Earlier this year, we covered the 3Doodler,
a pen that lets users sketch 3D objects with plastic filament, almost
like a 3D printer. It's a fun little gadget, but what if someone made a
device that offers similar freedom, except it built objects over 10
times larger? It might look something like the Mataerial 3D printer,
which uses a robotic arm and quick-solidifying material to form rigid,
free-flowing structures on almost any surface, even vertical ones. Read More
Serious burns can lead to infection and
potentially fatal toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Once an infection sets in,
it is vital to begin treatment quickly to avoid or minimize a
transition to TSS. The problem is, removing dressings to check for
infection can be painful, slow the healing process and increase the
chance of scarring. A prototype dressing developed by chemists at the
University of Bath in the UK alerts doctors to the first signs of
infection by glowing under ultraviolet (UV) light. Read More
Radio plays can transport listeners to far away
exotic settings but the BBC’s prototype Perceptive Radio aims to give
listeners a more localized experience. Shown to the public recently at
the Thinking Digital Conference in Gateshead, UK, the Perceptive Radio
uses local data and onboard sensors to adjust itself and even alter the
script of a radio play in real time to reflect local conditions. The
goal is to make listening to the radio more like attending live theater.
Read More
Developing a high-performance sports car is a
project that takes many years inside a well-established auto company.
It's exponentially more difficult when you're a small team pursuing one
hot rod enthusiast's vision for the ultimate sports car. BXR Motors has
been slowly but surely developing its Bailey Blade XTR sports car for
the past half-decade, but things appear to be jumping into high gear now
that the small start-up has secured the funding it needs to finish the
750-hp car. Read More
A certain Jedi Master, species unknown, once
said, “size matters not.” But he obviously wasn’t referring to the
latest Lego creation from the Lego group. Taking the title of the
world’s largest Lego model is a 1:1 scale replica of an X-Wing made up
of 5,335,200 Lego bricks and taking 32 Lego master builders 17,336 hours
(around four months) to complete. Read More
It’s no secret. HTC’s future – along with the job
of its CEO – is riding on the success of its flagship phone, the HTC One. With recent reports saying that the company is in a “freefall” while losing top staff,
things weren't looking so hot. But there may be hope yet, as HTC has
reportedly sold around half as many Ones as Samsung has sold Galaxy S4s. That might sound like bad news for HTC, but those are actually promising figures. Read More
According to American Cancer Society estimates,
lung cancer will account for 27 percent of all US cancer deaths in 2013,
making it by far the leading cause of cancer death among both men and
women. Part of the problem is getting the toxic chemotherapeutic drugs
used to treat the cancer into the lungs. A new drug delivery system aims
to overcome this problem by allowing the drugs to be inhaled, thereby
delivering the drug where it is needed while reducing the harmful
effects to other organs. Read More
Fan fiction writers, take notice. Amazon
Publishing is launching a new platform to allow budding writers in the
genre to indulge in their hobby and even make some money out of it.
Called Kindle Worlds, the service has been announced as the first
commercial publishing platform of its kind for those who get inspiration
from fictional universes and characters created by authors they admire.
Read More
Transparent electrodes are in and of themselves
nothing all that new – they’re currently used in things like
touchscreens and flat-screen TVs. Thanks to research being conducted at
Indiana’s Purdue University, however, a new class of such electrodes may
soon find use in a variety of other applications, including flexible
electronic devices. Read More
Unless you've been there yourself, it's hard to
imagine being a soldier in the field, trekking through rugged terrain
while carrying gear weighing 100 lbs (45.35 kg) and beyond. There has a
been a lot of research into exoskeletons
over the years to alleviate these heavy loads, but strapping a person
into a robotic outfit just isn't practical in a combat zone yet.
