New and Emerging Technology News part 242 ~ NEW GEN TECH LIFE : new generation technology news

Friday 28 March 2014

New and Emerging Technology News part 242

Rice University researchers use the heartbeat as a random signal generator to make medical...
Remotely hacking a pacemaker or insulin pump should be impossible, but sadly it isn't. It puts the millions of people who use wireless medical implants at potential risk. Researchers at Rice University believe they have a solution: a touch-based device that will use a person's own heartbeat as a password to permit or deny access to their implant.  Read More
Side by Side (Photo: Tammy Kalinsky) Industrial designer Tammy Kalinsky has come up with a simple yet ingenious accessory for the wheelchair which allows a friend, relative or caregiver to push the chair while walking beside rather than behind it.  Read More
Terrafab generates 3D-printable models from geographical data Here's a bit of fun. Terrafab is a web app that uses a simple, familiar map interface with which visitors can select their favorite piece of Norway to 3D print at home (or order a print of, if they're yet to take the home-3D printing plunge).  Read More
Infiniti's Active Lane Control camera based system is designed to keep the Q50 in its lane...
Infiniti’s 2014 Q50 raises the luxury performance sedan stakes with the introduction of three cutting-edge technologies: Direct Adaptive Steering, Active Lane Control and Predictive Forward Collision Warning. We recently had the chance to see how these innovations play out on the road. Read on for our impressions as we coast through Ontario's cottage country in the Q50.  Read More
The Tree Snake House snakes it way through the tree tops Tree Snake Houses by RA Architectural and Design Studio is the latest in a long line of innovative treehouses that we've covered at Gizmag. Located at the Pedras Salgadas Spa and Nature Park in the north of Portugal, the pair of houses snake their way through the tree tops, offering simple and private accommodation.  Read More
The Minx Xi and Aero 6 speakers from Cambridge Audio
The UK's Cambridge Audio was at the 2013 Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo in Denver, CO, last week and took along an audiophile-pleasing addition to its Minx range, and a new range of speakers. The high end components found in the new Minx Xi all-in-one music player promise music streaming and internet radio lovers top quality sound for a wallet-friendly price. The company has also brought its great-sounding hybrid Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) driver technology to classic-looking speaker design for its Aero speaker range.  Read More
To use Brewbot, you put in ingredients from the local brew shop, and then input the desire...
Brewing beer in small batches can be difficult, time consuming, and very daunting for the neophyte. To make things a bit easier, and let homebrewers have a life away from watching the temperature of the malt tun, the Brewbot system aims to automate much of the brewing process. The result is a smartphone-controllable machine that brews 20 l (5.2 gal) of beer in each batch.  Read More
Using a built-in processor and motorized legs, the Stir Kinetic Desk can quietly adjust it...
By now, the negative effects of sitting at a desk for hours each day have been thoroughly documented, and nearly every office has its prominent figures who swear that standing keeps them alert and attentive while they're working. It seems as if most people would benefit from a taller desk, but many are reluctant to make such a drastic switch. That's why Stir, Inc. is offering a high-tech middleground with its upcoming Kinetic Desk. Using a built-in processor and motorized legs, the Stir Kinetic Desk can quietly adjust its own height throughout the day to help people stay focused and even burn a few extra calories in the process.  Read More
Cygnus made its rendezvous with the station at at 8:44 AM EDT on Sunday (image: NASA TV)
Orbital Science Corporation’s unmanned Cygnus cargo ship has successfully docked with the International Space Station. The spacecraft made its rendezvous with the station at 8:44 AM EDT on Sunday, a week behind schedule and 11 days after launching from NASA’s Wallops Island facility. The delay was due to a software malfunction and the need to make way for the docking of a manned Soyuz spacecraft on September 25.  Read More
Hatem Zeine, the CEO of Ossia Incorporated and inventor of the Cota wireless charging syst...
