Handcrafted oddities for science and tech fans
By Ben Coxworth
January 27, 2011
One of the best things about the Internet,
besides the sharing of ideas and bringing together like-minded people
and all that stuff, is the opportunity it affords us to buy weird
things. While said weird things can come in all shapes and sizes, often
the most prized and intriguing are the one-of-a-kind handmade items. If
that’s what you’re seeking, then one of the best places to look is on
Etsy – for the uninitiated, it’s kind of like an eBay devoted solely to
things that people have made themselves. We took a snoop through the
website, searching specifically for quirky science and/or
technology-related thing-a-ma-jigs. Here’s a look at some of what we
found. Read More
One of the very first energy efficient mini-PCs
to catch my attention was CompuLab's fit-PC2 model, with an
ultra-low-power Intel processor, a gigabyte of DDR2 memory and a 160GB
HDD. Now, the company has jumped into AMD's camp for the forthcoming
release of the fit-PC3, set to become the most powerful member of the
company's line of miniature industrial PCs. It doesn't offer quite the
same energy efficiency as the previous model, but there is up to 1.6GHz
of processing power on offer, coupled with up to 4GB of DDR3 memory and a
2.5-inch SATA3 hard drive. Read More
Ricoh has announced a successor to last year's CX4
compact superzoom, which brings a new high speed autofocus system,
ultra-telephoto zoom capabilities and a few new scene modes to play
with. Other than that, the CX5 retains the same specification 10.7x
optical zoom lens, ISO sensitivity, 3-inch LCD display with a wide
viewing angle and high contrast, and has exactly the same dimensions as
its predecessor. Read More
Spring-loaded USB concept seeks to end plug-in frustration
By Paul Ridden
January 27, 2011
Admittedly, it's not a major headache, but it is
an irritation nonetheless. I'm talking about having to make sure that
the male USB-A connector is the right way up before you slot it into the
female socket. Designer Ma Yi Xuan has come up with one of those
simple, effective ideas where you have to wonder why no one else has
gone there before. The Double USB concept features a couple of
spring-loaded plastic connectors laid one on top of the other with the
metal strips pointing inwards. The idea is that whichever way you push
in your USB plug, it will always connect. Read More
With all consumer units of the limited edition Firebird X
reportedly having been sold, Gibson is already looking to the future.
The company has announced the forthcoming introduction of hundreds of
thousands of guitars at various price points based on the new technology
showcased in the somewhat controversial new model. To help this process
along, the entire Firebird X system and its Pure-Analog Engine are to
be opened up for third party application development. Read More
Sony unveiled the successor to the PSP at its
PlayStation Meeting in Tokyo today. While Sony spokespeople continually
referred to the device by its codename of Next Generation Portable
(NGP), it's not yet clear whether this will be the name of the device
when it is brought to market. Read More
With global sea levels predicted to rise
significantly over the next century due to climate change, a lot of
people living in low lying areas are expected to be displaced from their
homes. Architect Vincent Callebaut has come up with a possible
relocation destination for these climate change refugees in the form of
the “Lilypad” concept – a completely self-sufficient floating city that
would accommodate up to 50,000. Read More
When they set out from the United Nations Palace
in Geneva, Switzerland, on August 16 last year, competitors in the Zero Race
were looking forward to returning to that city for the end of the race
at the beginning of next month. Unfortunately, due to “unforeseen delays
with shipping from Mexico,” (we're sure the Cancún beaches had nothing
to do with it), the racers’ 100 percent electric vehicles are still
making their way across the Atlantic Ocean meaning the final nine-day
leg of the competition won't get underway until mid-February. Read More
Disposable microfluidic devices created using regular wax paper
By Ben Coxworth
January 26, 2011
Lab-on-a-chip devices work by directing small
samples of liquid through tiny “microchannels” embedded in a small
platform, and are used for analyzing liquids in medical and scientific
settings. Earlier this week, we reported on a high school teacher who
has invented a way of creating such devices using transparency film and a photocopier.
