Saturday, March 12, 2011
Disposable endoscopic camera is the size of a grain of salt
Disposable endoscopic camera is the size of a grain of salt: "Tiny video cameras mounted on the end of long thin fiber optic cables, commonly known as endoscopes, have proven invaluable to doctors and researchers wishing to peer inside the human body. Endoscopes can be rather pricey, however, and like anything else that gets put inside peoples' bodies, need to be sanitized after each use."
x-Ar exoskeleton takes the weight off your arm
x-Ar exoskeleton takes the weight off your arm: "If you've seen Avatar or Aliens, then you've seen futuristic versions of exoskeletons – mechanical systems that human users wear over their bodies, to augment their own physical abilities. While exoskeletons are already available and in use today, they're sometimes a bit more machine than what is needed."
x-Ar exoskeleton takes the weight off your arm
x-Ar exoskeleton takes the weight off your arm: "If you've seen Avatar or Aliens, then you've seen futuristic versions of exoskeletons – mechanical systems that human users wear over their bodies, to augment their own physical abilities. While exoskeletons are already available and in use today, they're sometimes a bit more machine than what is needed."
New model explains mystery of missing sunspots
New model explains mystery of missing sunspots: "Direct observation of sunspots has, more or less, been going on continuously since they were first observed in the seventeenth century. So, you can imagine the puzzled expressions on the faces of astronomers the world over when the phenomena all-but disappeared from view for a couple of years recently."
Like a Swiss Army Knife you can ride: The Voltitude folding electric bike
Like a Swiss Army Knife you can ride: The Voltitude folding electric bike: "Last January, we said that the Robrady-designed db0 was one of the best folding electric bikes we'd seen. The Swiss entry into the market has turned its back on this traditional bicycle-with-motor design in favor of a folding pedal-electric assist scooter. Users are said to be able to fold or unfold the Voltitude bike in about one second, and with one hand, thanks to its unique EasyFold system."
Friday, March 11, 2011
Nanotech to boost solid state hydrogen storage
Nanotech to boost solid state hydrogen storage
ydrogen has great potential as a clean fuel source for powering our cars andairplanes, but it also poses some big hurdles – namely production, distribution infrastructure and storage. Storing hydrogen in gas or liquid form onboard a vehicle raises difficulties in terms of volume and pressurization – a hydrogen gas tank for a car would need to be around four times larger than current petroleum tanks.
Stretchable electronics get the heart back on track
Stretchable electronics get the heart back on track
When a patient has an arrhythmia (an irregular heartbeat), cardiologists will often treat the disorder by inserting two tube-like catheters into the patient's heart. The first catheter is used for mapping out the heart tissue, identifying the location of cells that are causing the arrhythmia.
Warner Bros. becomes first studio to offer movie rentals through Facebook
Warner Bros. becomes first studio to offer movie rentals through Facebook
Warner Bros. is hoping to leverage the popularity of social networking juggernautFacebook by becoming the first Hollywood studio to offer movies directly through the site. Facebook users will be able to purchase and rent titles from the Warner Bros. catalog using Facebook Credits and play, pause and resume the movies through their Facebook account for up to 48 hours from the time of purchase.
Pathfinder subs would crawl along the ocean floor
Pathfinder subs would crawl along the ocean floor
The Transatlantic Seafloor Research Challenge is not a real competition, but that hasn't stopped British designer Philip Pauley from envisioning it, and the watercraft that would take part in it. If it were to exist, the challenge would require underwater vehicles to cross from the UK to the US using whatever route their team members thought was the quickest, but they would have to stay in physical contact with the sea floor for as much of the distance as possible.
Philips Cinema 21:9 Gold Series LED TV to appeal to a ‘wider’ audience
Philips Cinema 21:9 Gold Series LED TV to appeal to a ‘wider’ audience
Anyone who thought making the switch from their old 4:3 analogue TV to a 16:9 widescreen digital model would mean the end of unsightly black bars at the top and bottom of the picture will likely have discovered otherwise – particularly if they also picked up a Blu-ray player along with the new TV.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Nintendo 3DS will stream movies from Netflix
Nintendo 3DS will stream movies from Netflix: "With the Nintendo 3DS release date fast approaching (March 27 in the United States), Nintendo's keynote address at the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco was an opportunity to showcase more of what we can expect from the new handheld."
Self-healing elastic polymers developed with the help of a tree
Self-healing elastic polymers developed with the help of a tree: "When the caoutchouc tree is damaged, liquid latex containing capsules of the protein hevein escapes from inside of it. Those capsules rupture, releasing the hevein, which links the latex particles together and ultimately closes up the wound. The whole bursting/sealing-microcapsules thing is obviously a pretty good idea, as it has been put to use in human technology such as self-healing concrete, electronics, paint and aircraft epoxy resin."
Getting robots to move like people for better interaction
Getting robots to move like people for better interaction: "As robots get smarter and more capable and make their way from manufacturing assembly lines to a much wider variety of applications, we will be interacting with them in more and more situations. Currently, robots tend to move with jerky, stop/start motions, which can make it difficult for humans, who are accustomed to the fluid and dynamic movements of other humans, to easily recognize what the robots are doing. In an attempt to create robots that can better interact with humans, researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology are getting robots to move in a much more human-like way."
