New and Emerging Technology News part 220 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Wednesday 19 March 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 220

Applied DNA Sciences (ADNAS) has developed a new approach to solve crimes using DNA taggin...
Applied DNA Sciences (ADNAS) has developed a new approach to solve crimes using DNA tagging. The difference is that instead of tagging the objects being stolen, the company's system tags the perpetrator with DNA. While this has been tried before by applying the DNA to a fleeing criminal with a gun, ADNAS has adopted a more subtle approach.  Read More
Ford's robotic testing system drives trucks and vans over test tracks without human driver...
Self-driving cars seem like they’ll be on our roads any day now, but what about self-testing cars that can drive themselves around insanely destructive tracks? Engineers at Ford’s Michigan Proving Grounds in Romeo, Michigan, say that they've come up with the industry’s first robotic test system designed to drive trucks and vans over roads that are intended to put a decade of wear on a van in around three months.  Read More
Porsche's new kid-specific Go-Kart weighs in at  55 pounds (25 kg) and can support future ... Porsche has traditionally targeted professional males between the ages of 21 and 60, but the all important demographic between the ages of 5 and 8 has not been completely ignored. Porsche’s Go-Kart is the latest effort to appeal to this budding market.  Read More
The Velodroom bicycle tail light automatically turns on and off, adjusts its brightness, a...
While it’s important for cyclists to run a set of lights when they’re riding after dark, using lights in the daytime also helps make them more visible to drivers. That said, the chances are pretty high that daytime cyclists could forget and leave their lights on when they finish their ride ... plus, they’d go through batteries a lot quicker. Estonian inventor Indrek Rebane has already got those things covered, with his Velodroom “smart” tail light.  Read More
Gizmag compares the specs (and other features) of the Sony PS4 and Microsoft Xbox One
Typically, E3 is all about new game announcements. Though we still had a few of those this year, 2013 was more about hardware: the Xbox One and PS4. Both push the technical boundaries of gaming consoles, offer their own mixes of strengths and weaknesses, and release at around the same time. So how do you choose? Allow Gizmag to lend a hand, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the Microsoft Xbox One and Sony PlayStation 4.  Read More
The Halo is a backpacking stove with built-in fuel cell charger for charging mobile device...
Point Source Power, the company responsible for the Voto, is looking to extend its product line with the Halo. Where the Voto is a fuel cell charger that works with an open fire, the Halo is a gas canister backpacking stove with built-in fuel cell charger and dual USB ports.  Read More
EPFL's prototype molybdenite light sensor
Are you fed up with your camera – or any camera – not being able to take decent low-light photos? Just be patient. Swiss researchers have developed a molybdenite light sensor, that they say is five times more light-sensitive than current technology.  Read More
LumiSands founders Chang-Ching Tu (left) and Ji Hoo, demonstrating the warmer hue of an LE...
LED light bulbs may be more energy-efficient and longer-lived than their incandescent equivalents, but they’re also considerably more expensive to purchase. This is largely because rare earth elements (REEs) are used in their phosphors. There are hazards involved in the mining and processing of REEs, plus China is responsible for almost the entire world’s supply, so they’re becoming increasingly pricey. Now, however, scientists have come up with a plentiful alternative material that they say is much more environmentally friendly, and that should drive down the price of LEDs.  Read More
The Instrument 1 from Artiphon
After tempting us with some candid studio shots last December, followed by some attention-grabbing showcasing at CES 2013 and NAMM, Artiphon has revealed that its Instrument 1 will shortly be available to buy. The professional-grade instrument leverages the processing power of a docked iPhone or iPod touch running digital music creation and recording apps, such as GarageBand or Animoog. It allows existing guitarists or piano players to use familiar playing styles in a new way, while ushering in a whole new wave of digital music noodlers.  Read More
Pininfarina Sergio concept
The world usually sees cars like the Pininfarina Sergio at a few select international auto shows during the debut year. Then the outlandishly-styled cars retire to their designers' headquarters and museums, peeping out every so often for special events and shows. Sometimes they fetch millions at auctions. But the wildly impractical, often beautiful design exercises don't usually enter production. It's looking like the Sergio will be an exception to the rules.  Read More

Eurocopter's X3 reached a level flight speed of 255 knots over the south of France on June...