In 2008, Gartner Research released a report in which it identified the number one IT grand challenge as "Never having to manually recharge devices." Physicist Hatem Zeine has invented what he believes to be the answer to this challenge. The Cota wireless power transmission system uses intelligently steered phased array antennas to focus a beam of microwaves on a receiver module – and only on that module. The inherently safe technology can deliver electrical power up to 30 feet from a central transmitter without any line-of-sight requirement and without interfering with other devices. The system is projected to hit the market in 2015.  Read More
Rice University researchers use the heartbeat as a random signal generator to make medical...
Remotely hacking a pacemaker or insulin pump should be impossible, but sadly it isn't. It puts the millions of people who use wireless medical implants at potential risk. Researchers at Rice University believe they have a solution: a touch-based device that will use a person's own heartbeat as a password to permit or deny access to their implant.  Read More
Side by Side (Photo: Tammy Kalinsky) Industrial designer Tammy Kalinsky has come up with a simple yet ingenious accessory for the wheelchair which allows a friend, relative or caregiver to push the chair while walking beside rather than behind it.  Read More
Terrafab generates 3D-printable models from geographical data Here's a bit of fun. Terrafab is a web app that uses a simple, familiar map interface with which visitors can select their favorite piece of Norway to 3D print at home (or order a print of, if they're yet to take the home-3D printing plunge).  Read More
Infiniti's Active Lane Control camera based system is designed to keep the Q50 in its lane...
Infiniti’s 2014 Q50 raises the luxury performance sedan stakes with the introduction of three cutting-edge technologies: Direct Adaptive Steering, Active Lane Control and Predictive Forward Collision Warning. We recently had the chance to see how these innovations play out on the road. Read on for our impressions as we coast through Ontario's cottage country in the Q50.  Read More
The Tree Snake House snakes it way through the tree tops Tree Snake Houses by RA Architectural and Design Studio is the latest in a long line of innovative treehouses that we've covered at Gizmag. Located at the Pedras Salgadas Spa and Nature Park in the north of Portugal, the pair of houses snake their way through the tree tops, offering simple and private accommodation.  Read More
The Minx Xi and Aero 6 speakers from Cambridge Audio
The UK's Cambridge Audio was at the 2013 Custom Electronic Design & Installation Association (CEDIA) Expo in Denver, CO, last week and took along an audiophile-pleasing addition to its Minx range, and a new range of speakers. The high end components found in the new Minx Xi all-in-one music player promise music streaming and internet radio lovers top quality sound for a wallet-friendly price. The company has also brought its great-sounding hybrid Balanced Mode Radiator (BMR) driver technology to classic-looking speaker design for its Aero speaker range.  Read More
To use Brewbot, you put in ingredients from the local brew shop, and then input the desire...
Brewing beer in small batches can be difficult, time consuming, and very daunting for the neophyte. To make things a bit easier, and let homebrewers have a life away from watching the temperature of the malt tun, the Brewbot system aims to automate much of the brewing process. The result is a smartphone-controllable machine that brews 20 l (5.2 gal) of beer in each batch.  Read More
Using a built-in processor and motorized legs, the Stir Kinetic Desk can quietly adjust it...
By now, the negative effects of sitting at a desk for hours each day have been thoroughly documented, and nearly every office has its prominent figures who swear that standing keeps them alert and attentive while they're working. It seems as if most people would benefit from a taller desk, but many are reluctant to make such a drastic switch. That's why Stir, Inc. is offering a high-tech middleground with its upcoming Kinetic Desk. Using a built-in processor and motorized legs, the Stir Kinetic Desk can quietly adjust its own height throughout the day to help people stay focused and even burn a few extra calories in the process.  Read More
Cygnus made its rendezvous with the station at at 8:44 AM EDT on Sunday (image: NASA TV)
Orbital Science Corporation’s unmanned Cygnus cargo ship has successfully docked with the International Space Station. The spacecraft made its rendezvous with the station at 8:44 AM EDT on Sunday, a week behind schedule and 11 days after launching from NASA’s Wallops Island facility. The delay was due to a software malfunction and the need to make way for the docking of a manned Soyuz spacecraft on September 25.  Read More
Hatem Zeine, the CEO of Ossia Incorporated and inventor of the Cota wireless charging syst...