Instead, DARPA's Warrior Web program aims to build a lightweight suit
that improves a soldier's endurance and overall effectiveness, while
preventing injuries. Read More
We already know that smartphones can perform many
of the same features as more expensive computers, cameras and other
devices. Now, a portable iPhone cradle made up of about US$200 worth of
electronics is claimed to be as accurate of a biosensor as a $50,000
spectrophotometer that remains stuck in a lab. Read More
Last week at Google I/O, some had been expecting a
brand new Nexus phone or tablet. That didn’t happen. The closest we got
was a pure Google version
of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The next logical question, then, was whether
HTC would follow suit. Well, after a week of back-and-forth rumors, it
looks like the company is indeed going to join in on the fun with a
“Google Edition” version of the popular HTC One. Read More
Samsung Display has chosen Vancouver's Display
Week Exhibition hosted by the Society for Information Display to unveil
two new Retina-beating display panels. The WQXGA 10.1-inch LCD screen
will be used for tablets, while the QHD+ 13.3-inch is destined for
notebooks. Details are scant, but we have managed to persuade Samsung to
part with a few key specs. Read More
It can’t be easy, being a lifeguard at a pool
full of children. The kids that catch your attention are going to be the
ones who are splashing and yelling, whereas the ones that you really
need to look for could be silently slipping below the surface, where
they won’t be seen or heard. North Carolina-based emergency physician
Graham Snyder decided that those potential drowning victims needed more
attention drawn to their predicament, so he created the Seal system.
Read More
UK-based architectural practice Studio RHE was
approached by a client who desired the creation of an unusual and
ambitious project: to transform the roofs of two adjacent mansion blocks
in London’s Notting Hill into one all-glass home, offering stunning
views of both the sky at night and the surrounding area. Read More
The Solar Impulse has broken its own record for
the longest distance flight of a solar-powered aircraft following the
second leg of its journey across the USA.
Solar Impulse touched down in Texas at 1:08 a.m. local time after a
flight of 18 hours 21 minutes having covered at least 868 miles. Read More
Plans are afoot to build an 800-m
swimming pool in the Dotonbori Canal in Osaka, Japan, according to a
report in the Japan Times on Wednesday. Read More
You might think strapping your smartphone to a
firearm is the last thing you'd want to do with it, but what if it could
provide helpful information while hunting or during target practice?
That's just what inventor Jason Giddings and his new company,
Inteliscope, LLC, decided to do when they combined guns with smart
devices to launch the Inteliscope Tactical Rifle Adapter. Along with an
iOS app, the adapter allows gun owners to mount their iPhone or iPod
Touch to a firearm and use it as a sight with a heads-up display that
shows real-time data on their surroundings. Read More
Australian architecture firm BVN Donovan Hill
made an appearance at Melbourne’s recent Emergency Shelter Exhibition in
order to demonstrate its new emergency shelter concept. Developed with
the aim of providing comfortable surroundings for its occupants, the
temporary structure resembles a 3D puzzle and is said to assemble much
like an Ikea cupboard. Read More
McLaren is looking to make the
wanting and the owning of a 12C even more enticing as part of its
ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations. Featuring a tidy list of
anniversary upgrades, the McLaren 50 12C and 12C Spider are available as
part of a special one hundred car run. Read More
We already know that smartphones can perform many
of the same features as more expensive computers, cameras and other
devices. Now, a portable iPhone cradle made up of about US$200 worth of
electronics is claimed to be as accurate of a biosensor as a $50,000
spectrophotometer that remains stuck in a lab. Read More
Last week at Google I/O, some had been expecting a
brand new Nexus phone or tablet. That didn’t happen. The closest we got
was a pure Google version
of the Samsung Galaxy S4. The next logical question, then, was whether
HTC would follow suit. Well, after a week of back-and-forth rumors, it
looks like the company is indeed going to join in on the fun with a
“Google Edition” version of the popular HTC One. Read More
Samsung Display has chosen Vancouver's Display
Week Exhibition hosted by the Society for Information Display to unveil
two new Retina-beating display panels. The WQXGA 10.1-inch LCD screen
will be used for tablets, while the QHD+ 13.3-inch is destined for
notebooks. Details are scant, but we have managed to persuade Samsung to
part with a few key specs. Read More
It can’t be easy, being a lifeguard at a pool
full of children. The kids that catch your attention are going to be the
ones who are splashing and yelling, whereas the ones that you really
need to look for could be silently slipping below the surface, where
they won’t be seen or heard. North Carolina-based emergency physician
Graham Snyder decided that those potential drowning victims needed more
attention drawn to their predicament, so he created the Seal system.
