Tiny NanoQ quadrocopter could serve as an inexpensive research platform – or a fun toy

Tiny NanoQ quadrocopter could serve as an inexpensive research platform – or a fun toy: "QFO Labs, a Minneapolis-based start-up, is attempting to launch a mini quadcopter toy called the NanoQ. It uses inexpensive 3-axis gyros and accelerometers to remain stable mid-flight, and comes with a one-handed remote that integrates tilt sensors for smooth and natural control – and unlike most quadrotors, the NanoQ's propellers are inverted which prevents them from colliding with ceilings."

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The Gadget Hound locates the items you always lose

The Gadget Hound locates the items you always lose: "There's nothing more frustrating than losing a pair of keys when you're on the way out the door ... except maybe losing your cell phone in that same scenario. Or your wallet. Or sunglasses. Fact is, there are a lot of small, easy-to-lose items that are essential for daily living. So why not keep track of them with an electronic bloodhound, that stays on the scent 24/7? That's the idea behind the Gadget Hound."

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World’s first 100 percent biofuel-powered flight of civil aircraft

World’s first 100 percent biofuel-powered flight of civil aircraft: "Earlier this year, Air Canada joined a growing number of airlines conducting flights using biofuels. Like similar flights by Boeing and Lufthansa, the aircraft was powered by a mix of petroleum and biofuel. Now the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has removed the fossil fuel component completely with the first flight of a civil jet powered by 100 percent unblended biofuel."

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How to boost lithium battery performance – just add crushed silicon

How to boost lithium battery performance – just add crushed silicon: "Researchers at Rice University and Lockheed Martin may have developed a low-cost method of creating longer-lasting, high-capacity lithium-ion batteries. Currently graphite is used as the anode in commercial li-ion products, despite the fact that a silicon anode could potentially store ten times more lithium ions. The team says it has solved one of the problems associated with silicon, which nearly triples the energy density of current li-ion designs."

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TechJect’s Dragonfly micro UAV flies like a bird and hovers like an insect

TechJect’s Dragonfly micro UAV flies like a bird and hovers like an insect: "Given their impressive flight capabilities, it’s not surprising to see researchers turning to the world of flying insects for inspiration when developing new kinds of micro UAVs. With their ability to both fly at high speeds and hover, the dragonfly would seem an obvious candidate for biomimicry."

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