In 2008, Gartner Research released a report in which it identified the number one IT grand challenge as "Never having to manually recharge devices." Physicist Hatem Zeine has invented what he believes to be the answer to this challenge. The Cota wireless power transmission system uses intelligently steered phased array antennas to focus a beam of microwaves on a receiver module – and only on that module. The inherently safe technology can deliver electrical power up to 30 feet from a central transmitter without any line-of-sight requirement and without interfering with other devices. The system is projected to hit the market in 2015.  Read More

Nomorobo is a new service, the role of which is to block illegal robocalls (Image: Shutter...
You're relaxing after a hard day at work, or just getting ready to cut into a juicy steak at dinner. All seems right with the world, just for a moment. Then the phone rings, disturbing your bliss with yet another recorded spiel for some shady deal. You slam the phone off, and return to your life while muttering vague obscenities. Nomorobo now offers a transparent system for reliably blocking such robocalls, that is far more effective than Do-Not-Call lists. Best of all, the service is free.  Read More
The TomTato consists of the top of a cherry tomato plant and the bottom of a white potato ...
We've seen a number of innovations that allow for gardening in small spaces, including a ferris wheel-like contraption, a mat that shows you where to plant specially-prepared seeds, and a system that lets you grow vertically-stacked veggies in your window. The TomTato, however, is in a league of its own – it's a single plant that produces both tomatoes and potatoes at the same time.  Read More
Are we really a step closer to harnessing the power of lightning? (Photo: Wim Vandenbussch...
In a development that would seem to bring a whole new meaning to the term Lightning charger, Nokia and the University of Southampton claim to have used simulated lightning to charge a Nokia Lumia 925 mobile phone. A University press release states that a 200,000 V was "sent" across a 30 cm gap with the light and heat generated supposedly similar to that of a lightning strike. But is there really any cause for excitement, or are we merely witnessing special effects?  Read More
The new Hero3+ actioncams from GoPro GoPro's drive to make its Hero actioncams smaller and lighter continues with the release of the new Hero3+ line. With the Black edition, adventurous videographers can capture the fun at up to 4K resolution, while the Silver model offers 1080p HD video recording at up to 60 fps.  Read More
The Blooming Bamboo home, by Vietnamese architectural firm H&P Architects (Photo: Doan Tha...
Vietnamese architectural firm H&P Architects has produced a new prototype dwelling constructed from bamboo. Dubbed Blooming Bamboo, the house is built to withstand heavy flooding, and is eventually intended to be mass-produced and sold as an affordable and attractive home.  Read More
Ishin-Den-Shin lets a person hear a recorded spoken message through a finger (Photo: Disne...
Forget using tape recorders and smartphones to play back spoken messages – what if you could simply hear them through a finger? Disney researcher Ivan Poupyrev has come up with a system that allows for just that. Using the human body as a sound transmitter, the technology lets you hear audio messages when someone touches your ear with their finger. Even more strikingly, it also lets you hear those spoken messages off the surface of any ordinary object you might touch, like a knife or a ring.  Read More
The Mipwr Dynamo is an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly...
There are already a number of gadgets available that are powered through good old-fashioned mechanical energy, but those usually involve cranks that can be uncomfortable to use and bulky to carry around. Mipwr Dynamo represents a different approach: it's an iPhone case with a hidden lever that can be pressed down repeatedly to charge the battery, but is still slim enough to fit in your pocket.  Read More
The Falcon 9 lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California
If you saw a UFO over South Africa on Sunday, it was (probably) SpaceX’s improved Falcon 9 going into orbit. The commercial launch vehicle lifted off from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California at 9:00 AM CDT on a demonstration flight of the upgraded booster and a new engine cluster configuration.  Read More
Gizmag compares the features and specs of the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3 and HTC's looker o...