Eurocopter has announced a new pair of speed records set by its hybrid helicopter demonstrator, the X3. Piloted by Hervé Jammayrac, the X3 reached a level flight speed of 255 knots over the south of France on June 7, eclipsing the 250 knots (463 km/h) set by Sikorsky's X2 demonstrator back in 2010. The X3 reached 263 knots several days beforehand, achieved during a dive rather than level flight, also besting the X2's record in descent – by a single knot.  Read More
Thomas Heatherwick's vision of a garden bridge across the Thames (Image: Heatherwick Studi... London could be the venue for a "garden bridge" in the mode of New York's High Line, if designer Thomas Heatherwick (he of 2012 Olympic cauldron fame) has his way. If £60 million (US$94 million) in private funding can be secured, it's thought the bridge could open as early as 2016.  Read More
Gizmag highlights the top 10 next-gen games from E3 2013, all slated for the Xbox One and ...
E3 is always an exciting time for gamers, but this year's show proved particularly enticing with two new video game consoles mere months from release. The Xbox One and Playstation 4 have handed game developers a much more advanced piece of kit to deliver some truly groundbreaking experiences. Each company's presentation revealed titles both familiar and brand new, but these are the ones that have us most anxious for the upcoming generation of console gaming.  Read More
The Airbus A350 XWB on its maiden flight
Seven years after plans for the Airbus A350 XWB were first revealed at the Farnborough Air Show in 2006, the aircraft took to the air for the first time on June 14. The maiden flight saw the aircraft in the skies of southwestern France for four hours and five minutes before returning to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.  Read More
Kaori-chan, a female robot, can smell your breath and responds based on a four point scale...
Have you got a case of dog breath? How about smelly feet? Friends and family may not tell you, but a couple of new robots will. Built by the Kitakyushu National College of Technology and a group of inventive pranksters calling itself CrazyLabo, the pair of odor-detecting robots are giving people a lesson in hygiene and a few chuckles.  Read More
VŪHL 05 looks to be a compact open-top racer, sans windscreen, that resembles a 1960s era ... The international flavoring of the supercar melting pot is set to get more diverse next month with the addition of the VŪHL 05 from Mexico-based VŪHL (Vehicles of Ultra High-performance and Lightweight). The car will be unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.  Read More
Bow Mag increases the striking power of your arrow with the insertion of a .38 special or ...
Many archers in adventure stories and comic books use arrows with unusual heads. These include the standard explosive and grappling hook arrows, and the not-so-standard boxing glove arrow, Greek fire arrow, handcuffs arrow, and the ever popular atomic warhead arrow. While real archers generally have to make do with target and field heads, Louisiana-based archery company Rac-Em-Bac is now providing some spirited alternates.  Read More
The Offline Glass offers a solution to the problem of smartphones getting in the way of co... It’s a bit ironic that a device whose primary purpose is communication is responsible for so much unsociable behavior. The Offline Glass offers one way of combating unsocial smartphone use by preventing smartphone addicts from choosing their gadget du jour over their friends and significant others.  Read More
Berthing area for the terminal (Image: Foster + Partners)
Flying into Hong Kong was once an aerial adventure as gigantic passenger planes made alarmingly steep descents over the harbor and then low over crowded high rises to runway 13. Those adrenalin-filled landings ended when the new Hong Kong International Airport to the west opened in 1998, however, the site of those dramatic flights has now been repurposed as the new Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. It was formally opened on June 12 as the Commissioner for Tourism, Mr Philip Yung, welcomed the inaugural berthing of the cruise ship Mariner of the Seas.  Read More
The Hasselblad Lunar had been designed as an 'ultimate luxury' mirrorless interchangeable ...
The Hasselblad Lunar has gone on sale, which could be good news if you think the mirrorless camera market has been sadly lacking in wood, carbon fiber, and jeweled buttons. Billed as an "ultimate luxury mirrorless interchangeable lens camera," the Lunar will sell for US$7,000, despite being based on, and having almost identical specs to, the Sony NEX-7.  Read More
Eurocopter's X3 reached a level flight speed of 255 knots over the south of France on June...
