Soft-bodied robot owes its moves to starfish and squid

Soft-bodied robot owes its moves to starfish and squid: "More and more, it's looking like many of the robots in the not-too-distant future won't be hard, humanoid C-3PO-like affairs, but will instead be squishy, soft-bodied devices. Not only would such robots be better able to withstand mechanical shock, vibration and compression, but they would also be able to do things like squeezing through small spaces "

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Traxxas XO-1 RC car reaches 100 mph in 4.9 seconds

Traxxas XO-1 RC car reaches 100 mph in 4.9 seconds: "The Traxxas XO-1 is an all-wheel-drive electric car with a claimed top speed of over 100 mph (161 km/h). Not impressed? Oh yeah, it's also only 27 inches (68.6 cm) long, and weighs 10.3 pounds (4.67 kg) with batteries. The one-seventh scale radio-controlled model is billed as "the world's fastest ready-to-race radio-controlled supercar." This thing clearly isn't designed for use on the living room floor ... or on neighborhood roads."

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TAKERI concept points to future direction of Mazda's passenger cars

TAKERI concept points to future direction of Mazda's passenger cars: "Mazda's theme at this year's Tokyo Motor Show was "Environmental Technology, Pushing the Boundaries of the Emotion of Motion," and the TAKERI concept making its world debut at the show integrates a number of environmentally friendly technologies that fall under the company's SKYACTIV banner."

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Tetra-Shed: An office pod for your backyard (and more)

Tetra-Shed: An office pod for your backyard (and more): "Now here's an exciting piece of design. At first glance the Tetra-Shed, designed by architect David Ajasa-Adekunle, looks like the ideal hypermodern outdoor studio for the hipster home-worker."

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Yamaha shows lightweight retro 125cc motorcycle that gets 220 mpg

Yamaha shows lightweight retro 125cc motorcycle that gets 220 mpg: "Yamaha's press conference at the Tokyo Motor Show today was a genuine sign of the times. Four brand new world premiers were shown. The largest internal combustion engine amongst them was a 250cc model with fat tires designed to go anywhere - the SUV of motorcycles was the claim."

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World's largest Tesla coils being built to unlock the secrets of natural lightning

World's largest Tesla coils being built to unlock the secrets of natural lightning: "Calling all Tesla fans! Electrical engineer Greg Leyh and his team at the Lightning on Demand organization (LOD) in California are raising the funds necessary to build the world's largest twin Tesla coils (ten stories high, about 120 ft/37 m) that will be capable of generating electric arcs more than 200 feet (60 m) long."

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Microscopic worm could hold clues to Mars colonization

Microscopic worm could hold clues to Mars colonization: "Microscopic worm Caenorhabditis elegans may hold clues to the human colonization of space, according to scientists at The University of Nottingham. Research published by the university today indicates that C. elegans can reach maturity from egghood and successfully reproduce in space, just as it does on Earth."

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Genetic genocide: Genetically altered mosquito warriors could wipe out humanity's biggest killer

Genetic genocide: Genetically altered mosquito warriors could wipe out humanity's biggest killer: "War, plague, famine, heart disease, cigarettes, road trauma: six very effective killers of human beings. But they're all amateurs when their records are compared to the number one mass murderer of all time. "

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Zoleco is a home-built 151 mpg concept car

Zoleco is a home-built 151 mpg concept car: "Canadian Zoltan Bod is a self-proclaimed "car and performance nut" who has built his very own, very efficient, 151 mpg (1.56 L/100 km) concept car. Dubbed Zoleco (which merges part of Bod's name with the word "eco"), it is designed with ergonomic considerations and seats up to four passengers comfortably."

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Origami stroller folds up with the push of a button

Origami stroller folds up with the push of a button: "Appropriately enough called the Origami, the new baby product from 4moms is billed as "the world's first power-folding stroller." This means that it will fold itself down into a compact car-trunkable bundle, at the press of a button -"

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Siri hack lets your iPhone control your car

Siri hack lets your iPhone control your car: "What if you could ask your iPhone to start your car?

Developer Brandon Fiquett has gotten his phone to do just that - hacking Siri on the iPhone 4S to work along with his Viper SmartStart module to not only start his car, but also to arm and disarm the car's alarm, lock and unlock doors, and even pop the vehicle's trunk."

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Honda's sporty EV-STER concept unveiled

Honda's sporty EV-STER concept unveiled: "More from the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show, where Honda today unveiled the two-seater EV-STER, which it describes as the "next-generation electric small sports concept". Honda says that its lightweight frame made of "carbon materials" grants a range of approximately 160 km (99 miles) while simultaneously improving performance. "

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