The Galaxy Note doesn't have a lot of peers. Sure, there are other huge phablets like the Optimus G Pro and the Xperia Z Ultra, but neither of those has a built-in stylus or quite the same degree of software features to enhance your phablet experience. So while we're taking a long look at the new Galaxy Note 3, why not compare it to one of the best smartphones of 2013, the HTC One? Join Gizmag, as we compare the features and specs of the two popular handsets.  Read More
Battheads would allow any device using them to be controlled via a smartphone
There are already a wide variety of devices that can be turned on and off by your smartphone, although they typically need to be Wi-Fi- or Bluetooth-enabled. The makers of Batthead, however, have taken another approach. They're creating Bluetooth-controlled batteries, that will allow any ol' device using them to be powered up or down via your phone.  Read More
 
The River Hull Footbridge was completed in May of this year (Photo: Timothy Soar)
To the east of Hull's city center lies a new footbridge connecting the English city's Old Town conservation area to an industrial space currently undergoing redevelopment. While most footbridges probably wouldn't warrant mention on Gizmag's pages, this particular footbridge, designed by architects McDowell+Benedetti, features a novel mechanical system that enables people to "ride" across the River Hull as the bridge slowly rotates to make way for water-based traffic.  Read More
The Seaboard GRAND from ROLI
When we first brought you news of a new instrument prototype from London-based ROLI back in March, there was talk of a limited production run of just 88 instruments following later in the year. That time has now arrived, but ROLI has announced not one, but three new Seaboard GRAND instruments. The flagship 88-key GRAND is joined by a 61-key GRAND Stage, and a 37-key GRAND Studio.  Read More
Empower Playgrounds' merry-go-round
At first glance, a merry-go-round that generates electricity appears to be a charming idea. But Empower Playgrounds President, Ben Markham, came up with the idea in 2006 during an 18-month stint volunteering in Ghana. There he was struck by the lack of lighting in rural schools and dwellings, as well as the paucity of playground equipment. A charming idea it remains, but it's a serious one, too.  Read More
BluFit monitors water intake and sends alerts
Staying properly hydrated has become easier with a new high-tech, connected water bottle. BluFit updates the traditional water bottle to the digital age with the promise of an optimal hydration experience, including the possibility of customizing it to specific requirements.  Read More
The Loop wireless speaker from Libratone
Gizmag was introduced to the Libratone Beat wireless speaker at CES 2010, and left mighty impressed. The Danish company has now raised the bar even further by unveiling a disc-shaped new addition to its FullRoom family called the Loop, which is claimed by CEO Tommy Andersen to offer "unparalleled sound quality."  Read More
Fiber optic sensors are being installed along all of Hong Kong's commuter rail lines (Phot...
A team from the Hong Kong Polytechnic University is to release details of a seven-year program to monitor a 36-km stretch of high-speed rail line using a series of special fiber optic sensors . According to a press release put out by the Optical Society, the system has detected "anomalous vibrations" on 30 occasions, allowing the early rectification of emerging problems that could conceivably have gone on to cause rail accidents.  Read More
Undetectable hardware Trojans could subvert cryptographic security (Image: Shutterstock)
Researchers have shown that it is possible to compromise the functioning of a cryptographic chip without changing its physical layout. Based on altering the distribution of dopants in a few components on the chip during fabrication, this method represents a big challenge for cyber-security as it is nearly impossible to detect with any currently practical detection scheme.  Read More
Comparison of Kepler-7b and Jupiter (Image: NASA)
"How's the weather?" has just become a topic of interstellar conversation. Using data from NASA's Kepler and Spitzer space telescopes, astronomers have mapped the first clouds discovered on an extrasolar planet. Not only does this technique give us an interesting bit of pure science, it could also be applied in the search for more earth-like planets according to NASA.  Read More
iPhones can now be used to obtain high-quality images of the retina  (Photo: Shutterstock)...
