New and Emerging Technology News part 214 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Tuesday 18 March 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 214

Helios Bars feature integrated lighting, along with several other high-tech features
While there are plenty of important components and accessories that are mounted on a bike’s handlebars, the bars themselves are just empty hollow tubes that don’t really do anything ... right? Well, that isn’t the case with Helios Bars. Created by California-based inventor Kenny Gibbs (who previously brought us The Slug), they feature an integrated headlight, signal lights, tracking system, and several other clever features.  Read More

The new Finis Neptune waterproof audio player
Finis has significantly upgraded its SwiMP3 underwater audio player with the release of the new US$160 Neptune. Like the SwiMP3, which has been on the market for five years, the Neptune waterproof player uses bone conduction to deliver sound to the inner ear. Drawing on its experience, the company has redesigned almost all components for the new model, including the bone conduction speakers, and added greater memory, an OLED display and improved file transfer compatibility with iTunes.  Read More
Open aerial view of the domes (Image: Studio 216)
If Apple can have a "spaceship," then Amazon can have a biodome. Although the company isn't creating a totally self-contained ecosystem so its employees never have to leave work, documents filed with the Seattle Department of Planning and Development indicate it is planning to build something not too far removed from that at its new campus headquarters in Seattle.  Read More
The nGroove Snap allows users to mount their smartphone to their car's CD player
Driving and talking or texting on a cell phone is illegal in most parts of the world, and with good reason. However, using a phone as an in-car music player is standard practice for many people, and the safest way to do this is with a mount that keeps your phone secured and easily accessible. Mountek's nGroove Snap caters for this need by mounting smartphones in a place that doesn't get used by many drivers these days – the CD player.  Read More
The Melon EEG headband that is designed to measure focus
Thinking about how accurately and effectively you are thinking is an exercise from which many of us could profit. Unfortunately, this is a serious challenge for most people. Rather like thinking about your golf swing, or just how to hit that high C, self-examination tends to modify or destroy the mental processes that were to be evaluated. Fortunately, we are in the age of personal EEG monitors, of which the latest entry is the Melon (which briefly surfaced previously as the Axio), a Kickstarter project to manufacture a headband EEG monitor designed to measure mental focus.  Read More
Global image showing the swath of land captured by NASA's Land Data Continuity Mission as ...
NASA has captured the world's largest panoramic photo showing a swath of land 6,000 miles long and 120 miles wide using a satellite orbiting 438 miles (705 km) above the Earth. At 19.06 gigapixels, "The Long Swath” is far from the highest resolution panorama on record, falling well short of the 320 gigapixel panorama of London, but it is without question the longest, covering an area from northern Russia to South Africa.  Read More
Stanford University researchers have developed a new, wearable sensor that could revolutio...
Researchers have developed a new type of wearable sensor that could greatly improve the accuracy and practicality of heart monitoring. Developed by Zhenan Bao, a professor of chemical engineering at Stanford University, the paper-thin, stamp-sized sensor is made with flexible organic materials and can be worn under an adhesive bandage on the wrist to monitor the pulse.  Read More
The Xbox One just did much of what we long expected an Apple TV set to do
Remember when the rumor mill’s favorite hobby was obsessing about an Apple TV set? It seemed like every week, some publication or other was reporting on the mythical device. Many assumed it would be the company’s next big revolution: iPod, iPhone, iPad ... iTV. Well, don’t look now, but Microsoft just unveiled a device that does most of what we expected the iTV to do, in the form of the Xbox One.  Read More
The Petcube device with creator Alex Neskin's dog, Rocky
You’re sitting in the office, but don’t you wish you could be playing with your dog or cat using a laser pointer instead? With the Petcube, you’ll be able to do both at once. Not unlike the iPet Companion, the Petcube lets users remotely play with their pets in real time, via the internet.  Read More
False-color scanning electron microscope images of some of the crystalline flowers
When we think of crystals, most of us probably either picture spiky things like snowflakes, or cube-shaped objects like grains of sugar. Researchers from the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, however, have recently coaxed barium carbonate crystals to grow into very miniature replicas of soft, curved flowers.  Read More
