If you saw The Dark Knight Rises, then
you no doubt remember the very cool-looking Batwing aircraft in which
Mr. Wayne flew over the streets of Gotham. Perhaps you thought that
while it was pretty impressive, there was no way that anything like it
could work in real life. Well hey, guess what? The Batwing-like AirMule
VTOL (Vertical Takeoff and Landing) prototype aircraft recently
demonstrated its ability to fly autonomously, bringing it one step
closer to carrying out a full mission demo. Read More
Hands-on with Google Glass' big December (XE12) update
December 19, 2013
Earlier this week, Google pushed out the last
software update of 2013 to Google Glass Explorers. As Gizmag is now part
of the Google Glass beta-testing party, we thought we'd give you our hands-on impressions of some of the new features. Read More
Electronic cigarettes are growing in popularity
as an alternative to smoking, as it replaces the actual smoke with
vapor. This allows them to be used inside places where traditional
cigarettes are not allowed. A new product has just been announced called
Smokio, which takes the electronic portion of electronic cigarettes to
heart, adding connections to smartphones that allows users to track all
kinds of data about their smoking habits. Read More
How solar cells are taking over sea, sky and space
By Eric Mack
December 19, 2013
Solar technology has evolved beyond just your
grandpa's big, bulky photovoltaic panels on the roof. Advances in
flexible, hyper-efficient and nano-scale materials of late has made it
possible for solar cells to begin popping up in all kinds of shapes and
places you might not expect. Here's a quick rundown of some surprising
spots where solar technology dwells – be sure to flip through the
gallery to get a full grasp on the scale of the increasingly
solar-powered landscape. Read More
Imagine if conditions that presently cause
blindness could be treated by simply by fabricating new tissue, and
using it to replace the defective part of the retina. We may not be at
that point yet, but we've definitely taken a step closer, thanks to
research being conducted at the University of Cambridge. Scientists
there have successfully used an inkjet printer to "print" rats' retinal
cells onto a substrate, paving the way for the creation of custom-made
eye-repair material. Read More
Phlite turns your camera gear into stylish lighting
By Simon Crisp
December 19, 2013
Whether it's their vintage rangefinder or a
carbon fiber tripod, some photographers like looking at camera equipment
almost as much as the photographs they've taken. The Phlite lamp is a
product which might mean us camera-geeks don't have to pack our kit away
at the end of a shoot, because it turns photography gear into stylish
interior lighting. Read More
iOS gaming has come a long way. Just a few years
ago the best you could hope for was a virtual pool simulator or Doodle Jump.
But 2013 was an amazing year for iPhone and iPad games, with ports of
top-notch console titles joining creative originals from indie
developers. Join Gizmag, as we break down some of the top iPhone and
iPad games of 2013. Read More
Today appears to be the day for
jumbo-sized TV announcements. First, we heard that LG will be debuting
its 105-inch "world's largest curved UHD TV"
at CES. Now, word comes that Samsung is making the same claim about a
new TV of its own – with the added boast that it's also the "most
curved" UHD TV ever. Read More LG to debut world's largest curved UHD TV at CES 2014
December 19, 2013
The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is
still weeks away, but that hasn't stopped LG from unveiling what's sure
to be one of its most eye-catching new products. Measuring 105-inches
diagonally and sporting a 21:9 aspect ratio, the upcoming 105UB9 could
be the largest curved UHD TV in existence. Read More
Who wouldn't like to fly around
underwater? You can already sort of do so using devices such as the SeaBob,
although you're still basically just "along for the ride." If SCP
Marine Innovations' Underwater Jet Pack reaches production, however, it
looks like it should provide an experience much closer to that of being
Aquaman. Read More
Smartcharge lightbulb keeps the lights on when the power goes out
By Paul Ridden
December 19, 2013
When the lights go out due to a power outage at
night, you'll probably have to spend the next few minutes fumbling
around in the dark hoping to lay your hands on a nearby torch or trying
to remember where you put the candles and matches. If only the lights
could stay on for a while after the power was cut. The SmartCharge LED
bulb has been developed with the simple aim of ensuring that users are
never left in the dark again. It includes technology that's able to
determine whether someone has just turned off the light at the switch,
or there's been an actual power failure. If the latter, the bulb will
provide users with hours of continuous light. Read More
Nickolay Lamm is a self-identified artist and
researcher, who is making a career of transforming ordinary images into
extraordinary visual displays of quantitative information, to borrow
from Ed Tufte. We take a look at his transformation of New York,
Chicago, Hollywood, and Washington D.C. through converting cellular
network transmissions into visual overlays. Read More
Michron enables smartphone-controlled timelapse photography
By Nick Lavars
December 20, 2013
We've seen a steady flow of devices emerge and
attempt to bridge the gap between the amateur photographers and those
creating time-lapse masterpieces. The Astro camera mount, for example, reduced the required technology to a three-ringed device that fits in your pocket, while the Genie and Camalapse
went one step further to incorporate panning and tracking shots for
those wanting a little creative freedom. These factors considered, the
Michron is by no means revolutionary, but with no buttons, screens or
dials, it may be the most simplified and user-friendly installment yet.
