Bertone Nuccio concept car to reinterpret iconic HF Zero
By C.C. Weiss
February 12, 2012
Italian auto design house Bertone will introduce a
new concept car at the Geneva Motor Show. Named Nuccio after Nuccio
Bertone, the long-time chief of the company who passed away in 1997, the
car will not only honor Nuccio, but it will also pay homage to
Bertone's design heritage in recognition of its 100th anniversary.
Judging by the teaser sketches that have surfaced, the Nuccio looks to
be a reinterpretation of classic wedge-shaped, mid-engined supercars
from the 1970s best exemplified by the Lancia Stratos HF Zero ... and it
could be one of the most interesting concept car debuts of the year.
Read More
One of the sensations of recent times in motorcycling circles was the first showing of the VR6 Horex Roadster,
with its extraordinary 200 bhp, narrow-angle, V6 supercharged engine.
The name Horex is well known in Germany for its motorcycles, and the
resurrection of the name is now almost complete with series production
set to begin. Read More
Camelbak All Clear Bottle zaps bacteria with UV rays
By C.C. Weiss
February 10, 2012
When you're dealing with the impurities of your
local city water supply, a Brita filter should be enough to give you
clean-tasting water. But when you're dealing with the impurities
lingering in a raw, untreated stream in the woods, you'll need something
stronger. This solution from Camelbak - the All Clear bottle - gives
you an integrated UV purifier designed to kill all those nasty
microorganisms that just live to wring your intestines out. Read More
Here's a question - if piranhas are so ferocious
and will attack anything, why aren't they the only fish in the Amazon?
Well, in some cases, it's because other fish possess bite-proof armor.
The 300-pound (136-kg) Arapaima is just such a fish. In the dry season, when water levels get low, Arapaima
are forced to share relatively small bodies of water with piranhas.
Their tough-but-flexible scales, however, allow them to remain unharmed.
A scientist from the University of California, San Diego is now taking a
closer look at those scales, with an eye towards applying their secrets
to human technology such as body armor. Read More
Furry sock shoes designed for walking, running and sports
By C.C. Weiss
February 10, 2012
Swiss Protection Socks from Swiss Barefoot put a
whole new spin on the barefoot movement. These are essentially big,
burly socks that are designed to be worn not inside shoes, but instead
of them. The manufacturer claims that the socks are hefty enough to
protect your feet from the pain and dangers of walking completely
barefoot. Read More
Smartphone tech battles drug abuse and depression
By Ben Coxworth
February 10, 2012
Some day, perhaps soon, it's possible that your
smartphone could stop you from shutting yourself off from the world, or
turning to illicit substances to deal with the stresses of life. Two
separate studies are currently under way, looking at how
smartphone-enabled technologies could be used to monitor peoples' levels
of stress or depression, and then take action to keep them from making
the wrong choices. Read More
Kodak announces it's getting out of the camera-making business
By Ben Coxworth
February 10, 2012
After making and selling cameras for over 120
years, the Eastman Kodak Company announced yesterday that it plans to
stop producing its “dedicated capture devices” – in other words, its
digital cameras, pocket video cameras, and digital picture frames. The
company plans on phasing out the products throughout the first half of
this year. This news doesn’t come as a surprise, as Kodak filed for
Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection just last month, at which time it
announced that it would be undergoing a “reorganization” in order to
focus on its most valuable business lines. Read More
World's largest offshore wind farm opens for business
February 10, 2012
Walney wind farm off the coast of Cumbria in the
UK yesterday became the world's largest offshore wind facility. One
hundred and two turbines over 73 sq km (28 sq miles) provide a maximum
output of 367.2 MW. It's claimed the facility will provide enough power
for about 320,000 homes - half as many again as the total number in
Cumbria. Read More
OUTDOORS
This Valentine's Day won't just mark the time of
year when people the world over scramble for heart-shaped candy and
restaurant reservations – it's also the release date for the
highly-anticipated Twisted Metal video game on the Playstation
3. The game features crazy vehicles decked out with weapons all trying
to destroy each other, so what better way to promote the occasion than
by unloading a machine gun into an ice cream truck like one featured in
the game? Rather than just doing it themselves, however, the promoters
of the game have set up ShootMyTruck.com, a website that will let users
take a shot at the truck remotely using their computers. Read More
The FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) has
approved a new treatment for patients as an alternative to chemotherapy.