Read More
UK-based architectural practice Studio RHE was
approached by a client who desired the creation of an unusual and
ambitious project: to transform the roofs of two adjacent mansion blocks
in London’s Notting Hill into one all-glass home, offering stunning
views of both the sky at night and the surrounding area. Read More
The Solar Impulse has broken its own record for
the longest distance flight of a solar-powered aircraft following the
second leg of its journey across the USA.
Solar Impulse touched down in Texas at 1:08 a.m. local time after a
flight of 18 hours 21 minutes having covered at least 868 miles. Read More
Plans are afoot to build an 800-m
swimming pool in the Dotonbori Canal in Osaka, Japan, according to a
report in the Japan Times on Wednesday. Read More
You might think strapping your smartphone to a
firearm is the last thing you'd want to do with it, but what if it could
provide helpful information while hunting or during target practice?
That's just what inventor Jason Giddings and his new company,
Inteliscope, LLC, decided to do when they combined guns with smart
devices to launch the Inteliscope Tactical Rifle Adapter. Along with an
iOS app, the adapter allows gun owners to mount their iPhone or iPod
Touch to a firearm and use it as a sight with a heads-up display that
shows real-time data on their surroundings. Read More
Australian architecture firm BVN Donovan Hill
made an appearance at Melbourne’s recent Emergency Shelter Exhibition in
order to demonstrate its new emergency shelter concept. Developed with
the aim of providing comfortable surroundings for its occupants, the
temporary structure resembles a 3D puzzle and is said to assemble much
like an Ikea cupboard. Read More
McLaren is looking to make the
wanting and the owning of a 12C even more enticing as part of its
ongoing 50th anniversary celebrations. Featuring a tidy list of
anniversary upgrades, the McLaren 50 12C and 12C Spider are available as
part of a special one hundred car run. Read More
Having already put its Google Wallet where its mouth by backing a solar power tower plant
in California to the tune of US$168 million, Google has now turned to
wind power. According to a report from Bloomberg Businessweek, the
search giant has acquired Makani Power, a California-based startup whose
Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) technology first caught our interest in 2011. Read More
There's a general impression that there are
motorcycle riders and there are scooter riders, and never the twain
shall meet. The reality is of course much different, with most members
from each camp accepting that each conveyance has its pluses and minuses
depending on the task at hand, and the market now offering so many
variations on both themes that the old dichotomy is largely irrelevant.
Honda is further muddying the waters with its new Grom, a kind of
supermoto-moped that straddles the valley between different classes of
two-wheeled conveyance. Read More
Though not something people like to ponder, the
purpose of mucus as a protective barrier that keeps underlying tissues
moist and traps bacteria and other foreign organisms is well known.
However, researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU) have now
discovered that the surface of mucus is also the site of an independent
human immune system that actively protects us from infectious agents in
the environment. Read More
The bustling Spanish city of Barcelona attracts
thousands of tourists each year and is renowned for its world heritage
sites which include several masterpieces by the 19th century Catalan
architect Antoni GaudÃ. In stark contrast to the city’s various
attractions steeped in history, art and culture, Barcelona could host
Europe’s first man-made island and "space hotel." Barcelona Island
would feature a 984 ft high hotel which promises “the world's first
zero-gravity spa” – whatever that means. Read More
In the world of automotive design,
Pininfarina stands as one of the most influential and iconic names in
the business. So what happens when you put designers from this legendary
firm in the same room as their counterparts over at Bayrische Motoren
Werke? You end up with an exclusively styled one-off in the form of the
Gran Lusso Coupé. Read More
Robots are getting down to the size of insects,
so it seems only natural that they should be getting insect eyes. A
consortium of European researchers has developed the artificial Curved
Artificial Compound Eye (CurvACE) which reproduces the architecture of
the eyes of insects and other arthropods. The aim isn't just to provide
machines with an unnerving bug-eyed stare, but to create a new class of
sensors that exploit the wide field of vision and motion detecting
properties of the compound eye. Read More
The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is one of the most
rugged, off-road-capable pickup trucks out there. In fact, in a showdown
of four of the most off-road-savvy pickups on Earth, PickupTrucks.com
named the 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor its winner, lauding it for one of the
more dominant contest performances of 2012. Hennessey domesticates the four-door SuperCrew cab Raptor just a little, transforming it into the VelociRaptor SUV. Read More
The lifestyle choices parents make easily filter
down to their children. If you drive everywhere and do very little in
the way of exercise then the chances are your kids will grow up to do
the same thing. However, walking is boring, and it's an activity that
some kids will avoid if they can possibly help it. Which is where Ziggle
may just provide a solution to parents ready to tear their hair out
over their offspring's lethargy. Read More
With BMW Motorrad celebrating two
significant birthdays this year (90 years since the founding of BMW
Motorrad, and 40 years since the launch of the BMW R 90 S), it's
understandable that it should produce a tribute motorcycle to the most
famous Boxer Twin. Hence, BMW will show the BMW Concept 90 at the famous
Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on the banks of Lake Como later today.