Given that iPhones can already be used to perform skin exams, perhaps it shouldn't come as a surprise that they're now able to do eye exams, too. Researchers from Harvard Medical School's Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary have devised a way of using the phones to perform fundus photography, which is the photographing of the retina. While the iPhone just requires an app and a lens to perform the task, a complete fundus camera can cost tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars.  Read More
Choosing which lens to buy for your DSLR or interchangeable lens camera can be a daunting ...
Despite buying cameras which have been specifically designed to take and make use of different lenses, a large number of photographers only ever use the kit lens that their DSLR or interchangeable lens camera came with. It's really not that surprising, as picking the right next lens can be a daunting task. That's why we're going to try to help, with our guide to life after the kit lens.  Read More

The Ultimaker 2 has the same footprint as the Ultimaker Original (338 x 358 x 389 mm) but ...
Ultimaker, which was born in 2011 as an outgrowth of the RepRap project, and which quickly grew to become an important player in the home consumer 3D printing market, has announced its second generation 3D printer. Boasting improved reliability, user-friendliness, and an increased print volume.  Read More
A Tesla Model S that did not have a battery fire (Photo: Crixxor) A Tesla Model S electric automobile, a model which recently won Consumer Reports' Top Scoring Car award and aced the NHTSA's crash rating system, caught fire yesterday in an incident near Seattle. Tesla's shares fell 6.2 percent on the day as a result of the incident.  Read More
UCL graduate student Alice Pyne works on a LEGO-based atomic force microscope (Photo: Inst...
Scanning atomic force microscopes, first introduced into commerce in 1989, are a powerful tool for nanoscale science and engineering. Capable of seeing individual atoms, commercial AFM prices range between US$10K and $1M, depending on the unit's features and capabilities. During the recent LEGO2NANO summer school held at Tsinghua University in Beijing, a group of Chinese and English students succeeded in making a Lego-based AFM in five days at a cost less than $500.  Read More
Gizmag reviews the new Samsung Galaxy Note 3, with its even bigger screen and improved sty...
Samsung's Galaxy Note 2 was one of our favorite mobile devices from the last year, but it still had some room for improvement. What happens when Samsung takes that already great mobile device, and improves on it in all the right areas? Well, you get an absolute beast of a mobile device, the Galaxy Note 3. Join Gizmag, as we review Samsung's latest flagship phablet.  Read More
Artist's impression of a massive asteroid impact (Image: NASA/Don Davis)
Last year, the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow put forward the idea of using fleets of laser-toting satellites to deflect potentially dangerous objects away from Earth. Now, Dr. Richard Fork, principal investigator for the Laser Science and Engineering Laboratory at the University of Alabama and his team have refined the idea, saying that it’s not only feasible, but could handle anything up to the size of a comet.  Read More
The new Hyundai Genesis tune will debut at the SEMA Show
Preparing for next month's SEMA Show, Hyundai has revealed an ultra-powerful version of its Genesis Coupe. With some serious wrenching by Bisimoto Engineering, the show car packs 1,000 horses of raw power – some 650 hp more than the stock Genesis Coupe V6. We can already see the white smoke.  Read More
Arctia Shipping Ltd has moved its headquarters into a floating office building in Helsinki
Finnish icebreaker company Arctia Shipping Ltd has moved its headquarters closer to the waters, so close in fact that its new office building floats in the Helsinki harbor. Designed by K2S Architects, the 950 square meter (10,225 sq ft) floating office was built in a shipping yard in the west of Finland before being towed to its new home at Meriksarmi Pier.  Read More
With the new Blizzident toothbrush (if it can be called a toothbrush), a full and complete...
