Whether it's a washing machine that monitors the power grid, or a fridge that you can "look" in with your smartphone,
more and more devices that aren't computers can now perform actions or
be controlled via the internet. The phenomenon is known as The Internet of Things,
and as technology advances, so will the number of "things" involved. In
the same way that the regular internet has experienced some major
growing pains, some people worry that the Internet of Things could also
end up getting chaotic and disorganized. To that end, a group of
Norwegian researchers are developing a standard platform for online
devices, so that they're all on the same playing field. Read More
Using a newly developed imaging technique,
researchers in the U.K. have for the first time observed what happens to
the brain as it loses consciousness. The method known as "functional
electrical impedance tomography by evoked response" (fEITER) uses a 32
electrode array to scan the brain at a rate of 100 times a second and by
applying this as an anaesthetic drug takes effect, researchers are able
to build a real-time 3-D video that will aid in better understanding of
how the brain functions and the nature of consciousness. Read More
Your driving instructor probably told you to
always keep two hands on the wheel, and your feet ready at the pedals.
For people lacking the use of one or more upper or lower limbs, however,
this isn’t always possible. Such people shouldn’t be precluded from
driving, but they shouldn’t have to worry about not being able to fully
control their car, either. While there are some solutions that can be
applied to existing steering wheels and pedals, a group of Spanish
researchers have come up with something else – a single device that
allows drivers to steer, accelerate, change gears and brake with one
hand. Read More
When you cast a fishing lure out into the water
and it goes beneath the surface, it enters a dark, mysterious world that
you can only imagine. Perhaps that’s overstating things a bit, but the
fact is, you can’t see where it is or what’s around it. A fish finder
can provide you with some basic information (if you’re in a boat) but it
doesn’t actually show you what it looks like down there.
That’s where the FishEyes Rod and Reel with Underwater Video Camera
comes in. Its built-in color LCD screen provides you with a live image
of your lure, and any fish that happen to be near it. Read More
Stationary bicycle trainers are an invaluable
tool for cyclists who wish to stay in shape over the winter, or who even
just want to work on their technique on rainy days. There are a variety
of options available, including old school exercise bikes,
rollers/resistance trainers that the cyclist's existing bike can be
mounted on, or ... things like the Wattbike. Essentially a high-end
indoor bike that is set up to replicate the feeling of riding a road
bike as accurately as possible, one of the Wattbike's unique features is
the fact that it measures and displays its rider's power output in
watts - hence the name. Although it's been around in the UK since 2008,
it is only now becoming available in the U.S. Read More
Panasonic will introduce a ruggedized Toughbook
tablet running Android OS in Q4 2011. Aimed at enterprise users, the
Android Toughbook tablet will offer a sunlight-friendly matte screen, a
10.1'' XGA (1024 x 768) multi-touch display, "full-shift" battery life,
GPS connectivity and an optional 3G/4G embedded modem. Read More
Microsoft’s about-face in relation to the
“modification of its products” – specifically its Kinect sensor – is
complete with the company releasing the official Kinect for Windows SDK
beta. When the motion controller was initially released and hackers set
about creating open source drivers
for the device, Microsoft responded saying it didn’t condone such
actions. But it has since changed its tune, even going so far as to
invite a group of developers to its Redmond campus for a live 24-hour
coding marathon to build concept applications using the SDK. Read More
While digital cameras have made it easier to take
self-portraits thanks to the inclusion of self-timers, face, smile and
motion detection, and the positioning of displays on the front of the
camera - as seen with Samsung's DualView camera
- changing the framing or altering settings still requires the user to
run back to the camera itself to get things right. Now researchers at
the University of Tsukuba's Department of Computer Science in Japan have
developed technology that lets shutterbugs put themselves in the
picture and snap a pic using Kinect-like hand gestures. Read More
The second hypersonic test flight of Boeing's
X-51A Waverider has ended prematurely with the craft failing to
transition to full power. The X-51A Waverider broke the record for the
longest ever supersonic combustion scramjet-powered flight on its first autonomous flight
in May 2010, flying under scramjet power for just under three and a
half minutes at a top speed of Mach 5. For the second hypersonic flight
test, the craft was expected to accelerate to about Mach 6, but only
managed to accelerate to Mach 5 under solid rocket booster propulsion
before the flight had to be terminated. Read More
While it’s always disturbing to hear about the
unexpected collapse of a bridge or building, technology is being
developed to lessen the chances of such incidents occurring.