Read More
Quadcopters are becoming more and more popular
with radio-controlled model enthusiasts, but sometimes ... sometimes you
still just want to remotely-control a car. If that’s the case with you,
then UK-based product designer Witold Mielniczek has got you covered.
His prototype vehicle, known simply as B, functions as both a quadcopter
and an off-road racer. Read More
Having already put its Google Wallet where its mouth by backing a solar power tower plant
in California to the tune of US$168 million, Google has now turned to
wind power. According to a report from Bloomberg Businessweek, the
search giant has acquired Makani Power, a California-based startup whose
Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) technology first caught our interest in 2011. Read More
There's a general impression that there are
motorcycle riders and there are scooter riders, and never the twain
shall meet. The reality is of course much different, with most members
from each camp accepting that each conveyance has its pluses and minuses
depending on the task at hand, and the market now offering so many
variations on both themes that the old dichotomy is largely irrelevant.
Honda is further muddying the waters with its new Grom, a kind of
supermoto-moped that straddles the valley between different classes of
two-wheeled conveyance. Read More
Though not something people like to ponder, the
purpose of mucus as a protective barrier that keeps underlying tissues
moist and traps bacteria and other foreign organisms is well known.
However, researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU) have now
discovered that the surface of mucus is also the site of an independent
human immune system that actively protects us from infectious agents in
the environment. Read More
The bustling Spanish city of Barcelona attracts
thousands of tourists each year and is renowned for its world heritage
sites which include several masterpieces by the 19th century Catalan
architect Antoni GaudÃ. In stark contrast to the city’s various
attractions steeped in history, art and culture, Barcelona could host
Europe’s first man-made island and "space hotel." Barcelona Island
would feature a 984 ft high hotel which promises “the world's first
zero-gravity spa” – whatever that means. Read More
In the world of automotive design,
Pininfarina stands as one of the most influential and iconic names in
the business. So what happens when you put designers from this legendary
firm in the same room as their counterparts over at Bayrische Motoren
Werke? You end up with an exclusively styled one-off in the form of the
Gran Lusso Coupé. Read More
Robots are getting down to the size of insects,
so it seems only natural that they should be getting insect eyes. A
consortium of European researchers has developed the artificial Curved
Artificial Compound Eye (CurvACE) which reproduces the architecture of
the eyes of insects and other arthropods. The aim isn't just to provide
machines with an unnerving bug-eyed stare, but to create a new class of
sensors that exploit the wide field of vision and motion detecting
properties of the compound eye. Read More
The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is one of the most
rugged, off-road-capable pickup trucks out there. In fact, in a showdown
of four of the most off-road-savvy pickups on Earth, PickupTrucks.com
named the 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor its winner, lauding it for one of the
more dominant contest performances of 2012. Hennessey domesticates the four-door SuperCrew cab Raptor just a little, transforming it into the VelociRaptor SUV. Read More
The lifestyle choices parents make easily filter
down to their children. If you drive everywhere and do very little in
the way of exercise then the chances are your kids will grow up to do
the same thing. However, walking is boring, and it's an activity that
some kids will avoid if they can possibly help it. Which is where Ziggle
may just provide a solution to parents ready to tear their hair out
over their offspring's lethargy. Read More
With BMW Motorrad celebrating two
significant birthdays this year (90 years since the founding of BMW
Motorrad, and 40 years since the launch of the BMW R 90 S), it's
understandable that it should produce a tribute motorcycle to the most
famous Boxer Twin. Hence, BMW will show the BMW Concept 90 at the famous
Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on the banks of Lake Como later today.
