Researchers create bone-like material using 3D printer
By Darren Quick
November 29, 2011
Over the past decade, 3D printing technology has
made the transition from huge expensive units used by industry to
produce prototype components to small desktop units like the DIY MakerBot Thing-O-Matic
that are within the reach of home users. But home users looking to
produce custom household objects aren’t the only ones set to benefit
from advances in 3D printing technology, with 3D bio-printers offering
the prospect of creating organs on demand for replacement surgery. Now
researchers have used a 3D printer to create a bone-like material that
could be used to create customized scaffolds to stimulate the growth of
replacement bone tissue. Read More
Italian electric race-bike outfit CRP Racing has
announced its first road-going superbike, the Energica. With 100 kW of
power and top of the line chassis and suspension, all clothed in modern
Italian style bodywork, the Energica is capable of speeds up to 220 km/h
(137 mph) and range of 150 km (93 miles) on a single charge, due in
part to a power train efficiency close to 95 percent. The package
includes such niceties as ride-by-wire throttle, a brace of
radial-caliper Brembo disc brakes, Ohlins suspension, digital
multifunction LCD dashboard and LED lights. Read More
Developer Brandon Fiquett has hacked Siri on the
iPhone 4S to work along with his Viper SmartStart module in order to not
only start his car, but also to arm and disarm the car's alarm, lock
and unlock doors, and even pop the vehicle's trunk. Read More
Cleantech 100 identifies top innovators in sustainability
November 29, 2011
Recently the Cleantech Group, with the assistance
of an advisory panel of corporate executives, sat down to decide upon
the third annual Global Cleantech 100: the hundred "most promising and
innovative" clean technology companies of 2011. The listed companies
span a range of industries, and though solar energy firms, chemical
recyclers, LED manufacturers and energy-monitoring software programmers
certainly aren't under-represented, many companies in the hundred are
defined by a single product or idea. Gizmag scoured the Cleantech 100 to
find what we thought were the ten most innovative companies. Read More
When it comes to hardcore racing games, the trend
seems to rest more on authenticity than portability, with controls
ranging from a separate wheel and pedals to one arcade game in Japan
that is literally a full-sized car. Hoping to offer a more compact
alternative, SteelSeries has teamed up with game developer, Ignite
Technologies, to create the Simraceway SRW-S1 Steering Wheel. Read More
Origami stroller folds up with the push of a button
By Ben Coxworth
November 29, 2011
Appropriately enough called the Origami, the new
baby product from 4moms is billed as “the world’s first power-folding
stroller.” This means that it will fold itself down into a compact
car-trunkable bundle, at the press of a button – another press gets it
to open back up again. Evidently, however, that one feature just isn’t
enough. It also has running lights and headlights, plus it will charge
your cell phone. There’s no word yet on whether or not in can perform
diaper changes. Read More
Even though we know that the photos we
see of models and celebrities are retouched, many of us nonetheless
can’t help but think “Yeah, but even without that little bit of
airbrushing, that person still looks way better than me.” For most
people, such thoughts are merely a little bit humbling. For others,
however, they can lead to Body Dysmorphic Disorder, eating disorders, or
severely-low self-esteem – all of which can in turn have very serious
consequences, including death. Perhaps if those people knew just how
retouched that one photo of Mila Kunis or Ryan Gosling was, however,
they might realize how much of a lie it really represented. That’s why
researchers at New Hampshire’s Dartmouth College are proposing a system
that objectively assesses the extent of changes made to a photograph,
then displays that amount as a number rating on the published photo.
Read More
The Solio
may not have been the first solar charger, but its appealing design and
useful interchangeable tip system gave portable power packs a
much-needed popularity boost. Transferring the juice from a charger to a
smartphone or media player can be a time-consuming affair, though ...
time that could be spent listening to the music stored on the device.