Now, scientists from Indiana’s Purdue University have announced a new
method of making them using paper. While previous approaches have
involved laying down lines of wax or other hydrophobic (water-repelling)
material on hydrophilic (water-absorbing) paper, this method uses
store-bought hydrophobic paper, and creates the microchannels by burning
away the waterproof coating with a laser. Read More
Aston Martin’s newly announced Vantage S is designed to bridge the gap between the V8 Vantage
and the Vantage GT4 endurance race car which last year won its class at
the Dubai, Nurburgring, Silverstone and Spa 24 Hour races plus the
European GT4 Cup championship. Aston Martin’s own 4.7 liter V8 engine
has been tweaked slightly to deliver slightly higher peak power of 430
bhp (321 kW) at 7300 rpm and torque of 490 Nm (361 lb.ft) at 5000 rpm
but it’s the all-new seven-speed Sportshift™ II automated manual
transmission which is the biggest change. Specifically designed for the
Vantage S, the Sportshift II changes the seven short ratio gears some
twenty per cent quicker than the current Sportshift. Read More
Surfango is dead … long live Jetbuster! Our
favorite powered kayak is back with a new name, a new look and an
air-suspended seat unit which will come as sweet relief to anyone who's
ever suffered the battered buttocks you tend to get from jumping waves
in one of the older models. The new Jetrider XL has been unveiled in
Dusseldorf, with a joystick-controlled 9.5hp motor, 25mph (40kmh) top
speed and the new Airshox seat unit, for a retail price of US$2,999.
Read More
Researchers have developed an "anytime" universal
intelligence test – a test that can be interrupted at any time and
continued later, but that gives a more accurate idea of the intelligence
of the test subject. The test, developed by researchers working in
Spain and Australia, can be applied to any subject, whether biological
or not, at any point in its development (child or adult), for any system
now or in the future, and with any level of intelligence or speed,
making it ideal for evaluating the progress of artificial intelligence
systems. Read More
Dainese has signed a memorandum of understanding with the International Ski Federation (FIS) to bring its D-Air wearable airbag technology
to Alpine slopes. The project is currently in early stages of testing
where the dynamics of ski racing are being investigated in order to
tailor the existing motorcycle-specific technology to the needs of ski
racers. Read More
Keep your buns warm with the Chaheati heated camping chair
By Darren Quick
January 28, 2011
Next to a couple of Swedish backpackers giving
you a spanking, the Chaheati All-Season Heated Camping Chair could be
the best thing to warm up your buns on a cold night at the camping
ground. Packing a coil-free, soft, flexible heating element powered by a
rechargeable lithium ion battery, the collapsible chair is the perfect
way to ensure your backside is as warm as your front when sitting around
the campfire. Read More
Over the past decade, touchscreens
have risen to dominate mobile phone and other mobile consumer
electronic device interfaces – and their popularity shows no sign of
waning. Capacitive touchscreens, the type most commonly used in consumer
electronics, usually use a conductor made of indium tin oxide (ITO).
This material is well suited to this purpose due to its excellent
conductivity and its transparency in thin layers. Unfortunately there
are few deposits of indium in the world, which has prompted a search for
alternatives. One such new alternative are touchscreens containing carbon nanotubes, which researchers claim offer comparable performance to ITO, but are much cheaper. Read More
Gefen's ToolBox USB 2.0 Extender Long Range is
shipping and we can think of numerous ways in which it could be
potentially very useful. The 4-port USB 2.0 hub powers multiple computer
devices at up to 100 meters including cameras, scanners, printers,
keyboards, hard drives, DVD burners, external storage media, digital
signage, and automated control systems. The portable sender and receiver
units easily fit into any integrated system with the instant delivery
of multiple USB signals over a single CAT-5 cable. Read More
Here at Gizmag we cover a seemingly endless stream of renewable energy
technologies designed to wean us off our reliance on fossil fuels and
improve the health of the planet. As important as such developments are,
for these technologies to have an impact they must of course be
implemented – and on a large scale. What has been sorely lacking is a
plan to accomplish such a Herculean feat. Now researchers from the
University of California-Davis and Stanford University have published a
study that details one scenario to completely convert the world to
clean, renewable energy sources – and they say it could be done in 20 to
40 years using technology available today at costs comparable to fossil
fuel-based energy. Read More
Volvo will introduce a "virtually production-ready" plug-in hybrid version of it's V60 sports wagon at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show.
