NAVI project turns Kinect into a set of eyes for the visually impaired

NAVI project turns Kinect into a set of eyes for the visually impaired: "While we've looked at a couple of efforts to upgrade the humble white cane's capabilities, such as the ultrasonic Ultracane and the laser scanning cane, the decidedly low tech white cane is still one of the most commonly used tools to help the visually impaired get around without bumping into things."

Ark Angel LSV: Sauter's latest green megayacht gets speed injection

Ark Angel LSV: Sauter's latest green megayacht gets speed injection: "Like its Super Nova and Ocean Empire LSV stablemates, the 78 meter (256 ft) Ark Angel LSV (Life Support Vessel) from Sauter Carbon Offset Design harnesses energy from a variety of renewable sources to achieve up to 100 percent reduction in fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. When using its four 400 kW Daimler Bluetec Turbo Compound DD16 diesel engines, Sauter says that the green megayacht is capable of sailing at 28 knots while still reducing fuel consumption and emissions by 50 percent."

Amplify your iPod earbuds with Tembo Trunks

Amplify your iPod earbuds with Tembo Trunks: "An essential part of my travel kit is my digital music player. I also carry a small set of speakers in case I want to share some tunes with those I meet along the way, but I'm forever having to worry about batteries and, despite their size, it's all extra weight to have to lug around."

Quillit 3 in 1 Stylus Pen – the 'write' option for touchscreens and paper

Quillit 3 in 1 Stylus Pen – the 'write' option for touchscreens and paper: "While fingers are by far and away the most popular form of input device for touchscreens these days, using a stylus offers an accuracy that stubby fingers like mine just can't match."

Library of Congress launches Music Consortium Treasures website

Library of Congress launches Music Consortium Treasures website: "Students of music history, historians and music lovers alike can't help but be moved by the sight of an original manuscript by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Now, thanks to a Library of Congress partnership with five other institutions, folks can get up close and personal with some of the world's most valued music manuscripts from the comfort of their own living rooms."

Western Digital announces 6TB My Book Studio Edition II

Western Digital announces 6TB My Book Studio Edition II: "Western Digital has announced the immediate availability of a new 6TB Mac-formatted storage solution. Created with digital artists, graphic designers, photographers, legal and medical workers in mind, the dual-drive My Book Studio Edition II system is fully compatible with Apple Time Machine, supports RAID configurations, and benefits from four connectivity options."

Electric sleds compete in the 12th annual Clean Snowmobile Challenge

Electric sleds compete in the 12th annual Clean Snowmobile Challenge: "Clarkson University (New York) was the overall winner in the 2011 Clean Snowmobile Challenge, a collegiate design competition put on by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) and hosted by Michigan Technological University. This year's competition was billed as 'the greenest yet,' with a record number of electric snowmobiles participating."

'Pruned' microchips are leaner and meaner

'Pruned' microchips are leaner and meaner: "If you had to use a commuting bicycle in a race, you would probably set about removing the kickstand, fenders, racks and lights to make the thing as fast and efficient as possible."

Tiny iron oxide particles promise big benefits for display technology

Tiny iron oxide particles promise big benefits for display technology: "Chemists at the University of California, Riverside, are developing a future display technology using nanoscale-sized iron oxide rods that shine when exposed to an external magnetic field."

New Russell Hobbs washing machine cleans up in world record time

New Russell Hobbs washing machine cleans up in world record time: "Doing the laundry probably isn't high on anyone's list of fun things to do, so anything that speeds up the chore, while also cutting down on the amount of water and energy used, is going to be welcome. A new washing machine from Russell Hobbs looks to accomplish all these goals with its 'super rapid wash' cycle rinsing and spinning a load of lightly soiled clothes in a world record time of just 12 minutes as opposed to an average 90-minute wash cycle."

MESSENGER becomes first spacecraft to orbit Mercury

MESSENGER becomes first spacecraft to orbit Mercury: "NASA has reported that its MESSENGER spacecraft is now in orbit around the planet Mercury – the first ever mission to achieve this feat. More than 40 years on from the first moon landing in the age of the Mars rovers and space tourism, it's easy to overlook just what a remarkable a feat this is."

'First-ever' permanent anti-fog coating developed

'First-ever' permanent anti-fog coating developed: "Tired of your glasses fogging up on cold days, or of having to spit in your dive mask before putting it on? Those hassles may become a thing of the past, as researchers from Quebec City's Université Laval have developed what they claim is the world's first permanent anti-fog coating. Just one application is said to work indefinitely on eyeglasses, windshields, camera lenses, or any other transparent glass or plastic surface."