SolLight's solution is to combine a lightweight carry pouch, a solar
charger and some stereo speakers into something called the
SoliCharger-SP. Read More
Zoleco is a home-built 151 mpg concept car
November 29, 2011
Canadian Zoltan Bod is a self-proclaimed "car and
performance nut" who has built his very own, very efficient, 151 mpg
(1.56 L/100 km) concept car. Dubbed Zoleco (which merges part of Bod's
name with the word "eco"), it is designed with ergonomic considerations
and seats up to four passengers comfortably. It also features a teardrop
body shape and a three-cylinder turbocharged gasoline engine, along
with thermal and braking energy recovery technologies, that conserve as
much energy as possible. The result is a sporty and eco-friendly car
that we're told is fun to drive. Read More
Fujifilm announces premium X-S1 bridge camera
By Paul Ridden
November 29, 2011
A new member will shortly take its place alongside the X10 retro compact and the FinePix X100
in Fujifilm's premium X Series cameras. The X-S1 bridges the gap
between compact point-and-shoot cameras and digital single-lens reflex
(DSLR) models - featuring a relatively large sensor, 26x superzoom lens,
built-in flash and the ability to record full high definition movies.
Read More
I have to admit to occasionally doing something
that’s perhaps a little dorky. If I’m listening to particularly moody
music, I’ll sometimes close one eye, then simulate a tracking shot or a
crane shot from a movie, by slowly moving my head past the items on my
desk. Yeah, I look pretty dumb doing it, but the continuous change in
perspective created by such a simple move really has a way of making
even the most mundane scenes look ... poetic? Profound? Good
videographers realize how powerful such shots can be, which is why some
of them put their DSLRs or prosumer-level camcorders on camera sliding
mechanisms like the Glidetrack.
Now, users of smartphone cameras and pocket camcorders can get in on
the smooth-tracking action, with Glidetrack’s compact new mobislyder.
Read More
One of the disappointments of the Tokyo Motor
Show which opened today was the lack of information on many of the
concepts on show, and in particular, Honda's much awaited first real
electric motorcycle. Up close, it looks like the real deal, but not one
scrap of information was available on even the specifications. Honda
wasn't the only culprit but with its extraordinary technology, we were
expecting more. We have lots of pics, but no info whatsoever. Read More
Yamaha's press conference at the Tokyo Motor Show
today was a genuine sign of the times. Four brand new world premiers
were shown. The largest internal combustion engine amongst them was a
250cc model with fat tires designed to go anywhere – the SUV of
motorcycles was the claim. There was also a three-wheeled electric
commuter, a fold-up electric pedal-assist bicycle and, wait for it, an
80 km/l (226 mpg Imperial or 188 U.S. miles/gallon) retro 125cc commuter
that's somewhere between a bicycle and motorcycle – it weighs just 80
kg and it is beautiful. Read More
Mitsubishi reveals Concept PX-MiEV II plug-in hybrid SUV
November 30, 2011
With its Concept PX-MiEV II making its world premier at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show,
Mitsubishi is breaking away from electric mini-cars and applying its
MiEV electric vehicle technology to the oft-derided SUV. But Mitsubishi
hopes to convince the SUV-naysayers with its concept plug-in hybrid
vehicle (PHEV), which it describes as having "high environmental
performance and fuel efficiency." To the technology borrowed from the i-MiEV,
the PX-MiEV II adds a conventional engine, with the result that the
hybrid matches the range of a conventional car, but with significantly
improved fuel efficiency. Thus, claims Mitsubishi, its hybrid SUV will
happily cruise at 60 km to the liter (141 mpg), to a range of more than
800 km (or 500 miles). Read More
Jetman's death-defying aerial antics took another
turn recently, when he teamed up with a pair of jets for some formation
work. In what could easily have turned into a replay of Icarus's last
adventure, Jetman
(Swiss pilot Yves Rossy) strapped on his tiny wings and leaped from his
rotary-wing elevator to meet up with his bigger brothers. Read More
War, plague, famine, heart disease, cigarettes,
road trauma: six very effective killers of human beings. But they're all
amateurs when their records are compared to the number one mass
murderer of all time. The humble mosquito,
and the deadly diseases it carries, is estimated to have been
responsible for as many as 46 billion deaths over the history of our
species. That staggering number is even more frightening in context - it
means that mosquitoes are alleged to have killed more than half the humans that ever lived.
