For the 2014 season, Formula One is set to
introduce some of the most radical changes in the sport’s history. New
thermal and Kinetic Energy Recovery Systems will give drivers an
additional 160 hp of electrical power during the year to compensate for
smaller 600 bhp turbocharged V6 engines. Read More
Scientists at Berkeley Lab and the University of
California (UC) Berkeley have created sensitive, tactile sensors that
are similar to a cat's whiskers. The so-called "e-whiskers" could be
used to help robots feel their way around a space. Read More
Guitar Wing puts wireless expressive control within reach
By Paul Ridden
January 24, 2014
For guitarists who like to experiment, digital
signal processing technology has opened up whole new worlds of tonal
exploration and control. Unlocking the parameters, effects and features
in computer-based software while playing can be a cumbersome affair
though, often involving some nifty tap dancing on multi-effects units
like the G5 or stopping every so often to adjust the settings on a tabletop MIDI controller.
The Guitar Wing from Livid Instruments attaches to the instrument
itself and offers wireless function control of software plug-ins,
Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), iOS apps, MIDI effects and so on, all
within reach of the picking hand and available while playing. Read More
A team from the Institute of Systems and Robotics
at Portugal's University of Coimbra is developing a minesweeping robot
to assist in the monumental task of clearing the millions of active land
mines around the globe. Currently putting it through a series of field
testings, the team is working to optimize the robot to automate the
manual, and exceedingly dangerous, humanitarian de-mining effort. Read More
The I.C.E. Stove puts a unique spin
on the multitool. Not only can the wood stove cook dinner and boil water
in the wild, it can saw the firewood and crack a beer. The stove then
breaks down into four panels that pack flat and weigh less than a pound
(0.5 kg). Read More 
Since 2007, the South Korean government has
dreamed of Robot Land, a robotics research park and themed destination
with rides, exhibitions, shopping, and even housing. Although the
originally planned open date of 2012 has come and gone, ground was
officially broken for the 300-acre park last year and a new timeline
seems to indicate that Robot Land may now be on target to deliver on its
promise of a themed world dedicated to robots. Read More
From smart watches to smart rings,
the endless wave of wearable gadgets continues to wash ashore some
pretty intriguing ideas. Fin, a thumb ring designed to enable hand
gesture control of smart devices, aims to not only offer improved
connectivity, but to alter the way we interact with our favorite
gadgets. Read More
When someone claims to have produced
the "world's fastest" docking station, it's hard not to take notice.
That's exactly what Dittrich California Inc. is claiming with its new
All-Dock, which comes in four- and six-port options. Read More 
Whenever the topic of plant-derived biofuels
is raised, the issue of turning valuable arable land over to the task
of growing feedstock is generally not far behind. A discovery by the
Sustainable Bioenergy Research Consortium (SRBC) that desert plants fed
by seawater can produce biofuel more efficiently than other well-known
feedstocks could help alleviate such concerns. Read More
Weighing in: Ten of the best lightweight houses
January 23, 2014
Buckminster Fuller supposedly asked the question,
"do you know how much your house weighs?" Nowadays we are more
conscious of house size, but what about weight, impact on the site, and
mobility? Here's a look at ten innovative, lightweight architectural
offerings including designs that sit up on stilts, float on water, or
can be delivered by flat-bed truck ... and they all weigh a great deal
less than standard bricks and mortar. Read More
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