Read More
Quadcopters are becoming more and more popular
with radio-controlled model enthusiasts, but sometimes ... sometimes you
still just want to remotely-control a car. If that’s the case with you,
then UK-based product designer Witold Mielniczek has got you covered.
His prototype vehicle, known simply as B, functions as both a quadcopter
and an off-road racer. Read More
Having already put its Google Wallet where its mouth by backing a solar power tower plant
in California to the tune of US$168 million, Google has now turned to
wind power. According to a report from Bloomberg Businessweek, the
search giant has acquired Makani Power, a California-based startup whose
Airborne Wind Turbine (AWT) technology first caught our interest in 2011. Read More
There's a general impression that there are
motorcycle riders and there are scooter riders, and never the twain
shall meet. The reality is of course much different, with most members
from each camp accepting that each conveyance has its pluses and minuses
depending on the task at hand, and the market now offering so many
variations on both themes that the old dichotomy is largely irrelevant.
Honda is further muddying the waters with its new Grom, a kind of
supermoto-moped that straddles the valley between different classes of
two-wheeled conveyance. Read More
Though not something people like to ponder, the
purpose of mucus as a protective barrier that keeps underlying tissues
moist and traps bacteria and other foreign organisms is well known.
However, researchers at San Diego State University (SDSU) have now
discovered that the surface of mucus is also the site of an independent
human immune system that actively protects us from infectious agents in
the environment. Read More
The bustling Spanish city of Barcelona attracts
thousands of tourists each year and is renowned for its world heritage
sites which include several masterpieces by the 19th century Catalan
architect Antoni GaudÃ. In stark contrast to the city’s various
attractions steeped in history, art and culture, Barcelona could host
Europe’s first man-made island and "space hotel." Barcelona Island
would feature a 984 ft high hotel which promises “the world's first
zero-gravity spa” – whatever that means. Read More
In the world of automotive design,
Pininfarina stands as one of the most influential and iconic names in
the business. So what happens when you put designers from this legendary
firm in the same room as their counterparts over at Bayrische Motoren
Werke? You end up with an exclusively styled one-off in the form of the
Gran Lusso Coupé. Read More
Robots are getting down to the size of insects,
so it seems only natural that they should be getting insect eyes. A
consortium of European researchers has developed the artificial Curved
Artificial Compound Eye (CurvACE) which reproduces the architecture of
the eyes of insects and other arthropods. The aim isn't just to provide
machines with an unnerving bug-eyed stare, but to create a new class of
sensors that exploit the wide field of vision and motion detecting
properties of the compound eye. Read More
The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is one of the most
rugged, off-road-capable pickup trucks out there. In fact, in a showdown
of four of the most off-road-savvy pickups on Earth, PickupTrucks.com
named the 2012 F-150 SVT Raptor its winner, lauding it for one of the
more dominant contest performances of 2012. Hennessey domesticates the four-door SuperCrew cab Raptor just a little, transforming it into the VelociRaptor SUV. Read More
The lifestyle choices parents make easily filter
down to their children. If you drive everywhere and do very little in
the way of exercise then the chances are your kids will grow up to do
the same thing. However, walking is boring, and it's an activity that
some kids will avoid if they can possibly help it. Which is where Ziggle
may just provide a solution to parents ready to tear their hair out
over their offspring's lethargy. Read More
With BMW Motorrad celebrating two
significant birthdays this year (90 years since the founding of BMW
Motorrad, and 40 years since the launch of the BMW R 90 S), it's
understandable that it should produce a tribute motorcycle to the most
famous Boxer Twin. Hence, BMW will show the BMW Concept 90 at the famous
Concorso d’Eleganza Villa d’Este on the banks of Lake Como later today.