Read More
One-off fat trike attempts world record Antarctic trip
By C.C. Weiss
December 20, 2013
Last winter, polar explorer Eric Larsen attempted
to become the first person to cycle to the South Pole. Continually
stymied by deep, unrideable snow, Larsen fell behind schedule and was
forced to abandon the attempt. This year, several others are taking up
the challenge. Thirty-five year-old British adventurer Maria Leijerstam
is hoping the ticket to success is a fat-tired recumbent trike built to
task. Read More
The 3D printer industry is growing in both the
professional and maker markets. With more and more 3D printers diving
under the US$4,000 price-point, is it time for you to pick up one of
your own? Though the consumer end of the market is still young, business
is booming, and this disruptive technology is something that will
definitely appeal to many Gizmag readers. That’s why we’ve taken the top
desktop 3D printers and lined them up for a side-by-side comparison.
Read More
Claudiu Ionescu is the architect behind Romania's
very first digital museum. Situated near the Mures Floodplain Natural
Park in Pecica, the unusual and chapel-like museum features a sweeping
green roof and dramatic spire facade at its rear. When the sun hits the
building, its shape along with the surrounding courtyard, transforms the
museum into a giant sun dial. Read More
Researcher sending stem cells into space to observe rate of growth
By Nick Lavars
December 19, 2013
A drawback for the use of stem cells in medical
treatment is their limited supply due to slow rate of growth in
conventional laboratories. Dr Abba Zubair of the Cell Therapy Laboratory
at Mayo Clinic in Florida believes this problem could be overcome and
stem cell generation sped up by conducting the process in space. He will
now have the opportunity to put his hypothesis to the test, courtesy of
a US$30,000 grant that will see Zubair send human stem cells to the
International Space Station (ISS) to observe whether they do in fact
grow at a greater rate than on terra firma. Read More
A molecular messaging system capable of
transmitting data over several meters has been built using off-the-shelf
materials costing around US$100 and some vodka. The system mimics
chemical signalling seen in nature and has potential applications for
communications in environments not compatible with conventional wireless
technologies, such as underwater, in tunnels and pipelines, as well as
at the nano scale and within the body. Read More
Researchers at Ruhr-Universitat Bochum have
created a bio-based solar cell capable of generating a continuous
electrical current of several nanowatts per sq cm. The new approach
avoids damage to the tapped photosynthetic cells, an issue that has
plagued previous attempts to harness nature's "power plant." Read More
Who wouldn't like to fly around
underwater? You can already sort of do so using devices such as the SeaBob,
although you're still basically just "along for the ride." If SCP
Marine Innovations' Underwater Jet Pack reaches production, however, it
looks like it should provide an experience much closer to that of being
Aquaman. Read More Cutting the cord: Gizmag's Top 10 off-grid homes
December 19, 2013
We're big fans of off-grid homes here at Gizmag –
and for good reason: an off-grid home frees the owner from the vagaries
of unscrupulous energy giants, can potentially help reduce impact on
the environment, and offers a greater self-sufficiency. Join us as we
shine a light on 10 of our favorites. Read More
Robots to slingshots: A year in space, 2013
By David Szondy
December 23, 2013
This has been a busy year in space, with rovers
roving on Mars and the first landing on the Moon in 40 years, the search
for life beyond our Earth heating up, and 3D printing moving into
orbit. As a Chinese rover explores the lunar surface and astronauts work
to repair the International Space Station (ISS), Gizmag looks back on
the space highlights of 2013. Read More
Manufacturers are still figuring out what exactly
customers want out of smartwatches – if anything at all. So it kinda
makes sense that a company like Qualcomm would make a device that's
meant to showcase its design and hardware for future smartwatch-makers.