So if any species deserves the full wrath of human technology, this is
the one. And here, it seems, is how we might take our revenge -
genetically modified strains of mosquito that are designed to cripple
their own offspring and systematically destroy entire populations. And
these mutant, auto-genocidal mozzies are already loose in the wild. Read More
Home-built privacy monitor made from an old LCD
By Pawel Piejko
November 30, 2011
Many of us still keep old LCDs that should have
been discarded long time ago. There might be a good reason, however, to
refrain from disposing of this obsolete equipment. By following a few
simple steps, anyone can turn an old LCD into a privacy monitor with
contents visible only to the person wearing a pair of special glasses
(also home-built), while anyone else can only see a white surface. Read More
More from the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show,
where Honda today unveiled the two-seater EV-STER, which it describes
as the "next-generation electric small sports concept". Honda says that
its lightweight frame made of "carbon materials" grants a range of
approximately 160 km (99 miles) while simultaneously improving
performance. Honda very much emphasizes the EV-STER's driving
experience, citing the ability to customize motor output and suspension
settings, as well as its twin-lever control instead of a steering wheel.
Read More
Even though computers were supposed to usher in a
paperless society, the fact is that for some things, people still like
the simplicity and durability of printed text. Now more than ever,
though, we’re being told to cut back on unnecessary paper use. Well,
that’s where the Little Printer comes in. Announced today by UK tech
company BERG, the small box-shaped device is designed to search the
internet using user-defined criteria, then print off a cash register
receipt-like mini newspaper upon request. Users can then stuff that
printout in their pocket, jam it into their wallet, or use the back of
it for their next shopping list. Read More
Volkswagen debuts Cross Coup crossover concept in Tokyo
By Darren Quick
November 29, 2011
The opening day of the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
has seen Volkswagen unveil its Cross Coupé crossover concept. Featuring
a long wheelbase and short overhangs, the all-wheel-drive plug-in
hybrid is visually a cross between a four-door coupé and a compact SUV.
The vehicle also represents the first public outing of Volkswagen's new
modular transverse matrix (Modularer Querbaukasten or MQB) platform,
which is intended to form the basis of a variety of different models
(including the upcoming Golf and Audi A3), allowing the use of the same
set of components while providing the flexibility for individual models
to have a variety of wheelbase, track and external dimensions. Read More
My Robot Nation lets you build your own mini-robot
November 30, 2011
Following a month long beta, My Robot Nation has
officially launched its new website, which offers everyone a chance to
create their own personalized miniature robots. With the browser-based
building tools, visitors to the website can customize a robot from
scratch, which they can then order to be generated with a 3D printer and
shipped to them. It may sound like a simple concept, but that
simplicity is what sets My Robot Nation apart from other 3D printing
services on the market. Read More
In February of this year, TMSUK - the Japanese robotics company behind service robots such as the telerobotic shopper and the Showa Hanako 2
robotic dental patient - partnered up with pharmaceuticals and
electro-optronics company Kowa to develop environmentally friendly
electric vehicles for urban transportation. The Kowa-TMSUK joint venture
isn't even a year old yet has managed to produce not one, not two, but
three eye-catching concept vehicles that have made their world debut at
the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show. Read More
Honda has outlined its next-generation technology for automobiles at the Tokyo Motor Show.
"Earth Dreams Technology" is a broad revamp of engine and transmission
technologies with which the company aims to achieve ambitious,
industry-leading fuel efficiencies for every category within three
years, while simultaneously setting a timeline of 2020 to reduce by 30%
CO2 emissions for all products sold worldwide, relative to emission
figures for 2000. Read More
Test drive Windows Phone 7.5 on your iPhone or Android handset
By Emily Price
November 30, 2011
Now you don't need to have a Windows Mobile phone
in order to test drive Windows Phone 7.5 Mango. To let prospective
customers get a tastes of the mobile OS, Microsoft has created a HTML
5-based demonstration designed specifically to be viewed using the
mobile browser on the iPhone and Android handsets. Read More
Microscopic worm could hold clues to Mars colonization
November 30, 2011
Microscopic worm Caenorhabditis elegans
may hold clues to the human colonization of space, according to
scientists at The University of Nottingham. Research published by the
university today indicates that C. elegans can reach maturity
from egghood and successfully reproduce in space, just as it does on
Earth. Now the worm is a prime candidate to form an advance party to
Mars in order to examine the effects of long-distance space travel on