When it comes to things that people don't do as often or as well as they should, tooth-brushing would have to be at the top of the list. While it usually just comes down to laziness, a lot of people claim that they don't brush their teeth properly because they don't have time. Well, with the new Blizzident toothbrush (if it can be called a toothbrush), a full and complete cleaning of the teeth can reportedly be accomplished in just six seconds.  Read More
The tenofovir disoproxil fumarate intravaginal ring – or TDF-IVR, for short
According to UNAIDS, a member of the United Nations Development Group, 58 percent of people living with HIV/AIDS in sub-Saharan Africa are women. Although preventative drugs and condoms do block the transmission of HIV, neither are always practical, available or affordable in developing nations. Help could be on its way, however, in the form of an anti-HIV intravaginal ring that is worn continuously for up to 30 days.  Read More
ixi-play is capable of face, color and voice recognition
Remember the mechanical owl from the original version of Clash of the Titans? Well, even if you don't, here's your chance to own something kind of like it. It's called ixi-play, and it's an interactive robotic owl that's designed to both entertain and educate your children.  Read More
 
M-Blocks are able to roll, jump and join together (Photo: MIT)
Imagine if an army of completely flat-faced cubes could roll around and even jump on their own, joining with one another to form a variety of large-scale structures. Well, that's exactly what a team of robotics researchers at MIT are trying to turn into a reality – and they've already developed the cubes that could do it.  Read More
The tiny eCompass chip provides magnetometer and accelerometer capabilities (Image: STMicr... STMicroelectronics has announced a new MEMS-based module that integrates a three-axis magnetometer, a three-axis accelerometer, A/D converters, and control logic on a 2 mm x 2 mm x 1 mm surface mount chip, reportedly making it the smallest electronic compass available today.  Read More
Cornell professor David Muller and grad student Pinshane Huang show a model of the atomic ...
In 2012, a one-molecule thick layer of silica glass was accidently made in the laboratory of Cornell professor David Muller, allowing the atoms in a glass to be seen individually for the first time. Now, Guinness World Records has identified this ultimately thin glass as a 2014 World Record.  Read More
SideCar allows users to mount their iPad to the side of a MacBook Tablets have steadily infiltrated our daily lives in recent years, and a new product called SideCar aims to put them front and center – or actually, just a little over to one side. It allows users to take their iPad and attach it directly to the edge of a MacBook.  Read More
Researchers have discovered which receptors mosquitoes use to detect DEET (Photo: Shutters...
Nothing keeps the mosquitoes away quite as well as DEET, but it's not the most innocuous of substances – besides stinking, it also melts plastic and synthetic fabrics, plus it's even been linked to problems in users' central nervous systems. It can also be prohibitively expensive for use in developing nations. Thanks to research being conducted at the University of California, Riverside, however, a new generation of non-toxic but highly-effective repellants may be on its way.  Read More
Kia's existing Soul (pictured) will be joined by a fully-electric model next year Although Kia already offers an electric car to consumers in Korea, those of us living in North America have so far been unable to buy a Kia EV. That's set to change, however, as the automaker has just announced that an electric version of the Soul will be released in the US next year.  Read More
The Float Table is made of wooden cubes with magnets inside Coffee and end tables are often very utilitarian pieces of furniture. However, RockPaperRobot has combined some interesting design with a good bit of physics to turn the humble table into something far more unique, in the form of the Float Table.  Read More
The Delft team celebrates a successful record run
Most students are happy to graduate college with a degree and a few work contacts, but students from The Netherlands' Delft University of Technology have a good shot at graduating with a world record. Just days after a group of Delft students grabbed the human powered speed record, another group set a world acceleration record for electric vehicles.  Read More
The newly opened installation will stay put until October, 2014 (Photo: Alex Chinneck)
It's not unusual to see a project that straddles the worlds of art and architecture, but this piece by Alex Chinneck, wonderfully titled From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes, is surely a stand-out. I'm not sure which is the most eye-catching feature of this bizarre refurbishing of a four-story house: the curving brick facade that seems to have slipped down onto the ground, or the gaping cavity exposing the innards of the top floor as the notional result of said slide.  Read More
Rubber Band Machine Gun
With its Rubber Band Machine Gun, or RBmG for short, XYZbot hopes to bring a new level of firepower to living room warfare. The wooden, battery-powered gatling gun is capable of unleashing devastation at a rate of 800 rounds (well, rubber bands) per minute and, should its crowd funding campaign prove successful, it'll ship as a build-it-yourself kit you can put together in half an hour.  Read More
M-Blocks are able to roll, jump and join together (Photo: MIT)
Imagine if an army of completely flat-faced cubes could roll around and even jump on their own, joining with one another to form a variety of large-scale structures. Well, that's exactly what a team of robotics researchers at MIT are trying to turn into a reality – and they've already developed the cubes that could do it.  Read More
The tiny eCompass chip provides magnetometer and accelerometer capabilities (Image: STMicr... STMicroelectronics has announced a new MEMS-based module that integrates a three-axis magnetometer, a three-axis accelerometer, A/D converters, and control logic on a 2 mm x 2 mm x 1 mm surface mount chip, reportedly making it the smallest electronic compass available today.  Read More
Cornell professor David Muller and grad student Pinshane Huang show a model of the atomic ...