Read More
Quadcopters are becoming more and more popular
with radio-controlled model enthusiasts, but sometimes ... sometimes you
still just want to remotely-control a car. If that’s the case with you,
then UK-based product designer Witold Mielniczek has got you covered.
His prototype vehicle, known simply as B, functions as both a quadcopter
and an off-road racer. Read More
Portable electronic devices have revolutionized
warfare, but they've also burdened the soldiers with an increasing
number of batteries that adds significantly to their load. To help
lighten the load, the US Army Research, Development and Engineering
Command's communications-electronics center (CERDEC) has developed a
military-grade Universal Battery Charger (UBC) to help soldiers in the
field keep their electronics powered up. Read More
Though somewhat time consuming and a bit of a
brain drain, robot building can also be rewarding and fun. For those
just starting out, however, the prospect of simultaneously playing the
roles of designer, tinkerer, programmer and troubleshooter in order to
breathe life into a pile of wires, motors, plastic and metal might be
just a little overwhelming. Linkbots offer a gentler learning curve with
a modular platform that starts with a single working unit, and grows
into more complex robots by attaching accessories and connecting other
units. Read More
For the most part, electric bicycles are
configured like regular bikes, with the addition of a motor and battery.
Because they’re essentially just conventional bikes with extra stuff,
they also tend to be pretty heavy. The Revelo LIFEbike, however, is an
ebike with a difference. Its wacky design runs the pedal axle through
the front wheel hub, thus drastically shortening the aluminum frame and
eliminating the chain. As a result, it weighs in at 15 kg (33 lb) –
about the weight of a non-electric cruiser bike. Read More
With the release of its K900
smartphone in China, Lenovo confirms its determination to face high-end
smartphone manufacturers head on. Despite being only 6.9 mm thin, this
Jelly Bean beauty boasts the latest Atom processor from Intel, a
5.5-inch Full HD display and a 13-megapixel camera that lies flush with
the stainless steel alloy and polycarbonate unibody housing. Read More
Scanadu
has turned to crowd-funding website Indiegogo to bring what it calls
"the first medical tricorder," its Scout diagnostic device, to market.
Though expected to ship to home users in March 2014, Scanadu highlights
that until the Scout is approved by the FDA, it should not be thought of
as a medical device. Instead, backers are described as testers who will
help to gather the data to gain that approval. Read More
Engineers at Iowa State University think concrete
columns could be the key to building taller, higher-powered wind
turbines. By making the switch from steel to concrete, it's thought that
the upper limit of turbine column height could be raised from 80 m to
over 100 m. Read More
Yes, that seems like a whole lot of money for a
motorcycle, but Honda will unveil a whole new production model by the
end of 2013. It's an over-the-counter MotoGP racer with a target price
of €1 million, and a level of power that will make it competitive in the
CRT class of MotoGP in 2014. Oh, and the bike is designed to save
money. Read More
The Joby UltraPlate is a new universal
quick-release plate which enables photographers to attach both a tripod
and a shoulder strap to their camera. What makes this plate stand out
from the rest of the field is that both accessories can be connected
simultaneously, meaning no more unnecessary fiddling when moving between
tripod and hand-holding a camera. Read More
Many UAV drones have issues when it comes to
strong winds and adverse weather, but if you're a soldier needing a
birds-eye view, you don't always have time to wait for the sky to clear
up. Aeryon Labs' SkyRanger UAV deploys from a backpack within seconds
and boasts a new airframe that can remain aloft in high winds and
extreme temperatures. Read More
In the 1980’s, Renault’s much modified R5 Turbo
would slide its way about the rally circuit in a valiant effort to claim
the podium. With its exaggerated hindquarters and impressive
power-to-weight ratio the R5 Turbo was an instant rally hit, but it was
femme fatale Fatima Blush driving a red R5 Turbo in James Bond’s 1983 Never Say Never Again
that would bring the impudent racer to the attention of the masses.
