now available in 4 TB and 6 TB storage capacities
Western Digital (WD) has begun shipping its first Thunderbolt equipped storage device in the form of the My Book Thunderbolt Duo. The device is a dual-drive unit available in 4 TB (2 x 2 TB) and 6 TB (2 x 3 TB) capacities and features dual Thunderbolt ports (and only dual Thunderbolt ports – there’s no USB to fall back on here) on the rear for daisy-chaining of up to six My Book Thunderbolt Duo drives or other Thunderbolt peripherals.  Read More
Scientists at Cambridge University have built robots out of LEGO, to assist in their resea...
Despite what TV shows like CSI would have us believe, a lot of lab work tends to be highly monotonous. It’s the type of work that could be assigned to robots, were it not for the fact that many facilities can’t afford the things, or can’t rationalize bringing one in for a single project. When scientists at Cambridge University were recently faced with a very mindless, repetitive task that was part of their research into creating artificial bone, one of them got creative, and built a couple of robots out of LEGO.  Read More
The SLT-A57 is somewhat taller than its predecessor, a move that's said to offer users a m...
Sony's translucent mirror technology - which directs incoming light to the image sensor and the AF sensor simultaneously - continues to advance with the introduction of the company's new SLT-A57 digital camera. The new camera trumps the α55 it replaces in a number ways, most notable of which is the 12 images per second continuous shooting with full-time continuous autofocus in Tele-zoom Continuous Advanced Priority AE mode. The new, faster, more powerful image processor that makes such an impressive performance boost possible also ramps up the sensitivity to a very low-light-friendly ISO16000, and the camera is fit to bursting with creative photography options.  Read More
The large Jompy offers the fastest boiling time - one liter in about 45 seconds
A funny name but an innovative design, Jompy allows campers, backpackers, hikers and other outdoor enthusiasts to get hot water from their hydration packs. The simple device works in conjunction with a hydration bladder and camping stove to deliver boiling water for use in food, beverages and cleaning.  Read More

The SNAP claims to be the world's first folding skateboard
The creators of the SNAP Skateboard bill it as the world's first folding skateboard. The aluminum board folds into three segments so that you can easily transport it when not in use. The hinged, aluminum board is designed for both tricks and cruising. Given that the skateboard has wheels and rolls you where you need to go, we're not sure that it needed to get more portable. But, we suppose that the standard wheeled board can't take you everywhere you need to go, and sometimes you need to slide it in a bag or under your arm, so the smaller, the better.  Read More
Scientists have developed a method of duplicating an individual person's unique immune sys...
Because everyone’s immune system is different, it’s impossible to predict with absolute certainty how any given person will react to a specific medication. In the not-too-distant future, however, at-risk patients may get their own custom-altered mouse, with an immune system that’s a copy of their own. Medications could be tried out on the mouse first, and if it showed no adverse reactions, then the person could receive them. If the person had an autoimmune disease, the mouse could also provide valuable insight into its treatment. A team led by Columbia University Medical Center’s Dr. Megan Sykes has recently developed a method of creating just such a “personalized immune mouse.”  Read More
Silk treated with chlorine has been shown to kill anthrax-like bacteria within minutes of ... When anthrax spores go dormant, they develop a tough outer coating that can withstand heat, radiation and antibiotics, in one case even allowing them to come back to life after 250 million years. It seems that such spores could be no match, however, for a special pair of silk curtains.  Read More
The Pin Light gives you a safer campsite
Pin Lights are an innovative camping concept from a group of designers. The lights are essentially large pins that take the place of tent stakes. Not only do they keep your tent stable in the wind, but they light up your campsite ... so that wee-hour pee doesn't have to be a life-risking affair.  Read More
Scientists are studying the mental processes of young children, in order to get computers ...
Children are sometimes referred to as “sponges,” not because they live off our earnings, but because of their remarkable ability to learn things quickly. Psychologists believe this is because their brains are still wired for learning and exploration – essential qualities for building neural connections – whereas adult minds tend to focus on specific goals, at the expense of imagination and curiosity. Now, scientists from the University of California, Berkeley are studying the cognitive functions of babies, toddlers and preschoolers, in hopes of using their findings to make computers think more like humans.  Read More
The Subwing is a device that is towed behind a boat, allowing the rider to 'fly' underwate...
We’ve probably all seen scuba divers on television, hitching rides on the backs of manta rays or sea turtles. For those of us who love the ocean, it looks like a near-magical experience, but ... you shouldn’t do it. Marine biologists will tell you that it’s simply a form of harassment, which the animals themselves don’t particularly enjoy. So, how can you replicate that “flying underwater” experience? Well, Norwegian inventor Simon Sivertsen would suggest you buy his boat-towed Subwing.  Read More
The 39-foot (12-meter) long, 538-sq foot (50-sq m) container is living a second life as a ... Let's be clear. The idea of recycling shipping containers as bespoke pieces of micro-architecture is by no means unique to Tsai Design Studio, but its container classroom - real, built, and in use - is no less admirable as a result.  Read More
The Yikebike is a miniature, electric penny farthing made of carbon fiber capable of 25km/... The Yikebike is a miniature, electric penny farthing made of carbon fiber capable of 25 km/h (15 mph) with a range of 10 km (6.2 miles), or 20 km (12.4 miles) if you carry a spare battery.  Read More
NASA Langley researcher Kevin Shelton wearing an early prototype (Credit: NASA Langley Res...
NASA has developed a pair of augmented reality glasses designed especially for commercial airline pilots to see during the worst visual conditions. The glasses include a heads-up display showing a virtual overlay of the runway and airport, head tracking technology, and voice controls - features that may help pilots keep their eyes where they're most needed.  Read More
Researchers at Fermilab have succeeded in demonstrating that communication via neutrino be...
Neutrinos have been in the news recently, and although it appears that they probably do not travel faster than light, they still hold court as three of the strangest of the known subatomic particles. Undeterred by these arcane particles, Fermilab scientists have succeeded in communicating with neutrino pulses through 240 meters (262 yards) of rock at a rate of 0.1 bits per second.  Read More