Read on, as Gizmag reviews a consumer product that doubles as a
reference design, the Qualcomm Toq smartwatch. Read More
TellSpec hand-held scanner identifies what's in your food
December 23, 2013
Figuring out whether the fries on your plate
contain traces of trans-fat, or if those celery sticks are truly
pesticide-free can be tricky, if not impossible. That's why Isabel
Hoffmann along with mathematician Stephen Watson set out to create
TellSpec, a hand-held device that you can simply point at a food item,
to identify what's in it. Not only does the device warn you about
chemicals, allergens and ingredients you'd rather avoid, it'll also help
you figure out food sensitivities and track your vitamin intake. The
goal, the company says, is to help people make clean food choices by
letting them "check their food as easily as they check their mail." Read More
Plant-based magnetic microswimmers to deliver drugs more precisely
December 23, 2013
If you remember the 1966 science fiction film Fantastic Voyage,
you'll recall how miniaturized government agents traveled through blood
vessels in a tiny submarine, in their attempt remove a blood clot from a
scientist's brain. Synthetic nanomotors that can do the same job have
been the subject of numerous research efforts and now University of
California, San Diego (UCSD) researchers report that they've created
powerful biodegradable "microswimmers" that can deliver drugs more
precisely, derived from common plants like passion fruit and wild
banana. Read More
If you go shopping for an acoustic guitar, the
chances are you'll be greeted with many variations on the same theme – a
contoured wooden box with a hole between the bridge and the high end of
the neck. The Bouillez (pronounced Bull-yah) dares to be different. Its
creator Dan Bouillez has lopped off the fixed soundboard of a cheap,
kick-about acoustic and replaced it with a floating one that gives the
instrument a striking look and unique tone. With a great-sounding
prototype in the bag, the self-taught musician and engineer has just
started to build the very first production model. Read More
It seems not even the impending holiday is
stopping some of the tech industry's heavy hitters from teasing their
standout products for the 2014 CES. First LG and Samsung
unveiled separate 105-inch curved UHD TVs on the same day, and now
Samsung is dropping some details on its Smart TVs for next year. In
addition to less complicated voice commands, the company's 2014 Smart TV
line will allow the use of "finger gestures" for basic controls like
changing the channel, adjusting the volume, or rewinding video. Read More
If a so-called "rise of the machines" ever comes
to fruition, our chances of survival may have just taken a big hit. A
team of scientists from the US Department of Energy ’s Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory has demonstrated a new type of robotic muscle with 1,000 times more power than that of a human's, and the ability to catapult an item 50 times its own weight. Read More
It's been a big year for gaming. Not only did we see the arrival of the two big next-gen systems,
but we also saw developers squeezing some amazing technical and
artistic achievements out of seven-year-old consoles. Which titles stood
above the crowd? We polled our writers for their picks for the top
games of the year. Read More
Beginning next month, Lamborghini’s successor to the outgoing Gallardo
will be showcased to the world on a 60 city, 130 event tour. The 610 hp
Huracán LP 610-4, which sports all-wheel-drive and a more dynamic
chassis, will need to work hard to surpass the Gallardo’s ten year sales
record and impress its loyal fan following. Read More
Whether it's fashion, a favorite football team,
or a certain kind of music, humans seem to enjoy being considered part
of a larger group, and often self-identify as such. With this in mind,
students from the UCSD (University of California, San Diego) Jacobs
school of Engineering are currently developing a computer algorithm that
can deduce from an image whether you're a goth, surfer, hipster, or
biker. Read More
Robots to slingshots: A year in space, 2013
By David Szondy
December 23, 2013
This has been a busy year in space, with rovers
roving on Mars and the first landing on the Moon in 40 years, the search
for life beyond our Earth heating up, and 3D printing moving into
orbit. As a Chinese rover explores the lunar surface and astronauts work
to repair the International Space Station (ISS), Gizmag looks back on
the space highlights of 2013. Read More
Manufacturers are still figuring out what exactly
customers want out of smartwatches – if anything at all. So it kinda
makes sense that a company like Qualcomm would make a device that's
meant to showcase its design and hardware for future smartwatch-makers.
