Using satellite imagery to track 'killer' mice from space

Using satellite imagery to track 'killer' mice from space:
"Directly tracking disease-carrying mice from space would seem to be a tall order – and even without knowing the full capabilities of military satellites, I suspect the ability to do so is still a couple of years off yet. But researchers at the University of Utah have come up with an indirect way of tracking rodents by using satellite images to monitor surges in vegetation that boost mouse populations. Such a method could help forecast outbreaks of rodent-borne illnesses worldwide by allowing the creation of risk maps that show when and where outbreaks are likely to occur."

New type of light-emitting material could rival existing OLEDs

New type of light-emitting material could rival existing OLEDs:
"Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are a technology that shows great promise, as they are thinner, lighter, and less expensive to manufacture than their non-organic LED counterparts."

Umeox unveils solar-powered Android phone

Umeox unveils solar-powered Android phone

Ford draws first blood in battle of new WRC cars

Ford draws first blood in battle of new WRC cars:
is the closest of all world class motorsport competition to the genuine road environment, though conditions vary considerably across the 13 race, five continent series from last weekend’s first round in Sweden where blizzards and -28ºC temperatures necessitated tungsten-tipped studded Michelin tyres, through to the gravel and rocks and 40ºC temperatures the cars will encounter a fortnight from now in Mexico."

Solowheel: self-balancing last mile transport for the upstanding commuter

Solowheel: self-balancing last mile transport for the upstanding commuter

Amphibious floating garden concept would clean rivers across Europe

Amphibious floating garden concept would clean rivers across Europe: "Concerned about our rising population having serious water supply issues in the not too distant future, Lilypad floating city designer Vincent Callebaut has come up with a floating amphibious garden that can clean our rivers as it travels the waterways of Europe."

HTC joins tablet market with 7-inch Flyer

HTC joins tablet market with 7-inch Flyer: "Taiwan-based smartphone manufacturer HTC has joined the increasingly crowded tablet market with a 7-inch tablet called the Flyer. The device features a 1.5GHz CPU, 1GB of RAM and 32GB of flash storage packed inside an aluminum unibody case. The 7-inch LCD multi-touchscreen sports 1024 x 600 pixels with a 1.3-megapixel front-facing camera and 5-megapixel rear-facing camera."

Researchers develop device that remotely explodes IEDs using electromagnetic energy

Researchers develop device that remotely explodes IEDs using electromagnetic energy: "Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) have attracted a lot of attention as a result of their use in Iraq and Afghanistan, but IEDs are used by guerillas and terrorist groups in many parts of the world, including Colombia. Being sensitive to the problem of IEDs, two Colombian doctoral students from the Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne (EPFL) set about looking for a way to explode such devices at a distance."

Bentley World Speed Record skating on thin ice (literally)

Bentley World Speed Record skating on thin ice (literally): "Definitely in the “don’t try this at home” category is Juha Kankkunen’s new 205.48 mph (330.695 km/h) world speed record for driving on ice. Kankkunen drove an all-wheel drive, 6-litre, 12-cylinder Continental Supersports convertible running on biofuel to capture the record on the frozen waters of the Baltic Sea, off the coast of Finland."

Wind-powered car completes cross-continental journey

Wind-powered car completes cross-continental journey: "A television host and an engineer from Germany have completed an almost 5,000 km (3,107 mile) journey across Australia in their Wind Explorer, a lightweight electric vehicle powered by the wind – not only through electricity-generating wind turbines but also using kites."

PowerTrekk fuel cell charger allows for power on the go

PowerTrekk fuel cell charger allows for power on the go

OnPlug eliminates standby power drain

OnPlug eliminates standby power drain

Full duplex radio technology developed that doubles speed of existing wireless networks

Full duplex radio technology developed that doubles speed of existing wireless networks

Innovative key fob brings NFC capabilities to all mobile phones

Innovative key fob brings NFC capabilities to all mobile phones

LED bulbs not as eco-friendly as some might think

LED bulbs not as eco-friendly as some might think: "LED light bulbs are becoming increasingly popular with designers and consumers of green technology, as they use less electricity, last longer, and emit more light on a pound-for-pound basis than traditional incandescent bulbs"

700 bhp Gumpert Tornante Fast Tourer

700 bhp Gumpert Tornante Fast Tourer: "The performance of Gumpert's Apollo places it among the supercar elite, with its recent Nurburgring Nordschleife lap record for road legal cars further emphasizing those credentials. Now the German manufacturer is to add a second model in 2012 which it claims will create a new class of 'Fast Tourers' with attributes of superior efficiency, performance, space, comfort and pleasure."