Increasingly, this is taking the form of sensors that are implanted within structures,
that measure and transmit data on the stresses that the surrounding
material is experiencing. If the mechanical strain causes one of those
sensors to break, however, it won’t be much good anymore – depending on
its location, it also may be impossible to replace. Fortunately,
researchers at North Carolina State University have created a
self-healing structural stress sensor. Read More
Huawei today unveiled its 7-inch MediaPad, which
the company says will be the first to use the previously unannounced
Android 3.2 Honeycomb OS (specifically optimized for 7-inch tablets) and
the first to use Qualcomm's 1.2GHz Snapdragon processor. All the specs
look to be on the mark but no pricing was announced. The release date is
slated for Q3, 2011, so that could be any time between the end of next
week and September 31. Read More
For a great number of people with paralyzed
limbs, the reason that they can’t move the arm or leg in question is
because the “move” command isn’t able to reach from their brain to the
limb. This is often due to damage to the nervous system, or to the
brain, although the limb itself is still perfectly functional ... so it
could still move, if only there was a way of getting the signal
to it. Well, one might be on its way. Scientists at the University of
Michigan have developed an implant known as the BioBolt, that wirelessly
transmits neural signals from the brain to a computer. In the future,
that computer could hopefully then relay them onto a formerly-paralyzed
limb. Read More
Created by New Zealand-based designer Richard
Clarkson, the Rotary Mechanical Smartphone is a one-of-a-kind device
that has all the features of a regular smartphone, but it resembles a
vintage rotary dial telephone. It represents an attempt at combining
digital technologies and physical, mechanical systems, thus making
cutting edge technology more tangible. The phone comes with two
interchangeable brass dials (a rotary one and a numeric keypad), along
with a copper body and a small LCD screen. Richard did not confine
himself just to the concept, but actually built a prototype of his
invention. Read More
The 25 semi-finalists in this year's Electrolux
Design Lab competition have now been announced. Every year, students and
recent graduates are invited to submit design concepts that tie in with
the chosen theme of the challenge. This year's Design Lab is all about
Intelligent Mobility for domestic appliances and has attracted 1,300
entries from over 50 countries. We'll be taking a closer look at some of
the entries in the coming weeks but for now, here's a quick look at
some of those that have caught our eye. Read More
What started as a theoretical question posed on
the obstacles to global housing-for-the-poor has reached fruition as
voting closed June 15th on the 300House project.
Contestants around the world were challenged to design a house that
could be constructed for less than US$300. Prize money of $25,000 was
shared among the top sixteen ranked ideas, with two-week prototyping
workshops worth $15,000 for the first, second and third designs ranked
by the online voting community, and three awarded the Jury Prize. Read More
Using electrical probes embedded into the brains
of rats, scientists have managed to replicate the brain function
associated with long-term behavior and found a way to literally turn
memories on and off with the flip of a switch. The scientists hope their
research will eventually lead to a neural prosthesis to help people
suffering Alzheimer’s disease, the effects of stroke or other brain
injury to recover long-term memory capability. Read More
Fifteen Google Science Fair quarter-finalists
have been announced as the competition moves towards the 2011 Grand
Final in July. These fifteen finalists will be flying to the Googleplex
in Mountain View, California for the Google Science Fair event, and
final judging will take place on 11th July by a panel of acclaimed
scientists. Open to all students aged 13 to 18 from around the world,
the online competition is designed to champion young scientific talent
and give students the opportunity to showcase their ideas. Three winners
will be chosen from each age group, with an overall winner chosen from
those three. Read More
Tablet owners looking for some quality sounds
from their multi-touch mobile device may soon be able to get hold of
covers containing new flat speaker solutions from HiWave Technologies.