Expected to hit showroom floors in 2012, the hybrid V60 splices
together a 2.4-liter D5 turbodiesel driving the front wheels with a 70
horsepower electric motor at the rear axle. According to Volvo this
configuration delivers incredibly miserly fuel consumption of 124 mpg
(1.9 l/100 km) along with the ability to cover 31 miles (50 km) using
only the electric drive. Read More
A study from researchers at Imperial College
London seriously suggests that it may be wise for fast food outlets to
provide statin drugs free of charge with the condiments, so that
customers can neutralize the heart disease dangers of fatty food.
Statins are a class of drugs that can reduce the amount of "LDL"
cholesterol in the blood. Some data suggests that this reduction is
accompanied by a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease including heart
attack and stroke. Read More
Odourbuster sucks toilet odors down the pipes
By Ben Coxworth
January 27, 2011
Nobody likes the smell of a just-used bathroom –
and no, we don’t mean a bathroom in which someone has just bathed.
That’s one of the reasons bathrooms have ceiling extractor fans,
although installing the wiring and ducting for such hardware is a hassle
that it would be nice to avoid, if possible. The Odourbuster is an
invention that reportedly does away with the need for a fan, by taking
those nasty odors and sending them where everything else went – down the
toilet. Read More
A few years back we reported on the establishment of Honda Soltec, a Honda
subsidiary devoted to the development of thin-film solar technology.
This week that same group announced that it would be releasing a new
thin-film cell that will rank among the world's most efficient with an
expected module conversion efficiency of more than 13%. Read More
Fujitsu introduces world's first biodegradable mouse
By Paul Ridden
January 30, 2011
Last year, Fujitsu introduced a keyboard where
nearly half of the plastic normally used was replaced with biodegradable
bio- or wood-based substitutes. The company continues its green crusade
this year with the introduction of what's claimed to be the world's
first biodegradable computer mouse. The M440 ECO optical mouse sports a
PVC-free USB cable and is made from a combination of the same Arboform
and Biograde materials used in the keyboard – reducing our dependence on
oil-based resources one click at a time.. Read More
Princeton University engineers have developed a
new laser sensing technology that is expected to enable the remote
distant detection of explosives, airborne pollutants and greenhouse
gasses. The technique differs from previous remote laser-sensing methods
in that the returning beam is not just a reflection or scattering of
the outgoing beam but an entirely new laser beam generated by oxygen
atoms whose electrons have been "excited" to high energy levels. This
"air laser" is a much more powerful tool than previously existed for
remote measurements of trace amounts of chemicals in the air. Read More
More than two million people witnessed the live
presentation of the Ferrari F150 2011 F1 car on friday when the first F1
contender of 2011 was presented live on the internet. The most
innovative aspects of the new car have been largely dictated by changes
to the regulations. The double diffuser and the blown rear wing are
banned, as is the use of apertures in the front part of the floor, while
the use of an hydraulically adjustable rear wing has been introduced
and KERS is back. Though engine performance has been regulated to be the
same as 2010, the wing and KERS are effectively two new power sources
with approximately an extra 82 BHP from the KERS and 60 BHP from the
rear wing. Controlling the use of these additional technological
parameters will tax the concentration of drivers but it is hoped that
overtaking might happen occasionally during 2011 as a result. Read More
In one of the clearest demonstrations yet of the
interplay of power, success and historical gender roles, a university
study has demonstrated that Oscar winners in the Best Actress category
are at a higher risk of divorce than nominees who do not win. A long
line of best actress winners including Joan Crawford, Bette Davis, Halle
Berry and Kate Winslet experienced marriage breakdowns not long after
taking home their awards. By contrast, Best Actor winners do not
experience an increase in the risk of divorce after an Oscar. Read More
On January 29, 1886, Karl Benz filed a Patent No.
