gizmag emerging tech

ELECTRONICS Electronic memory may bring bionic brain one step closer Researchers claim to have constructed the world's first electronic memory cell that effectively mimics the analog process of human memory and may one day lead to the creation of the first bionic brain.  read more AUTOMOTIVE Audi electrifies the track with electric biturbo TT clubsport After we saw Audi's electric "turbo" on last year's RS 5 TDI concept, we knew it was just a matter of time before it made a return. It resurfaces this year on the 2.5-liter TFSI of the all-new Audi TT clubsport concept car.  read more WEARABLE ELECTRONICS Review: Basis Peak fitness and sleep tracker The Basis Peak is a stylish wrist-worn fitness tracker which is packed with sensors to gather an array of information as you wear it day and night. Gizmag recently spent some quality time with the follow-up to the Basis B1 to put it though its paces as it monitored ours.  read more SCIENCE Fish that produce their own sunscreen could inspire improved UV protection Scientists have uncovered a technique used by a zebrafish and other animals to create their own sunscreen and then reproduced it in the lab. They say the method could one day be used to produce sun lotion for humans and other pharmaceuticals.   read more OUTDOORS Guy Hollaway Architects proposes "world's first" multi-story skate park Guy Hollaway Architects is looking to take skateparks to another level with plans for a new multi-story skatepark in the UK. The architects believe it may be the first skatepark of its kind anywhere in the world, with the plans also including facilities for trial cycling, boxing and climbing.   read more ARCHITECTURE Covert House hides in plain sight  In a bid to reduce the visual impact of a modern family home in a conservation area, London architecture firm DSDHA sunk half of Covert House into the ground and covered much of the visible structure with glass and mirrors.  read more AIRCRAFT Lily drone shoots video and pilots itself after being hurled into the air There are a number of companies looking to make consumer drones easier to handle by automating much of the piloting process. The latest to join the fray is Silicon Valley-based startup Lily, whose aircraft starts flying and snapping all by itself, all you need to do is toss it into the air.  read more ELECTRONICS Better Re battery pack gives new life to old phone batteries For the cellphone user who goes through phones quickly and always needs a charge, Enlighten's Better Re lets you get some more use out of your old phone's battery, by allowing it to slot into an adjustable external battery charger for your new phone.  read more ARCHITECTURE Urban Algae Canopy will generate a 4-hectare forest's worth of oxygen This "bio-digital" structure sees fluid filled with microalgae organisms pumped around an otherwise transparent shelter to produce dynamic shade, energy in the form of biomass, and an impressive amount of oxygen, while responding to the presence of visitors to produce interesting visual effects.  read more SCIENCE Scientists create beef that's high in fatty acids found in fish We frequently hear that eating fish is good for us, because it's full of beneficial long chain fatty acids. Chinese scientists have now created genetically-engineered beef that's high in those "good" fatty acids. read more BICYCLES RideAir takes the hard work out of roadside bike tire-pumping When it comes to inflating bike tires on the road, there are two options: a compact hand pump, or a CO2 cartridge. DesignAir Innovations, however, has created another one. It's called RideAir, and it's refillable portable compressed air pump.  read more AROUND THE HOME Genie instant cooker turns pods into meals in 30 seconds A new miniature cooker from Israel called the Genie is set to spark a revolution in meal preparation – it turns pods of freeze-dried ingredients into full meals in seconds. Everything from chicken and rice to a chocolate soufflé can be whipped up, and the inventors are just getting started.  read more COMPUTERS The $9 CHIP is real computing in a tiny form For less than the cost of a new USB cable you can make a Kickstarter pledge for tiny CHIP, the US$9 computer with 1 gig processing, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth from the company that brought us a GIF-capturing camera. A little more money turns CHIP into a mobile gadget with touchscreen and keyboard.  read more SPACE NASA-funded research seeks to produce breathable oxygen on Mars NASA is working with Indiana-based company Techshot Inc. in order to produce an abundant source of oxygen on Mars, with minimal assistance from Earth. The project is exploring the potential of using ecosystem-building pioneer organisms such as bacteria or algae as oxygen factories.  