The SoundSleeve benefits from a pair of 2W audio exciters mounted on a
lightweight honeycomb panel and is designed to be hidden behind the lid
of a tablet computer sleeve. Read More
The biennial World Solar Challenge
is the oldest and most high profile solar car race in the world, a
grueling test of endurance and innovative engineering that sees teams
take part in an epic 1800 mile race across the Australian outback. In
2009, the Cambridge University team placed 14th with its Bethany
solar powered vehicle after being let down by a bad battery. Now,
they're almost ready to make their comeback for the October race with an
updated version of Bethany - the Endeavour. Read More
We tend to quickly forget about technology that's
no longer shiny and state-of-the-art, which is part of the reason that
piles of discarded electronics
are becoming larger and larger. Polish sculptor Marek Tomasik, however,
thought of a way of bringing them back to life ... sort of. He created
an enormous and disturbing rectangular, walk-in sculpture made of
several thousand discarded computer parts. The piece, entitled
"Sometimes You Have To Be Open," is in the form of a room measuring 5m x
4m x 4.5m (16' x 14' x 15'), based around a wooden structure. Read More
The use of mushrooms by man for practical,
culinary or recreational purposes is said to date back to at least
Paleolithic times, with perhaps the best-known variety in recent times
being Amanita muscaria or Fly Agaric. Nibbling on one side of this
fungus made Alice grow in size and the other made her shrink, leading to
some rather bizarre adventures and inspiring one of my favorite songs -
White Rabbit by Jefferson Airplane. The favored psychoactive
mushrooms of the drop-out 1960s, though, were members of the Psilocybe
genus. Researchers now believe that they have found the optimum dose of
the pure chemical found in those so-called magic mushrooms, a level
which offers maximum therapeutic value with little risk of having a bad
trip. Read More
We've been looking forward to this ride for a
looooong time; this is a truly significant motorcycle. Ducati has
stamped its authority on the Adventure bike segment in the only way it
knows how. The new Multistrada 1200 S is vastly more powerful and
exciting than anything else in the segment. In fact, it's more powerful
and exciting than an awful lot of pure sportsbikes. What's more, with
its traction control, ABS, fly-by-wire throttle mapping and electronic
suspension adjustments it boasts the most technologically advanced
computer system we've ever seen on a streetbike - while still being
marvellously simple to ride. Loz Blain and Noel McKeegan strap the boots
on for the latest in our HD Video Road Tests. Enjoy! Read More
Synchronizing data between a computer and a
mobile phone has generally required connecting the two devices via a USB
cable. Apple’s iCloud
is designed to take the hassle out of this task by automatically
syncing data between your various devices over Wi-Fi, but MIT graduate
student Tsung-Hsiang Chang and Google employee Yang Li have developed a
system called Deep Shot that makes it possible to transfer simple
computing tasks between devices simply by taking a photo of the computer
screen with a smartphone’s camera. Read More
Anyone who has endured a long-haul flight will
know that they’re not the most pleasant way to spend a day – and night.
Like EADS with its ZEHST concept plane,
UK-based aerospace company HyperMach is looking to ease the pain of
long-distance air travel – at least for those that can afford it – with
its SonicStar supersonic business jet concept that it unveiled at the
Paris Air Show today. With its ability to cruise at Mach 3.5 at an
altitude of 60,000 ft. (18.9 km), the SonicStar will be able to fly from
New York to Paris in under two hours or from New York to Sydney in just
five hours – a journey that currently takes over 20 hours on a
commercial airliner. Read More
Scientists from the Georgia Institute of
Technology recently reported the development of what they say is the
world’s “first self-powered nano-device that can transmit data
wirelessly over long distances.” The tiny device is able to operate
battery-free, using a piezoelectric nanogenerator to create electricity
from naturally-occurring mechanical vibrations. Read More
EADS has used the opening day of the 2011 Paris Airshow
to showcase an aircraft of the future concept which contemplates speeds
beyond Mach 4, meaning it could make the run from Tokyo to London in
under 2.5 hours. The ZEHST (Zero Emission Hypersonic Transport) study
incorporates three different propulsion systems and could carry
passengers to heights of 100,000 feet (32 km) while still meeting the
projected European Commission targets for reduced noise, CO2 and NOX
emissions by 2050. Blue sky indeed! Read More
Although it's not that uncommon to encounter people riding Segways,
self-balancing vehicles haven't revolutionized urban transport as some
expected. Created by Argentinean inventor Marcelo Fornaso, TILTO is a
new incarnation of the idea behind the Segway. It replaces the stiff
platform and wheels with tilting equivalents, while eliminating
handlebars or a steering wheel. It is an electrically powered,
single-person vehicle, with a maximum range of 15 km (9,32 miles) and
top speed of 20 kph (12 mph). Read More
Even though firefighting is one of the most
dangerous jobs in the world, firefighters still communicate using analog
radio signals, that can be blocked by concrete walls. This means that,
upon venturing into a burning building, a firefighter might have no way
of letting their commander know their present location – a situation
that could prove deadly, if they ended up trapped or injured. In order
to address the situation, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s
Science and Technology Directorate has created a new three-part system
that lets fire crews keep track of the location and well-being of every
member of their team, all the time. Read More
Improv Electronics has announced some new additions to its Boogie Board LCD writing tablet brand. The original
digital contender to the note book is being joined by a new
bigger-screen version, and one that includes a binder-friendly casing.
