New and Emerging Technology News part 253 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Sunday 30 March 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 253

NVIRONMENT
Spectrolab has achieved a new world record efficiency for a multi-junction solar cell (Pho...
Spectrolab has set a new solar cell efficiency record of 38.8 percent for a ground-based multi-junction solar cell. The new world record doesn't exactly smash the previous mark of 37.8 percent, which was also set by Spectrolab, but is welcome news in a field where every percentage point counts.  Read More
VIA Motors claims its solar tonneau cover provides an extra 10 miles (16 km) of all-electr...
Although the production launch of his company's line of extended range electric pickup trucks and vans will likely be the focus of VIA Motors' Chairman Bob Lutz at the LA Auto Show later this week, one optional extra has already caught our eye. The company has revealed a solar panel tonneau cover that is claimed to add an extra 10 miles (16 km) of range to its eREV40 electric pickup truck.  Read More
GoBee 700 Spot
Outdoor torch manufacturer Light & Motion is taking its line of multifunctional lights to the next level. The all-new GoBe is a lightweight handheld that's compatible with half a dozen different lighting elements. Purchase all six screw-on heads and you create six different lights off of one platform for diving, biking, trekking and more.  Read More
The WV80 HO is uses Non-Pneumatic Tires
There’s nothing that ruins going to work like having your tires shot out with a .50 caliber machine gun round. If that happens to you a lot, and your commute is across open fields and through the woods, you might want to consider the Polaris Sportsman WV850 HO with Terrain Armor. This military-grade All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) abandons traditional inflatable tires for Non-Pneumatic Tires (NPT) that feature a flexible polymer honeycomb.  Read More
The Hövding is an airbag for cyclists which inflates in under 0.1 seconds to protect your ... We first covered the Hövding airbag collar in 2010 when it was originally shown off to the world by its inventors, industrial designers Anna Haupt and Terese Alstin. At the time it was available to pre-order but it has now officially gone on sale.  Read More
The Clara ukulele from Blackbird Guitars
The stork flew over San Francisco today and delivered a new baby to the workshop of Blackbird Guitars. Unlike its stablemates, such as the gorgeous Rider, the Clara concert-level ukulele is not made from carbon fiber. It's made from a newly-developed sustainable material called Ekoa, which is said to give the instrument the strength and durability of the company's usual material of choice and the tone of vintage wood.  Read More
The HydroBee generates electricity using the current of a stream or river
There are already plenty of gadgets that allow people to charge their mobile devices while off the grid. Most of those products utilize solar power, while a few have gone the thermoelectric route. The HydroBee, however, generates electricity using the power of flowing water – think of it as a portable hydroelectric station.  Read More
Joby's GorillaPod Action Tripod with Mount for GoPro
While GoPro has become the best-known name in actioncams, Joby's GorillaPod is likely the most popular "do-anything" tripod out there. It shouldn't come as a surprise, then, to hear that Joby has just announced three new products, designed specifically with the GoPro HERO in mind.  Read More
'ReWalker' Gene Laureano crosses the finish line at the Generosity NYC 5K Released two years ago, the ReWalk powered exoskeleton allows wheelchair users to walk upright again – albeit with the additional help of a pair of crutches. This past Sunday (Nov. 17), a group of ReWalk users from around the world got together in New York City, where they used their exoskeletons to take part in a 5-kilometer (3.1-mile) charity walk.  Read More
Gizmag reviews the Martian Watch, a smartwatch that puts the power of Siri and Google Now ...
If you're going to spend hundreds of dollars on a smartwatch, what's the most important feature you'd want it to have? Notifications? Fitness tracking? Or maybe you just want some rock-solid voice control? If you want to talk to your watch like Dick Tracy, then you'll want to read on, as Gizmag reviews the Martian Watch: a device that puts Siri and Google Now on your wrist.  Read More