In 2012, a one-molecule thick layer of silica glass was accidently made in the laboratory of Cornell professor David Muller, allowing the atoms in a glass to be seen individually for the first time. Now, Guinness World Records has identified this ultimately thin glass as a 2014 World Record.  Read More
SideCar allows users to mount their iPad to the side of a MacBook Tablets have steadily infiltrated our daily lives in recent years, and a new product called SideCar aims to put them front and center – or actually, just a little over to one side. It allows users to take their iPad and attach it directly to the edge of a MacBook.  Read More
Researchers have discovered which receptors mosquitoes use to detect DEET (Photo: Shutters...
Nothing keeps the mosquitoes away quite as well as DEET, but it's not the most innocuous of substances – besides stinking, it also melts plastic and synthetic fabrics, plus it's even been linked to problems in users' central nervous systems. It can also be prohibitively expensive for use in developing nations. Thanks to research being conducted at the University of California, Riverside, however, a new generation of non-toxic but highly-effective repellants may be on its way.  Read More
Kia's existing Soul (pictured) will be joined by a fully-electric model next year Although Kia already offers an electric car to consumers in Korea, those of us living in North America have so far been unable to buy a Kia EV. That's set to change, however, as the automaker has just announced that an electric version of the Soul will be released in the US next year.  Read More
The Float Table is made of wooden cubes with magnets inside Coffee and end tables are often very utilitarian pieces of furniture. However, RockPaperRobot has combined some interesting design with a good bit of physics to turn the humble table into something far more unique, in the form of the Float Table.  Read More
The Delft team celebrates a successful record run
Most students are happy to graduate college with a degree and a few work contacts, but students from The Netherlands' Delft University of Technology have a good shot at graduating with a world record. Just days after a group of Delft students grabbed the human powered speed record, another group set a world acceleration record for electric vehicles.  Read More
The newly opened installation will stay put until October, 2014 (Photo: Alex Chinneck)
It's not unusual to see a project that straddles the worlds of art and architecture, but this piece by Alex Chinneck, wonderfully titled From the knees of my nose to the belly of my toes, is surely a stand-out. I'm not sure which is the most eye-catching feature of this bizarre refurbishing of a four-story house: the curving brick facade that seems to have slipped down onto the ground, or the gaping cavity exposing the innards of the top floor as the notional result of said slide.  Read More
Rubber Band Machine Gun
With its Rubber Band Machine Gun, or RBmG for short, XYZbot hopes to bring a new level of firepower to living room warfare. The wooden, battery-powered gatling gun is capable of unleashing devastation at a rate of 800 rounds (well, rubber bands) per minute and, should its crowd funding campaign prove successful, it'll ship as a build-it-yourself kit you can put together in half an hour.  Read More

Mercedes-Benz shows the new Sprinter's camping potential with a cut-away concept
Mercedes-Benz may not have as timeless a name in van camping as Volkswagen, but it does offer several popular platforms for van camper conversions. In fact, it claims that its Sprinter van is the number one base vehicle for luxury campers. The German manufacturer recently showcased three camper conversions of its own using both the Sprinter and Viano platforms.  Read More
Bathys Hawaii's Cesium 133 atomic watch – a smaller model is on its way
With all the fuss over the recent influx of do-everything smartwatches, you would think that a new wristwatch that simply displays the time on an analog face wouldn't cause much of a stir. However, when that watch is described as "atomic" and is claimed to be "the world's most accurate wristwatch," people perk up and take notice. Kauai-based Bathys Hawaii Watch Company has just revealed its first prototype of such a watch, known as the Cesium 133.  Read More