37435 at the Reich Patent Office in Berlin – it is generally regarded
as the birth certificate of the automobile and became the first of over
80,000 patents awarded to the Mercedes Benz marque. Benz’ Patent Motor
Car was equipped with a horizontal single-cylinder four-stroke engine,
which developed an output of 0.55 kW at 400 rpm from a displacement of
954 cubic centimetres. The vehicle’s top speed was 16 km/h. Happy
birthday to the automobile and congratulations to the company which
today remains at the forefront of personal transportation. Extensive
detailed images Read More
Watch any of those Caught on Tape!-type
shows, and you’ll know just how valuable an in-car “black box” camera
can be. Not only does it provide a visual record of who was at fault in
an accident, but you can also use it to record any other questionable
activity that takes place in front of your car. While most of the
“sensational” footage comes from cameras in police cars, civilian
versions such as the CarCam Voyager and the envisionCAM
are available for us regular folk. You can go ahead and pay US$100 to
$575 for one of those ... or you can shell out 99 cents for the iCar
Black Box iPhone app. Read More
Mussels are remarkable creatures, not only in how
good they taste steamed and buttered, but also in their ability to
cling to rocks that are pounded by ocean waves. Their tenacious grip
comes courtesy of byssal holdfast fibers that are secreted by the
mussels themselves. Last year, scientists from Germany’s Max Planck
Institute for Colloids and Interfaces analyzed these fibers
in an effort to determine how they were able to maintain their brute
strength, while also giving slightly to avoid snapping. This week,
scientists from the University of Chicago announced that they have been
able to replicate the fibers, producing an adhesive that could be used
on underwater machinery, as a surgical adhesive, or as a bonding agent
for implants. Read More
Nanotechnology has made huge advances possible in a variety of scientific fields, but the average non-scientist
may particularly appreciate one of its latest applications –
eliminating foul odors. In recent tests conducted by scientists from the
University of Florida, copper-coated silica nanoparticles were shown to
be up to twice as effective as activated carbon for neutralizing ethyl
mercaptan, which is the stinky ingredient in natural gas. Read More
Every couple of years since 2005, student teams
have been challenged to design, build and operate energy efficient, cost
effective solar houses as part of an international Solar Decathlon.
As teams show off their entries for this year's competition at the
International Builders' Show in Orlando, the U.S. Department of Energy
Solar Decathlon has announced that China is to follow Europe's lead and
host its own version of the competition in 2013. Read More
Robonaut 2 set to become first humanoid robot in space
By Darren Quick
January 31, 2011
Robonaut 2
will become the first humanoid robot to head into space next month when
the space shuttle Discovery blasts-off. R2 has been waiting for this
trip for a while, but will have to wait a little longer to get its
“space-legs” since only its torso, head and arms are making the initial
journey. Because R2’s legs are still being tested, they’ll be sent up on
a later launch, as will a few other upgrades that are designed to
ultimately allow the robot to help astronauts with extra-vehicular
activities. Read More
Rather than sound being pumped out from a
loudspeaker in all directions, the Klang speaker concept proposes using a
low level ultrasound to direct the audio only where it's required,
leaving silence everywhere else. Such a system might allow audio output
from a television to be sent to a different place in a room to sound
from a hi-fi, allowing each listener to enjoy the experience without
inconveniencing the other. Read More
Biometric Wallet opens only with a magic touch
By Ben Coxworth
January 31, 2011
If you’ve got a lot of money to throw around,
what better way to show it than by spending US$825 on the thing that you
carry said money around in? That’s the going rate for the
Biometric Wallet from Dunhill London. Its tamperproof locking carbon
fiber outer shell, leather interior and stainless steel money clip are
all nice touches, but what really makes it special – and biometric – is
the fact that it will only open with a touch of its owner’s fingerprint.
Read More
Scientists closer to practical full-spectrum solar cells
By Ben Coxworth
January 31, 2011
Scientists from the U.S. Department of Energy’s
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory have come a step closer to the
development of a commercially-viable full-spectrum solar cell.
Traditionally, due to their limited band gap (energy range),
semiconductors used in solar cells have only been able to respond to a
certain segment of the solar spectrum – this segment varies, according
to the semiconductor. Some cells have been created that respond to
everything from low-energy infrared through visible light to high-energy
ultraviolet, but these have been costly to produce and thus unfit for
common use. The new cell, however, responds to almost the entire
spectrum, and can be made using one of the semiconductor industry’s most
common manufacturing processes. Read More
Pneumatic Futurama-style transport
systems were proposed as far back as the late 1800’s following the
invention of pneumatic tubes for carrying mail around buildings. Swiss
company Acabion sees such vacuum tube-based mass transport systems
becoming a reality by 2100 and has conceived a vehicle capable of
traveling at speeds of almost 12,500 mph (20,000 km/h) on such a
platform. The company envisages a global network that would let users
circle the globe in less than two hours and make transcontinental
journeys possible in less than the time it currently takes to get across
town. Read More
True Energy refrigerators cool for ten days without power
By Ben Coxworth
January 31, 2011
Any time there’s a prolonged power outage in warm
weather, chances are that one of your first thoughts is “What’ll happen
to all the food in my fridge?”. Well, imagine if instead of a week’s
worth of groceries, your unpowered refrigerator was full of vaccines,
vital to the well-being of an entire African village. In rural third
world countries, power failures are common, as are high temperatures –
not a great combination for things that need to be kept cold.
