New and Emerging Technology News part 217 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Tuesday 18 March 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 217

SBIG's new STT-8300 cooled CCD astrocamera
Although one can begin to explore amateur astrophotography with a smartphone camera or a webcam, today's tool of choice for this pastime is a special-purpose, cooled CCD camera. The case in point is the new STT-8300M astrocamera from Santa Barbara Imaging Group (SBIG).  Read More
The Q-FOG provides a cooling mist from your handlebars
The spray trend seen on products like GEIGERRIG pressurized hydration packs takes a new turn in the Q-FOG. This bike-mountable apparatus is a personal mister designed to keep cyclists cool on long, hot summer rides.  Read More
The Charlotte hexapod robot There are robots that walk around like spiders, there are robots that avoid objects, and there are robots that talk, but what about a robot spider that talks while avoiding objects? Hobbyist Kevin Ochs’ creation, Charlotte, is just that. Charlotte is a hexapod robot with a talking head that lets it narrate its progress as it avoids collisions.  Read More
A shoe designed using Shapeways' new Elasto Plastics material Shapeways, one of the biggest names in 3D printing, is adding a new squishy plastic material called Elasto Plastics to its available printing options. This new material offers some interesting applications for anything wearable, specifically for sandals and other kinds of footwear.  Read More
A peek at the LT1
When Chevy introduced the 2014 Corvette Stingray at the 2013 North American International Auto Show, it estimated that it would have 450 horsepower, making it the most powerful standard Corvette ever. As it turns out, it's even more powerful. Chevy released the official SAE-certified ratings this week, which show the new Corvette battling the highway with up to 460 ponies.  Read More
A tush-friendly BananaHama Bike in action
For those of you who don’t know, a “banana hammock” is ... well, just Google it (but be warned, it’s kind of NSFW). A BananaHama, on the other hand, is one of the latest attempts at a more comfortable bicycle. Its long curved frame is kind of reminiscent of a banana, and instead of a conventional saddle, it has a little hammock.  Read More
A sheet made up of the polymer opals
Some of the most vividly colored materials in nature, including things like butterfly wings, don’t obtain their color from pigment. Instead, their internal structure reflects light at a given wavelength, producing a specific color. Opals are another example of something that utilizes this effect. In collaboration with Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability, scientists from the University of Cambridge have now copied the colorful nanostructure of the opal. The result is a flexible, colorful material that won’t fade over time, that changes color when stretched, and that could have many applications.  Read More
The iRig HD audio interface for guitar and bass IK Multimedia has confirmed that the iRig HD premium audio interface for guitar and bass that was announced back in January is now ready to ship.  Read More
Razer's new 14-inch Blade laptop
Razer has been rather busy of late. While the company is best known for its various gaming peripherals, it is putting some serious resources into dedicated gaming hardware like the Edge tablet, which we went hands on with at CES. Now, it has just announced a new version of its Blade laptop, which it is calling the "world's thinnest" gaming Ultrabook.  Read More
Pepsi: The Like Machine is a vending machine which doles out cans of pop to those willing ...
How much is a Facebook Like worth? To you, probably nothing, with updates or comments receiving numerous Likes making no difference to your life. For brands, it's different. Each Facebook Like is another notch on the bedpost, with a real person having publicly stated that they like this company so much they don't care who knows it. The Facebook users liking brands usually don't get anything for their free promotional efforts, but Pepsi has changed that with the introduction of Pepsi: The Like Machine.  Read More

LECTRONICS
A bracelet made using i.materialise's flexible Rubber-like material
Most 3D-printed objects are made out of rigid plastic or resin materials that aren't necessarily ideal for every project. Now, for a limited time online shops like i.materialise are offering designers the chance to play with experimental materials that have properties akin to rubber. Currently these materials are only being offered on a limited basis, but they're already paving the way for new ideas, including one haute couture dress that paraded down the catwalk at Spring Fashion Week 2013 earlier this year.  Read More
The Moveo scooter in action
Remember the Moveo? It’s an electric scooter that we covered back in February, which folds in half so it can be pulled indoors like a rolling suitcase. Now, its designers have turned to the public to raise money for commercial production of the vehicle. They're one of the first groups to do so using Jump Start City, a just-launched website that puts a new spin on crowd-funding.  Read More
Twitter released Vine for Android devices earlier today
Twitter has released an Android version of its popular video-sharing app, Vine, the company announced on its blog today. iPhone owners have been beavering away sharing funny, silly and creative 6-second videos ever since the release of the app for iOS in January. But from launch, Android users will have access to a feature unique to their platform of choice, the ability to zoom.  Read More
SEED Collaborative's SEEDclassroom
SEED Collaborative has teamed up with Method Homes for the construction of what it hopes will become the first modular building to pass the Living Building Challenge. The SEEDclassroom is designed to be a portable teaching space available at short notice, and yet one which meets its own energy and water needs.  Read More
BMW's DesignworksUSA group recently teamed up with computer manufacturer ASRock to create ...