The new art installation expresses Jaguar's future design language
It may look like the strangest concept vehicle ever, but the new art installation unveiled by Jaguar as part of Clerkenwell Design Week in London is, according to the company, a “vision of Jaguar's future design language.” Created by Royal College of Art students in conjunction with Jaguar Advanced Design in Whitley, Coventry, the installation was the winner out of nine entries in the Jaguar Advanced Design competition.  Read More
 
The IdeaPad Yoga 11S
Lenovo has revealed that a more powerful version of its Yoga 11 convertible is earmarked for release next month. Essentially four devices in one, the Yoga 11S will run Win8 Pro and be powered by a choice of Intel's 3rd generation Core i processors.  Read More
Microsoft's Xbox One is an entertainment-centric next-gen console
After months of leaks and speculation, Microsoft has announced the Xbox One – the company's next-gen system and its competitor to Sony's PlayStation 4 console. The system is designed to provide the user with an “all-in-one experience," adding live TV integration and gesture and voice control on top of next-gen hardware and specs.  Read More
Billed as the world's first flatpack truck, OX can be assembled by three people in under 1...
OX is a lightweight, high-payload truck invented by toymaker, adventurer, and philanthropist Sir Torquil Norman with the aim of providing a simple, robust and cost-effective work-horse in developing nations. The 1,500-kilogram (1.6-ton) truck can be assembled from a flatpack package within a day and is capable of transporting 13 people, eight 44-gallon oil drums, or a total of 2,000 kilograms (2.2 tons) in weight.  Read More
The robot matches the type of hand-off with the most appropriate response in its database
They may not make for the showiest videos, but some of the most interesting problems in robotics are to do with the subtleties of human interaction. Even something as apparently simple as receiving an object poses great difficulty, but it's a problem that will need to be solved before multipurpose robots are ready for the home. By building a database of captured human motion, Disney Research and Karlsruhe Institute of Technology are making strides towards building a robot that can take an object handed to it by a human.  Read More
Rice University engineering students Tyler Wiest, Carlos Armada, Julian Castro and David M...
We’ve seen Pavegen’s energy-harvesting tiles turning up in a variety of places to harvest some of the kinetic energy generated while walking or running over them. But a team of students at Rice University has put the shoe on the other foot with PediPower – a prototype device that attaches to a shoe to harvest energy generated when the heel hits the ground.  Read More
The ONDU 135 Pocket Pinhole camera is the baby of the ONDU Pinhole Camera line
Slovenia-based designer and engineer Elvis Halilović (aka ONDU) is a pinhole photography enthusiast who felt there was a relative absence of appealing durable pinhole cameras on the market, and so set to work creating his own. This resulted in a range of six ONDU Pinhole Cameras, each of which differs in size, price, and film format.  Read More
The new fabric sucks sweat from one side to the other where it drains away, as demonstrate...
Unsightly underarm sweat patches could soon be a thing of the past thanks to a new fabric developed at the University of California, Davis. Instead of simply soaking up sweat like conventional fabrics, the new fabric is threaded with tiny channels that pull the sweat from one side to the other where it forms into droplets that drain away.  Read More
Cygan, the vintage robot that goes under the hammer in September (Photo: Christie's Images...
Most modern robots look nothing like those predicted by 1950's era science fiction. But if you’re in the market for a retro-style robot with world-domination-worthy looks you might want to dust off your auction paddle. Christie’s auction house is putting the vintage robot Cygan on the block as part of its Out of the Ordinary sale on September 5.  Read More
The F-35B making its first vertical takeoff
Lockheed Martin has revealed that an F-35B fighter jet made its first vertical takeoff on May 10 at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. This follows on the heels of its first vertical night landing on April 2 at the same location. The vertical takeoff capability is designed for moving the strike fighter over short distances in an emergency when a runway isn't available, but it is not seen as a combat feature due to its heavy use of fuel.  Read More

The Turanor PlanetSolar arrives at the town of Marigot on the island of St. Martin
With its previous circumnavigation of the planet, it had already set the record for longest distance traveled by a purely solar-powered boat. Now, the Tûranor PlanetSolar (which is also the world’s largest solar-powered watercraft), has broken its own 2010 record for fastest Atlantic crossing by a solar-powered boat.  Read More
iPhone-owning Google Glass owners may soon be able to get notifications ... as long as the...
