Segway MotoCzysz wins the IOM electric motorcycle race at 99.513 mph average speed

Segway MotoCzysz wins the IOM electric motorcycle race at 99.513 mph average speed: The MotoCzysz was clearly the fastest electric bike of the week, with last year's winner Mark Miller finishing second to his team-mate Michael Rutter, giving the American brand a 1-2 result. To cap things off, the MotoCzysz was also the fastest through the speed traps, with a top speed of 149.5mph.

Air bubbles used to contain oil spills

Air bubbles used to contain oil spills: Although it may have missed the entry deadline for the Wendy Schmidt Oil Cleanup X-CHALLENGE, a new technology for containing oil spills at sea was recently unveiled. Developed by Norwegian research organization SINTEF, the system uses a curtain of air bubbles to contain spilled oil for easier removal, or to form a barrier around protected areas.

New study highlights mobile device dangers for pedestrians

New study highlights mobile device dangers for pedestrians: This year, according to the United States' Governors Highway Safety Association, pedestrian deaths in the U.S. rose for the first time in four years.

Electrolux Design Lab Finalists opened up to people's vote

Electrolux Design Lab Finalists opened up to people's vote: The grand final of this year's Electrolux Design Lab 2011 competition is fast approaching. The field has been reduced to the last eight solutions for compact living and video presentations of the concept designs produced.

Experimental antenna-clothing outperforms regular antennas

Experimental antenna-clothing outperforms regular antennas: In the recent past, we've seen outfits that incorporate bio-sensors and batteries, and even a bikini with integrated solar cells.

Eyez video camera sunglasses shoot 720p

Eyez video camera sunglasses shoot 720p: "ZionEyez are a Seattle based company bringing to market a Ray-Ban-like pair of sunglasses equipped with a micro video camera that delivers first person video recording in 720p."

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New system created for recycling composite boats

New system created for recycling composite boats: "We've all heard about old metal car bodies being melted down for recycling, but what happens to the composite hulls and superstructures of past-their-prime recreational boats?"

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World’s first 3D printed bikini heads for the beach

World’s first 3D printed bikini heads for the beach: "The result of a collaboration between Continuum Fashion and 3D printing experts Shapeways, the N12 is billed as the "the first completely 3D-printed, ready-to-wear, item of clothing.""

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Color-changing, heat-sensitive bandage indicates infection

Color-changing, heat-sensitive bandage indicates infection: "Australian researchers have developed a fiber that changes color in response to temperature with the aim of creating a smart bandage that can indicate the state of underlying wounds and warn of infection."

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Self-taught metallurgist creates lighter, stronger steel in a flash

Self-taught metallurgist creates lighter, stronger steel in a flash: "Having been around for a few centuries, steel is what is known as a "mature technology" and the basic process of heat-treating has remained largely unchanged in the modern age."

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Scarpar's high speed, all-terrain powerboard set to launch within months

Scarpar's high speed, all-terrain powerboard set to launch within months: Two years ago, we had a look at the Scarpar - a twin-tracked, high speed all terrain powerboard that seemed like a promising power toy.

Conductive nanocoatings for textiles could lead to thin, flexible electronics

Conductive nanocoatings for textiles could lead to thin, flexible electronics: Not long ago, we reported on a prototype thin, flexible smartphone known as the Paperphone. While it isn't actually made out of paper, the success of a research project at North Carolina State University indicates that phones in the future could be. Scientists there have been able to deposit conductive nanocoatings onto textiles, meaning that items such as pieces of paper or clothing could ultimately be used as electronic devices.

EDWARD - a diwheel student-built vehicle that really works

EDWARD - a diwheel student-built vehicle that really works: Designed and built by a team of students from Australia's University of Adelaide, EDWARD is a futuristic, purely electric dicycle - also known as a diwheel. Although it looks like transportation from the realm of science fiction, the vehicle is fully operational and can be controlled with surprising precision.

Australian built Hoverbike prepares for takeoff

Australian built Hoverbike prepares for takeoff: Adventurous motorcyclists might be familiar with the thrill of getting airborne at the top of a rise, but the Hoverbike is set to take catching some air to a whole new level. With a 1170 cc 4-stroke engine delivering 80 kW driving two ducted propellers, the inventor of the Hoverbike, Chris Malloy, says with its high thrust to weight ratio, the Hoverbike should be able to reach an estimated height of more than 10,000 feet and reach an indicated airspeed of 150 knots (278 km/h or 173 mph).

Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster gets a diesel engine (and returns 56.5 mpg)

Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster gets a diesel engine (and returns 56.5 mpg): It's a sign of the times - after 15 years of production of its retractable hardtop (vario-roof) convertible SLK series, Mercedes has given the compact roadster a diesel engine.

MIT microparticle-making technique opens up biomedical possibilities

MIT microparticle-making technique opens up biomedical possibilities: Whether you want to deliver medication to specific cells or create scaffolds for building artificial tissues, currently one of the best media for doing so are polymer microparticles filled with drugs or cells.

Lockheed Martin's Samarai monocopter - you won't believe how this thing flies

Lockheed Martin's Samarai monocopter - you won't believe how this thing flies: If you've ever watched a maple seed spiraling down from a branch, you may have marveled at how it looked like a tiny one-rotor-bladed helicopter. If you did, well, you weren't the only one.

Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sets world auction record - US$16.4 million

Ferrari 250 Testa Rossa sets world auction record - US$16.4 million: The world record for a car sold at auction was smashed on Sunday when the Ferrari Testa Rossa prototype sold for US$16.4 million.

Tacit: Wrist-mounted sonar for the visually impaired

Tacit: Wrist-mounted sonar for the visually impaired: We've seen a number of devices - such as the UltraCane and EYE 21 system - that combine sonar and haptic or audio feedback to let the visually impaired "see" their surroundings through the senses of touch or hearing.

Sony to release 3D, high-def digital recording binoculars

Sony to release 3D, high-def digital recording binoculars: Over the years Sony has shown its ability as a genuine innovator in the digital imaging space - in the early days of Gizmag the (then) bleeding-edge, 5-megapixel Sony F707 digital camera was a treasured part of our kit - and its latest venture looks like it could be holding that line.

Boeing demonstrates swarm technology

Boeing demonstrates swarm technology: Individually, insects have proven a deep well of inspiration for robotics engineers looking to mimic designs refined over millions of years of evolution. Now Boeing has demonstrated swarm technology for reconnaissance missions using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that is similar to the way insects communicate and work together as an intelligent group.

Human-powered Gamera helicopter hovers its way into the record books

Human-powered Gamera helicopter hovers its way into the record books: A biology student has just hovered her way into the record books in a four-rotor, human-powered helicopter named after a giant flying turtle from Japanese kaiju movies. Gamera was built to try and claim the American Helicopter Society's Sikorsky Prize, that was set up in 1980 and has yet to be claimed.

New device harvests submerged golf balls from shore

New device harvests submerged golf balls from shore: When most golfers hit a ball into the middle of a water trap, they probably just assume that the ball is destined to remain underwater for all eternity.

Hundred Watt Hybrid sets off on Eco Tour across America

Hundred Watt Hybrid sets off on Eco Tour across America: To the continued annoyance of his father Pierce, twelve-year old Nash Hoover was forever leaving his bedroom light on when he wasn't in the house.

Pentax O-GPS1 unit tracks both Heaven and Earth

Pentax O-GPS1 unit tracks both Heaven and Earth: A new GPS module designed for use with the latest digital SLR cameras from Pentax could help photographers who like to capture shots of the heavens avoid annoying star trails on long exposure shots.

Metallic material can switch back and forth between hard and soft states

Metallic material can switch back and forth between hard and soft states: We may not yet have the liquid metal depicted in the Terminator movies, but scientists have now developed something that's vaguely along the same lines. German materials scientist Dr. Jörg Weißmüller and Chinese research scientist Hai-Jun Jin have created a metallic material that can change back and forth between being strong but brittle and soft but malleable, via electrical signals.

Homebuilt $70,000 single-person spacecraft tested

Homebuilt $70,000 single-person spacecraft tested: Sending a man to outer space in a homebuilt spacecraft worth US$70,000 may seem like a crazy idea to most of us, but not for a Danish group of enthusiasts who call themselves Copenhagen Suborbitals

CERN traps antimatter atoms for 1,000 seconds

CERN traps antimatter atoms for 1,000 seconds: Researchers involved in the ALPHA experiment at Switzerland's CERN complex announced yesterday (June 5) that they have succeeded in using the facility's antiproton decelerator to trap antimatter atoms for 1,000 seconds - or just over 16 minutes.

Researchers halve machines' fuel consumption, by turning them into hybrids

Researchers halve machines' fuel consumption, by turning them into hybrids: Many hybrid cars feature regenerative braking - they harness the energy generated when they brake, and store it in the battery for later use. This helps maximize the amount of time that the car can run on one charge.

Detecting and controlling seizures with brain implants

Detecting and controlling seizures with brain implants: In the future, people who are prone to seizures may get an array of electrodes implanted in their brains. These electrodes would be capable of detecting the onset of a seizure, and then releasing medication to prevent it from happening. While it might sound far-fetched, scientists at the University of Pittsburgh have already demonstrated the technology on lab rats.

Microsoft previews “touch-optimized” Windows 8 operating system

Microsoft previews “touch-optimized” Windows 8 operating system: With Apple bringing a few user interface elements found in its iOS mobile operating system to its upcoming OS X Lion desktop operating system, Microsoft is taking a similar tack for its Windows 8 OS.

The go anywhere Aqua hybrid hovercraft concept

The go anywhere Aqua hybrid hovercraft concept: This futuristic, zero emissions hovercraft concept won't be gracing our wilderness zones any time soon but it definitely merits a mention. Dubbed the "Aqua Volkswagen," the concept was created by Zhang Yuhan, a 21 year old graduate in Industrial Design at Xihua University, China.

Ford produces the smallest motor in its history - three cylinder 1.0-Liter EcoBoost

Ford produces the smallest motor in its history - three cylinder 1.0-Liter EcoBoost: It's a sign of the times that Ford is gearing up to launch the smallest capacity engine, with less cylinders than any it has previously produced. The new 1.0-liter EcoBoost will be launched globally in all small Ford cars, and in addition to recognized technologies employed by Ford in its EcoBoost engines,