New and Emerging Technology News part 225 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Friday 21 March 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 225

The ALMA observations give astronomers their best ever look at the formation of a 'monster...
Astronomers have used the Atacama Large Milimeter/submilimeter array (ALMA) in Chile to view the largest stellar womb ever observed in the Milky Way. The gigantic object, which resides within the Spitzer Dark Cloud (SDC), is some 500 times the size of the Sun, and is still experiencing growth.  Read More
A Proton-M rocket (Photo: Oleg Golovnev/Shutterstock) A Proton-M rocket crashed headlong into the ground shortly after take off on July 2. According to independent website Russian Space Web, which has been monitoring Russian media since the crash, reports that crash investigators examining the wreckage had found the angular velocity sensors had been installed the wrong way up.  Read More
Ambilight and hue combine
TP Vision has announced an upgrade to its Ambilight TV backlighting system designed to work alongside (well, underneath) Philips' hue color-change LED light bulbs, effectively allowing Ambilight effects to fill the entire room. The new system, dubbed Ambilight 4-sided XL, is included on Philips' new 60-in Elevation TV. Its 94 LEDs cover all four sides of the display, and will adapt to match the predominant color of the on-screen action – as will any connected hue bulbs.  Read More
The Mushroom Tiny House
Ecovative Design is best known for making sustainable mushroom-based products which can be used as an alternative to Styrofoam, but the company has now turned its hand to making a tiny house on wheels from fungi. At least in part, anyway ...  Read More
The current wing is an inflateable wing specially built by a kitesurfing manufacturer for ...
The University of Delft has a program devoted to kite-based generation systems, with 20 years of research and development under their belt since Wubbo Ockels, the first Dutch astronaut established it. Now, members of the team are exploring practical niches where the compromises of kite-based power might pay off. One has just completed a trip through Kenya, Tanzania and Senegal discussing opportunities for rural African kite generation with governmental agencies, universities and companies in the renewables space.  Read More
The Jaguar Project 7 debuts at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed
Based on the all-new 2014 F-Type convertible, the Jaguar Project 7 concept car makes its world debut at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed. The new race-inspired single-seat concept adds some extra power and speed to the F-Type's sexy curves and hopes to recreate some of the excitement of the seven Le Mans wins that it's named after.  Read More
The Skymouse puts cursor control on your fingertips
Los Angeles-based Eliott Ephrati is bringing a new product to the masses through Kickstarter called Skymouse, which is designed to let users control their computers using only their fingers. Mice of this sort are starting to gain more traction, with products like The Mycestro 3D wearable mouse and the Genius wireless Ring Mouse coming before this one. While those have you wearing the mouse, the pitch for Skymouse is that your finger actually is the mouse.  Read More
Artist's concept of the 2020 Mars rover (Image: NASA)
While the Mars rovers Curiosity and Opportunity continue to set new records, NASA is looking at its next mission to the surface of the Red Planet. On Tuesday, the space agency released a 154-page report by the Mars 2020 Science Definition Team, which sets out the objectives and preliminary design of the probe scheduled to be sent to Mars in 2020. It's main task will be to seek out areas where life might exist and return samples to Earth.  Read More
Graeme Obree's redesigned Beastie (Photo: Rick Robson)
Graeme Obree has redesigned his Beastie prone bicycle ahead of an attempt to break the human-powered land speed record and, potentially, the 100 mph (161 km/h) barrier at the same time. The radical changes made to the now complete bicycle have improved both visibility and aerodynamics. It was tested at Prestwick airport at the end of June.  Read More
Researchers at the University of Southampton have created an extremely durable computer me...
Recently, there have been advances in the area of digital data storage promising outstanding data density and super-long-term data storage. A new data storage technology developed at the University of Southampton can do both. Due to its similarities to the “memory crystals” used in the Superman films, it has been dubbed the "Superman memory crystal."  Read More

An incomplete version of the ATLAS robot maintains its balance even when hit with a 20 lb ...
