Gizmag | New and Emerging Technology News

Gizmag | New and Emerging Technology News: "The idea of an automated farm has probably been around since rural electrification started in the early 20th century. Replacing back-breaking labor with robots has an obvious appeal, but so far cheap labor in many countries and the insistence of agriculture on being so darn rural has made automation limited in application."

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Induced "pacemaker" heart cells could take the place of man-made pacemakers

Induced "pacemaker" heart cells could take the place of man-made pacemakers: "Scientists at the Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute have successfully reprogrammed ordinary heart cells to become exact replicas of so-called “pacemaker” heart cells. Such replica cells could conceivably one day be used instead of electronic pacemakers, in patients with heart disease."

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Liquid metal electrical wires can be stretched without breaking

Liquid metal electrical wires can be stretched without breaking: "Things like earbud cords have a nasty way of getting hooked on things and breaking. Such incidences may become a lot less common, however, as scientists from North Carolina State University have created conductive wires that stay intact even when stretched up to eight times their regular length."

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New Zealand's W2 presents Romotow – the fold-out Swiss Army Caravan

New Zealand's W2 presents Romotow – the fold-out Swiss Army Caravan: "New Zealand architectural and interior design firm W2 has never designed a caravan before – and it shows. The Romotow fold-out luxury caravan is unlike anything we've come across before."

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New computing devices will allow touch, smell – IBM

New computing devices will allow touch, smell – IBM: "WASHINGTON (AFP) – Future computing devices will push further into the senses by developing capacities to mimic the ability to see, smell, touch, taste and hear, IBM says in an annual forecast Monday."

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Top 10 things you CAN have for Christmas 2012

Top 10 things you CAN have for Christmas 2012: "Having dealt with all the things you are not getting for Christmas this year, it's time to turn our attention to what Santa's elves have really been hammering away at. So from consumer favorites to clever innovations to quirky surprises, here's our selection of the top 10 things you CAN have for Christmas 2012."

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Vector-based video could mean no more pixels

Vector-based video could mean no more pixels: "Unlike traditional bitmap graphics, which are made up of an array of pixels, vector graphics consist of lines, curves and shapes that are based on geometric formulas. Not only do they take up far less memory than bitmaps, but sections of them can also be enlarged without any loss of resolution. "

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Gizmag's top 10 ski gadgets for 2013

Gizmag's top 10 ski gadgets for 2013: "So far, the Northern Hemisphere's 2012-2013 ski season is off to a rather sluggish start, at least in the heart of American ski country. It looks like it could be another warm, dry year. That doesn't mean that the skiing has to be boring, however. These ski-centric gadgets will wring more enjoyment out of the big powder days that do come and provide a fun distraction when conditions are less than ideal."

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Elvis-evoking Cat-Ears reduce wind noise while you cycle

Elvis-evoking Cat-Ears reduce wind noise while you cycle: "Sometimes when you’re cycling, especially if you’re out on the open road, the constant wind noise in your ears can get rather annoying. It can also be potentially dangerous, as it may mask traffic noises. Well, if you’re OK with sporting what at first glance looks like a pair of dark sideburns, Cat-Ears might be the answer."

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High-tech handcuffs can shock, inject prisoners

High-tech handcuffs can shock, inject prisoners: "Today, handcuffs are just steel restraints. Tomorrow, however, they could be much more. According to U.S. Patent Application 20120298119, Scottsdale Inventions, LLC of Paradise Valley, Arizona has invented a pair of high-tech handcuffs that could deliver electric shocks to prisoners by means of an incorporated Taser-like system hooked to wireless controls and sophisticated sensors."

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Air Cork keeps your wine fresh – using a balloon

Air Cork keeps your wine fresh – using a balloon: "When it comes to resealing an opened bottle of wine, most people either use the cork that the bottle came with, or a hand-pumped vacuum stopper. Now, however, there’s another option – it’s called the Air Cork, although we also kind of like its previous name, the Wine Balloon."

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X-47B unmanned stealth fighter tested aboard the USS Truman

X-47B unmanned stealth fighter tested aboard the USS Truman: "Northrop Grumman has delivered two X-47B Unmanned Combat Aircraft Systems (UCAS) to the US Navy, which has begun three weeks of tests aboard the USS Truman – the first aircraft carrier to host test operations for an unmanned aircraft. The X-47B is based on the Pegasus X-47A (originally designed in 2001) but features improved landing gear and folding wings for work aboard carriers."