There's also a new accessory for the original 8.5-inch device that can
be attached to a fridge door, wall or almost any other flat surface to
act as a slide-in home for a Boogie Board. Read More
Autonomous robotic devices are certainly capable
of some impressive feats, but as is the case with people, sometimes
large groups can accomplish what an individual or a small group can’t.
Research projects such as BAE Systems’ MAST program recognize this potential, and are investigating ways in which entire swarms
of small robots could work together. The problem is, given how much
time and money goes into the creation of a typical autonomous robot,
it’s difficult to find a swarm of them to experiment upon – researchers
often have to use computer simulations, or do their tests with a small
group of robots, then scale up the results. That’s where Harvard
University’s Kilobot project comes into play. It incorporates tiny
swarming robots that take just five minutes to build, and that are worth
about US$14 each. Read More
Adrian Smith + Gordon Gill Architecture (AS+GG)
has won an international competition to design the Wuhan Greenland
Center. At 606 meters (1,988 ft) high, the building is expected to be
China’s third tallest and the world’s fourth tallest when construction
is due to be completed in 2016. The tower will feature a number of
sustainable elements, the most visibly obvious of which is the tower’s
streamlined form with softly rounded corners and a tapered body that
culminates in a distinctive domed top. Read More
Younger owners of the Parrot AR.Drone
will no doubt have discovered the advantages of such a device when
gathering intelligence on siblings and parents. The Datron Scout Air
Reconnaissance System shares a few similarities with the AR.Drone but,
like the CyberQuad, is a quadricopter designed for slightly more
critical missions. With a weatherproof design that allows it to capture
and transmit high quality video in dusty and hot or cold conditions and
winds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph), Datron says the scout is suited for a
variety of military, law enforcement, fire and civilian applications.
Read More
The Russian branch of Samsung has officially
announced the solar-powered Samsung NC215S netbook. Two hours of
sunlight exposure of the unit's solar panel is said to give up to one
hour of working time, with the total battery life estimated to be 14.5
hrs. There's a couple of Intel Atom CPUs to choose from, a hybrid sleep
mode, and the 10.1-inch 1024 x 600 pixel display is designed for use in
direct sunlight. The official announcement concerns an August release in
Russia only, but the NC215S is rumored to appear in the US even sooner.
Read More
When we see a hand, regardless of whether it's
open, in a fist, or pointing a finger, we still recognize it as a hand.
If a computer has only been taught to recognize an open hand, however,
it will probably have no idea what a fisted hand is. Getting computer
vision systems to interpret images more like people do - to realize that
a fist is a hand, for instance - has been one of the aims of artificial
intelligence researchers for some time now. Things in that field may be
about to take a step forward, however, as scientists from Indiana's
Purdue University have just announced two new methods of
three-dimensional object recognition, both based around heat diffusion.