Eurocopter has announced a new pair of speed records set by its hybrid helicopter demonstrator, the X3. Piloted by Hervé Jammayrac, the X3 reached a level flight speed of 255 knots over the south of France on June 7, eclipsing the 250 knots (463 km/h) set by Sikorsky's X2 demonstrator back in 2010. The X3 reached 263 knots several days beforehand, achieved during a dive rather than level flight, also besting the X2's record in descent – by a single knot.  Read More
Thomas Heatherwick's vision of a garden bridge across the Thames (Image: Heatherwick Studi... London could be the venue for a "garden bridge" in the mode of New York's High Line, if designer Thomas Heatherwick (he of 2012 Olympic cauldron fame) has his way. If £60 million (US$94 million) in private funding can be secured, it's thought the bridge could open as early as 2016.  Read More
Gizmag highlights the top 10 next-gen games from E3 2013, all slated for the Xbox One and ...
E3 is always an exciting time for gamers, but this year's show proved particularly enticing with two new video game consoles mere months from release. The Xbox One and Playstation 4 have handed game developers a much more advanced piece of kit to deliver some truly groundbreaking experiences. Each company's presentation revealed titles both familiar and brand new, but these are the ones that have us most anxious for the upcoming generation of console gaming.  Read More
The Airbus A350 XWB on its maiden flight
Seven years after plans for the Airbus A350 XWB were first revealed at the Farnborough Air Show in 2006, the aircraft took to the air for the first time on June 14. The maiden flight saw the aircraft in the skies of southwestern France for four hours and five minutes before returning to Toulouse-Blagnac Airport.  Read More
Kaori-chan, a female robot, can smell your breath and responds based on a four point scale...
Have you got a case of dog breath? How about smelly feet? Friends and family may not tell you, but a couple of new robots will. Built by the Kitakyushu National College of Technology and a group of inventive pranksters calling itself CrazyLabo, the pair of odor-detecting robots are giving people a lesson in hygiene and a few chuckles.  Read More
VŪHL 05 looks to be a compact open-top racer, sans windscreen, that resembles a 1960s era ... The international flavoring of the supercar melting pot is set to get more diverse next month with the addition of the VŪHL 05 from Mexico-based VŪHL (Vehicles of Ultra High-performance and Lightweight). The car will be unveiled at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in the UK, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary this year.  Read More
Bow Mag increases the striking power of your arrow with the insertion of a .38 special or ...
Many archers in adventure stories and comic books use arrows with unusual heads. These include the standard explosive and grappling hook arrows, and the not-so-standard boxing glove arrow, Greek fire arrow, handcuffs arrow, and the ever popular atomic warhead arrow. While real archers generally have to make do with target and field heads, Louisiana-based archery company Rac-Em-Bac is now providing some spirited alternates.  Read More
The Offline Glass offers a solution to the problem of smartphones getting in the way of co... It’s a bit ironic that a device whose primary purpose is communication is responsible for so much unsociable behavior. The Offline Glass offers one way of combating unsocial smartphone use by preventing smartphone addicts from choosing their gadget du jour over their friends and significant others.  Read More
Berthing area for the terminal (Image: Foster + Partners)
Flying into Hong Kong was once an aerial adventure as gigantic passenger planes made alarmingly steep descents over the harbor and then low over crowded high rises to runway 13. Those adrenalin-filled landings ended when the new Hong Kong International Airport to the west opened in 1998, however, the site of those dramatic flights has now been repurposed as the new Kai Tak Cruise Terminal. It was formally opened on June 12 as the Commissioner for Tourism, Mr Philip Yung, welcomed the inaugural berthing of the cruise ship Mariner of the Seas.  Read More
The Hasselblad Lunar had been designed as an 'ultimate luxury' mirrorless interchangeable ...
The Hasselblad Lunar has gone on sale, which could be good news if you think the mirrorless camera market has been sadly lacking in wood, carbon fiber, and jeweled buttons. Billed as an "ultimate luxury mirrorless interchangeable lens camera," the Lunar will sell for US$7,000, despite being based on, and having almost identical specs to, the Sony NEX-7.  Read More

 
Google recently launched Project Loon, which will send internet-enabled balloons into the ...