Solar energy powers the ZingBox
What's cooler than a boom box for loads of street cred? A boom box powered with solar energy, of course. Aron Zingman, a designer from Cambridge, Massachusetts, has created just that – an updated version of the 80s music-playing icon. He named the unit after himself (ZingBox), which should make him quite popular in the outdoor party circuit.  Read More
The Roadie Tuner from Band Industries
All manner of integrated and external gadgetry has been introduced over the years to help newbies or seasoned guitarists achieve and maintain pitch perfection with little effort. Rather than requiring players to swap out stock tuning heads for some robotic assistance, like with the TronicalTune system, or buy into the digital manipulation of output from folks like Antares, the Roadie Tuner slips over each machine head, one at a time, and works with a smartphone to bring an instrument to tune.  Read More
The Spruce Stove in use, prior to being closed around the log
I speak from experience when I say that it's actually fun to go into the woods, saw up fallen trees, then bring the wood home to burn over the winter. What isn't so much fun is subsequently sawing the logs into stove-length pieces. With the Spruce Stove, however, you don't have to – you just continuously feed one long log in as it burns, sort of like feeding a pencil into a pencil sharpener.  Read More
Lit Motors' cargo-haulin' kubo  Lit Motors is definitely best-known for its C1 – a self-balancing, fully-enclosed electric motorcycle, that's still in development. The company has also been quietly working on another vehicle, however, known as the kubo. It's an electric cargo scooter, in which the payload is carried inside the frame. It's ready to go into production, so its makers have turned to Kickstarter for funding.  Read More
S3tr: lean machine
At first glance, you might think the S3tr (which is apparently pronounced Streeter) is a knockdown answer to the Segway PT. Like the PT, the S3tr is a compact one-person vehicle driven by a standing rider who balances on a wheeled base and steers with the aid of an upright column. The S3tr has three wheels to the PT's two, but its main advantage is that it folds up, in theory making it more easy to take aboard public transport, or stowing under a desk at work.  Read More
The MHI-Super Giraffe can handle 15 degree slopes and works for 5 hours on a rechargeable ...
While the world watches anxiously as the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) begins its most dangerous operation yet in the ongoing clean-up of the damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, large Japanese corporations continue to design and build robots to help go where people cannot. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) has built a new remote-controlled robot called the MHI-Super Giraffe, which has an extendable arm capable of reaching up to 8 m (26 ft), and borrows battery technology from Mitsubishi Motor's electric vehicles.  Read More
Dragon spacecraft in orbit during CRS-2 cargo mission to the ISS (Photo: SpaceX) SpaceX has made progress toward an initial crewed flight in 2015 after a "milestone" safety review for manned space operations of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft and Falcon 9 launch vehicle.  Read More
The concept is the work of Los Angeles-based design studio M-Rad (Image: M-Rad) An ambitious new concept by Los Angeles-based design studio M-Rad envisions shipping container-based structures, sustainable technology, and extreme sports coming together in one place.  Read More
The Manta Resort recently unveiled its Underwater Room (Photo: Jesper Anhede)
Underwater accommodations seem to have become a trend among hotels in recent years, but a resort off the coast of Tanzania is now putting a unique spin on the concept. The Manta Resort recently unveiled its Underwater Room, a three-floor suite that floats beside a thriving coral reef and boasts a submerged master bedroom surrounded by windows to view the local sea life.  Read More
Kawasaki's J concept on show at the 2013 Tokyo Motor Show (Photo: Mike Hanlon /Gizmag.com)
The once clear delineation between the car and motorcycle has become somewhat muddied in recent times with the emergence of an array of narrow tracked vehicle designs sporting two, three and four wheels. Kawasaki threw another fascinating oddity into the ring at the Tokyo Motor Show today with the unveiling of the outlandish, shape-shifting "J" 3-wheel electric vehicle concept.  Read More
 
The premiere of the new Mini Cooper in Oxford
In some ways, the Mini Cooper is a bit like a dog. Most people who remember it as a puppy are rather surprised at how big it has grown. On Monday, at its Oxford plant, BMW presented the world premiere of new Mini line to show off the model’s latest growth spurt and the new technology hidden inside.  Read More
The Shanghai-based Glass Office, by AIM Architecture (Photo: Jerry Yin) The ubiquitous office cubicle has redefined how much privacy pencil-pushers can expect during their daily grind, but a new office block in downtown Shanghai by AIM Architecture goes much further than this. The futuristic-looking workplace sports glass walls and mirrored ceilings throughout to stunning effect.  Read More
Twin Up! uses a 2-cylinder, 800 cc diesel engine in partner with a 35 kW electric motor to...
Earlier this year Volkswagen announced production of its 261 mpg hyper-efficient XL1, but with an estimated $145,000 price tag it’s unlikely the hybrid will become a common fixture on most streets. The company’s Twin Up! hybrid concept, which made its debut at the Tokyo Motor Show yesterday, could however become a more reasonable option for the masses.  Read More
The 3D-printed vertebral body next to the original unprepared and erroneously labeled plas...
Access to rare fossils is limited, potentially putting a go-slow on their study, while sharing them around increases the risk of damaging them. Researchers at Berlin's Charité Campus Mitte have combined data from computed tomography (CT) scans with 3D printing technology to make it possible to print any number of accurate 3D reproductions of fossilized bones, without any adverse effect on the originals.  Read More
The Universe is big, and so is the challenge of understanding its large-scale structure (P...
Our knowledge of the large-scale structure of the Universe is gradually taking shape. However, our improved vision is mostly being statistically squeezed from huge data sets. Working backward from a statistical analysis to a putative fact about the (singular) Universe, to which statistics do not apply on a cosmological scale, is a dicey business. A case in point is a recent look at the biggest known structures in the Universe – large quasar groups.  Read More
Porsche shows the 918 Spyder at the LA Auto Show (Photo: CC Weiss)
Ever since the Porsche 918 Spyder debuted as a might-never-be concept at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, we knew it was quick. But we didn't know just how quick. In preparation of the first 918 deliveries, Porsche has announced that the hybrid supercar outperforms the company's previous, already-impressive performance estimates.  Read More
Logitech's PowerShell Controller + Battery brings conventional games controls and extended...
In just five years, Apple has established iOS as a major gaming platform. Games is the most popular category on the App Store, with over 175,000 of the 975,000+ apps currently available falling within it. Although many games are designed specifically for touchscreen input, there are still plenty that are better suited to a conventional controller. That's where devices such as the new PowerShell Controller from Logitech come in.  Read More
Detail of the inter-locking panels of the facade. Ardmore Residence, Singapore, by UN Stud...
The 36-story Ardmore Residence in Singapore designed by Dutch firm UNStudio heralds a "new breed" of residential skyscraper for the region. Employing an innovative inter-locking system of construction, the building features a distinctive, organically-inspired facade and a design concept focused on the natural landscape of the Garden City of Singapore.  Read More
The Drift Ghost-S, with remote
Drift Innovation first brought us the HD170 actioncam, followed by the smaller Drift HD, and then the upgraded Drift HD Ghost. Now it's taken another step forward, with the Drift Ghost-S.  Read More
Yamaha's exciting new Motiv.e two-seater may find many different forms, but no firm date h...
Yamaha Motor Corporation moved into the automotive business this afternoon in one of the shock announcements of the Tokyo Motor Show. Yamaha’s partner in the four-wheeled endeavor is none other than Gordon Murray Design. The new four-wheeled Yamaha MOTIV.e range of four-wheelers will be based on Gordon Murray’s much-vaunted City Car design, and will include a range of bodies, and a range of engines, including a 25 kW electric vehicle, and a one liter, three-cylinder engine likely to produce well over 100 bhp.  Read More