BMW might normally be associated with luxury cars, but its subsidiary group, DesignworksUSA, is a different story altogether. Aside from developing innovative concepts for automobiles, the team there also applies its parent company's design principles to a wide range of products – even home computers. It might come as no surprise then that the group recently teamed up with computer manufacturer ASRock to create the M8, a compact PC tower that resembles a high-performance engine and was designed especially for gaming.  Read More
Saker Aircraft claims the Saker S-1 will reach a maximum speed of Mach 0.99
In the business world, time is money (and bragging rights). In April, the Citation X took said rights from the Gulfstream G650 with its maximum speed of Mach 0.935. Another contender could soon be on the tarmac in the form of the Saker S-1. With a design inspired by military fighter jets, US-based Saker Aircraft says its S-1 will cruise at Mach 0.95 and reach a top speed of Mach 0.99.  Read More
“4D printing” sees 3D-printed materials self-assemble into different shapes (Image: Skylar...
Molecular self-assembly, whereby molecules position themselves into defined arrangements, is commonplace in biological systems and nanotechnology. But researchers at MIT are working on so called "4D printing" technology that aims to bring the process up to the macro scale, enabling 3D-printed materials to be programmed to self-assemble into predefined shapes and structures. Just imagine buying some flat-pack furniture, bringing it home and enjoying a coffee whilst you watch it assemble itself.  Read More
Artist’s concept of a flat interface nerve electrode (FINE)
Artificial limbs have come a long way in recent years with the development of prostheses that can be controlled directly by the patient’s nerves. The problem is, links between living nerves and the prostheses break down over time, which makes permanent attachment and practical control difficult. To understand why this happens and to help give patients more control over their prostheses, DARPA has instituted a number of programs aimed at improving neural interfaces and allowing amputees to have better control of advanced prostheses in the near term.  Read More
The 800 sq ft (74.3 sq mt) structure takes advantage of the 24ºC (76ºF) year round tempera...
Dutch studio Haiko Cornelissen Architecten has revealed a rethink of the typical Panamanian holiday home that breaks away from the current format by using sliding wooden doors that traverse the entire width of the building. To be located twenty minutes outside of the city in Cerro Azul, the sideways approach of the Air Villa design aims to provide an energy efficient dwelling with maximum exposure to the surrounding environment.  Read More
iHeart Locket is an iPad based diary for children which can be locked using an accompanyin...
Children used to hide their diaries from prying parental eyes by shutting them with a flimsy lock and stuffing them under a pillow. But, this being 2013, journals are more likely to be kept digitally, and good luck stuffing that iPad under your pillow. iHeart Locket is an iPad based diary for children which can be locked using an accompanying smart necklace pendant.  Read More
 
Apple might be releasing the iPad 5 and iPad mini several months apart
If you’re someone who’s always first in line for new iPad releases, you haven’t had a lot to get excited about lately. Sure, Apple gave us the iPad mini and a slightly upgraded 9.7 inch iPad late last year. But the company broke its traditional March/April release cycle, leaving us without a new iPad in 2013. That will obviously change before the year is over, but, according to a new report, that wait might still be far from over.  Read More
Cinch To Hang adds some storage to your yard or campsite When you're out camping or backpacking, you tend to have a lot of gear and a shortage of storage options. Cinch To Hang offers a simple way to keep your backcountry living space organized that's far more eco-friendly than knocking a nail, screw or hook into a tree to hang things on.  Read More
Gizmag compares the specs (and other features) of the iPad mini and 8-inch Samsung Galaxy ...
