New and Emerging Technology News part 249 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Sunday 30 March 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 249

The Olympus Stylus 1 premium compact superzoom
Should you find yourself wondering what would happen if the OM-D E-M5 Micro Four Thirds camera and the XZ-2 compact had a baby, the answer from Olympus is the 12 MP Stylus 1 premium compact superzoom. Combining DSLR-like operation and performance and compact camera portability, the prothusiast camera features a 300-mm constant aperture zoom lens (with the option to extend the telephoto end via an adapter and add-on lens), a tilting touchscreen display and an electronic viewfinder, and built-in Wi-Fi.  Read More
An engineering startup is taking on development of a demonstrator Hyperloop (Image: Elon M...
Well, Elon Musk can relax now. Having previously announced his intention to at least build a Hyperloop demonstrator, he now appears relieved to leave that task to HTT (Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Inc). HTT is an engineering startup company operating under the wing of California-based JumpStartFund. It has developed basic organization and operational plans, as well as having established key partnerships to help navigate a path to a working Hyperloop.  Read More
The Morpher helmet, folded flat as a rather thick pancake
Although it's entirely possible that a bicycle helmet could save your life one day, that still doesn't change the fact that the things take up a lot of space when carried in a bag. The Morpher helmet, however, folds completely flat when not in use.  Read More
'Growing' sandbars is part of the first layer of intervention, followed by a large area of...
One year after Hurricane Sandy swept the New York coastal area of Queens, Swedish firm White Arkitekter were named as the winners of a two-phase international competition dubbed FAR ROC ("For a Resilient Rockaway") with a scheme that addresses severe weather, sustainability and social integration.  Read More
Tesla sent out two Model S to make the trip from San Diego to Vancouver using only the sup... Elon Musk has given Model S owners living on the US/Canadian west coast an early Christmas present with the announcement that its fast-charging “Supercharger” network will now extend all the way from California right up into British Columbia.  Read More
Handwriting can be displayed instantly on an iOS device using the Livescribe 3 and a compa...
Since the launch of the Pulse in 2008, Livescribe has continued to improve upon its paper-based smartpen technology in subsequent models. The Echo in 2010 brought a rounder shape and micro-USB connectivity and Wi-Fi connectivity was incorporated in the Sky in 2012. The latest addition to the line is the Livescribe 3, which boasts Bluetooth connectivity and iOS device support through a companion app.  Read More
Lamborghini Museum, Sant'Agarta, Italy (Photo: Loz Blain/Gizmag.com)
Gizmag made a pilgrimage to the House of the Raging Bull as part of this year's 50th Anniversary celebrations. The Lamborghini Museum, near Modena in Italy, houses a collection of modern and historic supercars, including a few that rocked the motoring world to its very core. Here are our five favorites!  Read More
Gizmag compares the features and specs of the new LG/Google Nexus 5 and the Samsung Galaxy...
Last year's Nexus 4 was a high-end phone that sold for a budget price. This year's Nexus 5 kicks it up another notch, offering the best specs a US$350 phone has ever offered. How does it compare to 2013's most popular Android flagship, the Galaxy S4?  Read More
The new Transporter Sync device
The market for cloud storage has ballooned rather quickly. Earlier this year, Microsoft announced that SkyDrive had hit the 250 million user mark and that was followed not long after by Dropbox announcing its 175 millionth user. The explosion in popularity of cloud storage has naturally led to increased concerns about security, however, creating an opportunity that Connected Data gladly exploited with its Transporter device and, now, the Transporter Sync.  Read More
Be-Bound provides internet access through 2G networks Be-Bound is a new mobile app for Android that uses text messaging as the means by which to provide internet access at very low bandwidths to mobile devices when there is little or no data connectivity available through a Wi-Fi or 3G connection.  Read More

AMBER 2 is a robotic simulation of bipedal locomotion that closely mirrors a human gait
Bipedal robots have proved a challenging frontier for roboticists, with styles ranging from clunkers to lurchers to those seemingly falling over drunk. However, the AMBER lab at Texas A&M University has created universal mathematical functions of walking derived from human data and optimized for robotic systems. Their own proof of concept robots have strikingly human gaits and react appropriately to disturbances. Furthermore, the system has the potential to be applied to other bipedal robots to similarly upgrade their stride.  Read More
Ototo turns everyday objects into musical instruments
London-based creative design and invention studio Dentaku has developed a small device that allows users to create their own musical instruments out of everyday items. The Ototo is a simple printed circuit board (PCB) synthesizer that combines sensors, inputs and touchpads as a means of producing sounds. The device can be used as a keyboard straight out of the box or can be attached to conductive materials using crocodile clips to create entirely new instruments.  Read More