Almost two-thirds of the world still does not have access to high-speed internet, but Google is determined to change that. Unfortunately, setting up an affordable infrastructure in remote areas is beyond even a huge multinational corporation's capabilities, which is why the company had to devise a completely out-of-the-box solution called Project Loon. As part of the project, Google recently launched a series of internet-enabled balloons into the stratosphere over New Zealand to provide broadband connectivity to rural areas.  Read More
Composite image of the Flipout Tantrum in its various configurations
One of the most frustrating parts of DIY projects is when a screw is at just the wrong angle for the screwdriver to reach. It’s even worse when an electric screwdriver with all its bulk is involved. To make things a bit easier, former University of Washington robotics student Joel Townsan of Bellingham, Washington came up with the Flipout Tantrum, an articulated electric screwdriver designed to work in very tight spaces.  Read More
Gizmag compares the specs (and other features) of the new 11-inch MacBook Air, and the Mic...
Mobile devices have turned the traditional PC market upside down. While Apple's "post PC" strategy is all about the iPad, the Mac still gives it a horse in the traditional PC race. Microsoft's strategy is more convergent: it wants hybrid devices like the Surface Pro to become our primary computers. How do the two measure up? Let's find out, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the 2013 MacBook Air to the Microsoft Surface Pro.  Read More
The Nano-Falcon easily sits in the palm of your hand
Namco Bandai subsidiary CCP toys has launched its Nano-Falcon remote-controlled helicopter toy, which it claims is the world's smallest. The Nano-Falcon, which is designed for indoor flight, has a body size of just 6.5 cm (2.5 in) long and weighs a scant 11 g (0.38 oz). The infrared controller, which takes four AA alkaline batteries, has a range of just 5 m (16 ft), which may be a good thing, lest you lose sight of it!  Read More
The motorized, computerized STABiLGO GoPro stabilizing rig
Looking for smoother hand-held video, but wanting something a little more high-tech than the SteadiCam Smoothee? Well, you might be interested in the STABiLGO. Designed for use with the GoPro HERO2 or HERO3, the gimbal-mounted stabilizing rig utilizes a gyroscopic sensor, a 32-bit high-speed microcontroller, and two electric motors to keep the camera horizontally and vertically level at all times.  Read More
Sukhoi Su-35 at the 2013 Paris Airshow (Photo: Noel McKeegan/Gizmag)
The Paris Air Show this week hosted the first foreign demonstration of the Russian supermaneuverable multirole fighter the Sukhoi Su-35. The specific aircraft on show is the latest iteration of the aircraft, designated Su-35S, 48 of which have been allocated to the Russian Air Force as they roll off the production line between 2011 and 2015. Visitors to the air show were treated to a display of the Su-35's impressive aerobatics, including a demonstration of the breathtaking Pugachev's Cobra maneuver.  Read More
The ON-WINGS system being lab-tested
On most aircraft ice-detection systems, the sensors can’t be located right on the aerofoil surfaces that most need to be kept ice-free – the addition of a protruding sensor would ruin their aerodynamics. Now, however, UK-based GKN Aerospace has announced the new ON-WINGS system. It mounts completely flush with the skin of the aircraft, allowing it to be integrated directly onto wings, rotor blades, or anyplace else that needs to be kept sleek and free of ice.  Read More
Atrist's concept of a PCAS heads-up display
The popular image of modern warfare is the digital battlefield where cyber soldiers have Terminator-like video displays and can call in an airstrike with the shine of a laser beam. While information technologies are revolutionizing the military, when it comes to calling in Close Air Support (CAS), it’s still World War One – where a misread or misheard grid reference can end up with soldiers being hit by their own artillery. DARPA’s Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program hopes to improve this.  Read More
The Electromobile City Scooter demonstrator vehicle, on display in Hannover While electric scooters are considerably cheaper and easier to park than electric cars, many people are still put off by the idea of having to balance on two wheels. Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering is addressing that problem, with its leaning three-wheeled Electromobile City Scooter.  Read More
The Eye-Fi Mobi is designed to make it easier to transfer images from a non-smart camera t...
Eye-Fi has released its latest wireless SD card which has been designed to make it easier to get images wirelessly from a camera to iOS or Android smartphones and tablets. Designed for those moments when you want to quickly share or edit a photo you've taken on a non-smart camera, the Eye-Fi Mobi easily pairs with connected devices and creates its own Wi-Fi spot.  Read More
Google recently launched Project Loon, which will send internet-enabled balloons into the ...