Artist's concept of the HammerHead UAV on a mission (Photo: Piaggio)
There was an unusual shape in the skies over Italy last week as the Piaggio Aero Company and Selex ES successfully completed the first flight of the aptly-named Hammerhead UAV on Thursday, November 14, near the Trapini Air Force Base. The aircraft was remotely controlled from the ground, with no crew on board, while two chase planes kept the UAV in sight during the flight.  Read More
Shapify statues are made from 3D Kinect scans at 1/20 full scale (Photo: Shapify.me)
To make a three-dimensional color statue of yourself, you could grab a chunk of marble and enlist the services of a sculptor and a painter, or you could take the simple approach and use a 3D scanner and a 3D full-spectrum multicolor printer. Since the first option is expensive and time-consuming and very few of us have access to the equipment for the second, Shapify has launched a service that lets users scan themselves at home, using a Kinect.  Read More
The Suzuki Recursion prototype (Photo: Mike Hanlon / Gizmag.com)
Suzuki's Recursion concept shown at the Tokyo Motor Show yesterday looks very much like it has taken a leaf from the Erik Buell book of motorcycle design – light weight, mass centralization, broad usable power, and minimalism. While the underslung muffler is reminiscent, you might be excused in missing other similarities, as the forced induction 600cc parallel-twin engine is at first glance quite different to the big 1200cc V-twin of a Buell. In actual fact, it's not. Read the figures and you get a very similar powerband to the Buell of yore with its Harley Davidson motor.  Read More
The 18-rotor electric Volocopter has taken to the air for the first time
E-volo recently celebrated the maiden launch of its electric two-passenger, 18-rotor VC200 "Volocopter," touting the vehicle's safety and simplicity after an indoor flight inside the Dm-arena in Karlsruhe, Germany on November 17. While the copter is similar in form to both quadcopters and helicopters, the company resists the helicopter label, pointing out the numerous radically different safety and design choices that set the vehicle apart.  Read More
Focused waves of ultrasound have been used to release insulin from reservoirs in the skin
There could be hope for diabetics who are tired of giving themselves insulin injections on a daily basis. Researchers at North Carolina State University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are developing a system in which a single injection of nanoparticles could deliver insulin internally for days at a time – with a little help from pulses of ultrasound.  Read More
The Yamaha Tricity at the Tokyo Motor Show
If personal experience is anything to go by, Europeans love their scooters. One seems to zoom past every few seconds where I live, and a good many of those are three-wheelers from the likes of Peugeot and Piaggio. Yamaha is looking to grab a slice of the action with a Leaning Multi-Wheel concept named Tricity. Debuted earlier this month at EICMA in Milan, Italy, the company sees the three-wheel, tilting scooter becoming the standard city commuter when it's released next year. Gizmag caught up with the sporty little number at the Tokyo Motor Show.  Read More
BikeBeatz lets cyclists blast their tunes
We've already seen bike stereos that mount in the water bottle cage, in the helmet, and on the handlebars. BikeBeatz, however, sits over the back wheel on an included rear rack. Also making it unique are the facts that it's huge, and damn loud.  Read More
The Giphoscope brings animated GIFs to the physical world
What happens when old meets slightly less old? You end up with a product that brings animated GIFs out of the computer monitor and into the 3D world. We actually just covered Gifpop, a product that uses lenticular printing to bring GIFs out, and now the Giphoscope does something similar, but with a hand crank instead.  Read More
Designer Shungo Fujita with his pedal-electric trike When you think of Bridgestone, you probably think of tires. The fact is, though, the company also makes bicycles, golf equipment, and has tried its hand at motorcycles. Bridgestone designer Shungo Fujita decided to combine all three things in one stunning concept vehicle – a pedal-electric trike that can carry a set of golf clubs.  Read More
Gizmag compares the features and specs of the top smartphones of 2013
The holiday shopping season is here, and that means we'll be seeing a lot of deals on smartphones. If you're going to upgrade, which handsets are the best? Let Gizmag lend a hand, as we compare the features and specs of the top smartphones of 2013.  Read More