earthly organisms. Read More
Mercedes Benz showcases its Aero Trailer concept in Belgium
By Vincent Rice
November 30, 2011
Being in Belgium in November for a truck show may
or may not be your cup of tea/mug of Java, but Mercedes is at least
doing its best to make the "Trailer 2011" exhibition interesting. The
truck design world moves at a glacial pace compared to the consumer
automobile business, and new models have to provide serious and
significant commercial improvements if they are to be accepted by the
trucking fraternity. Coming off the back of the well-received launch of
its new Actros heavyweight tractor unit, Mercedes brought along a
trailer concept design that aims to match and extend the significant
commercial and environmental advantages of that unit. It looks cool,
too. Read More
Google Maps is a great tool on-the-go, although
it isn't very useful inside buildings ... well, at least it wasn't until
now. Google has launched Google Maps 6.0 for Android devices which
includes indoor plans of venues such as malls, retails stores, or
airports. The user's current position inside a building is indicated in
the same way as on the outside and it's also possible to switch between
floors. Read More
In an event somewhat akin to taking to a stage to
show an audience an empty bag (cat long since departed), Daniel Ek
confirmed at a press event this afternoon what, thanks to the Wall
Street Journal, everyone watching already knew: Spotify is becoming a
platform for third-party applications. Spotify's founder demonstrated
several of the first wave of apps, including contributions from Rolling
Stone, Last.fm, Tunewiki and Songkick. Read More
Calling all Tesla fans! Electrical engineer Greg
Leyh and his team at the Lightning on Demand organization (LOD) in
California are raising the funds necessary to build the world's largest
twin Tesla coils (ten stories high, about 120 ft/37 m) that will be
capable of generating electric arcs more than 200 feet (60 m) long.
Dubbed the "Lightning Foundry," the project currently consists of a
working 1:12 scale prototype. When complete, a towering pair of coils
will fill a football field-sized area with massive electric bolts that
researchers hope will reveal some of the mysteries of this beautiful but
deadly force. Read More
In the United States, approximately one-third of
all births are performed via cesarean-section. Here’s another statistic:
emergency C-sections are six to seven times more likely to result in
death or harm to the infant, than are planned C-sections. Therefore, if a
significant percentage of the emergency cesareans could instead be
planned, that would potentially save a lot of babies. That’s where
PREDIBIRTH comes in. Developed by Dr. Olivier Ami and a team of
researchers from France’s Université Paris Sud, the software can
accurately predict the likelihood of difficult births, based on MRIs of
pregnant women's bellies. Read More
Bridgestone's airless tires are designed to never go flat
By Emily Price
December 2, 2011
This week at the Tokyo Auto Show in Japan
Bridgestone showed off its latest development – puncture-less air-free
tires. The tires are still in the concept phase, but have been
successfully tested on single-person vehicles in Japan traditionally
used for elderly people. The 9-inch wheels have thermoplastic-resin
spokes that radiate from the rim to the tread, curving to the left and
right for maximum structural support. The solid design doesn't require
air, and consequently can't be punctured - so, no more flat tires. Read More
There's an infestation of robots at London's
Science Museum this weekend. Robotville has set up camp in a darkened
room on the second floor, where visitors to the museum can drop by to
say hello to their mechanized counterparts. There are 23 robots all
told, from toy dinosaurs to pressure-sensing fish and all-terrain robot
cockroaches (though, being purely remote controlled, the latter isn't a
robot in the strict sense). Most captivating, though, were the nine
androids that struck Gizmag as being, in one way or another, the most
human. Say hello to the robots that might help shape our future. Read More
Octane 120 Pro Beer Arcade combines beer and gaming together
By Emily Price
December 2, 2011
What could be better than having your own
arcade-style racing game? How about having your own arcade-style racing
game with its own beer tap? The Octane 120 Pro Beer Arcade includes a
wireless arcade control panel and 200 different games to satisfy all
your gaming desires, along with a built-in keg to keep you hydrated. The
arcade has a fully-adjustable steering wheel and seat, dual-motor force
feedback, a 2-player control panel with built-in trackball, and a
high-output HD projector. Read More
Baby monitoring comes to the iPad and iPhone
December 2, 2011
BabyPing recently announced the arrival of its
new high security Wi-Fi baby monitoring system. The product will allow
parents to hear and view their baby utilizing an iPhone, iPad or iPod
touch. The system also features double-layer security that alerts
parents if their baby cries, if the Wi-Fi connection drops out or if
their iOS device is out of range. Read More
Italian Designer Gabriel Aramu has conceptualized
a modular housing system that seems to offer endless possibilities.