DARPA has revealed the completed ATLAS humanoid robot, which is to star in the upcoming DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) – and it cuts a striking figure. Designed by Boston Dynamics (the guys behind the BigDog, Cheetah, and LS3 quadrupeds), it's being given to the top teams that recently competed in the Virtual Robotics Challenge (VRC). Now those teams have less than six months to fine tune their software with the real robot before they face the first of two live challenges.  Read More
A prototype window design that lets air pass through, but attenuates outside sounds by 30-...
There are few things better than lazing around the house on a warm summer day, whose fragrant zephyrs speak of spicy isles and heaven-breathing groves.* At least, until the neighbors start their leaf-blowers and the city needs to tear up the sidewalks. Noise pollution is one of the scourges of urban and suburban life, which can drown out nature's melodies to cause annoyance, stress, and hearing loss. Now, however, a team of South Korean engineers has invented a remarkable window that lets air in while keeping a great deal of noise out.  Read More
One of the FLOW-AID devices being field tested in Greece
We’ve already seen gadgets such as Koubachi and Flower Power, that communicate with users’ smartphones to let them know when their houseplants need watering. Scale that idea up to an agricultural level, and you get a prototype device known as the Farm Level Optimal Water management Assistant for Irrigation under Deficit – or FLOW-AID. It’s designed to let farmers in drought-stricken regions know when and how much water to apply to their crops, so they don’t run their irrigation systems unnecessarily.  Read More
Asst. Prof Andy Khong (right) with his undergraduate student Zaw Lin, demonstrating the tr...
Culminating four years of research, a team at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University has developed a technology that can turn a multitude of surfaces including wood, glass, aluminium, steel and even plastics into a low-cost multi-touch screen. The technology, named STATINA (for Speech Touch and Acoustic Tangible Interfaces for Next-generation Applications), is only a couple years away from reaching mass production.  Read More
Leon's sound sculpture at CE Week 2013
Looking to attract some attention to its InfoComm and CE Week booths, Leon Speakers created a piece of functional artwork that it calls the sound sculpture. Not quite as dramatic as the company's original sound sculpture, a 16-foot (4.9-m) dragon revealed in 2010, but still intriguing in its own right, the new sound sculpture hangs on the wall, where it seeks to dazzle both the eyes and ears.  Read More
The Firefly Pick provides a rhythmic light show to go with your flashy playing
Embedding flashing lights into the neck of your guitar is one way to brighten up a performance, but Peter Holm and Brandon Williams have another. Their Firefly Pick looks like any other heavy duty string plucker, until it takes its rightful place between thumb and finger. It then springs to life with a rhythmic light show to complement your flashy playing.  Read More
Nokia today unveiled the Lumia 1020, marrying the most ambitious smartphone camera to date...
During the last few years, smartphone cameras have steadily improved. But every now and then a product comes along that doesn't have the patience for steady evolution. Nokia's new Lumia 1020, for example, takes the current 13-megapixel benchmark of phones like the Galaxy S4, and blows that spec out of the water. This Windows Phone 8 handset isn't messing around, rocking an impressive 41-megapixel sensor.  Read More
The A4000i, at Terra Motors' announcement this Wednesday
As the functionality of smartphones and the popularity of electric scooters both continue to progress, it’s only natural that we should see the advent of electric scooters that feature smartphone integration. Recent examples have included the smart escooter and the MINI Scooter E, although the former won’t be in stores until next year, while the latter was designed only as a concept. Yesterday, however, Japan’s Terra Motors announced the upcoming availability of its iPhone-using A4000i.  Read More
LG Display has announced the development of a super-thin, 5.2-inch Full HD display panel
Just over a year after showing off a new Full HD smartphone display, LG's Display wing has taken the wraps off a new variant that's being hailed as the world's thinnest. The working 5.2-inch panel boasts a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution, and represents the first outing for a proprietary touch technology called Advanced One-Glass-Solution, where two flexible printed circuits are positioned between the glass and the touch layer.  Read More
Vicara's Cartonado The Cartonado is a flatpack lamp which, electrics aside, is made entirely from corrugated cardboard.  Read More
An incomplete version of the ATLAS robot maintains its balance even when hit with a 20 lb ...