read more DIGITAL CAMERAS Fujifilm X-T1 gets substantial AF-boosting firmware update A new firmware update has been announced for the Fujifilm X-T1 mirrorless camera which will give it a significant boost when it comes to autofocus. The new Ver.4.00 firmware update will be available from late June.  read more MEDICAL New device allows for skin biopsies in under five minutes without anesthetic A team of Spanish researchers has created a new device that significantly cuts down the time required to perform a skin biopsy. The new method doesn't require any specialized skills, and could open the door to faster skin cancer diagnoses.  read more GOOD THINKING Sydney Trains sniffs out graffiti vandals with Mousetrap sensors Australia's Sydney Trains has adopted a new approach to tackling vandalism, trialling new technology designed to quickly alert staff to offenders by sniffing out spray paint vapor. While only in its infancy, the project, which know as "Mousetrap," has already produced some promising results.   read more AROUND THE HOME Sony's new LED light bulb is also a Bluetooth speaker It's not always practical or cost-effective to have a sound system in every room of your home. If your light bulbs could play music, however, it would kill two birds with one stone. Well, Sony Japan has unveiled precisely that: an LED light bulb with a built-in Bluetooth speaker. read more MOTORCYCLES Honda confirms CRF1000L Africa Twin for 2015 The legendary Africa Twin is back. Honda has announced that the new adventure model based on the True Adventure prototype shown at EICMA last November will be called CRF1000L Africa Twin, and will be available in dealerships across Europe in late 2015. read more OUTDOORS HC1 travel trailer combines modular convenience with vintage looks Style may not seem like a priority in many travel trailer and caravan designs, but the HC1 from Happier Camper has oodles of both functionality and personality, combining a highly versatile modular interior with a rather eye-catching vintage look.  read more ARCHITECTURE Black Gold project imagines oil tankers as iconic Arabic architecture We've covered shipping container architecture here at Gizmag, but what about architecture based on the entire ship? That's what Chris Collaris has envisioned with his Black Gold project, which seeks to turn oil tankers into large architectural projects for the Southern Gulf Region.  read more SPORTS Four-minute-mile stopwatch and original All Blacks Jersey go to auction With the recent rise in collectible auction prices, owning a slice of history has become more costly. The price estimates of some items on offer at a London sports memorabilia auction next week however, suggest that important sporting artifacts are still within reach of modest speculative budgets.  read more SCIENCE Secrets of Bombardier beetle's superheated defensive spray revealed Researchers have discovered how the bombardier beetle is capable of producing a unique defensive mechanism, whereby the beetle induces a chemical explosion inside it's shell, creating a boiling, toxic liquid which is then sprayed at its aggressor.  read more MOBILE TECHNOLOGY iMbrief briefcase's feature list is anything but brief There are two types of people who will likely be interested in Magicubie's new iMbrief (pronounced "I'm brief") briefcase: those in high-powered, fast-moving, security-sensitive jobs and those who want to pretend they're a spy. Its host of features will surely satisfy either individual.  read more AIRCRAFT AeroMobil flying car prototype crashes When you're developing something as complex and ambitious as a flying car, you've got to expect a few hiccups along the way – and Slovakia-based AeroMobil certainly experienced one last Friday, when its AeroMobil 3.0 prototype crash-landed.   read more WEARABLE ELECTRONICS Researchers try to improve smartwatch typing with two new keyboard concepts A bi-national team of researchers has designed two prototypes of soft keyboards for wearable devices. Callout creates a callout of the character requested while ZShift. enhances the callout area with one level of zoom of the occluded area.   read more COMPUTERS Skype Translator preview now available for all Windows 8.X users to try If you were geared up about that Skype Translator preview that Microsoft announced a year ago, but weren't able to get into the closed preview, today is your lucky day.  read more SPECIAL PROMOTION FOR GIZMAG READERS Get The OrbitKey Leather Key Organizer & Bottle Opener For 25% Off We all know what a bunch of keys can do to your leg if you’re carrying them in a pocket; for your smartphone, they are arch enemies. The OrbitKey organizer holds keys (along with a bottle opener) in a protective leather loop to prevent such issues, and it currently has 26% off.  read more