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Insect-inspired virtual traffic lights could replace – or augment – the real things

Insect-inspired virtual traffic lights could replace – or augment – the real things: "If you’ve ever seen two groups of ants meet up with one another on intersecting paths, you’ll notice that they don’t crash into each other. Instead, the larger group instinctively takes the right-of-way, followed by the smaller group – the same thing applies to bees and termites. Inspired by this behavior, Carnegie Mellon University telecommunications researcher Ozan Tonguz wondered if the same thing could be applied to traffic flow."

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2012 Smartphone Comparison Guide

2012 Smartphone Comparison Guide: "In just five years, smartphones have gone from expensive novelties to fundamental parts of our lives. If you're shopping for a new smartphone, the choices can be daunting. How do you sort through the mess? Our 2012 Smartphone Comparison Guide is designed to help you decide which model is best for you."

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US Federal Trade Commission offers US$50K prize for blocking robocalls

US Federal Trade Commission offers US$50K prize for blocking robocalls: "n the United States, about 30 billion robocalls (pre-recorded automatically dialed solicitations) are placed each year, and similar conditions hold across much of the world. In the U.S. and many other countries, most commercial robocalls are illegal. As part of an ongoing campaign against these illegal robocalls, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is launching its Robocall Challenge, seeking a solution that blocks illegal robocalls on cell phones and on landlines. It is offering a US$50,000 cash prize for the best practical solution."

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Cocoon 1 takes a modular approach to the (very) personal space

Cocoon 1 takes a modular approach to the (very) personal space: "I’m not sure if it’s simply a matter of providing some personal space in an increasingly crowded world, some deep-seated desire to get back to the womb, or something else entirely, but there seem to be a growing number of pods and cocoons emerging from the brains of designers these days, whether it be for treetop accommodation, a backyard workspace or catching some Z’s at work. The latest comes from Micasa Lab, the folks behind the iRock rocking chair, whose Cocoon 1 is a clear sphere in which you can kick back and relax, store items, or even cook."

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Gravity powers new lamp for developing countries | Crave - CNET

Gravity powers new lamp for developing countries | Crave - CNET: "t's easy to take our electric lights for granted. Many people in developing counties don't have the luxury of electric grids and have to rely on kerosene lamps to brighten the night. Kerosene costs money and breathing the fumes is dangerous. A new light powered by gravity could be a superior solution to lighting needs."

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NASA will crash GRAIL spacecraft into Moon on December 17

NASA will crash GRAIL spacecraft into Moon on December 17: "At a press conference today, NASA confirmed that its two Gravity Recovery and Interior Laboratory (GRAIL) Spacecraft will crash into a lunar mountain next week. The controlled impact will occur on Monday, December 17 at approximately 5:28 p.m. EST (22:28 GMT). The impact area is at latitude 75.62° N, longitude 26.63° E near the lunar North Pole in the vicinity of Goldschmidt crater."

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FlyViz puts eyes in the back of your head

FlyViz puts eyes in the back of your head: "Those just as concerned about where they’ve been as where they’re going might be keen to give the “FlyViz” a go. Created by a team of French researchers to expand the scope of human vision, the prototype system captures vision on a 360-degree camera attached to the top of a helmet that is processed in real time and displayed on Sony’s HMZ-TD Personal 3D Viewer, giving the wearer a 360-view of their surroundings."

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Interview: Aeros CEO Igor Pasternak

Interview: Aeros CEO Igor Pasternak: "The Aeroscraft airship, with its minimal fuel consumption, vertical take-off and landing capabilities and point-to-point delivery is promising to revolutionize aviation."

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DMC unleashes tuned Lamborghini Aventador

DMC unleashes tuned Lamborghini Aventador: "he LP900 package builds upon the Molto Veloce package that DMC revealed a couple of months back. It is the official "Stage Two" of DMC's Aventador tuning plans. The German tuner translated inspiration from the Aventador J concept into an aerodynamics and performance package that only 10 people will ever have the pleasure of owning."

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