Almost two-thirds of the world still does not have access to high-speed internet, but Google is determined to change that. Unfortunately, setting up an affordable infrastructure in remote areas is beyond even a huge multinational corporation's capabilities, which is why the company had to devise a completely out-of-the-box solution called Project Loon. As part of the project, Google recently launched a series of internet-enabled balloons into the stratosphere over New Zealand to provide broadband connectivity to rural areas.  Read More
Composite image of the Flipout Tantrum in its various configurations
One of the most frustrating parts of DIY projects is when a screw is at just the wrong angle for the screwdriver to reach. It’s even worse when an electric screwdriver with all its bulk is involved. To make things a bit easier, former University of Washington robotics student Joel Townsan of Bellingham, Washington came up with the Flipout Tantrum, an articulated electric screwdriver designed to work in very tight spaces.  Read More
Gizmag compares the specs (and other features) of the new 11-inch MacBook Air, and the Mic...
Mobile devices have turned the traditional PC market upside down. While Apple's "post PC" strategy is all about the iPad, the Mac still gives it a horse in the traditional PC race. Microsoft's strategy is more convergent: it wants hybrid devices like the Surface Pro to become our primary computers. How do the two measure up? Let's find out, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the 2013 MacBook Air to the Microsoft Surface Pro.  Read More
The Nano-Falcon easily sits in the palm of your hand
Namco Bandai subsidiary CCP toys has launched its Nano-Falcon remote-controlled helicopter toy, which it claims is the world's smallest. The Nano-Falcon, which is designed for indoor flight, has a body size of just 6.5 cm (2.5 in) long and weighs a scant 11 g (0.38 oz). The infrared controller, which takes four AA alkaline batteries, has a range of just 5 m (16 ft), which may be a good thing, lest you lose sight of it!  Read More
The motorized, computerized STABiLGO GoPro stabilizing rig
Looking for smoother hand-held video, but wanting something a little more high-tech than the SteadiCam Smoothee? Well, you might be interested in the STABiLGO. Designed for use with the GoPro HERO2 or HERO3, the gimbal-mounted stabilizing rig utilizes a gyroscopic sensor, a 32-bit high-speed microcontroller, and two electric motors to keep the camera horizontally and vertically level at all times.  Read More
Sukhoi Su-35 at the 2013 Paris Airshow (Photo: Noel McKeegan/Gizmag)
The Paris Air Show this week hosted the first foreign demonstration of the Russian supermaneuverable multirole fighter the Sukhoi Su-35. The specific aircraft on show is the latest iteration of the aircraft, designated Su-35S, 48 of which have been allocated to the Russian Air Force as they roll off the production line between 2011 and 2015. Visitors to the air show were treated to a display of the Su-35's impressive aerobatics, including a demonstration of the breathtaking Pugachev's Cobra maneuver.  Read More
The ON-WINGS system being lab-tested
On most aircraft ice-detection systems, the sensors can’t be located right on the aerofoil surfaces that most need to be kept ice-free – the addition of a protruding sensor would ruin their aerodynamics. Now, however, UK-based GKN Aerospace has announced the new ON-WINGS system. It mounts completely flush with the skin of the aircraft, allowing it to be integrated directly onto wings, rotor blades, or anyplace else that needs to be kept sleek and free of ice.  Read More
Atrist's concept of a PCAS heads-up display
The popular image of modern warfare is the digital battlefield where cyber soldiers have Terminator-like video displays and can call in an airstrike with the shine of a laser beam. While information technologies are revolutionizing the military, when it comes to calling in Close Air Support (CAS), it’s still World War One – where a misread or misheard grid reference can end up with soldiers being hit by their own artillery. DARPA’s Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program hopes to improve this.  Read More
The Electromobile City Scooter demonstrator vehicle, on display in Hannover While electric scooters are considerably cheaper and easier to park than electric cars, many people are still put off by the idea of having to balance on two wheels. Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering is addressing that problem, with its leaning three-wheeled Electromobile City Scooter.  Read More
The Eye-Fi Mobi is designed to make it easier to transfer images from a non-smart camera t...
Eye-Fi has released its latest wireless SD card which has been designed to make it easier to get images wirelessly from a camera to iOS or Android smartphones and tablets. Designed for those moments when you want to quickly share or edit a photo you've taken on a non-smart camera, the Eye-Fi Mobi easily pairs with connected devices and creates its own Wi-Fi spot.  Read More
Google recently launched Project Loon, which will send internet-enabled balloons into the ...
