Monday, June 1, 2015

gizmag

SCIENCE
MIT physicists build world's first fermion microscope
Researchers working at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) claim to have created a microscope able to image fermions; the fundamental particles that make up all matter in the universe.  read more
GOOD THINKING
Review: Jawbone UP Move fitness tracker
The Jawbone UP Move is a simple fitness tracker which can monitor your daily activity and sleep patterns. Gizmag recently spent some time with the wearable to see whether this entry-level tracker is worth clipping on.  read more
LAPTOPS
Nvidia brings G-Sync to notebooks
Nvidia has announced that a range of laptops will launch this month that take advantage of its G-Sync technology. Previously only available through a limited number of supported displays, the tech works to eliminate stutter and screen tearing when playing games.  read more
ARCHITECTURE
Converted Chicago railway line, The 606, becomes park in the sky
A new public park and trail system will open in the US city of Chicago this weekend. The 606, so-called because of the Chicago ZIP code prefix, is built on the former route of the Bloomingdale Line railway track. Its centerpiece is a 2.7-mi (4.3 km) elevated recreation and cultural trail.  read more
COMPUTERS
Windows 10 slated for July 29 availability as free upgrade
Microsoft has announced that the next version of its Windows operating system, Windows 10, will be made available at the end of next month. Existing Windows 7 and Windows 8.1 users can reserve a free upgrade to the platform now.  read more
ENVIRONMENT
Coated polymer stack promises to keep your roof cool in summer 
Of all the scenarios you'd want to find yourself in during a heatwave, being barefoot on a hot tin roof would be toward the bottom of the list. But scientists have developed a material said to keep a rooftop cooler than the air that surrounds it, saving energy and sweating residents in the process.  read more
SCIENCE
New SUSTAIN wind-wave research center creates roaring indoor hurricanes
A freshly built indoor tank designed to study category five storms is now open for business at the University of Miami. As the only one of its kind in the world, it is hoped to bring a new understanding of these destructive superstorms.   read more
ROBOTICS
Amazon Picking Challenge aimed at improving warehouse robotics
One of the biggest events at the recent 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) in Seattle was the first Amazon Picking Challenge, in which 31 teams from around the world were tasked with building a robot that can do the same job as an Amazon stock picker.  read more
ROBOTICS
Tough robots keep working even after losing limbs
Animals adapt to survive and researchers from France and the US are developing robots that can keep working even after receiving major damage.  read more
ROBOTICS
Highlights from the ICRA 2015 robotics conference in Seattle
The city of Seattle saw a robotic population explosion this week as the 2015 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation (ICRA) descended on the Washington State Convention Center.   read more
AIRCRAFT
Solar Impulse takes off on longest leg of round-the-world flight
With Swiss pilot André Borschberg at the controls, the solar-powered, single-pilot Solar Impulse 2 airplane took off from Nanjing Lukou Airport in China today bound for Hawaii on the longest leg of its round-the-world flight. read more
GOOD THINKING
Project Jacquard hands-on: Google's crazy/brilliant idea to make touchscreen clothing
This year's Google I/O gave us Android M and updated Google Cardboard, along with free and unlimited photo storage. But it wouldn't be Google if there weren't also some moonshots in there. We go hands-on with one of them, Project Jacquard.  read more
OUTDOORS
EarthCruiser FX 4x4 expedition vehicle rolls far off the beaten track
The EarthRoamer XV-HD wasn't the only all-new earth-shaking expedition vehicle at this year's Overland Expo West. Similarly named competitor EarthCruiser showed the FX, a new simpler, lower-priced Mitsubishi Fuso-based expedition truck with fixed roof.  read more
MILITARY
Lightweight High-Energy Liquid Laser (HELLADS) prepared for live fire tests
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' High-Energy Liquid Laser Defense System (HELLADS) has gained US government approval and is now on its way to the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico for live-fire tests.  read more
AUTOMOTIVE
Audi's R8 e-tron electric sports car now drives itself 
At the inaugural CES Asia show, Audi made the R8 e-tron even more high-tech, rolling its autonomous driving suite into the electric coupe. The R8 e-tron piloted driving concept can unleash 456-hp worth of performance on the street ... without a driver.   read more
ROBOTICS
Terapio autonomous robot designed to replace medical carts
Doctors and nurses in Japan may soon have some robotic company when making their rounds. That's because researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology are developing an omnidirectional robot named Terapio, that's designed to take the place of a traditional medical cart.  read more
MOTORCYCLES
TE Connectivity 3D-prints a functioning motorcycle
Unveiled at Rapid 2015 in Long Beach, California, TE Connectivity’s exercise in 3D printing demonstrates for the first time the ability to design a motorcycle on a computer, print it in plastic, add tires and a motor, then take it for a spin.  read more
OUTDOORS
Solavore camping oven cooks and bakes with the power of the sun
Most of the equipment we saw at Overland Expo came in large, XL and XXXL sizes, but there were also a few interesting accessories on show. The Solavore Sport oven is a simple cooking device that transforms the sun's rays into baking and slow-cooking heat.  read more
BICYCLES
Ding bike light uses two beams to shine down and out
When cycling at night, it's important not just to be seen from the front and back but also from the sides. That's why the Ding headlight puts out one beam that shines forward, along with a second one that lights up the road directly to either side of the bike.   read more
MUSIC
Dual-driver M4U 4 earphones promise perfect listening room audio experience
For its first foray into a crowded earphone space, PSB Speakers is aiming straight for the audiophile jugular with a combination of hybrid dual-drivers and its own Roomfeel technology.  read more
SCIENCE
Smartphone and tablet could be used for cheap, portable medical biosensing
As mobile technology progresses, we're seeing more and more examples of low-cost diagnostic systems being created for use in developing nations. One of the latest incorporates little more than a smartphone, tablet, polarizer and box to test body fluid samples for diseases.  read more
ARCHITECTURE
World's largest hotel proposed for Mecca
Architecture conglomerate Dar Al-Handasah is aiming to build the world's largest hotel in Mecca. Dubbed Abraj Kudai, it's reportedly due to open its doors in 2017.  read more
AROUND THE HOME
Room-in-a-Box cardboard bedroom pops up in 30 minutes
Our Paper Life's new Room in a Box idea is aimed at minimizing the time and cost required to furnish a room. Each kit contains pieces that slot together without the need for tools or glue to create furniture for an entire bedroom. What's more, it only takes 30 minutes to put together.  read more
MEDICAL
New study shows Peek eye test app works like a pro
Peek, the app and hardware kit to make eye tests more portable and mobile, has been shown to be as accurate as professional grade equipment. Tests with Peek were carried out with participants in Kenya, who were then re-tested at clinics for comparison.  read more
AIRCRAFT
Bad weather forces Solar Impulse to land in Japan
The Solar Impulse team reports that the aircraft is making an unscheduled stopover in Nagoya, Japan. The plan was to cross a weather front just before Hawaii on solar day 5, but the latest forecasts looked grim so the decision was made to land and wait for better weather conditions.  read more
AUTOMOTIVE
Volvo joins BMW and VW in offering support for wearables
With the growth of wearable technology, car manufacturers are pushing to integrate support for devices into their vehicles. With similar capabilities to the apps released by VW and BMW, Volvo has jumped aboard with an update to its On Call app, which now works with Android Wear and Apple Watch.  read more
SPACE
LightSail probe back on line
The Planetary Society's LightSail CubeSat has phoned home. After being "paused" a over a week ago due to a software error, the Society reports that the solar sail technology demonstrator has now rebooted itself.  read more
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