Only a select few already have Google Glass in their hands ... or, rather, on their faces. But if you are an early owner of Glass, you’re much better off with an Android phone, as an iPhone can do little more than route calls to the smartglasses. That may soon change, though, with some help from the jailbreak community.  Read More
Developed by British engineer James Bentham, the Solar Kettle can boil water simply by usi...
Developed by British engineer James Bentham, the Solar Kettle can boil water simply by using sunlight. The portable thermos-like product uses a special thermal technology to boil water without the need for any power input, thus making it ideal for camping, picnics and outdoor activities.  Read More
Tetra-Shed putting in a welcome appearance at this year's Clerkenwell Design Week (Photo: ...
A patch of central London is festooned with pink this week, which can only mean Clerkenwell Design Week is in session once more. Lovely old buildings such as the Farmiloe Building, House of Detention and the Museum of the Order of St. John have opened their doors to designers and design enthusiasts on the lookout for inspiration. Armed with a camera, Gizmag went exploring, and was pleased to see one or two favorites among the novelties.  Read More
An item from Ying Chang's Sketch Objects (Photo: Ying Chang)
Clerkenwell Design Week kicked off in London on Tuesday. Though primarily catering to fans of light shades and soft office furnishings, there are some interesting and innovative gems lurking among the event's 60-odd showrooms. Among them was Ying Chang's Sketch Objects, a series of paper plates, bowls and vases waterproofed on the inside with resin.  Read More
Urban Green Energy (UGE) has unveiled its newest mid-range wind turbine, the VisionAIR, wh...
Urban Green Energy (UGE) recently unveiled its newest vertical-axis wind turbine, the VisionAIR, as part of an installation at the Beijing International Garden Expo. The company confirmed to Gizmag that the VisionAIR is replacing its former 4K turbine, last seen adorning the top of an EV charging station, as its standard mid-sized option for customers. Compared with the previous model, the new turbine's design aims for better efficiency at moderate wind speeds, which UGE plans to integrate with its hybrid energy projects.  Read More
Visitors enter the submarine spa via an underwater corridor
Though at first glance Huvafen Fushi may resemble a James Bond villain’s undersea lair, it is in fact the world's only submarine spa. First opened in 2004, the über-exclusive spa, located in the Maldives' North Male Atoll, was recently redesigned by UK architects Studio RHE.  Read More
HTC's story of simultaneous triumph and tragedy is one of the most intriguing of the year
If you polled a roomful of smartphone pundits about the best phone you can buy right now, there’s a good chance plenty of them would say the HTC One. Hell, we might even say that. So it’s a bit strange to hear stories of the company bleeding top staff and continuing to hit hard times ... while simultaneously selling one of the most important phones of the year. Welcome, HTC. You've officially entered Bizarro World.  Read More
Agent is the latest smartwatch to cause a stir
The Pebble smartwatch is one of the standout Kickstarter success stories, attracting over US$10 million in funds to exceed its $100,000 more than 100 times over. Another smartwatch is following a similar trajectory on the crowdfunding site, exceeding its own $100,000 goal in a day. While the Agent smartwatch shares some things in with common with the Pebble, it also boasts a number of features that set it apart.  Read More

Don't hold your breath for the rumored Apple iWatch, as it may not release until late 2014...