Almost two-thirds of the world still does not have access to high-speed internet, but Google is determined to change that. Unfortunately, setting up an affordable infrastructure in remote areas is beyond even a huge multinational corporation's capabilities, which is why the company had to devise a completely out-of-the-box solution called Project Loon. As part of the project, Google recently launched a series of internet-enabled balloons into the stratosphere over New Zealand to provide broadband connectivity to rural areas.  Read More
Composite image of the Flipout Tantrum in its various configurations
One of the most frustrating parts of DIY projects is when a screw is at just the wrong angle for the screwdriver to reach. It’s even worse when an electric screwdriver with all its bulk is involved. To make things a bit easier, former University of Washington robotics student Joel Townsan of Bellingham, Washington came up with the Flipout Tantrum, an articulated electric screwdriver designed to work in very tight spaces.  Read More
Gizmag compares the specs (and other features) of the new 11-inch MacBook Air, and the Mic...
Mobile devices have turned the traditional PC market upside down. While Apple's "post PC" strategy is all about the iPad, the Mac still gives it a horse in the traditional PC race. Microsoft's strategy is more convergent: it wants hybrid devices like the Surface Pro to become our primary computers. How do the two measure up? Let's find out, as we compare the specs (and other features) of the 2013 MacBook Air to the Microsoft Surface Pro.  Read More
The Nano-Falcon easily sits in the palm of your hand
Namco Bandai subsidiary CCP toys has launched its Nano-Falcon remote-controlled helicopter toy, which it claims is the world's smallest. The Nano-Falcon, which is designed for indoor flight, has a body size of just 6.5 cm (2.5 in) long and weighs a scant 11 g (0.38 oz). The infrared controller, which takes four AA alkaline batteries, has a range of just 5 m (16 ft), which may be a good thing, lest you lose sight of it!  Read More
The motorized, computerized STABiLGO GoPro stabilizing rig
Looking for smoother hand-held video, but wanting something a little more high-tech than the SteadiCam Smoothee? Well, you might be interested in the STABiLGO. Designed for use with the GoPro HERO2 or HERO3, the gimbal-mounted stabilizing rig utilizes a gyroscopic sensor, a 32-bit high-speed microcontroller, and two electric motors to keep the camera horizontally and vertically level at all times.  Read More
Sukhoi Su-35 at the 2013 Paris Airshow (Photo: Noel McKeegan/Gizmag)
The Paris Air Show this week hosted the first foreign demonstration of the Russian supermaneuverable multirole fighter the Sukhoi Su-35. The specific aircraft on show is the latest iteration of the aircraft, designated Su-35S, 48 of which have been allocated to the Russian Air Force as they roll off the production line between 2011 and 2015. Visitors to the air show were treated to a display of the Su-35's impressive aerobatics, including a demonstration of the breathtaking Pugachev's Cobra maneuver.  Read More
The ON-WINGS system being lab-tested
On most aircraft ice-detection systems, the sensors can’t be located right on the aerofoil surfaces that most need to be kept ice-free – the addition of a protruding sensor would ruin their aerodynamics. Now, however, UK-based GKN Aerospace has announced the new ON-WINGS system. It mounts completely flush with the skin of the aircraft, allowing it to be integrated directly onto wings, rotor blades, or anyplace else that needs to be kept sleek and free of ice.  Read More
Atrist's concept of a PCAS heads-up display
The popular image of modern warfare is the digital battlefield where cyber soldiers have Terminator-like video displays and can call in an airstrike with the shine of a laser beam. While information technologies are revolutionizing the military, when it comes to calling in Close Air Support (CAS), it’s still World War One – where a misread or misheard grid reference can end up with soldiers being hit by their own artillery. DARPA’s Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) program hopes to improve this.  Read More
The Electromobile City Scooter demonstrator vehicle, on display in Hannover While electric scooters are considerably cheaper and easier to park than electric cars, many people are still put off by the idea of having to balance on two wheels. Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Engineering is addressing that problem, with its leaning three-wheeled Electromobile City Scooter.  Read More
The Eye-Fi Mobi is designed to make it easier to transfer images from a non-smart camera t...