The YPJ-01 on display at the Tokyo Motor Show
While most of us know Yamaha for its motorcycles or snowmobiles, the company has also been working on pedal-electric bicycles for the past 20 years, as part of its PAS project. Marking that anniversary, Yamaha produced the eye-catching one-off YPJ-01, which we recently spied at the Tokyo Motor Show.  Read More
The new billboard identifies incoming British Airways flights  In the end, the ultimate goal of advertising is to get customers to remember and ultimately purchase a product or service. However, the simple goal doesn't mean the journey to it can't be a little more creative. British Airways is taking this to heart with its new billboard that actually identifies its planes as they fly over it.  Read More
This 'Destroyed Dalek' will be one of the items up for auction With the 50th anniversary of the "timeless" TV series Doctor Who taking place this weekend, Bonhams auction house in the UK has announced its upcoming sale of memorabilia from all five decades of the program. On December 18th, participants in the Entertainment Memorabilia sale will be able to bid on items such as a destroyed Dalek, a Cyberman costume, and scripts from various episodes.  Read More
The Selfmade cheese, by Christina Agapakis and Sissel Tolaas, is part of Grow Your Own ......
We're no strangers to unusual food here at Gizmag, but this latest culinary masterpiece is probably the most unappealing treat we've yet come across. Dubbed Selfmade, the cheese in question is made from human bacteria which derives from samples taken from people's armpits, toes, and noses.  Read More
The fireball of the Chelyabinsk meteor (Image: NASA/M. Ahmetvaleev)
We are continually being surprised by new discoveries of near-Earth asteroids and comets, often noticing them only after they have completed a close approach. Only one asteroid has ever been found and projected to impact prior to its actually doing so. With that in mind, NASA, Planetary Resources, and Zooniverse have formed a collaboration to use citizen scientists to detect members of the vast swarm of near-Earth objects not yet recognized or mapped.  Read More
Taizhou Bridge under construction
The 2,940-m long Taizhou Bridge has won the Supreme Award for Structural Engineering Excellence at this year's Structural Awards. The event gives the nod to a variety of structures across numerous categories, but it was the three-tower, long-span suspension bridge, the first of its kind, which received the overall "Supreme" gong. Read more about the project and the individual category winners after the cut.  Read More
La Fonction No.1 is a briefcase which transforms into a miniature mobile cubicle While smartphones, tablets, and ultra-portable laptops have made it possible to work anywhere and everywhere, some privacy has been lost in the process. La Fonction No.1, a briefcase which transforms into a miniature mobile cubicle, is one attempt to bring an element of privacy back to the new work-on-the-go ethic.  Read More
Artists drawing of the Zee.Aero concept for a vertical take-off-and-landing (VTOL) flying ...
Zee.Aero, a small company located near the GooglePlex, home to Google, is working on a flying car concept that can take off and land vertically using a plethora of small electric motors turning four-bladed propellers. According to illustrations included with the patent filings, one version of the vehicle is narrow enough to fit into a standard shopping center parking space.  Read More
HeadsUP! displays navigation and other smart phone applications on the driver's windshield
Smartphone heads-up display systems that project navigation and other information onto car windshields are seen as a way to reduce driver distraction. The HeadsUP! from tech start-up NeXt takes a different approach. Rather than relying on projection, this system is based around a transparent display mounted in front of the windshield that gives drivers control of their most commonly used phone applications without taking their eyes off the road.  Read More
The Break-out Furniture series can be joined together to create a 'house' within a house o... Singapore-based designer Dymitr Malcew has conceived a series of mobile furniture modules that can be joined together to create a "house" within a house, or be used independently to create private recreational zones.  Read More

0 comments:

Post a Comment