The promising new non-invasive treatment by Novocure uses "Tumor
Treating Fields" (NovoTTF) to treat cancerous growths and is now
available for adult patients with recurring brain tumors (recurrent
glioblastoma or GBM). The treatment delivers electric fields to a
patient utilizing a portable, wearable device that permits the patient
to maintain normal daily activities without down time. Read More
With no water, Japanese rock gardens - also known
as "dry landscape" or "Zen" gardens - feature an area of gravel or sand
that is designed to symbolize the sea, ocean, rivers or lakes. The act
of raking the sand or gravel into patterns is practiced by Zen priests
to help their concentration and has even found its way into offices with
pint-sized desktop units for those looking to clear their minds at
work. If you think your mind is clear enough already, are after a bit
more variety from your raked sand designs and like your Zen in a table
form factor then the Zen Table ticks all the boxes. Read More
The answer to the world's growing urban traffic
congestion may be as simple as promoting motorcycling to commuters. A
Belgian study has found that even a slight modal shift from cars to
motorcycles in traffic composition significantly reduces traffic
congestion and emissions. When 10 percent of cars are replaced by
motorcycles, total time losses for all vehicles decrease by 40 percent
and total emissions reduce by 6 percent. Read More
Smart braking system joins list of firsts for Mazda CX-5
By Darren Quick
February 12, 2012
The CX-5 Crossover SUV marks a few firsts for Mazda. It will be the company's first production vehicle sporting the new KODO - Soul of Motion design language seen originally in the Shinari concept vehicle, the first vehicle featuring Mazda's efficiency-boosting Skyactiv
technology, and the first to feature Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) - a
system designed to avoid or reduce the damage from low speed
collisions. Read More
John Martinis’ research group at the University of California at Santa Barbara has created the first quantum computer
with the quantum equivalent of conventional Von Neumann architecture.
This general-purpose programmable quantum computer is realized using
superconducting circuits and offers greater potential for large-scale
quantum computing than the one-problem devices that have been
demonstrated in this emerging field to date. Read More
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 convertible debuts in Chicago
By Darren Quick
February 12, 2012
It was at the 1992 Chicago Auto Show that Ford's
high performance arm, the Special Vehicle Team (SVT), entered the
automotive scene with the debut of the 1993 SVT Mustang Cobra and SVT
F-150 Lightning. In the 20 years since, more than seven different SVT
vehicles have been produced around the attributes of "Performance,
Substance, Exclusivity and Value." To mark the 20th anniversary of SVT,
the company has decided to let its top down by debuting the new 2013
Ford Shelby GT500 convertible at the 2012 Chicago Auto Show. The topless
version packs the same 650 horsepower powerplant as the hardtop model that debuted in L.A. late last year. Read More
A closer look at Don Gilmore's self-tuning piano system
By Paul Ridden
February 12, 2012
A few years ago Gibson began introducing some
clever new technology to a select few guitars which automatically tuned
the instrument and kept it there (seen most recently in the gorgeous Firebird X).
I think that it's fair to say that robot tuning has not quite been a
phenomenal success, perhaps due to the fact that tuning six strings only
takes a few seconds and doesn't require any specialist training. That's
certainly not true of the piano, which has more than 200 strings
divided between 88 keys and its tuning is, for the most part, gratefully
handed over to the experienced ear of a professional technician. In the
1990s, Kansas City mechanical engineer and classically-trained pianist
Don A Gilmore created a mechanical self-tuning device for the piano.
From there he went on to develop a thermal system that can bring the
whole instrument to tune within a minute. Read More
OUTDOORS
Wearable survival: Bison Designs fire-starting paracord bracelet
By C.C. Weiss
February 13, 2012
It looks like survival jewelry and fashion accessories may become a thing. Earlier this month, we covered the HypeX necklace line
from Swiss Army manufacturer Wenger, and now we have a type of wearable
survival gear that wraps around your wrist. The Bison Designs Flint and
Steel Survival Bracelet gives you several small, easily transported
emergency tools. Read More
Before we are able to download knowledge straight to our brains - Matrix style
- gaining medical expertise will remain a slow and painful process.