Dubbed "Sliding Hub," these prefabricated cubes join together to create a
temporary housing solution for multiple situations. In the event that emergency shelters
are required, the modules can be packed and transported to any
destination. On arrival, the modules are easily joined together, with
the flexibility to house individuals, small groups or large numbers
without limitation. Each module incorporates an insulation system
suitable for all kinds of weather conditions. In addition, the temporary
accommodation units provide a comfortable standard of living, important
to natural disaster victims. Read More
What with the huge sensitivity range of modern
digital cameras, and the strong likelihood of finding a built-in flash
on most models, it might be a logical assumption that the days of
producing separate flash units are numbered. In the right hands though, a
powerful flash can add something very special to a subject or scene -
even when there's already ample background lighting. Nikon camera owners
can now look forward to a new flagship Speedlight flash unit arriving
just in time to help light up festive office parties - the Nikon
Speedlight SB-910. Read More
Pipstrel ALPHA cuts the cost of flight training
By Martin Hone
December 1, 2011
European ultralight aircraft manufacturer
Pipistrel has taken note of the ever increasing prices being quoted for
entry-level Light Sport Aircraft (LSA) and has done something about it.
Enter the ALPHA Trainer. Its 34-foot 6-inch wingspan, reliable Rotax
4-cylinder, 4-stroke engine and rugged landing gear makes it suitable
for flight training, and its 108 knot (200 km/h) cruising speed is right
up there with most of the fast boys. Read More
The Xbox Kinect has certainly become a useful tool for innovation, with modders finding applications in medical imaging, robotics, and even aids for the visually impaired,
to name just a few. Now it looks like you can add "topography" to that
list with the development of the SandyStation. Created by two students
in the Czech Republic, the SandyStation projects a realistic ecosystem
over an ordinary sandbox, which can be altered in real-time. Read More
There's no doubt that satellites have become an
essential part of our daily lives, making things like communications,
navigation, weather forecasting, and remote imaging all possible.
Unfortunately, the orbiting objects can be very expensive, both to build
and to launch into outer space. For some of the functions that they
carry out, however, an actual satellite isn't required - a high
altitude, long endurance (HALE) aircraft could also get the job done, and at a much lower cost. Some such aircraft have been powered by conventional fuel, batteries, and hydrogen.
On November 13th, though, the Electric High Altitude Solar Powered
Aircraft (ELHASPA) joined the ranks of HALE aircraft to fly using
nothing but the power of the Sun. Read More
Mazda's theme at this year's Tokyo Motor Show was "Environmental Technology, Pushing the Boundaries of the Emotion of Motion," and the TAKERI concept
making its world debut at the show integrates a number of
environmentally friendly technologies that fall under the company's
SKYACTIV banner. The car also reflects the KODO design language ushered
in by the SHINARI and MINAGI concept cars, which will serve as a blueprint for Mazda's future vehicles. Read More
Steady Stand 200 for iPhone pimps your product shots
December 5, 2011
With the launch of the Steady Stand 200, Modahaus
has brought its range of tabletop photo studios dangerously close to
impulse buy territory. Though compatible with most compact cameras and
smartphones, this is a product aimed squarely at iPhone owners, joining a
growing number of products capitalizing on the improved photographic
credentials of recent iPhone models. But what is it? Essentially it's a
stand that allows you take product photos on a plain background from
above, lending snaps a convincing studio veneer - judging by the sample
images, at least. Read More
A duck pond may seem like the ideal place to
spend a peaceful spring afternoon, but during mating season it can look
like the scene of a gang attack. Though ducks as a species are famously
monogamous, unattached drakes can be extremely aggressive. They attack
any female in sight in a mating frenzy that often ends in the injury or
death of the victim. This has resulted in the ducks developing ways to
prevent unwanted matings and the drakes ways to overcome their defenses.
Researchers in North America are developing a novel way to study this
"evolutionary arms race" that uses high-speed cameras, force transducers
and model duck oviducts made of glass. Read More
The SunnyBAG team are empowered to discover their roles and areas of responsibility within the company. Flexibility, strong communication and limitless potential encourage a fun and motivational company culture. Stefan believes that a strong company culture allows the core values and philosophy of SunnyBAG to be communicated and passed on to the customer.
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