DARPA has revealed the completed ATLAS humanoid robot, which is to star in the upcoming DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) – and it cuts a striking figure. Designed by Boston Dynamics (the guys behind the BigDog, Cheetah, and LS3 quadrupeds), it's being given to the top teams that recently competed in the Virtual Robotics Challenge (VRC). Now those teams have less than six months to fine tune their software with the real robot before they face the first of two live challenges.  Read More
A prototype window design that lets air pass through, but attenuates outside sounds by 30-...
There are few things better than lazing around the house on a warm summer day, whose fragrant zephyrs speak of spicy isles and heaven-breathing groves.* At least, until the neighbors start their leaf-blowers and the city needs to tear up the sidewalks. Noise pollution is one of the scourges of urban and suburban life, which can drown out nature's melodies to cause annoyance, stress, and hearing loss. Now, however, a team of South Korean engineers has invented a remarkable window that lets air in while keeping a great deal of noise out.  Read More
One of the FLOW-AID devices being field tested in Greece
We’ve already seen gadgets such as Koubachi and Flower Power, that communicate with users’ smartphones to let them know when their houseplants need watering. Scale that idea up to an agricultural level, and you get a prototype device known as the Farm Level Optimal Water management Assistant for Irrigation under Deficit – or FLOW-AID. It’s designed to let farmers in drought-stricken regions know when and how much water to apply to their crops, so they don’t run their irrigation systems unnecessarily.  Read More
Asst. Prof Andy Khong (right) with his undergraduate student Zaw Lin, demonstrating the tr...
Culminating four years of research, a team at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University has developed a technology that can turn a multitude of surfaces including wood, glass, aluminium, steel and even plastics into a low-cost multi-touch screen. The technology, named STATINA (for Speech Touch and Acoustic Tangible Interfaces for Next-generation Applications), is only a couple years away from reaching mass production.  Read More
Leon's sound sculpture at CE Week 2013
Looking to attract some attention to its InfoComm and CE Week booths, Leon Speakers created a piece of functional artwork that it calls the sound sculpture. Not quite as dramatic as the company's original sound sculpture, a 16-foot (4.9-m) dragon revealed in 2010, but still intriguing in its own right, the new sound sculpture hangs on the wall, where it seeks to dazzle both the eyes and ears.  Read More
The Firefly Pick provides a rhythmic light show to go with your flashy playing
Embedding flashing lights into the neck of your guitar is one way to brighten up a performance, but Peter Holm and Brandon Williams have another. Their Firefly Pick looks like any other heavy duty string plucker, until it takes its rightful place between thumb and finger. It then springs to life with a rhythmic light show to complement your flashy playing.  Read More
Nokia today unveiled the Lumia 1020, marrying the most ambitious smartphone camera to date...
During the last few years, smartphone cameras have steadily improved. But every now and then a product comes along that doesn't have the patience for steady evolution. Nokia's new Lumia 1020, for example, takes the current 13-megapixel benchmark of phones like the Galaxy S4, and blows that spec out of the water. This Windows Phone 8 handset isn't messing around, rocking an impressive 41-megapixel sensor.  Read More
The A4000i, at Terra Motors' announcement this Wednesday
As the functionality of smartphones and the popularity of electric scooters both continue to progress, it’s only natural that we should see the advent of electric scooters that feature smartphone integration. Recent examples have included the smart escooter and the MINI Scooter E, although the former won’t be in stores until next year, while the latter was designed only as a concept. Yesterday, however, Japan’s Terra Motors announced the upcoming availability of its iPhone-using A4000i.  Read More
LG Display has announced the development of a super-thin, 5.2-inch Full HD display panel
Just over a year after showing off a new Full HD smartphone display, LG's Display wing has taken the wraps off a new variant that's being hailed as the world's thinnest. The working 5.2-inch panel boasts a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution, and represents the first outing for a proprietary touch technology called Advanced One-Glass-Solution, where two flexible printed circuits are positioned between the glass and the touch layer.  Read More
Vicara's Cartonado The Cartonado is a flatpack lamp which, electrics aside, is made entirely from corrugated cardboard.  Read More
An incomplete version of the ATLAS robot maintains its balance even when hit with a 20 lb ...