Audi tries its hand at making skis with the Carbon Ski concept

Audi tries its hand at making skis with the Carbon Ski concept

Counterfeit-proofing chips with digital fingerprints

Counterfeit-proofing chips with digital fingerprints

Study calculates humanity's information capacity – but we're still running second

Study calculates humanity's information capacity – but we're still running second

Samsung announces slimmed down Galaxy S II smartphone and upsized Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet

Samsung announces slimmed down Galaxy S II smartphone and upsized Galaxy Tab 10.1 tablet: "Ahead of Mobile World Congress 2011, which officially kicks off today, Samsung has unveiled the successors to its Galaxy S smartphone and Galaxy Tab tablet at its Unpacked event in Barcelona. At just 8.49 mm thick, Samsung is touting the Galaxy S II as “the world’s thinnest smartphone,” while thanks to its larger 10.1-inch TFT display, the next iteration of the Galaxy Tab will be known as the Galaxy Tab 10.1."

DARPA asks public to design new combat support vehicle

DARPA asks public to design new combat support vehicle: "In an effort to streamline the design and build process for manufacturing military vehicles, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is enlisting the “power of the crowd”."

Keep the kids on a virtual leash

Keep the kids on a virtual leash: "A toddler on a leash – no matter how many times they see it, some people find the sight of a small child wearing a harness and tether just somehow wrong. It’s understandable why some parents do use leashes, however, as many tykes have a nasty habit of wandering off into the mall, park or woods as soon as mom or dad’s back is turned."

Renault CAPTUR: sporty adventure crossover concept

Renault CAPTUR: sporty adventure crossover concept: "Renault's recently reworked brand identity “puts people at the forefront” while the resultant design strategy bases each new concept car on a different phase of the human life cycle"

Behind the scenes at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Behind the scenes at The Wizarding World of Harry Potter: "Many Muggles, fans and aficionados of the Harry Potter franchise would no doubt be aware that The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Theme Park and Resort opened last June. And judging by the fact that the park just sold its one millionth Butterbeer (non-alcoholic) beverage, its popularity doesn’t seem to be waning."

A vending machine for ... golf lessons??

A vending machine for ... golf lessons??:
"It seems you can get just about anything from vending machines these days. From shoes to flowers and ice cream to gold it can all be had by slotting a bit of cash into a machine – or in the case of the gold vending machine, a lot of cash or a credit card with a decent limit"

Themed superyacht concept features fully functional ‘Monaco Grand Prix’ go kart circuit

Themed superyacht concept features fully functional ‘Monaco Grand Prix’ go kart circuit:
"If you want a superyacht that really stands out at the next annual billionaires meeting then why not give it a theme? Yacht Island Design thinks there’s a market for such vessels and has set about developing several themed yacht concepts."

Nissan to show production-ready ESFLOW electric sports car in Geneva

Nissan to show production-ready ESFLOW electric sports car in Geneva: "With a track record including the time-honored Z series and the extraordinary GT-R supercar, Nissan’s credentials for producing affordable sports car exotica is without equal – which makes the company’s latest showing even more exciting."

Salmonella bacteria used to stop viruses

Salmonella bacteria used to stop viruses: "Generally speaking, it is inadvisable to eat foods containing Salmonella bacteria – especially if you’re not a fan of diarrhea, fever or abdominal cramps. In the future, however, we might be swallowing genetically-engineered versions of the little guys as a way of treating viral infections."

Marten creates distortion-free premium amplifier

Marten creates distortion-free premium amplifier: "Sweden's Marten is well-regarded for its high-end speakers and takes a fair amount of pride in their audiophile-pleasing performance."

HP unveils new webOS smartphones

HP unveils new webOS smartphones: "As a way to shoehorn its way into the smartphone market, last April HP acquired Palm along with its webOS mobile operating system. Obviously keen to see a return on its US$1.2 billion investment HP today unveiled three new mobile devices running webOS – a 9.7-inch tablet called the TouchPad and two new smartphones, the pint-sized HP Veer and the third generation Pre, called predictably enough, the HP Pre 3."

Building a 15-story hotel in less than six days

Building a 15-story hotel in less than six days: "China's impressive building credentials have been in the news regularly over the past few years, particularly those in evidence at the Shanghai World Expo and Beijing Olympic Games. The most recent example of the striking capability of the Chinese building industry took place in Changsha, Hunan province a few months ago."