Read on, as Gizmag reviews a consumer product that doubles as a
reference design, the Qualcomm Toq smartwatch. Read More
TellSpec hand-held scanner identifies what's in your food
December 23, 2013
Figuring out whether the fries on your plate
contain traces of trans-fat, or if those celery sticks are truly
pesticide-free can be tricky, if not impossible. That's why Isabel
Hoffmann along with mathematician Stephen Watson set out to create
TellSpec, a hand-held device that you can simply point at a food item,
to identify what's in it. Not only does the device warn you about
chemicals, allergens and ingredients you'd rather avoid, it'll also help
you figure out food sensitivities and track your vitamin intake. The
goal, the company says, is to help people make clean food choices by
letting them "check their food as easily as they check their mail." Read More
Plant-based magnetic microswimmers to deliver drugs more precisely
December 23, 2013
If you remember the 1966 science fiction film Fantastic Voyage,
you'll recall how miniaturized government agents traveled through blood
vessels in a tiny submarine, in their attempt remove a blood clot from a
scientist's brain. Synthetic nanomotors that can do the same job have
been the subject of numerous research efforts and now University of
California, San Diego (UCSD) researchers report that they've created
powerful biodegradable "microswimmers" that can deliver drugs more
precisely, derived from common plants like passion fruit and wild
banana. Read More
If you go shopping for an acoustic guitar, the
chances are you'll be greeted with many variations on the same theme – a
contoured wooden box with a hole between the bridge and the high end of
the neck. The Bouillez (pronounced Bull-yah) dares to be different. Its
creator Dan Bouillez has lopped off the fixed soundboard of a cheap,
kick-about acoustic and replaced it with a floating one that gives the
instrument a striking look and unique tone. With a great-sounding
prototype in the bag, the self-taught musician and engineer has just
started to build the very first production model. Read More
It seems not even the impending holiday is
stopping some of the tech industry's heavy hitters from teasing their
standout products for the 2014 CES. First LG and Samsung
unveiled separate 105-inch curved UHD TVs on the same day, and now
Samsung is dropping some details on its Smart TVs for next year. In
addition to less complicated voice commands, the company's 2014 Smart TV
line will allow the use of "finger gestures" for basic controls like
changing the channel, adjusting the volume, or rewinding video. Read More
If a so-called "rise of the machines" ever comes
to fruition, our chances of survival may have just taken a big hit. A
team of scientists from the US Department of Energy ’s Lawrence Berkeley
National Laboratory has demonstrated a new type of robotic muscle with 1,000 times more power than that of a human's, and the ability to catapult an item 50 times its own weight. Read More
It's been a big year for gaming. Not only did we see the arrival of the two big next-gen systems,
but we also saw developers squeezing some amazing technical and
artistic achievements out of seven-year-old consoles. Which titles stood
above the crowd? We polled our writers for their picks for the top
games of the year. Read More
Beginning next month, Lamborghini’s successor to the outgoing Gallardo
will be showcased to the world on a 60 city, 130 event tour. The 610 hp
Huracán LP 610-4, which sports all-wheel-drive and a more dynamic
chassis, will need to work hard to surpass the Gallardo’s ten year sales
record and impress its loyal fan following. Read More
Whether it's fashion, a favorite football team,
or a certain kind of music, humans seem to enjoy being considered part
of a larger group, and often self-identify as such. With this in mind,
students from the UCSD (University of California, San Diego) Jacobs
school of Engineering are currently developing a computer algorithm that
can deduce from an image whether you're a goth, surfer, hipster, or
biker. Read More
Set to debut in the 2014 Jeep
Cherokee, the EcoTrac Disconnecting AWD driveline system is designed to
improve fuel efficiency by disengaging components from the driveline
when not required, so that only power is delivered to the front wheels.