Gizmag takes a look at some of the most popular tablets for children
As anyone who has ever found sticky little fingerprints on their tablet will know, kids love touchscreen technology. But while you can appease them by installing apps on your device, the time will come when they will want one of their own. With this in mind, (and with Christmas fast approaching) here's the Gizmag guide to the best tablets for kids.  Read More
Pandora brings another music streaming option to the Google Chromecast When Google's Chromecast launched in July, it was announced that Pandora would soon be joining the handful of launch apps officially supported by the dongle. That day has arrived with the release of version 5.0 of the Pandora app.  Read More
JetBlue flew the first flight under the new regulations (Photo: JetBlue)
On Thursday, the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) eased regulations against airline passengers using their Personal Electronic Devices (PED) during the flight. On Friday at 4:30 PM EDT, only 15 minutes after receiving FAA approval for the regulation change, JetBlue’s Flight 2302 from New York's JFK to Buffalo became the first commercial flight to allow passengers to use their PEDs gate-to-gate.  Read More
View of 'Cooperstown' taken by Curiosity's navigational camera (Image: NASA/JPL-Caltech)
After over a year on Mars, NASA's Curiosity rover has pretty much run through its list of firsts. As it continues its “long trek” to Mount Sharp, however, it’s still showing a few surprises. This week, NASA announced that Curiosity picked up the pace of its travels by completing its first two-day autonomous drive, in which the unmanned explorer did one leg of an autonomous drive on Sunday, then completed it on Monday.  Read More
Artist's concept of the SR-72 (Image: Lockheed Martin)
When the last SR-71 Blackbird was grounded in 1998 it was a double blow. Not only did aviation lose one of the most advanced aircraft ever built, but also one of the most beautiful. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works has now revealed that it is building a successor to the Blackbird: the SR-72. Using a new hypersonic engine design that combines turbines and ramjets, the company says that the unmanned SR-72 will be twice as fast as its predecessor with a cruising speed of Mach 6.  Read More
The Turbo S' output is upgraded to 570 hp
Porsche revealed the updated 2014 Panamera and Panamera Turbo at the Shanghai Motor Show earlier this year and it's rounding off the line-up with the range-topping Turbo S. The automaker has previewed the new S variant before its official debut at the Tokyo Motor Show. This upgraded trim level follows the usual "S" format of bolstering power and increasing performance.  Read More
Gizmag goes hands-on, to share our first impressions of Apple's new iPad Air
Last year's 4th-generation iPad was such a minor update, there was little reason for iPad 3 owners to consider taking the plunge. But this year, the iPad Air marks the biggest physical redesign the tablet has ever seen. Is it worth the upgrade? Read on, as we share our initial impressions of the lighter, thinner iPad Air.  Read More
There's bomb-making residue in them thar sewers – and EMPHASIS may be able to tell where i...
When people make improvised explosive devices (IEDs), many of the waste products end up simply going down the drain. With that in mind, the European Union-funded EMPHASIS consortium is now developing technology to track those chemicals within the waste stream, so that their point of origin can be located.  Read More
 
The Citation X has been confirmed as the world's fastest civilian aircraft
In the wake of the Gulfstream G650 claiming a new around-the-world speed record for a certified civilian aircraft, Cessna is signaling that the record will be short lived. On its way to certification, Cessna's Citation X recently wound up all high-speed certification flights with the FAA, which confirmed the aircraft as the fastest civilian aircraft in the world.  Read More
One of the new SST-e buses
No, an electric school bus isn't as exciting as an electric Porsche or Lotus, but in the grand scheme of things, it's probably a lot more important. Case in point – a fleet of such buses are scheduled to hit the road in California next year, with each vehicle saving its school district a claimed 16 gallons (60.5 L) of fuel per day, adding up to US$11,000 in fuel savings per year.  Read More
Nintendo's US$99 Wii Mini console
Nintendo recently announced that it was ceasing all production of its original Wii video game console. It seemed as if the console had run its course, and Nintendo was shifting 100 percent of its focus to the floundering Wii U. Turns out, the Japanese company had other plans, announcing that its previously Canada-exclusive US$99 Wii Mini is making its way to US shores.  Read More
EcoTrek adds serious mileage to the Ford F-350
Ford is planning on hitting this week's SEMA Show with a full slate of pimped-out vehicles. Its fleet of customized trucks includes a long-range, overland survivalist shelter, several tamer, outdoor-specific F150s, and a Super Duty "High Roller" that would fit naturally in any valet parking lot.  Read More
The Ishikawa Oku Lab's robot hand sticks out two fingers (scissors), beating the human (pa...