The FlameStower – where there's fire, there's electricity
We're constantly seeing inventors attempt to create new and interesting ways to charge our cell phones. VOTO is one product we've seen that uses fire to charge our smart devices, and now a new take on the idea is hitting the scene. Called FlameStower, it utilizes very similar technology, but with a few twists.  Read More
The Mighty Minnie hybrid single channel guitar amp
There are times when packing a full rig for a small venue tour is just not practical and sacrifices have to be made. When the topic of being forced to use awful-sounding back line amp rentals came up in a conversation between slide guitar master Sonny Landreth and veteran amp maker James Demeter, an idea for an amp small enough to mount on a pedal board began to take shape in the latter's mind. The Mighty Minnie hybrid single channel guitar amp that resulted is now being made available through Demeter's Custom Shop.  Read More
Gizmag reviews the Galaxy Gear, Samsung's bold new take on the smartwatch
When a new tech product launches, reviewers usually come to some sort of consensus. Often something just clicks, and you see raves across the board. Other times, the product has obvious flaws, and critics are all equally quick to point those out. The early consensus for the Samsung Galaxy Gear, however, isn't quite jiving with us. Though it's been almost universally panned, we had a very different take on it. Why? Read on, as Gizmag gives you a different perspective on the new Samsung Galaxy Gear smartwatch.  Read More
Simon Freedman and his FreedMan Chair
"It became readily apparent that many of the problems my patients were experiencing had been created by the lack of a suitable chair," says Simon Freedman, an osteopath of 20 years. "But as hard as I looked, I just couldn't find a chair to recommend to them. I decided to see if I could make one myself." After a claimed 15 years of development, Simon has announced his FreedMan Chair, which he says is the only chair that allows the spine and pelvis posture that we experience standing up.  Read More
Unlike Cheetah, WildCat has to balance itself without the aid of a stabilizing boom arm an...
Boston Dynamics, the company behind DARPA's most advanced legged robots such as PETMAN, BigDog, and Atlas, has unveiled the free-roaming version of their sprinting robot Cheetah. The new robot is called WildCat, and it's already galloping at speeds up to 16 mph (25.7 km/h) on flat ground. You don't want to miss the video tucked after the break.  Read More
Waterstudio's design for the Citadel
The Dutch are known for their ingenuity in taming it and using it to their advantage, but their systems for keeping water at bay are now being rethought by architect Koen Olthuis and his team at Waterstudio. While rising sea and river levels have inspired governments around the world to invest in better flood defenses, with the Citadel, Olthuis is embracing water-borne housing with particular vigor.  Read More
Split is controlled by gentle 'bite clicks'
Want to listen to music in public but not be obvious about it? Until someone figures out how to make music play in your head, the next best thing might be Split. Developed by Greenwing Audio in Miami Beach. Florida, Split is a music player set in a pair of wireless, synchronized earbuds that are controlled by biting. Still under development, its the focus of a Kickstarter campaign running until October 31 to bring the player to market.  Read More
The small camper measures 12.2 feet (3.72 m) in length
The drive-in movie theater may be a thing of the past, but German camper manufacturer Dethleffs recently made a play to bring it back ... with a twist. You could call it the drive-up movie theater. Dethleffs calls it the Mini Movie Campy, a home theater packed neatly into a small camping trailer.  Read More
 




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