Fortunately, some aid agencies have the option of using a True Energy
Vaccine Refrigerator. It can store US$30,000 worth of medicine below 10C
(50F) in 43C (109F) ambient temperatures, for over ten days at a time,
without power. Read More
If you’ve shelled out several thousand dollars
for a high-end road or mountain bike, it’s understandable that you might
want to bring it with you when you travel to far-away cycling locales.
Should you be traveling to compete in a race, it’s pretty much essential
that you bring the bike you’ve trained on. It’s also understandable,
however, that you might not want to entrust the safety of your precious
cargo to a simple cardboard box or giant plastic bag. While several
companies offer foam-padded bicycle-shipping cases, Biknd takes a
different approach with its Helium case – it uses inflatable air
bladders to protect your ride. Read More
Twenty years ago, quarter-liter sportsbikes ruled
the roost in many regions, offering a mix of racy looks, light weight
and snappy performance. But in recent years, with all the other major
players leaving the segment, Kawasaki has enjoyed unchallenged sales
success with its sharp-looking, yet friendly Ninja 250. But the
mini-ninja will soon face stiff competition from Honda's totally
re-conceived babyblade CBR250R, equipped with a 249cc single-cylinder,
fuel injected engine, a tasty fairing that mimics the CBR1000RR and the
first instance of optional ABS to grace the market segment. This will be
a killer learner machine and a great introduction to the sport for
legions of young riders. It's good to see the quarter-liter segment
getting some love again. Oh, and check out what the aftermarket's
already coming up with for these new machines. Read More
Consumer holographic TV creeps closer to reality
By Paul Ridden
January 30, 2011
Despite a relatively tepid consumer take-up, the buzz surrounding 3D television
is still quite intense. But even the viewing improvements offered by
stereoscopic technology may pale by comparison to the holographic
goings-on at MIT. Researchers are taking the first steps toward making
holographic technology a reality for consumers. Using primarily
off-the-shelf components, the team has managed to capture, transmit and
display a holographic subject on-the-fly. Read More
Cost to treat heart disease in United States could triple by 2030
By Karen Sprey
January 30, 2011
Most of us are aware that heart disease is the
leading cause of death in the US – and globally. But did you know that
one in three Americans (36.9 percent) have some form of heart disease,
including high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, heart failure,
stroke and other conditions. By 2030, approximately 116 million people
in the United States (40.5 percent) will have some form of
cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association predicts
treatment costs could triple in the next 20 years, from US$273 billion
to $818 billion (in 2008 dollar values), if effective prevention
strategies are not developed. Read More
We've come a long way from the early days of
aviation. Aircraft cabins used to have more in common with our living
rooms; seats were over-stuffed armchairs you could push around, and
in-flight entertainment was a game of backgammon or bridge. It's
tempting sometimes to wish for a return to those days – now it's more
about either squeezing more people in, or providing a more comfortable
experience only for those who can afford it. In this article, we're
going to take a look at some new cushy options for your tush, and some
others that seem quite outlandish ... Read More
Hubble finds a new contender for galaxy distance record
By Paul Ridden
February 1, 2011
Pushing the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope to
the very limit of its technical ability, an international collaboration
of astronomers believe they have discovered the oldest and furthest
ancient galaxy ever seen. Light from the new object is thought to have
taken some 13.2 billion years to reach the telescope, with the age of
the Universe itself said to be 13.7 billion years. It's also said to be
older than the current record holder, which set the bar by forming 600 million years after the Big Bang. Read More
Ski slope power station design headed for Denmark
By Paul Ridden
February 1, 2011
A collaboration led by the Bjarke Ingels Group
(BIG) has announced that it's been selected to design a new
waste-to-power station on the outskirts of Copenhagen. In an attempt to
unify an industrial area and residential housing, the project will turn
the vast roofing expanse of the power station into an Alpine ski resort.