This wearable tech revolution that we hear so much about keeps getting delayed. First it was Google Glass, which was once expected late this year but is now more likely in early 2014. Now the well-leaked Apple smartwatch (dubbed “iWatch” by the press) might end up being another 2014 release. Late 2014, at that.  Read More
The Single Handed Barber uses a rotary system to allow users to cut their own hair evenly ... Clipping your own hair can involve some complicated acrobatics and multiple mirror arrangements with no guarantee of satisfactory results. A buzz cut might seem pretty simple to pull off on your own, but unless you have rubber arms, it can be mission impossible to get it done evenly all over the head. The Single Handed Barber promises to make a trim a simple one-person affair.  Read More
Adidas Nitrocharge Gone are the days when all you wanted from a pair of sneakers or cleats was a little protection and traction. The new adidas Nitrocharge soccer cleat (or football boot, if you prefer) takes over from where predecessors like the F50 left off with a raft of "energetic technologies" designed to put a little extra punch into your game.  Read More
Scientist have created inkjet-printable graphene-based ink, that could be used to create e...
While we hear a lot about flexible electronics that can be gently bent, how about ones that could actually be folded up? Things like the recently-developed graphite-based paper circuits definitely show promise, but now researchers from Illinois-based Northwestern University have taken another step forward – they’ve created graphene-based inkjet-printable ink.  Read More
Google pushed some big updates out to its desktop and mobile versions of Chrome
Google Chrome, one of the best web browsers around, is available on just about every major platform. And it just got a little better. Just a week after Google I/O, the search giant has been busy pushing out big updates to Chrome on desktop, Android, and – soon – iPhone and iPad.  Read More
Trunk can be fixed in different positions to double as a stand as well as a charging cable A typical iPhone charging cable is between half a meter and a meter in length, and has a slim cord that is prone to tangles and is not particularly hard-wearing. This combination is fine for most users and most situations, but Trunk offers an alternative to the norm.  Read More
Logitech's new $60 Wired Keyboard for iPad is made with students in mind Plenty of companies build Bluetooth keyboards for the iPad, with the end goal of trying to make the tablet function more like a laptop. The problem with most of them is that they can be costly, and are not built for the rigors of student life. With this in mind, Logitech is introducing its US$60 Wired Keyboard for iPad, which offers a more reasonable price tag and an extra helping of durability.  Read More
Flickr users can now get a terabyte of free storage space
Yahoo has just given Flickr its biggest makeover to date. Users of the photo-sharing behemoth now get a terabyte of free storage space, and the whole site has been given an updated image-centric look and feel. Other changes include the ability to upload larger images or videos, and new account options.  Read More
New hope could be on the way in the search for a treatment for Alzheimer's disease (Image:...
Although no one is announcing a cure for Alzheimer’s disease just yet, research recently conducted at the University of Southern California does at least offer a glimmer of hope. Using drugs known as TSPO (translocator protein) ligands, scientists there have successfully halted and even reversed the effects of Alzheimer’s in mice.  Read More
The Recon Jet includes GPS, wireless connectivity, multiple sensors, an HD camera and more
One major obstacle that's been holding the Recon Instruments heads-up display from really taking off is that it was designed for goggles. That's great for niche sports like skiing, snowboarding and skydiving, but it's useless for more common activities like running and cycling. The company is working to address that inherent shortcoming with the Jet, a pair of heads-up display sunglasses with a much more ambitious set of sporting and non-sporting uses.  Read More 
SPOT-assisted rescue map
Emergency rescue beacons from SPOT have been slowly but surely moving toward a satellite device that provides seamless real-time communication around the world – in other words, a satellite phone. The company has moved from pre-written messaging to custom type-and-send messaging, and with the new SPOT Global Phone, it now adds capabilities for real-time voice. The phone keeps you connected with friends, family and rescue agents even when you're standing in the middle of a roadless, fly-in wilderness in Alaska.  Read More

Kaiba Gionfriddo, seen here with a ventilator attachment, is the recipient of a first-of-i...