That's fine by most people, who can just go and visit a trained doctor.
But what if you are a member of a small team of specialists operating at
a remote, isolated location with no immediate access to medical
resources? Then you either need to be a doctor, or you need the Computer
Assisted Medical Diagnosis and Surgery System. Devised by the European
Space Agency (ESA), the augmented reality-based CAMDASS aims to provide
astronauts with instant medical know-how. Read More
Besides having to remove our shoes, the volume
limitations regarding liquids and gels in carry-on baggage has become a
major hassle in the world of post 9-11 airport security. Hopefully,
however, we may soon be able to once again bring our big bottles of
water and tubes of toothpaste aboard airliners in our overnight bags.
Britain’s Cobalt Light Systems has developed a scanner called the
INSIGHT100, that uses laser light to assess the liquid contents of
containers, even if those containers are opaque. Read More
The Action Camper makes your Jeep an all-terrain RV
By C.C. Weiss
February 13, 2012
The Action Camper is a drop-in camper that turns
your rugged, all-terrain Jeep Wrangler into a go-anywhere RV. The pop-up
allows two adventurous souls to explore the vast wilds and enjoy
sleeping, sitting, cooking and bathroom use within the confines of their
vehicle, wherever they wish to stop. Read More
Hopefully, you’re not just throwing your used
coffee grounds in the garbage ... are you? Not only are they
compostable, but they can also be used in robot hands, biofuel engines for cars, warm sports clothing, and as printer ink.
Now, it turns out that they have yet another use – a scientist from The
City College of New York has discovered that they’re good at soaking up
stinky sewer gas. Read More
Jakub Novak, a Czech student from Brno University
of Technology, designed a trailer that would look oddly out of place in
a campground. Odorico Pordenone, named after Italian medieval traveler
Odoric of Pordenone, offers all the benefits of a luxury camper van, while also allowing you to show off your stunning sports car.
Expandable when stationary, the trailer strikes a fine balance between
utility and beauty. Although Novak was awarded the Czech National Award
for Student Design last year, the project remains only a concept. Read More
I guess I'm lucky that I now live in a part of
the world blessed with long sunny days that are perfect for juicing up
the battery on my solar device charger. I do have to keep getting up and
moving it, though, so that the panels don't fall into the shadows cast
by furniture in the room or even the window frames themselves, and
reducing its efficiency. Propping the charger up against the glass is
one way to ensure maximum exposure to those energy-giving rays, but
XDModo has a much slicker solution. Users can stick the 0.68-inch thick
Window solar charger to the inside of a glass window with the
photovoltaic panels facing out and then feed off a charging cable to a
portable device positioned in the cooling shade. Read More
Gian Paolo Nari unveils NPe75 mega expedition yacht concept
February 13, 2012
Billionaire oligarchs, ahoy! Designer Gian Paolo
Nari has been in touch to tell us about his NPe75 mega-yacht design. The
75-meter (246-ft) vessel incorporates not only a helipad, but also a
hangar to accommodate your preferred flying machine. The design has
actually been reduced in size from 85 meters (279 ft) to make it
marginally less impossible to dock - a decision made easier by the
omission of a second helipad in the bow, which was deemed impractical
due to the bow movement typical of such vessels. Read More
It’s kind of a funny thing, when you think about
it ... even though it’s normal to see other people milling about in
public places, when we take photos of those places, we often don’t want
any of those people in our pictures. Ordinarily, this means standing
around and waiting, then blasting off a shot in the split second when no
one is within your frame – except perhaps the person you’re taking a
photo of. Swedish photography company Scalado, however, has now
developed an alternative for use with mobile devices. It’s called
Remove, and appropriately enough, it removes those pesky “other people”
from your photographs. Read More
Studies of the anticancer drug bexarotene have
shown that, in mice, the drug quickly reverses the physiological,
cognitive, and memory deficits which are characteristic of Alzheimer's.
More than half of the amyloid beta plaques associated with Alzheimer's
were cleared from the brain within hours, and normal behavioral patterns
which had been blocked by the plaques were restored within 72 hours.