Eye-Fi has released its latest wireless SD card which has been designed to make it easier to get images wirelessly from a camera to iOS or Android smartphones and tablets. Designed for those moments when you want to quickly share or edit a photo you've taken on a non-smart camera, the Eye-Fi Mobi easily pairs with connected devices and creates its own Wi-Fi spot.  Read More

ESA’s Herschel space observatory set against a background image of the Vela C star-forming...
On Monday at 12:25 GMT, the European Space Agency (ESA) executed final shutdown on the Herschel space telescope after shooting it into solar orbit. This shutdown marks the end of Herschel’s successful four-year mission of deep space observation, which was terminated when it ran out of liquid helium in April. Without liquid helium to cool its super-sensitive infrared instrument, Herschel was unable to continue its mission, but it was otherwise fully functional, so ESA took the opportunity to use the probe to carry out technical tests that couldn't be done earlier.  Read More
The Helix cork boasts the benefits of a traditional cork, but can be removed with a twist
What could be nicer than a picnic in a pleasant country field, a rotisserie chicken, a loaf of oven-hot bread and a nice bottle of wine? That is, provided you don't forget the corkscrew. This week, Amorim, the world’s largest manufacturer of cork stoppers, and O-I, the world's largest glass container manufacturer, made this nightmare scenario a little less likely by unveiling their Helix cork and bottle that are designed so that the cork can be removed with a simple twist of the wrist.  Read More
Button TrackR is a coin sized device to track objects via a smartphone app
Anyone with a propensity to misplace keys knows how irritating it is to look for them when you are running late. But help is at hand for those people with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone that can connect to tracking devices such as Button TrackR, a coin-shaped little number currently fundraising on Indiegogo. One of the innovations that Button TrackR introduces to this growing market niche is crowd sourced tracking that helps extend the search party.  Read More
This CheckLight's blinking red LED indicates that a serious blow to the head has taken pla...
Although everyone knows of the dangers of brain injuries, it’s often difficult to tell if such an injury has taken place. There are certainly cases in which athletes receive concussions, yet say that they feel fine when asked. That’s why Reebok and flexible electronics developer MC10 have created the CheckLight skull cap. It lets athletes and coaches know when a potentially brain-damaging impact has been delivered to its wearer’s head.  Read More
A prototype octopus robot uses its flexible tentacles to scull through the water
The octopus is a natural escape artist. It can squeeze its soft body into impossibly tight spaces and often baffles aquarium workers with its ability to break out of tanks. These abilities could be very useful in an underwater robot, which is why the OCTOPUS Project, a consortium of European robotics labs, is attempting to reverse engineer it in all its tentacled glory. Now researchers from the Foundation for Research and Technology (FORTH), in Hellas, Greece are learning how the robot might use its tentacles to swim.  Read More
An experimental set of augmented reality glasses allow professors to see if any students a...
It must be hard for university professors ... they tell their students to shout out if they don’t understand what’s being said in a lecture, yet few students are likely to feel comfortable raising their hand in front of the class and saying “I don’t get it.” Scientists at Spain’s la Universidad Carlos III de Madrid are hoping to address that situation, with a set of augmented reality glasses that let profs see who’s “not getting it,” without those students having to say so verbally.  Read More
MIT has developed a computer program that assesses its user's conversational skills
Whether it’s a job interview or a hot date, there are certain interpersonal situations where we really want to be at our best. In some cases, we may even run through possible conversational scenarios in our heads beforehand, in order to “train” for the big event. The problem is, those imaginary interactions can’t provide us with unbiased feedback on what we could stand to improve. MIT’s new MACH (My Automated Conversation coacH) software, however, does exactly that.  Read More
Cooking on the SolSource solar-powered grill
We've already seen the Solar Kettle, which uses heat from the sun to boil water. Now we have a product called SolSource that also harnesses the sun's heat, but instead of boiling water, it can cook anything you would put on a regular grill.  Read More
Allies Farm by Timber Design
The appropriately-named Allies Farm in Essex UK was formerly the airbase and shelter at RAF Ridgewell, from where the US Air Force's 381st Bombardment Group flew B-17 Flying Fortresses on 296 bombing runs during World War II. Following a conversion masterminded by Cameron Scott of Timber Design, the shelter is now a timber-clad farmhouse, home to the Grays and their three children.  Read More