Belkin's LiveAction Camera Grip provides iPhones with an ergonomic handle, and a shutter r...
Although it’s been suggested that point-and-shoot digital cameras could be made obsolete by smartphones, there’s at least one thing that’s still better about stand-alone cameras – they have an ergonomic grip (or at least, some of them do), and a good ol’ fuss-free shutter release button. Belkin’s LiveAction Camera Grip device, however, is designed to add these features to the iPhone. The company has also released the LiveAction Camera Remote, which brings the same push-button functionality to a remote-control device.  Read More
The Tohoku University design would change shape during flight to adapt to supersonic speed...
A throwback to early 20th Century aviation may hold the key to eliminating the sonic boom - at least according to researchers at MIT and Stanford University. Strongly reminiscent of biplanes still in use today, the researcher's concept supersonic aircraft introduces a second wing which it is claimed cancels the shockwaves generated by objects near or beyond the sound barrier.  Read More
Adafruit has come up with a mash-up of Arduino components to create an internet-enabled mo...
Adafruit's "Internet of Things Camera" is a neat mashup of existing Arduino components into a versatile remote monitoring camera. The key here is in the word remote - a capability that's granted by the inclusion of a first-generation Eye-Fi card, which is an SD card with built in Wi-Fi, that can upload images to your computer or other device, or better yet to a variety of photo-sharing websites such as Flickr.  Read More
Originally manufactured in the 1960's, the world's smallest ever production car, the Peel ...
The quest for more fuel-efficient vehicles has seen a shift from the gas-guzzling behemoths of yesteryear to smaller and smaller cars, such as the Volkswagen up!, Toyota iQ, and Tata Nano. The smallest currently in production is the smart fortwo that measures just 106.1 inches (269.5 cm) long and 61.4 inches (155.9 cm) wide. But for the world’s smallest ever production car you’d have to look back to the early 1960’s and the Peel P50, which measured just 54 inches (137 cm) long and 41 inches (104.1 cm) wide, and weighed 130 lb (59 kg). Now replicas of the P50 -and its bigger brother, the Peel Trident - are getting a limited production run and will be offered with a choice of gasoline or electric powerplants.  Read More
Ducati Monster Diesel launched The announcement of a Diesel Ducati might catch you by surprise, but only until you realize that the bike has spark plugs and the word Diesel refers to the Italian fashion brand which has been sponsoring the Ducati Team in MotoGP. The collaboration is bearing fruit straight up with an "urban military chic" version of the Ducati Monster 1100EVO.  Read More
Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG E-CELL
Can an electric version of one of the world's supercars be a supercar? Mercedes-AMG has answered this question with a resounding yes by announcing the SLS AMG E-Cell that was confirmed for production in Detroit in January will be available in 2013. Its electric powertrain gives the E-Cell a 0-60 mph (96.5 km/h) time of 4.0 seconds, compared to the SLS AMG's 0-60 mph time of 3.8 seconds. When it comes to top speed, both cars are electronically limited. The E-Cell can hit 155 mph (249.4 km/h), while the SLS AMG tops out at 197 mph (317 km/h). While not quite the equal of the gas-powered SLS AMG, the E-Cell is clearly in supercar territory!  Read More
PayPal has introduced its new Here cardreader system for smartphones
The profusion of apps for smartphones certainly seems to know no bounds, and while NFC based payment seems set to become the dominant form of cashless transaction, smartphone peripherals that allow users to swipe credit and debit cards still have a role to play. The most notable of these devices is Jack Dorsey's Square system and now, online payment giant Paypal has flexed its appreciable muscle and entered the fray with its new, triangular "Here" card reader, due initially for a limited release.  Read More
Physicians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have succeeded in growing human retinal ...
Among the primary causes of adult-onset blindness are degenerative diseases of the retina, such as macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. While some treatments have been developed that slow down the rate of degeneration, the clinical situation is still generally unsatisfactory. But if you could grow a new retina, transplant might be a possible cure. Now new hope is springing up from a research project at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in which scientists have succeeded in growing human retinal tissue from stem cells.  Read More
One full payload from the AF2011-A1 can deliver in three seconds what would take a regular...
It's been a popular design for shotguns for over a century, so why not handguns? With a design that looks like two guns were melted together, the new handgun from Arsenal Firearms is definitely a handful. Thanks to the gun's dual barrels though, the AF2011-A1 Double Barrel Pistol is capable of firing 16 rounds in a span of three seconds by shooting two bullets at the same time.  Read More
The first outing of Mercedes Benz new 1937 Grand Prix car was not in Europe, but in the po...
With the world's most watched event, Formula One, returning to lounge rooms across the globe today, Mercedes is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its dominant 1937 W125 Grand Prix car - the Silver Arrow had a 595 bhp turbocharged, desmodromic 5.7 liter straight eight which comprised one third of the car's 750 kg dry weight. Launched at the Grand Prix of Tripoli (yes, in Libya), the car was a technological marvel for its day, and averaged 132 mph at its first outing - amazing images and actual video of the 1937 Tripoli Grand Prix.  Read More

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