When it comes to mobile devices, Samsung has never been known for its restraint. Just a few months after showing us the Galaxy Note 8.0, and a month after the Galaxy Tab 3 7.0, the Korean company just pulled back the curtain on yet another tablet: the 8-inch Galaxy Tab 3. It isn’t the highest-end tablet ever made. But, for that matter, neither is Apple’s hot-selling iPad mini. Let’s compare the specs (and other features) of the two mid-range mini-tablets.  Read More
Glass elevators transport cars to the desired floor and park them in the apartment's 'Sky ...
If you consider your car to be a work of art, then you can have it on display it in your living room ... if you live in one of the exclusive oceanfront apartments within Miami's Porsche Design Tower, that is. The Porsche Design brand has branched into architecture, and aims to give a new meaning to the term "drive in" by using three robotic elevators that deliver both the driver and their car right into the home.  Read More
Aluminum adorns surfaces all over the International Sterling interior
Airstream is famous the world over for its timelessly iconic aluminum-shelled camping trailers. The all-new International Sterling created by longtime Airstream designer Christopher C. Deam pulls that shimmering aluminum inside for a retro camping experience that still retains a healthy dose of modern comfort.  Read More
The Switch Aero System consists of quick-release aero bars and a dual-position seatpost
If you’re an Olympic-level triathlete, then chances are that you’re going to buy yourself a dedicated triathlon bike. Should you be someone who does the occasional triathlon more just for fun, however, then you might not want to shell out the thousands of dollars required for such a machine. That’s where the Switch Aero System comes in – it lets your existing road bike double as a triathlon bike.  Read More
Falkor Systems has developed a dance piece in which a human dancer performs with an autono...
New York City-based robotics developer Falkor Systems is working on autonomous flying robots that could fly alongside extreme athletes, shooting video of their exploits in the process. Beyond that, however, the company envisions a day in which such machines may hover around everyday people, acting as their assistants and perhaps even becoming their “friends.” In a demonstration of how such a relationship could be possible, Falkor recently used an augmented AR Drone quadcopter to take part in a modern dance performance with a human partner.  Read More
The Acer Iconia W3 8.1-inch tablet running Windows 8
If you're in the market for a portable Win8 machine, and you don't fancy lugging Lenovo's monster Horizon Table PC around, you'll likely reach for something more manageable like Microsoft's own Surface Pro. Should your tastes run to something a little more one-hand-friendly, you'd probably need to abandon the Redmond giant's touch-tastic operating system for iOS or Android. The Iconia W3 from Acer changes that. Introduced at Computex, it's the world's first 8.1-inch tablet running the full-fat version of Windows 8.  Read More
Columbia University researchers have come up with a way to produce large joined sheets of ...
A study conducted at Columbia University has revealed that even when stitched together from much smaller fragments, large sheets of graphene still retain much of their mechanical properties. The discovery may be a crucial step forward in the mass-production of carbon nanotubes that could be used to manufacture flexible electronics, ultra-light and strong materials, and perhaps even the first space elevator.  Read More
The self-healing-concrete would fill cracks and prevent decay and the corrosion of rebar (...
You’d think that concrete would last forever. After all, it’s pourable stone, so it should hang around as long as the Rock of Gibraltar. But, under the right (or wrong) conditions, concrete decays with alarming speed. To combat this, researchers at the University of Bath in the UK are working on a self-healing concrete that uses bacteria to seal the cracks that lead to decay. In this way, they hope to cut down on maintenance costs and increase the life of concrete structures.  Read More
 
The 2014 BMW X5 xDrive50i
Whether you believe BMW's claim of creating a new category of "sports activity vehicles" or not (we choose not), the BMW X5 has been quite a success story since launching in 1999. After selling some 1.3 million X5 models, BMW is ready to cut ribbon on the third generation of the SUV. The new X5 is only marginally removed from its predecessor in terms of looks and design, but it does boast some clear advantages, including the latest technological accoutrements.  Read More
The Large Magellanic Cloud as taken by the Swift satellite's Ultraviolet/Optical telescope...