Remember that high speed robot from last year, that could beat humans at rock, paper, scissors? Since then, researchers at the University of Tokyo's Ishikawa Oku Lab have continued to work on it. The result? Well, they couldn't really improve its accuracy beyond 100 percent, so instead they made it faster.  Read More
The Hudway app in use
It was just this July that we heard about Garmin's HUD. It's a portable device that sits on the dashboard of the user's car, working with their smartphone to project a head-up display (HUD) onto the inside of their windshield. Russian startup Hudway has taken that same basic approach with its self-named free app, except that it utilizes just the phone – no projector is required.  Read More
Driblet is a self-powered Wi-Fi-enabled water meter
Here's a crowd-funding campaign that probably deserves to be doing better than it is. Driblet is a smart water meter that connects to a water pipe to track use. Best of all, once it's installed, you don't need to worry about it running out of energy.  Read More
The MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter's maiden flight lasted seven minutes (Photo: Alan...
The next-generation MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopter has taken to the air for the first time at Naval Base Ventura County in California. Built by Northrop Grumman around a Bell 407 helicopter, the MQ-8C is designed to boast twice the endurance and three times the payload capacity of the MQ-8B variant that has clocked up over 5,000 flight hours in Afghanistan.  Read More
Mars Orbiter Mission ready for heat shield closure
India has started the clock on its most ambitious space project to date. On Sunday at 6:08 IST, the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) began the countdown for its Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM). If all goes to schedule, the unmanned probe will lift off on Tuesday from the First Launch Pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR), on the island of Sriharikota at 2:38 pm IST atop a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C25), marking the point where India hopes to launch itself into the space-faring big leagues.  Read More

The Nikon Df is a retro-styled and slimmer full-frame DSLR
Nikon has revealed its latest full-frame camera, the Nikon Df. The new DSLR boasts the same 16.2-megapixel FX sensor as the flagship D4, but in a much smaller and retro-styled body. Aimed squarely at photography enthusiasts and purists, it's been designed to pay homage to the Nikon F, F3 and FM/FE series of 35mm film cameras and features mechanical control dials galore.  Read More
It glows when licked, and presumably doesn't taste like jellyfish Late last month, as a definitely unique way of celebrating Hallowe'en, Bristol-based specialty ice cream-maker Charlie Harry Francis unveiled what is probably the world's first-ever glow-in-the-dark ice cream. His secret ingredient? Jellyfish protein.  Read More
Killzone Shadow Fall is an exclusive PS4 launch title
Killzone Shadow Fall developer Guerrilla has released a short gameplay clip from the multiplayer segment of the upcoming PlayStation 4 launch title. Unlike previous looks at the game's impressive visuals, which were made widely available through sites such as YouTube, the new clip is only available as a download.  Read More
Toyota's FV2 Concept – part robot, part computer-human interface, part motorcycle, part ca...
Toyota has released details of its most futuristic concept car yet. More robot than car, the tilting 4-wheel FV2 is designed to explore the physical and emotional interface between humans and machines with elements like an augmented reality windshield, an exterior that's one big display and a steering system controlled by body movement.  Read More
Today Google pushed a big update to its search app for iOS, making Google Now a much more ...
For the last couple of years, you could argue that Google Now was a big advantage that Android had over iOS. Its predictive capabilities and speedy voice search made it much more than just another Siri rival. But with today's update to the Google Search app for iPhone and iPad, Google Now is just about as handy there as it is on Android, with new features that fill in most of the missing pieces.  Read More
Lakiya Culley cuts the ribbon on her new home (Photo: Sarah Gerrity, US Dept of Energy)
It won first prize in the Affordability category of the 2011 Solar Decathlon, and in December of 2012 Empowerhouse became Washington DC’s first Passive House. In a video interview just released by the US Department of Energy, its new owner describes how the house's energy-saving design means a brighter future for her family.  Read More
A sampling spacecraft launching a penetrator missile (Image: NASA)
In what at first glance seems like a terrible sense of direction, in March students from the University of Washington fired rockets from kites and balloons at an altitude of 3,000 ft (914 m) straight into the ground at Black Rock, Nevada: a dry lake bed in the desert 100 mi (160 km) north of Reno. This may seem like the ultimate in larking about, but it's actually a serious effort to develop new ways of collecting samples from asteroids.  Read More
Gizmag reviews the iPad Air, the lightest full-sized tablet you can buy today
Thanks to the trusty rumor mill, we knew long ago that Apple's next full-sized iPad would borrow heavily from the iPad mini. But now that it's here, does the iPad Air live up to the hype? And is it worth the upgrade from an older iPad? Let Gizmag help out, as we review the new lighter and thinner iPad Air.  Read More
According to researchers, a multi-photon laser technique can be used to detect protein agg...