Skiers will begin their downward journey from the top of the
smokestack, which will also pump out smoke rings every time a ton of
carbon dioxide is produced to remind citizens of the impact of power
consumption. Read More
Armor for nano drug release vehicles inspired by plankton
By Ben Coxworth
February 1, 2011
One of the promising areas in the field of
nanomedicine is the development of vesicles – microscopic polymer sacs,
designed to deliver a payload of medication
to specific sites in the body. Unfortunately, the body’s immune system
often sees these vesicles as intruders, sending antibodies to thwart
them in their mission. Now, drawing inspiration from plankton and
bacteria, chemists from the University of Warwick are developing armor
coatings that should help vesicles to withstand or avoid those attacks.
Read More
GoPro’s HERO HD actioncam has been probably the best-known and most widely-used actioncam
for a few years now, but it’s always had one limitation – the lack of
an LCD screen. While the camera’s 170-degree fisheye lens is sufficient
to capture most of the action, there are always those situations where
users want to check exactly how the shot is lined up, or that their
recorded footage worked out the way they hoped it would. The company’s
response was a promised add-on LCD screen module, although HERO owners
have been waiting some time for that gizmo to show itself. Well, they
need wait no longer, as GoPro announced today that its LCD BacPac is
available for purchase. Read More
ASUS adds stylish Lamborghini models to external HDD line
By Paul Ridden
February 1, 2011
If the storage capacity on your Lamborghini VX6 or VX7
notebook is getting low or you're looking to back up your data and need
a suitably stylish external HDD, ASUS has the answer. The sportscar
branding and dangerous curves of the Lamborghini External HDD aren't
just for show, the new drives come with the option of USB 3.0 data transfer speeds and up to 7200RPM spin speeds. Read More
Molybdenite outshines silicon and graphene for electronic applications
By Darren Quick
February 1, 2011
Researchers have uncovered a material that they say has distinct advantages over traditional silicon and even graphene
for use in electronics. Called molybdenite (MoS2), this mineral is
abundant in nature and is commonly used as an element in steel alloys
or, thanks to its similarity in appearance and feel to graphite, as an
additive in lubricant. But the mineral hadn’t been studied for use in
electronics, which appears to have been an oversight with new research
showing that molybdenite is a very effective semiconductor that could
enable smaller and more energy efficient transistors, computer chips and
solar cells. Read More
Twin turbines, "Oil Change" indicator ... URWERK's
description of its latest creation sounds like it should be driven, not
worn on the wrist. The UR-110 continues the Swiss timepiece innovator's
trend of producing off-beat displays – the time is shown by three
rotating "torpedoes" mounted on planetary gears that pass down a
vertical line, marked 0 to 60 minutes, on the side of the face. Sound
complicated? It's actually quite a simple to read layout and because the
time can be read by looking at only the right side, you can discretely
sneak a peak at your titanium masterpiece without upsetting those
tiresome dinner guests. Read More
Magnetic brain stimulation makes learning easier – for rats
By Darren Quick
January 31, 2011
Transcranial magnetic stimulation
(TMS) is a technology that temporarily activates – or inactivates –
parts of the brain using magnetic stimulation. Its ability to
selectively turn areas of the brain on or off allows the functions and
interconnections of the brain to by studied in a noninvasive and
painless manner. Now researchers have shown that the technology can be
used to enable rats to learn more easily. While smarter rats probably
aren’t high on anyone’s wish list, the technology shows potential for
allowing TMS to better treat a variety of brain disorders and diseases
in humans, such as severe depression and schizophrenia. Read More
The 3D bandwagon continues to gain momentum, if not followers, with the news LG
plans to unveil the world’s first 3D smartphone at Mobile World
Congress 2011 later this month in Barcelona. The LG Optimus 3D will pack
a glasses-free LCD panel as well as a dual-lens camera for capturing 3D
images and vides to help address the current lack of 3D content. It
will also feature 3D-capable HDMI 1.4 and DLNA connectivity options for
sharing 3D content. Read More
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