Data from NASA's Swift satellite has been used to create the highest-ever resolution images of our two nearest galaxies, the Magellanic Clouds. The detailed ultraviolet light surveys measure 160 and 55 megapixels, and cumulatively show some 1.25 million ultraviolet sources.  Read More
A new flash-charging system for electric buses delivers 15-second-long battery boosts at s...
When you think of an electric bus, you probably either picture a vehicle that has to stay constantly connected to overhead trolley cables, or that attempts to run its entire route on one charge of its onboard batteries. In Geneva, however, they’re trying something else – a system in which an electric bus takes 15 seconds to receive an energy boost at selected stops.  Read More
The 23-in Asus ET2311
Asus has announced that it has updated its range of iMac-alike all-in-one flat-pack PCs with two new models, the 23-in ET2311 and the higher-spec "ultra high-resolution" ET2702. Though both support multi-touch, of the two, only the ET2702 supports 10-point gestures.  Read More
MIT Media Lab's Silk Pavilion (Photo: Mediated Matter Group/Steven Keating)
Silk Pavilion by MIT Media Lab poses some interesting questions about how what it calls "biological fabrication" might fit into the future of making things alongside 3D printing and similar computer-aided cleverness. To make the silk and metal dome, the work begun by robotic weavers was completed by silkworms – 6,500 of them.  Read More
The Mission RS electric motorcycle
San Francisco-based Mission Motorcycles has unveiled two brand-new electric bikes which it bills as the most advanced on the market: the Mission RS and Mission R. The track- and road-ready RS is produced in an ultra-limited edition of 40, but the R will be manufactured in larger quantities at a cheaper price, while still retaining the key specs of its edgier sibling. However, if the name Mission R seems familiar, well that's because it is ...  Read More
Exploding effect mantlepiece clock (Photo: Todd McLellan/Thames & Hudson)
Things Come Apart: A Teardown Manual for Modern Living is a new book featuring the work of Canadian photographer and master disassembler, Todd McLellan. The book features images of the inner workings of 50 everyday items from bicycles and chainsaws to modern day computers and phones, with each component painstakingly laid out with geometric precision. McLellan hopes that the imagery of the disassembled objects will help people appreciate the elaborate and efficient designs of modern technology, while exposing the beauty and quality of older items.  Read More
The Sonte Film connects wirelessly to a smartphone app to instantly turn any window from c...
Smart glass has become a popular fixture in homes and offices for its ability to change between transparent and opaque, depending on whether an electric current is applied. It's a handy invention, but also tends to be expensive to install and offers only limited control. Sonte is hoping to change that with an affordable window film that connects wirelessly to a smartphone app to instantly turn any section of glass from clear to solid at the press of a button.  Read More
Intel has introduced its 4th generation Intel Core processors
Intel is apparently convinced that the future of computing is mobile. Having announced its new Atom Silvermont architecture last month, the chipmaker has introduced its 4th-generation Intel Core processors (code named Haswell), with much of the focus on the power savings that will benefit the battery life of mobile devices. Designed with a new generation of Ultrabooks in mind, Intel says its new processors will provide up to nine hours of battery life with up to two times the graphics capability of previous generations.  Read More
Unveiled in Paris, the SMEG 500 is collaborative tribute to the design partnership Fiat an... Have you ever been sitting around watching that professional sporting event and wished you had a Fiat full of carbonated beverages. Turns out your dreams of an enhanced liquid refreshment environment may just come true thanks to the SMEG 500, a chilling collaboration between Italy’s Fiat and appliance manufacturer, SMEG.  Read More

In 2009, electric bikes averaged the same speeds as 1936. In 2013, their speed had increas...
MotoCzysz today won its fourth TT ZERO race in a row, demonstrating just how far the electric motorcycle has come in a short time. The first five runnings of the TT ZERO event at the 105 year-old Isle of Man motorcycle racing festival suggest electric bikes will catch up to the fastest gas-powered bikes in about five years. Every practice session has seen lap speeds increase. The inaugural 2009 electric lap record was run at the same speed as the circuit record in 1936 on the first Manx Norton. This week, electric motorcycles have surpassed the laps times of Hailwood's RC181 Honda 500, Duke's Gilera, Agostini's MV Agusta fire engines, and they're about to better the Kawasaki KR750, Suzuki RG500 and Yamaha TZ750 two-strokes of the mid-seventies. Four decades of progress in 48 months. Read on  Read More
Thunderbolt 2 will enable 4K video transfer (Image: Shutterstock/JMiks) Intel has released further details of the next generation of Thunderbolt, the high-speed hardware interface it originally developed with Apple. Thunderbolt 2 doubles data transfer rates to 20 Gb/s which, with the incorporation of DisplayPort 1.2, will allow the transmission of raw 4K video as well as data.  Read More
The current WoodSkin product is a sandwich of plywood triangular tiles with a textile mesh...