FiiK electric skateboard - wireless control, ABS braking system, ton of attitude
FiiK electric skateboard - wireless control, ABS braking system, ton of attitude: "Sometimes you come across a product that makes you sit back and go 'FiiK'. In the past we have covered electric skateboards, off road skateboards, even all terrain boards, but a combination of fun, technology, design and street cred has always been elusive."
Bandage with integrated sensors to monitor the healing of injured knees
Bandage with integrated sensors to monitor the healing of injured knees: "Knee injuries are one of the most common injuries that can befall sportspeople or those that simply enjoy an active lifestyle. Such injuries can lay up patients for weeks while they wait for the joints to regain their full function."
Molecule that can erase or restore long-term memories – in rats
Molecule that can erase or restore long-term memories – in rats: "If you're struggling to remember the names of classmates from high school, or just can't forget that time you made a complete ass of yourself in front of your high school crush, then a single molecule known as PKMzeta could be to blame – and increasing or decreasing its activity in the brain could either help you remember those names that seem on the tip of your tongue or drive that embarrassing memory from your head."
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Software developed to match police sketches to mug shots
Software developed to match police sketches to mug shots: "We've seen it in numerous TV shows and movies – the witness to a crime looks through a book of mug shots, then works with a police sketch artist to come up with a likeness of the nasty person they saw."
HDR and HD video for under $200 with the Optio S1 digital compact
HDR and HD video for under $200 with the Optio S1 digital compact: "The new Optio S1 brings High Dynamic Range functionality to a Pentax compact snapper for the first time. The pocket camera also features a 14 megapixel CCD sensor, wide-angle optical zoom lens and high sensitivity"
Elfoid: creepy mini-robot meets smartphone
Elfoid: creepy mini-robot meets smartphone: "We can't say we weren't warned. Last August, Japan's Eager Co. Ltd. announced that it was planning to begin sales of the Telenoid R1 telepresence robot in October."
The most remarkable Mercedes Benz F1 display
The most remarkable Mercedes Benz F1 display: "One of the most remarkable things we've seen in a long time is this deconstructed 2010 F1 car on display at Mercedes-Benz World in Surrey, UK. The Mercedes GP Petronas F1 comprises 3200 components and every one of them is hung in the display. The display itself was arranged by Dutch artist Paul Veroude and definitely fits into the 'how can you do that?"
The world's first hybrid automobile goes on show again - 111 years later
The world's first hybrid automobile goes on show again - 111 years later: "We're a little non-plussed on Porsche's announcement of a reconstructed Semper Vivus, which it is claiming was presented at the Paris Show of 1900."
The 1100 bhp Koenigsegg Agera R – with the world’s fastest roof box
The 1100 bhp Koenigsegg Agera R – with the world’s fastest roof box: "Christian von Koenigsegg has once again created a hypercar of the highest order – the new Agera R features so much innovation that we're not going to even attempt to squeeze it all into the introductory paragraph."
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Quadruped CHEETAH robot to outrun any human
Quadruped CHEETAH robot to outrun any human
It would be scary to be chased by a military robot. It would also be scary to be chased by a cheetah. So, imagine what it would be like to have a military robotic cheetah sprinting after you. Such a scenario could one day be possible, as robotics company Boston Dynamics recently announced that America's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded it a contract to design and build such a ... critter. The contract also includes the creation of an agile, bipedal humanoid robot.
The Iceman buildeth – using water from his heating system
The Iceman buildeth – using water from his heating system
Most of us living in the upper reaches of North America are getting pretty tired of winter by now, but for one Minnesota resident, the arrival of spring will mean the destruction of his incredible work of art. Software engineer Roger Hanson uses water from his home's geothermal heating system, along with a half-inch rebar framing system and a computer-controlled robotic sprayer, to create gigantic free-form ice sculptures in his backyard.
Sensor-packed SurfSens brings surfing into the computer age
Sensor-packed SurfSens brings surfing into the computer age
In an activity that for many of its participants is akin to a religion, the merging ofsurfing and technology might seem a bit like blasphemy. But while surfing is still about lifestyle for many of us, these days it's also a competitive sport offering huge amounts of prize money, so it's no surprise to see the emergence of boards packing more than just polyurethane within their fiberglass shells.
Olympus announces crushproof rugged compact
Olympus announces crushproof rugged compact
Adventurous and sporty types looking for a camera which can cope with extreme conditions may be interested to learn of a new rugged compact from Olympus. Not only is the 14 megapixel Tough TG-810 snapper waterproof, dustproof, shockproof and able to operate in sub-zero conditions ... but it's also crushproof.
Low-flying projectile: Saab's PhoeniX concept car
Low-flying projectile: Saab's PhoeniX concept car
Well, it may not be able to fly, but it is nonetheless a car with wings ... or in this case, winglets. Unveiled at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, the Saab PhoeniX concept car pays homage to the automaker's roots in aviation with roof-mounted winglets designed to channel airflow from the sides of the car and across its rear deck, thereby reducing lift forces without increasing drag
Cubelets help make robotics a snap
Cubelets help make robotics a snap
Do you remember those colored building blocks you would use to learn words and numbers, or just construct mighty castles to keep your enemies outside? Well, they've now received a 21st Century update in the form of the Cubelets system. Currently made up of 20 colored blocks that snap together with the help of magnets, each one has a little computer inside which gives it different functionality to the others.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Secrets of spider silk unraveled
Secrets of spider silk unraveled
When you explore haunted houses or search for sacred artifacts in ancient temples, the cobwebs that you brush out of your way may seem fairly flimsy and inconsequential.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)