DARPA has revealed the completed ATLAS humanoid robot, which is to star in the upcoming DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) – and it cuts a striking figure. Designed by Boston Dynamics (the guys behind the BigDog, Cheetah, and LS3 quadrupeds), it's being given to the top teams that recently competed in the Virtual Robotics Challenge (VRC). Now those teams have less than six months to fine tune their software with the real robot before they face the first of two live challenges.  Read More
A prototype window design that lets air pass through, but attenuates outside sounds by 30-...
There are few things better than lazing around the house on a warm summer day, whose fragrant zephyrs speak of spicy isles and heaven-breathing groves.* At least, until the neighbors start their leaf-blowers and the city needs to tear up the sidewalks. Noise pollution is one of the scourges of urban and suburban life, which can drown out nature's melodies to cause annoyance, stress, and hearing loss. Now, however, a team of South Korean engineers has invented a remarkable window that lets air in while keeping a great deal of noise out.  Read More
One of the FLOW-AID devices being field tested in Greece
We’ve already seen gadgets such as Koubachi and Flower Power, that communicate with users’ smartphones to let them know when their houseplants need watering. Scale that idea up to an agricultural level, and you get a prototype device known as the Farm Level Optimal Water management Assistant for Irrigation under Deficit – or FLOW-AID. It’s designed to let farmers in drought-stricken regions know when and how much water to apply to their crops, so they don’t run their irrigation systems unnecessarily.  Read More
Asst. Prof Andy Khong (right) with his undergraduate student Zaw Lin, demonstrating the tr...
Culminating four years of research, a team at Singapore's Nanyang Technological University has developed a technology that can turn a multitude of surfaces including wood, glass, aluminium, steel and even plastics into a low-cost multi-touch screen. The technology, named STATINA (for Speech Touch and Acoustic Tangible Interfaces for Next-generation Applications), is only a couple years away from reaching mass production.  Read More
Leon's sound sculpture at CE Week 2013
Looking to attract some attention to its InfoComm and CE Week booths, Leon Speakers created a piece of functional artwork that it calls the sound sculpture. Not quite as dramatic as the company's original sound sculpture, a 16-foot (4.9-m) dragon revealed in 2010, but still intriguing in its own right, the new sound sculpture hangs on the wall, where it seeks to dazzle both the eyes and ears.  Read More
The Firefly Pick provides a rhythmic light show to go with your flashy playing
Embedding flashing lights into the neck of your guitar is one way to brighten up a performance, but Peter Holm and Brandon Williams have another. Their Firefly Pick looks like any other heavy duty string plucker, until it takes its rightful place between thumb and finger. It then springs to life with a rhythmic light show to complement your flashy playing.  Read More
Nokia today unveiled the Lumia 1020, marrying the most ambitious smartphone camera to date...
During the last few years, smartphone cameras have steadily improved. But every now and then a product comes along that doesn't have the patience for steady evolution. Nokia's new Lumia 1020, for example, takes the current 13-megapixel benchmark of phones like the Galaxy S4, and blows that spec out of the water. This Windows Phone 8 handset isn't messing around, rocking an impressive 41-megapixel sensor.  Read More
The A4000i, at Terra Motors' announcement this Wednesday
As the functionality of smartphones and the popularity of electric scooters both continue to progress, it’s only natural that we should see the advent of electric scooters that feature smartphone integration. Recent examples have included the smart escooter and the MINI Scooter E, although the former won’t be in stores until next year, while the latter was designed only as a concept. Yesterday, however, Japan’s Terra Motors announced the upcoming availability of its iPhone-using A4000i.  Read More
LG Display has announced the development of a super-thin, 5.2-inch Full HD display panel
Just over a year after showing off a new Full HD smartphone display, LG's Display wing has taken the wraps off a new variant that's being hailed as the world's thinnest. The working 5.2-inch panel boasts a 1,920 x 1,080 pixel resolution, and represents the first outing for a proprietary touch technology called Advanced One-Glass-Solution, where two flexible printed circuits are positioned between the glass and the touch layer.  Read More
Vicara's Cartonado The Cartonado is a flatpack lamp which, electrics aside, is made entirely from corrugated cardboard.  Read More


 
Japanese startup Spiber is working on mass-producing artificial spider silk, an extremely ...
