gizmag

MOTORCYCLES MotoGP bans aerodynamic wings amidst controversy
	The Grand Prix Commission delivered its final verdict on the use of aerodynamic wings, banning them from all racing classes from 2017 onwards. Citing safety concerns, the ruling followed the manufacturers’ failure to reach a unanimous agreement, and sparked complaints from Ducati.Read more

MUSIC Huge music box puts tune creation in the hands of the public
	​If your idea of a music box is a tiny tabletop tinkler that plays chirpy tunes, think again. Niklas Roy's monstrous Music Construction Machine makes use of real instruments to play constantly changing tunes when the huge hand crank is turned.Read more

AUTOMOTIVE Charging for charging: UK EV drivers to lose free power privileges
	UK electric vehicle drivers are set to lose their free access to charging points provided by Ecotricity. The green energy supplier, which says its Electric Highway car charging network is the most comprehensive in Europe, has announced that 20-minute rapid charging will now cost £5 (US$6.50).Read more

GOOD THINKING Fungarium and Astro Mini Farm triumph in Star Trek replicator challenge
	The next generation of trekkies is off to an inspiring start with winners recently named in the Future Engineers 3D Printing Star Trek Replicator Challenge. The budding student scientists were invited to engineer the future of food production for long space flights and manned missions on Mars.Read more

SPACE Hybrid balloon/glider designed to wing its way through Titan's atmosphere
	​With oceans of methane and an atmosphere that could host non-water-based lifeforms, it’s no surprise that scientists want to learn more about Saturn’s moon Titan. To that end, a new project by GAC and NGAS is developing a new exploration vehicle to soar through the skies of that mysterious moon.Read more

AROUND THE HOME AI deep learning system helps keep lawn cat poop-free
	Motivated by the dual desires to learn about neural net software and keep his lawn cat poop-free, software engineer Robert Bond rigged up a system that detects when cats – and only cats – stroll into his yard, and responds by turning on the sprinklers.Read more

AIRCRAFT Embraer 170 becomes first non-Boeing ecoDemonstrator flying testbed
	Boeing showed off the latest aircraft in its ecoDemonstrator program today, rolling out a specially modified version of an Embraer E170 designed to study ways to make aircraft aircraft greener and more efficient. Read more

MARINE Yamaha's autonomous boat makes surveying a breeze
	Silt buildup can damage a dam's ability to effectively collect water, which means they need to be scanned and dredged periodically. Yamaha has developed an autonomous boat designed to make the mundane task of dam and lake bed sediment surveying a little bit easier.Read more

SPACE NASA works to wake up Curiosity as mission gets two-year extension
	​​NASA's Curiosity Mars rover has been cleared for another two-year extended mission to study the Red Planet – if it can wake up. Since July 2, the unmanned explorer has been in safe mode and engineers are trying to find out why. Read more

SCIENCE Robotic ray made with rat cells can be steered by light
	Researchers from a variety of universities have just announced that they've taken a different approach to make a soft robot. To create their robotic ray, they engineered some pretty special heart cells and attached them to a golden skeleton. Read more

HEALTH & WELLBEING Scientists identify neurons that drive drinking habits
	Scientists from Texas A&M identify the neurons in mice that drive them to drink more and curb their drinking habits. Read more

SPACE Giant exoplanet with three suns surprises with its stable orbit
	​​Astronomers have detected the first-ever exoplanet holding a wide stable orbit in a chaotic triple star system.Read more

AUTOMOTIVE Skoda's most powerful car yet is Superb
	For a long time, Skoda was a byword for poor performance, build and looks. That may not be the case any more, with its new Superb 2.0 TSI said to be faster than many of the supercars that were most celebrated while its own star was at its lowest.Read more

GAMES Nvidia's GTX 1060 is VR-ready and affordable
	​Nvidia has announced its latest mainstream graphics card in the form of the GeForce GTX 1060. The new GPU offers a big performance jump over its predecessor, and is certified VR Ready, making it more affordable than ever to jump into the enticing world of virtual reality.Read more

AROUND THE HOME Ilumi heads outdoors with weatherproof smart LED strip
	There are plenty of indoor wireless-connected LED lighting options, but the pickings are slimmer for those looking to brighten up patios or backyards. Ilumi is looking to change that with its LED Smartstrip, which it claims is the first outdoor-rated strip with digitally addressable LEDs.Read more

MATERIALS Future buildings may be tough as coconuts
	If you've ever tried cracking open a coconut, then you're no doubt aware of how strong they are. Well, scientists recently analyzed coconut shells, to see what makes them so tough. Their findings could lead the way to building materials that are better able to withstand earthquakes.Read more

SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR GIZMAG READERS Intro to Unity 3D Game Development Bundle
	Ever wanted to create mobile games? Well, Unity 3D has made it easier than ever, and with this course bundle you'll learn how to optimize this powerful game engine to create amazing, interactive games for iOS and Android.Read more