Read More
Nokia has unveiled the N9, its first smartphone
featuring the MeeGo mobile operating system. It has no buttons on the
front, and features a curved polycarbonate body and a 3.9-inch AMOLED
WVGA (854x480) display. The home button is replaced with a swipe
gesture, taking the user back to the homescreen from anywhere in the
menu. The N9 features a Cortex A8 1GHz CPU and 1GB of RAM, with a
PowerVR SGX530 GPU responsible for graphics. It comes with either 64GB
or 16GB of internal memory. Read More
One of the displays that has generated a lot of buzz at the Paris Airshow 2011 is EADS’ ZEHST
concept – a zero-emission hypersonic airliner, that could be whisking
passengers from Tokyo to London in under 2.5 hours, by the year 2050.
Sitting alongside the ZEHST model, however, is another EADS concept
aimed at the more immediate future. It’s called VoltAir, and it’s a
proposed all-electric airliner that could be flying within 25 years.
Read More
Graphene, the one-atom-thick carbon sheet material that could revolution everything from energy storage to computer chips,
can now be made much more easily – at least, that’s what scientists
from Northern Illinois University (NIU) are telling us. While previous
production methods have included things like repeatedly splitting
graphite crystals with tape, heating silicon carbide to high
temperatures, and various other approaches, the latest process simply
involves burning pure magnesium in dry ice. Read More
Practical 'Smell-o-Vision' system being developed
By Paul Ridden
June 21, 2011
So far as television goes, we're pretty spoilt
these days. We can now watch in 3D if we want to, on a screen that is
far too big for the once traditional corner-of-the-room placement, and
we can also listen to heart-stopping surround sound audio - but there's
still more sensory enjoyment to come. Researchers have now managed to
create a proof of concept Smell-o-Vision device potentially capable of
pumping out thousands of different odors, yet small enough to fit behind
a TV. Read More
Austrian research company IAT21 has presented a new type of aircraft at the Paris Air Show
which has the potential to become aviation's first disruptive
technology since the jet engine. Neither fixed wing nor rotor craft, the
D-Dalus uses four, mechanically-linked, contra-rotating, cylindrical
turbines for its propulsion, and by altering the angle of the blades, it
can launch vertically, hover perfectly still, move in any direction,
and thrust upwards and hence "glue down" upon landing, which it can
easily do on the deck of a ship, or even a moving vehicle. It's also
almost silent, has the dynamic stability to enter buildings, handles
rough weather with ease, flies very long distances very quickly and can
lift very heavy loads. It's also so simple that it requires little
maintenance and requires no more maintenance expertise than an auto
mechanic. It accordingly holds immense promise as a platform for
personal flight, for military usage, search and rescue, and much more.
Read More
This eye-catching pavilion is the result a
collaboration between architectural firms Frentes and PAX.RQ, designed
for this year's Mobilizarte Design Competition. Architects were given
the challenge of creating a mobile cultural space that could be easily
assembled, disassembled and transported for five years of use in ten
different Brazilian cities. Comprised of three simple elements
(scaffolding, prism towers and inflatable membrane) and transportable in
two containers, the Mobile Cultural Mobilizarte takes five days to
install and features an area size of 1,000 square meters (1,196 sq.
yds.), expandable to 3,500 sq.m. (4,186 sq.yds.) – that's nearly as big
as a football field. Read More
A consortium made up of specialist UK vehicle
manufacturers, a green consultancy and an eco-friendly vehicle rental
company has just launched a new project to road test 14 high performance
electric vehicles (EV) for the next 12 months. Every aspect of
performance will be closely monitored as the drivers taking part in the
EEMS Accelerate project put the vehicles through the same kind of
dynamic driving conditions encountered by users of regular road cars.