These days it seems software and technology can take design beyond feasible construction in the real world through its increasing ability to create fantastical projects and shapes in a virtual domain. Interdisciplinary design studio MammaFotogramma hope to go someway towards bridging this virtual to reality design gap through the development of a flexible wood surfacing material named WoodSkin. This wood and mesh composite product can be applied to static structures whilst facilitating movement and maintaining some form of visual appeal.  Read More
The Brabus B63 620 Widestar
Bigger, badder, and bolder appears to be the driving mandate behind the latest performance trickery from the extreme artists at Brabus. Taking the already aggressive Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG SUV, Brabus has transformed the biggest of the Benz into a 611 horsepowered behemoth called the B63 620 Widestar.  Read More
The map displays solar radiation data with outstanding resolution (Photo: MIT)
MIT researchers have developed a new technique that can be used to accurately predict the annual yield of a photovoltaic solar array located anywhere on the planet, taking into account local climate, panel orientation, and obstructions from nearby buildings. As a proof of concept, the scientists have mapped out the 17,000 rooftops of Cambridge, Massachusetts and created a user-friendly web interface that residents can use to look up their homes and get an accurate projection of the cost and return on investment of placing a PV panel over their heads.  Read More
The inflatable hangar deployed for the first time to house the Solar Impulse in St. Louis ...
Finding hangars to house an aircraft with a wingspan greater than a Boeing 787 Dreamliner is no easy task when planning a round-the-world journey. That’s why the Solar Impulse team designed an inflatable mobile hangar to be used on the Solar Impulse’s planned 2015 circumnavigation of the globe. After a storm damaged the hangar that was to host the solar-powered aircraft at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, the team was forced to deploy the structure for the first time to keep the 2013 Across America mission on schedule.  Read More
Interior view of Penn Station by DS+R Design (Image: DS+R Design)
Like many US railway stations, New York’s Penn Station is a shadow of its former self. With redevelopment of the station hindered by its location under Madison Square Garden, the Municipal Art Society (MAS) of New York hopes to relocate the gardens and rebuild the station for the 21st century. Last week, the MAS announced four possible designs for Penn Station and Madison Square Garden as part of its Design Challenge aimed at replacing or remodelling the current structure.  Read More
The intelligentM bracelet monitors the hand-washing activities of healthcare workers, to m...
Although it may be surprising to hear that being in the hospital can make a person sick, it definitely does happen. In the United States, about one in every 20 people admitted to a hospital will end up with a healthcare acquired infection, or HAI. Of those people, approximately 100,000 die from such infections annually. One of the keys to reducing the occurrence of HAIs is to get healthcare workers to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly – which is just what the intelligentM bracelet is designed to do.  Read More
The RadioVault opened with valuables inside Cannon Security Products' has taken a stealthy new approach to securing valuables in the home with the RadioVault, a fingerprint activated safe that's hidden inside a fully functional iPod dock.  Read More
The AMES device, which has just received FDA approval
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration granted clearance to a new device that could be of considerable aid to stroke victims or people with partial spinal cord injuries. Created by Dr. Paul Cordo of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in collaboration with OHSU spinoff company AMES, the "AMES device" reportedly helps the brain get paralyzed muscles moving again.  Read More
In 2009, electric bikes averaged the same speeds as 1936. In 2013, their speed had increas...