The Sagita Sherpa helicopter (Photo: Gizmag)
Certainly one of the more intriguing things on display at this year's Paris Air Show, the Sherpa by Belgian startup Sagita aims to make the helicopter simpler, more efficient, more reliable and more affordable. The helicopter's rotors are directly driven by turbines which are themselves powered by hot air and fumes from the helicopter's power plant. Sagita claims that this makes the the aircraft approximately 85 percent efficient while doing away with the need for a tail rotor.  Read More
 



Italian architect Renzo Piano has created the Diogene micro unit (Photo: Vitra)
Italian architect Renzo Piano has gone from building Europe’s tallest building (the Shard in London) to one of its smallest. Finally completing his career-long dream of building a micro house that only measures 7.5 sq m (81 sq ft), Piano’s single-occupancy unit has been added to the gardens of the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany. Dubbed “Diogene,” the small structure is named in honor of the Greek philosopher Diogenes of Sinope, who was said to have abandoned all worldly luxuries and conventions for the simplicity of living in a large ceramic jar.  Read More
EPFL's system in use at the Lausanne Cathedral in Switzerland
Creating a 3D map of a room could someday be as simple as randomly placing four microphones within the space, then snapping your fingers. Researchers from Switzerland’s EPFL (École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne/Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) have recently done so on a limited scale, and are now excited about the technology’s possible applications.  Read More
The Yamaha NU1 is an acoustic upright with the digital heart of a grand
Yamaha US has started shipping the NU1 piano, an acoustic upright with the digital heart of a grand. The latest addition to its hybrid product category, which includes 2009's AvantGrand, the new family member is being pitched to serious musicians who are short on space, but still want to experience the feel and sound of a high-end – and therefore much more expensive – concert grand. It features the same piano action used in acoustic pianos, while the sonic mimicry comes courtesy of digital samples of the company's hand-built CFX Concert Grand.  Read More
Airbus helped EADS to incorporate an E-Thrust-style propulsion system into an airplane des...
EADS has once again taken to the Paris Air Show to present a vision of commercial aviation in 2050. Developed in partnership with Rolls-Royce to increase the efficiency of future airliners, its E-Thrust concept is a hybrid electric propulsion system that EADS says could cut fuel consumption, emissions and noise. EADS and Airbus have baked the E-Thrust into an aircraft design, which EADS calls the eConcept.  Read More
The Stair-Rover in action Last year around this time, London-based product designer PoChih Lai unveiled his 8-wheeled Stair-Rover skateboard. Using four independently-pivoting sets of two wheels, the prototype longboard was actually able to descend stairs – hence its name. Consumers may soon be able to buy one of their own, as Lai and his team have just started a Kickstarter campaign to finance commercial production of the skateboard.  Read More
Slip House, by Carl Turner Architects
Slip House, by UK-based Carl Turner Architects, fits neatly into a four-plot lot between a row of terraced houses in Brixton, London. However, it's not quite your typical two-up-two down, as the prototype family home combines sustainable technologies with an unusual design based on three "slipped" orthogonal boxes.  Read More
The Kitchen Safe measures 6 x 6 x 6.5 in. (15.2 x 15.2 x 16.5 cm), which is large enough t...
We all have our weaknesses, whether it's sweets, cigarettes, or just our own cell phones. The trick is to not indulge too much, but sometimes sheer willpower just isn't enough. That's why a team of inventors built the Kitchen Safe, a plastic container with a tamper-proof lock rigged to a timer.  Read More
The Bimanual Dexterous Robotics Platform equipped with Modular Prosthetic Limbs (both deve...
A new bomb disposal robot developed at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) is blurring the line between advanced prosthetics and robotics. Rather than building arms and hands from scratch specifically for the robot, the Bimanual Dexterous Robotics Platform (BDRP) is equipped with artificial limbs designed for amputees. The combination is relatively unique, and provided the team with a secondary use for the Modular Prosthetic Limb (MPL) it developed for the DARPA Revolutionizing Prosthetics program.  Read More
The Huawei Ascend P6 is touted as the world's slimmest smartphone
With all the different makes and models of smartphones available, manufacturers are always looking for something to make their handsets stand out. China’s Huawei chose size as its differentiating factor at CES in 2012 when it unveiled the Ascend P1 S, touting it as the world’s slimmest smartphone. The company is at it again with its new Ascend P6, which it is calling, you guessed it, “the world’s slimmest smartphone.”  Read More

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