Read More
Soon, you may be able to correct your cell
phone's signal problems by spraying on an antenna. Researchers at the
military technology firm Chamtech have developed a special aerosol spray
that can essentially add an antenna to whatever it's sprayed on and
improve the network coverage in the area. The spray essentially covers a
surface with thousands of nanocapacitors. Those nanocapacitors align
themselves on the surface, and create a wireless antenna for the devices
located in the area. The idea is essentially the nanocapactitors take
care of all of the hard work involved in finding a wireless signal,
making it easier for your phone or tablet to get connected and stay
connected to a network. Read More
The rotation of the planet Venus is slowing down,
according to recent data gathered by the European Space Agency's Venus
Express satellite. Peering through the planet's dense atmosphere with
infrared imaging, the orbiter saw surface features up to 20 km (12.4
miles) from their expected location. The discrepancy could be explained
if the Venusian day has lengthened by six and a half minutes since the
planet's speed of rotation was established 16 years ago. Read More
iCade 8-Bitty for iPhone and iPad pays homage to a Nintendo classic
February 14, 2012
Let's make no bones. With the announcement of its
iCade 8-Bitty gamepad for iPhone, iPad and Android, ThinkGeek is not
merely evoking the 8-bit era with an 80s-styled peripheral. It is
specifically emulating the controller of the original Nintendo
Entertainment System and in doing so, recreating (or trying to, at
least) a classic piece of controller design. It would have been
fascinating to be a fly on the wall in the conference room at ThinkGeek
HQ when a name for the product - it's hard to imagine that the name
iCade Nessy was not discussed. Read More
The European Space Agency’s (ESA) new Vettore Europeo di Generazione Avanzata
- or Vega - launch vehicle lifted off from Europe’s Spaceport in
Kourou, French Guiana, at 10 a.m. GMT on February 13 on its maiden
flight. Designed for launching small payloads, Vega is intended to
complement Europe’s existing family of launchers that includes the
Ariane 5 heavy-lifter and Soyuz medium-class launchers. The maiden
flight saw the first Vega successfully carry nine satellites into orbit.
Read More
Bowers & Wilkins (B&W), the British loudspeaker company responsible for the legendary Zeppelin iPod dock and subsequent Zeppelin Air,
released its first Mini Theater systems based around the company’s M-1
loudspeaker six years ago. The company has now upgraded the M-1 with a
new ultra compact unit that pairs with a new PV1D subwoofer or ASW608
subwoofer for the company’s new Mini Theater systems. Read More
Vehicles such as cars, ships and aircraft need to
stay in stable contact with earth-orbiting satellites, in order for
on-board functions like GPS, internet access and satellite television
reception to work properly. As the vehicles move, their orientation to
those satellites changes, so electronically-redirectable phased-array
antennas are typically required. According to scientists at Germany's
Technische Universität Darmstadt, however, these are "either very
expensive or only sluggishly redirectable." That's why doctoral
candidate Onur Hamza Karabey is working on a low-cost, fast-performing
alternative - a liquid crystal antenna. Read More
"Beauty and the geek" keyboard pants - would you wear them?
February 15, 2012
Where to start with the "Beauty and the Geek"
wearable keyboard. It's tempting to launch into a spiel about
cafe-hopping hipsters that might just (and I mean just) be tempted by a
pair of jeans with a built-in keyboard. Anything to lighten the load,
non? But it's hard to imagine even the least self-aware urbanite willing
to subject himself to the inevitable crotch-stares that BatG would
surely attract - even when he's not typing. Which isn't to dismiss Nieuwe Heren's design - it does incorporate some rather neat ideas. Read More
A pair of students at the University of
Pennsylvania have an audacious suggestion should rising sea levels make
their presence felt in Manhattan, New York. Their scheme would see the
installation of waterproof canopies to the lower stories of skyscrapers.