Read More
Benjamin Rollins Caldwell exults in
materials, designing entire lines of furniture from a wide range of
castoffs. His latest creations form his remarkable Binary collection of
living room furniture, in which all components come from old PCs and
defunct electronics. Read More
You've probably never given much
thought to your electrical outlets, but apparently the folks at Legrand
think that those always-exposed holes are kinda ugly. That's why they
created the chic-looking and actually kind of practical Pop-Out Outlet.
Read More
While there is no formal ceremony or rite of
passage, it seems clear to me that 2013 was the year that Android
finally came of age as a fully mature mobile OS to power the world.
Rather than a fancy coronation ceremony, let's take a look back at the
highlights of the past 12 months in Android. Read More
Set to debut in the 2014 Jeep
Cherokee, the EcoTrac Disconnecting AWD driveline system is designed to
improve fuel efficiency by disengaging components from the driveline
when not required, so that only power is delivered to the front wheels.
Read More Wear takes a fashionable approach to hearing aids
By Nick Lavars
December 23, 2013
From hiding hearing aids in your mouth to having them built-in to the arms of your glasses,
we have seen some innovative efforts to assist those with hearing
difficulties in recent years. With these unobtrusive technologies
available, you might think that wearing a hearing aid around your neck
would be the least desirable of options. Yet the team behind Wear
believe that by favoring comfort and aesthetics over discretion, it may
have conceived a viable alternative. Read More
Wi-Fi-enabled Mr. Postman smartifies snail mail
By Dave LeClair
December 23, 2013
Nowadays, it seems like we are connecting everything in our homes to Wi-Fi. Whether it's locks, lightbulbs or other appliances,
people seem to like using their smartphones to control their home. Mr.
Postman aims to bring that same level of connectivity to snail mail
deliveries. Read More
McLaren's ultrasonic force field to replace windshield wipers
By Brian Dodson
December 23, 2013
Windshield wipers are life-savers, but also can
drive one to distraction with their incessant streaking and chattering.
Well, the tyranny of the wipers may soon be over. McLaren Automotive’s
chief designer Frank Stephenson told The Sunday Times that the
performance motoring company is investigating the use of "ultrasonic
force fields" to replace windshield wipers in automobiles. While
Stephenson referred to a military source for McLaren's tech, there
appears to be very little public information on how such force fields
might clean a windshield during a storm, so I'm taking a look at the
patent history to see how this might be accomplished. Read More
Traditionally, the technology that goes into
laser hardware for surveying and 3D modeling has been the plaything of
architects, surveyors and engineers. But now, with a view to expanding
into the consumer market, the company IkeGPS want to bring this
functionality to the mainstream. And what better way to do it than
sticking it on the back of a smartphone? Read More
Benjamin Rollins Caldwell exults in
materials, designing entire lines of furniture from a wide range of
castoffs. His latest creations form his remarkable Binary collection of
living room furniture, in which all components come from old PCs and
defunct electronics. Read More Cube-shaped robot balances on one corner and can move on its own
By Ben Coxworth
December 23, 2013
Back in October, we heard about MIT's M-Blocks
– they're metal cubes that use internal flywheels to hurl themselves
around, sticking together magnetically to form simple structures. Now,
scientists from ETH Zurich have unveiled something similar. Their Cubli
cubic robot also uses flywheels to move around, plus it can actually
balance on one corner. Read More
You've probably never given much
thought to your electrical outlets, but apparently the folks at Legrand
think that those always-exposed holes are kinda ugly. That's why they
created the chic-looking and actually kind of practical Pop-Out Outlet.
Read More Portable scanner designed to make eye exams quicker and easier
By Ben Coxworth
December 23, 2013
If you're like a lot of people, you don't make an
annual trip to the ophthalmologist to get your eyes checked ... and you
really ought to, in order to catch any problems before it's too late.
If it were possible to get them checked at a regular doctor's office or
clinic, though, perhaps you might do so more often. That's one of the
reasons that a team at MIT have designed a new hand-held retinal
scanner, that can quickly and easily be used anywhere. Read More
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