Spider silk is a truly remarkable material: it's tougher than Kevlar, strong as steel, lighter than carbon fiber, and can be stretched 40 percent beyond its original length without breaking. Now, Japanese startup Spiber says it has found a way to produce it synthetically and, over the next two years, will step up mass production to create anything from surgical materials to auto parts and bulletproof vests.  Read More
Joe Levy's SpoolStool Here's rather a fetching piece of furniture design. SpoolStool, by New Zealand industrial design student Joe Levy, is something of a mashup of a stool and an extension cable.  Read More
The LittleBox
Gregory Holloway's LittleBox PC is a build-it-yourself kit designed to turn the Raspberry Pi into a complete touchscreen desktop computer. LittleBox, which includes a screen and comes with 61 pieces of plywood held together by over 100 nuts, bolts and screws, is designed to be easy enough for almost anyone to put together with only a few tools. And wouldn't you know, Holloway has launched a Kickstarter campaign to bring LittleBox to the people.  Read More
The prize-winning flight of AeroVelo's Atlas (Video still: AeroVelo)
It was last October when Gizmag first reported on the exploits of AeroVelo, the lastest in a long line of flyers, high and otherwise, to vie for the US$250,000 Sikorsky Prize. To claim the bounty, a human-powered helicopter must fly for over a minute and attain an altitude of over 3 m while remaining within a 10 m x 10 m box. On June 13, AeroVelo's Atlas helicopter did precisely that.  Read More
Work on Samsung's new HQ has begun, and is scheduled to be finished by mid-2015 (Image: NB...
Construction of Samsung's new Silicon Valley headquarters designed by architecture firm NBBJ has begun. The San Jose-based project will cover 1.1 million sq ft and feature a 10-story office tower, multiple garden areas, a green-walled parking complex, and a degree of sustainable technology, including solar power.  Read More
Lernstift is a digital pen that gently vibrates to indicate when mistakes have been made
These days, we are so reliant on computers that many of us rarely pick up an actual pen or pencil and rely on auto-correct to fix our spelling mistakes. But Falk Wolsky and Daniel Kaesmacher think there's still a place in this modern world for good penmanship and correct spelling and have taken to Kickstarter to get their Lernstift (German for "learning pen"), which vibrates to indicate when the writer makes spelling mistakes or exhibits poor penmanship, into production.  Read More
Artist's conception of the blue exoplanet HD 189733b, orbiting a star 63 light years dista...
Uncovering any sort of detailed information about an exoplanet presents astronomers with an exceedingly difficult challenge. Despite the hurdles, however, some exoplanets are particularly well situated for such study. Astronomers have previously determined considerable information about the atmosphere and climate of HD 189733b. Now, thanks to Hubble observations made while it passed behind its primary star last December, we also know that this hot Jupiter-like planet is a deep cobalt blue in color, marking the first time that the color of an exoplanet has been measured.  Read More
The Caterham Seven 620 R goes from 0 to 60 mph (96 km/h) in 2.8 seconds
For four decades, the Caterham Seven has been turning heads and packing large servings of performance into a very small package. This weekend, at the 2013 Goodwood Festival of Speed, Caterham Cars is unveiling the slightly mad Caterham Seven 620 R, which will be put through its paces by F1 Team driver Charles Pic and other drivers from the Caterham stable. Built to celebrate 40 years of the Seven, Caterham says that it’s the most extreme version in the lightweight, high-performance line ever produced.  Read More
The Nerf Vulcan Sentry Gun automatically locates targets and unleashes a stream of foam da...