Tingwei Xu and Xie Zhang say their idea has an "irreducible integrity,"
thanks to the canopies' various functions which, the students say, are
each of equal importance. So in addition to keeping water out, these
canopies provide additional structural support against lateral forces,
provide green or agricultural space, and, judging by the visualizations,
provide living and working areas in their own right. Read More
AgustaWestland AW609 tiltrotor aims for 2016 FAA certification
By Darren Quick
February 14, 2012
We’ve been following the development of Eurocopter’s X3 demonstrator
with interest in recent years, but it’s far from the only aircraft that
aims to combine the vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capabilities of
a helicopter with the speed, range and altitude capabilities of a fixed
wing aircraft. Tiltrotor aircraft that feature powered rotors mounted
on rotating shafts or nacelles at the end of a fixed wing have been
around for half a century, the most famous probably being the Bell
Boeing V-22 Osprey.
While the V-22 is a military aircraft, AgustaWestland is developing its
AW609 as a multi-role aircraft aimed at private, commercial, and
government markets. Read More
GM introduces new IntelliLink smartphone connectivity
By C.C. Weiss
February 14, 2012
This week, GM rolled out its IntelliLink
infotainment system. The system connects wirelessy to your smartphone
and provides voice-activated access to phone and audio functions. This
latest example of the growing number of in-vehicle smartphone
connectivity systems will be standard equipment on all Buick sedans and
will be offered as an option on the GMC Terrain and Acadia. Read More
Sound Cover iPad case packs NXT speakers inside a smart cover
By Darren Quick
February 14, 2012
There's no shortage of options for those looking
to add some extra audio oomph to their iPad. From the multitude of docks on offer to Bluetooth or Airplay-enabled wireless speaker systems and more portable options such as the Logitech Tablet Speaker or iLuv iSP150.
But none are as portable as the Sound Cover, which as the name
suggests, combines stereo speakers with that most ubiquitous of iPad
accessories, the cover. Read More
We were blown way by the outrageous design and outrageous price of the Emperor Workstation
when it first surfaced back in 2009. Since then a model that
incorporates many of the same features while being somewhat closer to
the means of mere mortals has come on the market - the Emperor 1510.
Read More
Review: GEIGERRIG pressurized hydration pack
By Ben Coxworth
February 14, 2012
First of all, let's get one thing clear -
conventional hydration packs aren't a problem that needs solving. You
want a drink, you suck on the mouthpiece, it's as simple as that. Then
again, standard-definition video, dial-up internet connections and
friction-operated bicycle shift levers were all considered "good enough"
at one time, too. It's hard to say if GEIGERRIG's pressurized hydration
pack system will eventually join the ranks of HDTV, cable internet and
indexed shifting, but based on my experiences with one of the company's
test rigs, it could at least gain some converts. Read More
In November 2011, the City of Bordeaux in France
began a special consultation with its citizens. In an exercise that
could easily have created a Homer mobile, participants were asked to
make suggestions on what they would like to see included in the design
of a new town bike. Over 300 citizens shared their ideas, which designer
Philippe Starck has now used as the inspiration for what has been
provisionally called the City PIBAL Streamer - an eye-catching concept
where riders can opt to sit and pedal like on a traditional bike, or
stand on the platform and use like a scooter. Read More
Crab shells used to produce cheaper pharmaceuticals
By Ben Coxworth
February 14, 2012
Crabs and lobsters ... they're not just for
eating, anymore. Chitin, one of the main components of their
exoskeletons, has recently found use in things such as self-healing car paint, biologically-compatible transistors, flu virus filters, and a possible replacement for plastic.
Now, something else can be added to that list. Researchers from the
Vienna University of Technology are developing a technique in which
chitin is being used to cheaply produce a currently very-expensive
source of antiviral drugs. Read More
Vaude bike pants deliver weather protection, casual jeans-style
By C.C. Weiss
February 14, 2012
Cycling clothes have long been some of the least
stylish sporting apparel known to man. We're talking skin-tight Lycra,
bib shorts and nipple-hugging jerseys. Nothing about that is flattering
or acceptable more than two feet from your bike saddle. Since cycling
has lately grown more towards the trendy, eco-conscious urbanite and
less the endurance/fitness dork, cycling clothing has made a move toward
more casual, socially acceptable styles. The Vaude Homy Rain Pants
exemplify this transition with a look of pure denim and the protection
of rain pants. Read More
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