MotoCzysz today won its fourth TT ZERO race in a row, demonstrating just how far the electric motorcycle has come in a short time. The first five runnings of the TT ZERO event at the 105 year-old Isle of Man motorcycle racing festival suggest electric bikes will catch up to the fastest gas-powered bikes in about five years. Every practice session has seen lap speeds increase. The inaugural 2009 electric lap record was run at the same speed as the circuit record in 1936 on the first Manx Norton. This week, electric motorcycles have surpassed the laps times of Hailwood's RC181 Honda 500, Duke's Gilera, Agostini's MV Agusta fire engines, and they're about to better the Kawasaki KR750, Suzuki RG500 and Yamaha TZ750 two-strokes of the mid-seventies. Four decades of progress in 48 months. Read on  Read More
Thunderbolt 2 will enable 4K video transfer (Image: Shutterstock/JMiks) Intel has released further details of the next generation of Thunderbolt, the high-speed hardware interface it originally developed with Apple. Thunderbolt 2 doubles data transfer rates to 20 Gb/s which, with the incorporation of DisplayPort 1.2, will allow the transmission of raw 4K video as well as data.  Read More
The current WoodSkin product is a sandwich of plywood triangular tiles with a textile mesh...
These days it seems software and technology can take design beyond feasible construction in the real world through its increasing ability to create fantastical projects and shapes in a virtual domain. Interdisciplinary design studio MammaFotogramma hope to go someway towards bridging this virtual to reality design gap through the development of a flexible wood surfacing material named WoodSkin. This wood and mesh composite product can be applied to static structures whilst facilitating movement and maintaining some form of visual appeal.  Read More
The Brabus B63 620 Widestar
Bigger, badder, and bolder appears to be the driving mandate behind the latest performance trickery from the extreme artists at Brabus. Taking the already aggressive Mercedes-Benz GL 63 AMG SUV, Brabus has transformed the biggest of the Benz into a 611 horsepowered behemoth called the B63 620 Widestar.  Read More
The map displays solar radiation data with outstanding resolution (Photo: MIT)
MIT researchers have developed a new technique that can be used to accurately predict the annual yield of a photovoltaic solar array located anywhere on the planet, taking into account local climate, panel orientation, and obstructions from nearby buildings. As a proof of concept, the scientists have mapped out the 17,000 rooftops of Cambridge, Massachusetts and created a user-friendly web interface that residents can use to look up their homes and get an accurate projection of the cost and return on investment of placing a PV panel over their heads.  Read More
The inflatable hangar deployed for the first time to house the Solar Impulse in St. Louis ...
Finding hangars to house an aircraft with a wingspan greater than a Boeing 787 Dreamliner is no easy task when planning a round-the-world journey. That’s why the Solar Impulse team designed an inflatable mobile hangar to be used on the Solar Impulse’s planned 2015 circumnavigation of the globe. After a storm damaged the hangar that was to host the solar-powered aircraft at Lambert-St. Louis International Airport, the team was forced to deploy the structure for the first time to keep the 2013 Across America mission on schedule.  Read More
Interior view of Penn Station by DS+R Design (Image: DS+R Design)
Like many US railway stations, New York’s Penn Station is a shadow of its former self. With redevelopment of the station hindered by its location under Madison Square Garden, the Municipal Art Society (MAS) of New York hopes to relocate the gardens and rebuild the station for the 21st century. Last week, the MAS announced four possible designs for Penn Station and Madison Square Garden as part of its Design Challenge aimed at replacing or remodelling the current structure.  Read More
The intelligentM bracelet monitors the hand-washing activities of healthcare workers, to m...
Although it may be surprising to hear that being in the hospital can make a person sick, it definitely does happen. In the United States, about one in every 20 people admitted to a hospital will end up with a healthcare acquired infection, or HAI. Of those people, approximately 100,000 die from such infections annually. One of the keys to reducing the occurrence of HAIs is to get healthcare workers to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly – which is just what the intelligentM bracelet is designed to do.  Read More
The RadioVault opened with valuables inside Cannon Security Products' has taken a stealthy new approach to securing valuables in the home with the RadioVault, a fingerprint activated safe that's hidden inside a fully functional iPod dock.  Read More
The AMES device, which has just received FDA approval
Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration granted clearance to a new device that could be of considerable aid to stroke victims or people with partial spinal cord injuries. Created by Dr. Paul Cordo of the Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in collaboration with OHSU spinoff company AMES, the "AMES device" reportedly helps the brain get paralyzed muscles moving again.  Read More

0 comments:

Post a Comment