Anyone who plays video games will know that few things protect an area like a well-placed sentry gun. In the real world, though, even a person's bedroom or office could use a little protection sometimes, which is why one designer has built the Nerf Vulcan Sentry Gun. Using a custom program and some servos, the sentry can automatically locate targets and unleash a stream of foam darts at over seven times the usual speed, while keeping its owner out of the crosshairs.  Read More
The My Camp Kitchen Mini packs a kitchen's-worth of cooking and serving accessories it int... The My Camp Kitchen Mini takes the function and form factor of larger My Camp Kitchen models to pack a kitchen's-worth of cooking and serving accessories it into a smaller, cheaper package.  Read More

The current functioning prototype of the Odoreader
A new, non-invasive type of test could spell the beginning of a new age in bladder cancer diagnosis. Researchers at the University of Liverpool and University of the West of England in Bristol have created a device that can analyze the odors in urine to catch early signs of this type of cancer. The researchers claim the device has generated an accuracy rate of 100 percent in tests with 98 urine samples.  Read More
Scientists have developed a system in which a scan of the blood vessels within a person's ... We’ve certainly been hearing a lot about facial recognition as a means of identification, although the technology could – conceivably – be thwarted by someone wearing a mask. Now, however, scientists at India’s Jadavpur University are taking a different approach to facial ID. They’ve developed a system that can identify a person based not on the composition of their face, but on the blood vessels within it.  Read More
Digital Storm has unveiled what's claimed to be the first Haswell-based gaming notebook wi...
Just a few weeks after unveiling the monstrous Aventum II boutique gaming PC, Digital Storm is getting ready to break out a new Haswell-packing portable powerhouse called Veloce. The Windows 8 notebook has a Full HD display, hybrid storage and discrete Nvidia graphics.  Read More
Subtle variations in baby cries could indicate neurological or developmental disorders (Ph...
Although Homer Simpson’s brother’s Baby Translator may still only be a whimsical concept, Rhode Island scientists have developed something that could prove to be even more valuable. Researchers at Brown University teamed up with faculty at Women & Infants Hospital, to create a computer tool that may find use detecting neurological or developmental problems in infants, by analyzing their cries.  Read More
The liquid oxygen/gaseous hydrogen rocket injector assembly, built using additive manufact...
Star Trek's Mr. Scott will have fewer reasons to panic as the day comes closer when even rocket engines can be cranked out on 3D printers. In recent tests, NASA and Aerojet Rocketdyne fired a rocket engine injector at NASA's Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio that was made using a 3D printer. The project, done in collaboration between NASA and private industry, aims at speeding up the manufacture of rocket components while reducing costs as well as eventually printing them in space.  Read More
A report from the far East suggests Apple has pushed back the release of the second-genera... It was probably about three seconds after the original iPad mini launched, when the question was first asked: "How long until it gets a Retina Display?". For all of the current model's great features (premium build, light weight, compact form factor), its 163 PPI display isn't exactly cutting-edge. Rumors have been all over the place about the inevitable Retina upgrade, but a new report says that it may be showing up a little later than expected.  Read More
A row of Tandems, in all their dual-purpose glory Ladies, I know this may come as a huge surprise to some of you, but ... a lot of guys don’t wash their hands after finishing their business in a public bathroom. It’s true. In order to give such characters less of an excuse for not washing after peeing, a Latvian company known as Stand is now offering a combination sink and urinal. Appropriately enough, it’s called the Tandem.  Read More
The Hot Logic Mini is a portable cooking device designed to deliver moist, steaming meals ...
About the size of a lunch box, the new Hot Logic Mini is billed as a "personal portable oven." The handy gadget is claimed to cook and heat food without drying it out, delivering a tasty meal with little effort.  Read More
Twinkind's 3D scanning process is as quick and painless as having your photo taken
Now that you can be scanned and 3D-printed in miniature form, two-dimensional portraits seem so last century. Of course, this novelty is way more expensive than a photograph, but now a company called Twinkind located in Hamburg, Germany is offering a 3D portrait service where the lengthy scanning process has been made as quick and painless as having a photo taken. You can even scan your pets, as they don't need to stay still for 20 minutes at a time!  Read More
A researcher manipulates DRC-HUBO's arms to demonstrate its compliant joints
The DARPA Robotics Challenge (DRC) has scheduled its first physical trial for late December, leaving competing teams less than six months to finish building and programming their robots. In case you're just tuning in, the DRC is a gauntlet of daunting tasks designed to test robots that may someday stand in for people as first responders. DARPA has just revealed the completed ATLAS humanoid, but there's still a half dozen others that remain somewhat mysterious. Now, Team DRC-HUBO is spilling the beans on its own humanoid robot.  Read More

The SunSocket uses mono-crystalline solar panels
To get the most out of solar panels they need to be facing the right way. Systems that track the sun are often used in large solar power stations and some larger home installations, but most flat panels for portable applications just lie there. Colorado-based Aspect Solar has come up with the SunSocket Solar Generator, a lightweight, portable, self-contained solar power system consisting of a battery and solar panels that brings the advantages of automatically tracking the Sun to small applications.  Read More
Watchmaker Eone's debut timepiece, the Bradley, is aimed at the visually impaired and indi...
