New flexible batteries could be made by users at home — www.gizmag.com — Readability

New flexible batteries could be made by users at home — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "Scientists at the New Jersey Institute of Technology have joined the ranks of those from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Stanford University and LG, by creating prototype flexible batteries. Designed for use in electronic devices with flexible displays, they could conceivably be manufactured in any size or shape, or even made at home."

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Hirobo unveils HX-1 unmanned electric helicopter, and promises a manned model — www.gizmag.com — Readability

Hirobo unveils HX-1 unmanned electric helicopter, and promises a manned model — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "The Hirobo stand at the International Robotics Exhibition in Tokyo this week was full of surprises. The first was the appearance of the HX-1 unmanned electric helicopter, due to go into production before the end of the year, but an even bigger surprise was in store when you opened the brochure – details of the company's planned personal (manned) BIT electric micro helicopter."

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Power-harvesting device converts microwave signals into electricity — www.gizmag.com — Readability

Power-harvesting device converts microwave signals into electricity — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "Joining the ranks of devices designed to harvest energy from ambient electromagnetic radiation comes an electrical circuit from researchers at Duke University that can be tuned to capture microwave energy from various sources, including satellite, sound or Wi-Fi signals. The researchers say the device converts otherwise lost energy into direct current voltage with efficiencies similar to that of current solar cells."

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Dressed to not kill: Garrison Bespoke's bullet-proof business suit — www.gizmag.com — Readability

Dressed to not kill: Garrison Bespoke's bullet-proof business suit — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "In a scene only dreamt of by most people, the employees of Garrison Bespoke, an upscale Toronto tailor, lined up and waited their turn to stab their boss, Michael Nguyen, with a hunting knife. Mr. Nguyen emerged from the experience unscathed, thanks to a remarkable bullet-proof business suit that has just been revealed to the public."

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Rolls Royce's one-of-a-kind Phantom shines bright like 446 diamonds — www.gizmag.com — Readability

Rolls Royce's one-of-a-kind Phantom shines bright like 446 diamonds — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "Rolls-Royce is highlighting its Bespoke program at this week's Dubai International Motor Show, showing two one-of-a-kind Phantom models. One model travels with more diamonds than the entire Kardashian clan on a Saturday night, while the other is an homage to the famed Goodwood Motor Circuit."

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SmartLight redirects sunlight into "light-locked" building interiors — www.gizmag.com — Readability

SmartLight redirects sunlight into "light-locked" building interiors — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "Researchers at the University of Cincinnati have developed technology that could help cut lighting energy costs by brightening up rooms with natural light. The SmartLight system is designed to direct sunlight into dark, dingy rooms located within the bowels of buildings without requiring the installation of new wiring, ducts, tubes or cables. It also allows excess light to be harnessed and centrally stored to provide energy for electric lighting on cloudy days."

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Quanta demonstrates aftermarket hybrid kit with 770-hp Corvette Z06 — www.gizmag.com — Readability

Quanta demonstrates aftermarket hybrid kit with 770-hp Corvette Z06 — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "The Quanta Corvette QHP770 is upgraded with a high-performance hybrid system

Automakers typically use hybrid powertrains to improve fuel economies and kowtow to government relations. Not Quanta. Similar to cars like the McLaren P1 and Toyota Hybrid R concept, the hybrid technology in Quanta's Corvette QHP770 is all about performance. The show car is designed to test the waters for hybrid upgrade kits for Corvettes and other sports cars."

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Does Smaug Have Enough Gold? — www.wired.com — Readability

Does Smaug Have Enough Gold? — www.wired.com — Readability: "I guess dragons love gold. In the recent trailers for The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug (YouTube clip) you can get a glimpse of all the gold Smaug has. Why does a dragon need this much gold? I don’t get it. Maybe Smaug doesn’t actually like gold but he just wants to keep it away from other people."

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Death valley weather hottest place on Earth

Death valley weather hottest place on Earth: "There has been some dispute and controversy over the past 90 years about what place on Earth holds the record for the highest temperature reading. In July 1913 there was an official reading at Furnace Creek in Death Valley of 134 degrees. In 1922 there was a temperature recorded in Northern Libya of 136 degrees, that took the record away from Death Valley."

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FAA testing confirms Citation X as world's fastest civilian aircraft — www.gizmag.com — Readability

FAA testing confirms Citation X as world's fastest civilian aircraft — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "In the wake of the Gulfstream G650 claiming a new around-the-world speed record for a certified civilian aircraft, Cessna is signaling that the record will be short lived. On its way to certification, Cessna's Citation X recently wound up all high-speed certification flights with the FAA, which confirmed the aircraft as the fastest civilian aircraft in the world."

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Every existing smartphone and tablet can now be a 3D scanner — www.techhive.com — Readability

Every existing smartphone and tablet can now be a 3D scanner — www.techhive.com — Readability: "As 3D printing technology crawls out from the darkened corners where basement hobbyists toil and comes into the light of ubiquity (and affordability), so has the market for 3D scanners."

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Lockheed Martin developing successor to the SR-71 Blackbird — www.gizmag.com — Readability

Lockheed Martin developing successor to the SR-71 Blackbird — www.gizmag.com — Readability: "When the last SR-71 Blackbird was grounded in 1998 it was a double blow. Not only did aviation lose one of the most advanced aircraft ever built, but also one of the most beautiful. Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works has now revealed that it is building a successor to the Blackbird: the SR-72. Using a new hypersonic engine design that combines turbines and ramjets, the company says that the unmanned SR-72 will be twice as fast as its predecessor with a cruising speed of Mach 6."

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