Thirty years later, Renault is paying homage to the R5 Turbo by
introducing the 320 hp Twin’Run Concept Car. Read More
Last year we provided readers with the first images of the US$15 million Adastra
superyacht being constructed in China. The incredible watercraft has
since traveled 4,000 nautical miles (7,400 km) through the Philippines,
Indonesia and Thailand and earlier this month was presented with the
2013 World Superyacht Award for Most Innovative Design. Read More
Wallpaper has been around for some time now, and
one could argue that the same old paper-based patterns and prints have
become a little stale with time. Interior designers looking to spice up
their walls now have another option open to them, as Meystyle has given
wallpaper a modern twist with the help of some embedded LEDs and
Swarovski crystals. Read More
There's a romance to food. It's one of life's
great sensory and social pleasures. But a lot of us don't eat healthily,
and a lot of us don't enjoy the process of preparing food, especially
when we're eating alone. Furthermore, the way we eat today is incredibly
wasteful throughout the entire production and consumption process, to
the point where it actively damages our bodies and our planet. Enter
Soylent: a food engineered to efficiently deliver 100 percent of the
healthy body's needs with minimal waste, junk food-beating convenience
and a very low cost, or, as the inventors put it, "creating an efficient
form of fuel for humanity for the first time in history." Food has
always been sexy, and this sounds about as exciting as artificial
insemination. But when you check out the details, this ambitious plan
actually makes a lot of sense. Read More
What would you do if you wanted to improve your
video game skills? Practice more often? Study game maps? Maybe get some
tips from pro gamers? But why do any of that when you can just hook some
electrodes to your scalp and run an electric current through your
cranium? That's what Focus Labs is offering with the foc.us headset,
which it claims will improve a gamer's abilities by stimulating specific
areas of the brain with a low electric current. Read More
You'd expect, or at least hope, that members of
the solar industry walk the walk when it comes to designing
environmentally friendly offices and factories of their own. And though
we don't know much about Sputnik Engineering's office and production
building at Biel, Switzerland, its designer, Burckhardt+Partner, claims
the building's electricity is provided entirely by renewable energy.
Read More
Practical exoskeletons have moved considerably
closer to everyday use with the news that Honda has begun leasing 100 of
its Walking Assist Devices
to hospitals in Japan so that it can monitor and validate their
usefulness in the real world. Honda's announcement means it has joined
Panasonic's Activelink Powerloader, Cyberdyne's HAL, Argo Medical
Technologies' Rewalk, Rex Bionics' REX, Ekso Bionics EKSO, Raytheon's
XOS2, RB3D's Hercule and Lockheed Martin's HULC exoskeletons, which are
all at or close to market. Read More
Swappable batteries might seem like a
good idea to overcome the range limitations of electric vehicles, but
the benefits of such an approach weren’t enough to save Better Place, the company responsible for the first commercial implementation of a battery-switching service. Read More
Have you ever been in a situation where a certain
situation, or a certain person's voice, has made you slip into a
super-relaxing trance? Have you ever felt your scalp or neck tingle as a
result of some visual or auditory stimulus? If so, you're among the
unknown percentage of people capable of experiencing ASMR, or the
Autonomous Sensory Meridien Response. There's no science out there to
confirm that the effect even exists, but for those of us that feel it,
there's an emerging community of YouTube artists producing a huge array
of content specifically designed to bring on scalp-tingling pleasure and
extreme relaxation. Check out some of these videos to see if you're one
of the lucky ones. Read More
The Xbox One
may have hogged the spotlight, but the next-gen console wasn’t the only
piece of new hardware Microsoft unveiled this past week. The company
also announced a next generation version of its Kinect for Windows
sensor. Built around the same set of technologies as the Xbox One’s new
Kinect sensor, the new Kinect for Windows sensor and software
development kit (SDK) are aimed more at businesses and organizations
than individual consumers. Read More
Open a magazine, go to a shop, get handed a
business card or look at a flyer and the odds are pretty good these days
that you’ll be staring at a QR code. Those boxy little patterns turn
any bit of paper into an interactive medium that, with a quick scan of a
smartphone, will unleash all sorts of information, but can they save
lives? Mercedes-Benz believes that they can and plans to use QR codes on
all its future cars to help rescuers reach victims quickly and safely.
Read More
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