Six week-old Kaiba Gionfriddo was out at a restaurant with his family, when he stopped breathing and started turning blue. It turned out that he had a severe form of tracheobronchomalacia, a rare condition in which the trachea collapses due to flaccid supporting cartilage. Although he survived that incident, he proceeded to stop breathing on a regular basis, requiring daily resuscitation. Given the seriousness of the situation, his doctors decided to go for broke and try something new – an implanted 3D-printed tracheal support splint.  Read More
Despite its focus on the One flagship, HTC isn't ignoring the mid-range, with its new Desi...
In past years, HTC had flooded the market with phone after phone, each only slightly different from the last. Now it’s all about the HTC One: the high-end flagship that just might be the top smartphone of the year. But that doesn’t mean HTC can put all of its eggs into that basket. You ignore the mid-range at your own peril. So HTC is taking care of business on that end of town with the new Desire 600.  Read More
The Triton making its first flight (Photo: US Navy)
It’s been a busy month for UAVs with some launching from aircraft carriers and others saving lives. Now, the US Navy’s latest unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, the MQ-4C Triton Unmanned Aircraft System, has taken to the skies. This Wednesday, the 47.6-foot (14.5-m) aircraft, powered by a Rolls-Royce AE 3007 turbofan engine, took off from Palmdale, California. It was under the control of Navy and Northrop Grumman personnel, as part of a series of tests to certify the system for fleet operations.  Read More
Water Balance offers a visual reminder to feed your houseplants, by visibly showing how mu... Most of us, at one time or another, have forgotten to water houseplants or flowers sitting in a vase in our homes. It's very easy to do, particularly if you have a busy lifestyle and one too many chores to do each day. If only housebound flowers and plants had a way of communicating with us their need for a drink ... Now they do, thanks to Water Balance.  Read More
Popular iPhone email app Mailbox is now available on the iPad
Remember Mailbox? The iPhone app with a fresh to-do list approach to email ... and an annoying reservation system to boot? Well, a lot has changed. Not only is it now owned by Dropbox, but the reservation system is long gone, and, starting today, it’s also available for the iPad.  Read More
Patch is a new self-watering herb planter seeking funding on Kickstarter
Patch Planter isn't the first self-watering herb planter to cross our radar: that would be the AeroGarden. But where that product was an all-singing, all-dancing "kitchen garden appliance," Patch is a much more down to earth and affordable piece of design, and one that doesn't require a power supply.  Read More
The Kempart loft (Photo: © Serge Brison for Dethier Architectures)
For its design of the Kempart loft in Liège, Belgian company Dethier Architectures wanted to throw out the style book for converting industrial buildings into loft apartments, which it promptly did with the help of an aluminum pod inspired by a classic piece of American design.  Read More
UPenn's XRL robot jumping and grabbing the edge of a cliff five times its own height (Phot...
Most land-dwelling animals with skeletons (exo or endo) have the ability to jump. It is of particular importance to survival, as running primarily consists of a long series of jumps. Without the ability to jump, a robot's freedom to move around is limited, something that is particularly true of smaller robots for which even relatively narrow trenches or low walls can prove too much of an obstacle. A robotics group at the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn) has taught a six-legged crawling robot to jump, giving it remarkable acrobatic capabilities.  Read More
IBM Watson Solutions VP Stephen Gold interacts with the new IBM Watson Engagement Advisor
IBM’s Watson supercomputer has been riding high for the past couple of years. It won a game of Jeopardy, went to university and did a stint at a cancer lab. But now it’s taking what might seem like a step down with a job in customer service. According to IBM, the current avalanche of information is provoking an oncoming crisis in customer service and the company sees Watson’s advanced learning and data crunching abilities as a solution.  Read More
Belatchew Arkitekter has proposed converting the Söder Torn building in Stockholm into an ...
Despite being the most common renewable energy technologies, solar panels and wind turbines still have their shortcomings. Particularly when it comes to the urban environment. Lack of space and concerns about noise are just two problems with integrating them into city settings in an unobtrusive way. That's why Belatchew Arkitekter wants to try a different approach with its Strawscraper concept, which proposes transforming the Söder Torn building in Stockholm into an urban wind farm by covering it in piezoelectric fibers.  Read More

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