gizmag emerging tech

MOTORCYCLES
Interview: Richard Hatfield, founder and CEO of Lightning Motorcycles
	Having road tested the world's fastest production motorcycle, which happens to be electric, we sit down with its creator. Richard Hatfield, founder and CEO of Lightning Motorcycles speaks at length about the LS-218, the electric vehicle business, the state of battery technology and more. read more
LAPTOPS
Asus G501 gaming laptop offers a thin build, 4K display and 960M graphics
	The new ROG G501 from Asus pairs a thin build and high-end internals with Nvidia's latest GeForce GTX960M GPU. The graphics card is designed specifically for gaming notebooks that put an emphasis on portability, and offers compatibility with a range of Nvidia features and technologies. read more
ARCHITECTURE
Tornado-shaped concept tower tempts fate in Tulsa
	In a considerable display of chutzpah, Oklahoma-based firm Kinslow, Keith & Todd (KKT) has unveiled a plan to build a tornado-shaped tower in tornado-prone Tulsa.read more
SPACE
Expedition 42 astronauts touch down in Kazakhstan
	NASA astronaut Barry Wilmore and Roscosmos cosmonauts Alexander Samokutyaev and Elena Serova have safely touched down in Kazakhstan, with the landing heralding the end of a 167-day mission to the International Space Station. read more
SCIENCE
Machine automatically assembles complex molecules at the microscopic level
	Complex molecules are used in everything from cell research to semiconductor development, but they are difficult and time-consuming to produce. Now researchers from the University of Illinois have created a machine that automatically assembles these tiny structures. read more
SPACE
Saturnian moon may have deep-ocean vents that harbor life
	Data from NASA's Cassini spacecraft now indicates that the plumes from Saturn's moon Enceladus may be due to present-day hydrothermal activity in the vast ocean beneath the crust of the frozen moon, raising the possibility that Enceladus may harbor life. read more
AIRCRAFT
eBumper4 sonar system can be retrofitted to popular drones to avoid collisions
	Maybe not as glamorous as drones that go faster or shoot beautiful images, but making them less likely to crash into objects is still critical to advancing the technology. Startup Panoptes' answer to this is a kit that can be slapped onto certain consumer drones to stop them running into things. read more
OUTDOORS
Mogo Freedom gullwing trailer hauls outdoor gear, sleeps two
	The Mogo Freedom trailer is the latest member of a new generation of small, versatile camping trailers. It opens the walls of camping trailer design to create a super-simple, ultra-versatile shelter and toy hauler. read more
BICYCLES
Erembald bike is laser-cut from stainless steel
	Belgian industrial designer Tobias Knockaert recently told us about his stainless steel Erembald bike, that he's producing along with partner Karel Vincke. In order to keep prices down, its frame is cut by lasers and put together like a puzzle. read more
COMPUTERS
BBC to give away a million micro computers to coders of tomorrow
	The BBC has launched a new education initiative named Make it Digital, at the center of which is a new micro computing platform called, for the moment, the Micro Bit. The Corporation aims to ensure that every 11 year-old in the UK gets one of these mini development boards for free. read more
ENVIRONMENT
New material promises more efficient carbon capture
	Many technologies developed for capturing carbon dioxide emissions have a limitation – in order to reclaim the captured CO2, a considerable amount of energy is needed. Now, however, scientists have developed a new carbon-capture material that requires far less energy in order to give up its payload. read more
DIGITAL CAMERAS
Review: Eyefi's Mobi Pro card can wirelessly send your RAW photos
	Eyefi has launched its latest line of wireless SD cards. The new Eyefi Mobi Pro cards are aimed at enthusiast and professional photographers and feature selective transfer and the ability to send RAW files to your computer or phone. We recently took one for a spin to see what it could do. read more
HEALTH AND WELLBEING
Melomind headset plays chilled-out tunes in response to your brain waves
	The emergence of consumer electroencephalography (EEG) devices is giving us new ways to monitor and train our brains. One such device is the Melomind, which promises to help users better manage stress. To do so, it delivers 15-minute sessions of specially designed music. read more
AROUND THE HOME
Cimagine brings its markerless virtual reality shopping platform to the masses
	Cimagine has partnered with Shop Direct to bring its markerless augmented reality solution directly to the consumer. We got a chance to catch up with the company at the Virtual Reality/Wearable Technology Show in London this week. read more
SCIENCE
New self-cleaning paint stands up to wear and tear
	How would you like to be able to wash your car by just hosing it off – no soap, scrubbing or drying? You may be able to in the not-too-distant future, thanks to an ultra-hydrophobic (water-repelling) paint that can be applied to a variety of surfaces, and that stays on once applied. read more
ARCHITECTURE
Berkeley researchers pioneer new powder-based concrete 3D printing technique
	3D printing seems posed to become important in architecture, but it's early days yet. One potential step forward comes from a team of UC Berkeley researchers led by Associate Professor of Architecture Ronald Rael, who are pioneering a system of powder-based cement 3D-printing. read more
ARCHITECTURE
Tricentennial Tower double helix gondola ride planned for New Orleans
	Designs have been unveiled for a 320 ft (98 m) observation tower and vertical gondola ride in New Orleans. The Tricentennial Tower concept is part of plans to redevelop the World Trade Center New Orleans building. read more