It is generally believed that aggregations of proteins are responsible for brain disorders such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease. However, the difficulty has been in detecting the aggregates responsible and removing them from the brain. Researchers at Chalmers University of Technology in Sweden and Polish Wroclaw University of Technology have found a potential solution using lasers.  Read More
Tablet shipments are expected to grow 53.4 percent in 2013 according to Gartner (Photo: Sh... Amongst the fawning and feting around the launch of the first Apple iPad in 2010, there were murmured questions about just what niche and purpose the device would fulfill. Turn the clock forward to 2013 and those murmurs have long since ceased, with the latest research from Gartner suggesting that the upward trajectory of the tablet market could see the number of units shipped overtake PCs in 2015.  Read More
 
Design Engineer Ackeem Ngwenya contemplating  the internal structure of his Roadless varia...
Graduate student Ackeem Ngwenya has combined the 6000 year-old wheel with modern materials to develop a new type of all-terrain wheel assembly that switches from narrow to wide tread at the turn of a screw. His Roadless wheel system, while envisioned for rural applications in his native Malawi, has the potential to be as big a change to road (and off-road) transport as was the introduction of anti-lock braking.  Read More
Laser enrichment of isotopes has major potential to reduce the cost of nuclear power (Phot...
With the world’s first laser enrichment plant having received a construction and operating license from the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission in 2012, the stage has been set for a radical change in the industry. So how does laser enrichment work, and what commercial benefits, along with proliferation concerns, does this new process present compared to current methods?  Read More
ALARMclock is an alarm clock capable of displaying a lot more information than just the ti... ALARMclock might look like a simple wooden alarm clock, but its meek exterior hides its true raison d'etre, which is to energize each morning by shocking users awake with facts and figures highlighting the harsh realities of life.  Read More
Artist's concept of Kepler-62f, an Earth-like planet (Image: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech/Tim Pyl...
Bookmakers may be revising their odds on the question of us being alone in the Universe after scientists revealed that our galaxy could hold billions of habitable worlds. University of California Berkeley and University of Hawaii (UH) astronomers carried out a study using data from NASA’s Kepler space telescope to provide part of the answer to the question, “How many of the 200 billion stars in our galaxy have potentially habitable planets?” The answer they got back was that one in five sun-like stars may have Earth-size planets that could support life.  Read More
Sony's first foray into the portable games market is being revived on the PlayStation Vita...
Sony is doing its best to revitalize its struggling PlayStation Vita portable with two new models, and now it's bringing back its first attempt at a portable gaming console, the PocktStation, in app form. The app, which will be free until December 3rd for Japanese PS Plus subscribers who own a PS Vita, will restore the PocketStation functionality that has been missing in around 70 PlayStation games available on its digital store.  Read More
The new RC coupe will make its debut at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show
Lexus is looking to become a little sportier, and the vehicle it hopes will get there is the new RC coupe. This week, prior to its public world debut at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show later this month, the luxury marque revealed the sporty, new production 2+2 that will be offered in both V6 and hybrid versions.  Read More
HGST's 6 TB Ultrastar He6 HDD is hermetically sealed to lock helium within its 3.5-inch en...
Last year, Western Digital subsidiary HGST announced the development of a helium-filled hard drive that would offer increased storage capacity and a reduction in power consumption compared to its air-filled cousins. The company has now delivered on its promise of a 2013 release by beginning shipments of what the company is trumpeting as the world's highest capacity HDD, the 6 TB Ultrastar He6.  Read More
SafeFlame technology converts water into hydrogen and oxygen gas
The pressurized acetylene and propane gas used in brazing and related tasks is highly flammable, and thus very dangerous. You know what isn't flammable, though? Water. Bearing that in mind, the European Union-funded SafeFlame consortium has developed a torch system that generates a flame using nothing but H2O and electricity.  Read More
Prof. Som Mitra (left) invented a flexible battery with assistance from Zhiqian Wang, a do...
Scientists at the New Jersey Institute of Technology have joined the ranks of those from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Stanford University and LG, by creating prototype flexible batteries. Designed for use in electronic devices with flexible displays, they could conceivably be manufactured in any size or shape, or even made at home.  Read More
Tuesday's launch may make India an interplanetary space-faring nation
Today at 2:38 PM IST, India made its bid to join the elite rank of interplanetary space-faring nations with the successful launch of its unmanned Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) from the First Launch Pad at the Indian Space Research Organisation’s (IRSO) Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SHAR) on the island of Sriharikota, atop a Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV-C25).  Read More

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