The gathered data is to be published and used by government officials to
help boost green transport manufacture in the UK. Read More
After focusing exclusively on laptops since 2001,
Toshiba has launched its first desktop PC for the U.S. market in 10
years. Already on sale in Japan since last summer as the Dynabook Qosmio
DX, the company’s first all-in-one PC for the U.S. market will be known
as the DX1215 when it goes on sale next month. Designed as an
all-purpose entertainment hub, the unit features a 21.5-inch 1920 x 1080
resolution touchscreen display, HDMI in port, and premium speakers that
can be used even when the PC is off thanks to Toshiba’s Sleep &
Music mode. Read More
These days, iPod connectivity has practically
become a standard feature on new cars but Pioneer's AppRadio aims to do a
lot more than simply play tunes stored on an iDevice. The system
consists of a head unit featuring a 6.1-inch capacitive touchscreen
that, when connected via the 30-pin connector to an iPhone or 4th gen
iPod touch running the AppRadio app. can display and control not only
your iPod music, but also compatible apps. Read More
To minimize the toxic effects of chemotherapy,
many researchers have been working to develop nanoparticles that that deliver drugs directly to tumors.
But researchers at MIT claim that even the best of these nanoparticles
are typically only able to deliver about one percent of the drug to
their intended target. Now, a team has developed a new delivery system
that sees a first wave of nanoparticles homing in on a tumor that then
calls in a larger second wave that dispenses the cancer drug. In a mouse
study, the new approach was found to boost drug delivery to tumors by
over 40-fold. Read More
While some people like to show off how they can
survive on just wieners and beans when they’re camping, others go to the
opposite extreme, and set up miniature kitchens that they use to cook
full meals from scratch. People in that second group, however, generally
have to cart around several cases of gear, that they have to assemble
and tear down for every meal. What they need is a
self-contained portable camping kitchen, where all their gear can be
both stored and used ... and that just happens to be what Kanz Outdoors’
Field Kitchen is. Read More
When we hear about things being built to last, we
usually think in terms of years or decades ... or maybe, centuries. But
millennia? Well yes, if you’re talking about the 10,000 Year Clock. As
its name implies, the 200 foot (61 meter)-tall timepiece is intended to
run for 10,000 years, in a remote cave in West Texas. The clock’s
“century hand” will advance one space every 100 years, although
individuals who make the trek to the cave will be able to hear it chime
once a day. The whole project is designed to get people thinking in the
long term. Read More
Using one's feet works quite well while driving,
so why not use them to control computers, too? That's what Berkley-based
company Keith McMillen Instruments wondered, and ended up designing
SoftStep KeyWorx, a foot-operated computer interface device. It's Mac
and PC compatible, and offers 10 touch-sensitive buttons and a
navigation pad, along with up to 100 macros that allow for customized
commands and shortcuts. Read More
For those of us who grew up with film cameras,
even the most basic digital cameras can still seem a little bit magical.
The ability to instantly see how your shots turned out, then delete the
ones you don’t want and manipulate the ones you like, is something we
would have killed for. Well, light field cameras could be to today’s
digital cameras, what digital was to film. Among other things, they
allow users to selectively shift focus between various objects in a
picture, after it’s been taken. While the technology has so far
been inaccessible to most of us, that is set to change, with the
upcoming release of Lytro’s consumer light field camera. Read More
Visitors to the UK's best-known music festival
are almost guaranteed three things - mud, loud music and a dead mobile
device battery. Happily, Orange has increased the number of Chill 'n'
Charge tents to help make sure lines of communication stay open and - in
what is now becoming as much of a tradition as Glastonbury itself - the
company has announced the development of a new green charging
technology. Previous projects have included a Power Pump and last year's Orange Power Wellies,
and the latest prototype charger is no less impressive. As the name may
indicate, the Sound Charge t-shirt turns sound waves into electric
charge, allowing the wearer to top up a device battery while thrashing
around in the mosh pit. Read More
We first wrote about the DTV Shredder
late last year - a wild, go-anywhere cross between a Segway and a
powerboard, with twin tank tracks and a steering/control column to hang
on to as you blast through the underbrush at frightening speed. Well, it
seems like many fun extreme sports ideas, the Shredder may end up being
co-opted by the military. And to that end, DTV has designed the Jackal -
a hybrid-drive, weather and waterproof, militarised version of the
Shredder that's fitted with twin grenade launchers and a full remote
control system that allows it to operate as an unmanned ground vehicle.
The Jackal can sneak silently across contested areas in fully electric
drive modeand lay an explosive smackdown on hidden enemies with no risk
to live soldiers. Read More
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