Unfortunately, there aren't many options available for the visually impaired when it comes to timepieces. While a number of talking watches and braille wristwatches with removable covers are already on the market, those often draw attention to a person's disability. That's why watchmaker Eone's debut timepiece, the Bradley, indicates the time with magnetic ball bearings that can be read subtly by touch.  Read More
The Pingtan Art Museum will be situated on an artificial island connected to Pingtan Islan...
Art Museums regularly push the boundaries in terms of architecture, but Beijing architecture studio MAD has gone one step further by designing an artificial island to form the Pingtan Art Museum. Dominated by three concrete mounds, the museum will feature exhibit halls and public spaces and be linked to Pingtan Island by an undulating pier.  Read More
The Bremont Codebreaker has a flyback chronograph movement
Watches are meant to keep time, but the UK-based firm of Bremont and the Bletchley Park Trust have teamed up to produce a watch that preserves time. The Bremont Codebreaker is a limited edition chronograph that uses original artefacts from the famous cryptographic facility to commemorate British code breaking efforts during the Second World War.  Read More
The Mclaren 12C GT Sprint is designed for track use
McLaren engineers like to show off their prowess, which they were happy to display in their 12C model, including the 12C GT3 and the limited edition 12C GT Can-Am Edition. This weekend's Goodwood Festival of Speed sees Mclaren GT roll out its track-only variant, the 12C GT Sprint. Boasting enhanced handling, aerodynamics and track focus, McLaren bills it as the bridge between the standard 12C and the all-out racing versions.  Read More
The Sparkup Magical Book Reader is a device which allows children to hear recordings of th...
Picture books are a great way to encourage your kids to embrace and enjoy reading. But as an adult, there're only so many times you can read Aliens Love Underpants and remain sane. The Sparkup Magical Book Reader is a device which clips onto books and lets you record the audio for each page, so that your children can hear you reading it to them as they flick through the pages on their own.  Read More
Having produced the Coolpix S800c, Nikon has experience of working with Android on a camer...
It's no secret the compact camera market is taking a beating. Yes, people are taking more photos than ever, but not on dedicated point-and-shoots. Increasingly they're reaching for their smartphone when a photographic opportunity arises. Nikon President, Makoto Kimura, told Bloomberg his company is well aware of this trend and wants to create new products aimed at this bigger market, hinting at the possibility of a smartphone by saying the company is considering a "non-camera consumer product."  Read More
A representation of our heliosphere traveling through the interstellar medium to produce a...
Although never actually observed, it has long been assumed that as our Solar System careers through the Universe, the heliosphere, or solar bubble, has a tail trailing behind it like a comet's. For the first time, NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), which was launched back in 2008, has mapped the boundaries of this tail, revealing it is shaped like a four-leaf clover.  Read More
Gizmag compares the specs (and other features) of two smartphones that take photography ve...
It's almost hard to believe that, just a few years ago, many of us used to tote around point-and-shoot cameras and smartphones. How things have changed. Today the smartphone camera has evolved to the point where it's the main camera for many amateur photographers around the world. So it makes sense that more serious camera phones like the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom and the new Nokia Lumia 1020 would start popping up. Let's take a look at how the specs (and other features) of the two hybrid devices measure up.  Read More
The bike carrier's pivoting arm makes for easy assembly
Just because the average crossover sees more time on mall parking lot asphalt than on dirt doesn't mean that manufacturers have abandoned the great outdoors completely. It just means that crossovers designed to actually venture into the outdoors are mostly concept cars and limited editions. BMW hasn't been shy about releasing such concepts, including last year's X1 Concept K2 Powder Ride and the all-new Concept Active Tourer Outdoor.  Read More

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