From electron microscopes to X-rays, high-tech tools expose low-tech art forgery
The Indianapolis Museum of Art has over a million dollars worth of equipment for helping restore art, but conservation scientist Greg Smith and Glennis Rayermann, then a Ph.D student, used it to spot a probable forgery by Icilio Federico Joni.
NYPD pulls thousands of body cams after one explodes
The NYPD has recalled thousands of body cameras after one of them exploded. No one was injured in the incident, which is thought to have been caused by the battery. The NYPD said an officer picked up the camera on Sunday, but noticed smoke coming from it. After putting it down, "the device exploded."
Flying food: Uber has set a target date to use drones for meal delivery
Uber is better known for taking people around town, but it also has a growing meal-delivery business called UberEats. It currently uses cars and bikes to deliver the food, but now has plans to use drones, too. Indeed, a job ad spotted over the weekend reveals the company even has a date in mind to launch the service.
Behind the unsettling sci-fi landscapes of Simon Stalenhag’s ‘Electric State’
The narrative artbook follows the journey of a young traveler, Michelle, and her robot, Skip, as they head west to the Pacific coast through an alternative America torn apart by civil war and the trappings of military-grade virtual reality.
Death from above? How we’re preparing for a future filled with weaponized drones
Drones are everywhere. Shooting videos, finding quake survivors, delivering medicine, and performing safety inspections. They’re also causing mayhem and death. We’re going to need a new set of detection and defense technologies to keep our infrastructure, our institutions, and our children safe. This is how we do it.
Scientists want to bore holes through clouds using lasers from satellites
Researchers at the University of Geneva in Switzerland have proposed a plan to use ultra-hot and ultra-short laser beams to punch through cloud layers and transmit information from satellites to Earth. The technique could be used to send thousands of times more information more securely.
This 3D-printed house made of earth and rice husks costs less than an iPhone
Looking for a new, affordable house? Italian 3D-printing company WASP has just 3D printed a hut structure using a combination of 3D-printed concrete, rice husks, and a mud-based material. And, of course, its giant, crane-based 3D printer. Total cost of the build? Around $1,000.
A Fitbit for your cat shit: Automatic litter box tracks your kitty’s health
It may look like a sci-fi teleportation chamber, but Footloose is a high-tech potty that promises to be the most cutting-edge way imaginable for your kitty to take a dump. Who knows? With its smart A.I. technology, it might even save your beloved cat's life one day.
When tech goes wrong: Banksy’s shredder was meant to totally destroy his artwork
Banksy recently set up one of his most famous pieces of work to self-shred just seconds after it auctioned for more than $1 million earlier this month. But a fault with the shredder built into the frame has left the buyer with something almost certainly worth far more than the $1 million winning bid.
Biologists have found a hormone that could make space farming possible
Researchers at the University of Zurich have shown how space farming may be possible. By encouraging plants to excrete a certain hormone, they’ve demonstrated that crops can thrive despite challenging conditions, such as low-nutrient soil and microgravity.
For only $4,950, you can get jetpack lessons from the world’s only instructor
Have you ever dreamed of flying using a jetpack? Well, JetPack Aviation founder -- and the world's only qualified jetpack instructor -- David Mayman is now offering a day of jetpack flight. Here's how much it will cost you, and what you'll learn during your time together.
You’re so vein: Palm-based biometric system could help confirm your identity
Move over, Face ID! The next biometric security systems could rely on analyzing the specific vein patterns in your palm print. As it turns out, these vascular maps are just as unique as the other biometric markers that drive technologies like fingerprint or retina scanners.
Scientists created a condom that self-lubricates during sex. You’re welcome
Researchers from Boston University have invented a special coating for condoms which make them respond to bodily fluids by becoming more slippery. And it's all thanks to a brief from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Here's how their impressive new breakthrough works.
How Vantablack, the darkest material ever, can take gaming to a new level
Vantablack is the world's darkest material, capable of absorbing virtually all of the light that touches it. What's it like to be in a room fully painted in the cutting edge nanomaterial? The makers of one of the year's top video games teamed up with Vantablack's creators to find out.
Skydio’s self-flying drone now has an Apple Watch app for flight prep
Skydio's clever R1 autonomous drone now has its own Apple Watch app, making flight preparations simpler than ever. The $2,000 flying machine is now also available at Apple Stores in the U.S. and Canada, marking its first availability beyond the company's own online store.
Johns Hopkins’ lab-grown human retina could lead to big insights
Scientists from Johns Hopkins University have successfully grown human retina tissue from scratch in a lab. The pioneering work could help with the development of new therapeutics related to eye diseases, such as macular degeneration, the most common cause of vision loss.
Ekster 3.0 lets you ask, ‘Alexa, where did I leave my wallet?’
Ekster's newest smart wallet is its best yet. It's slimmer than ever, available in new colors, boasts a neat card-dispensing mechanism, and will even let you know where it is, thanks to Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant integration. Here's how you can get your hands on one.
Vector, the engaging Alexa-like robot, is ready to roam around your home
Anyone who has ever watched Star Wars, Short Circuit, or WALL-E has surely dreamed about having a robot buddy to come live with them. After a successful Kickstarter campaign from Anki, we no longer have to dream. The Vector home robot is here, and he looks amazing.
Japanese scientists are chewing over an ‘electric gum’ that never loses flavor
Researchers in Japan may have found the secret to unlimited chewing gum -- and it just involves zapping your tongue with electricity. Using this technique they can fool your tongue into experiencing flavors using the so-called piezoelectric effect. Here's how it all works.
Healthy mice born from two genetic mothers using stem cells, gene editing
Healthy mice have been born from two mothers, and later went on to bear healthy offspring of their own, according to a recent paper published by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences. The research could pave the way for advanced breeding methods in other mammals.
This gadget lets you sleep on airplanes without snuggling a stranger
Odd gadget, or a hug for your face? The Napup Fly+ is a travel pillow, sleep mask, and personal speaker system all rolled into one. The ergonomic support attaches to the back of the headrest and holds your head up, so you don't wind up sleeping on the shoulder of the passenger next to you.
MIT is building a new $1 billion college dedicated to all things A.I.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) has announced a new $1 billion college of computing that is designed to offer the best possible education to future machine learning A.I. experts. The college will offer its first program starting in the fall semester of 2019. You'd better get applying!
Self-correcting quadcopter can keep itself aloft even if one rotor fails
Quadcopters may have four rotors, but most will fail to fly effectively unless all four are in working order. Researchers from the Netherlands think that's a problem -- and they've come up with a means to allow drones to fly if just three rotors are functioning. Here's what it looks like.
Drop everything and watch Boston Dynamics’ robo-dog dance to ‘Uptown Funk’
After a few years of Earthbound training, Boston Dynamics’ SpotMini robot dog is ready to take on Mars. Bruno Mars, to be precise. Check out Skynet's future pet getting down to Mars' 2014 ear-worm 'Uptown Funk.' It's the most cheerful reminder of the rise of the machines you'll see today.
What is deep learning?
What is deep learning? This branch of AI programming works to create computer systems inspired by the way the brain works. These systems are especially good at dealing with large amounts of data and interpreting human-based content, like voices and facial features.
Tokyo robotic warehouse needs almost no human workers
Uniqlo has unveiled its first robot-powered warehouse that requires 90 percent fewer human workers and can operate around the clock. The Japanese clothing giant plans to invest close to $1 billion dollars to convert all of its warehouses worldwide into high-tech shipping hubs.
‘Bloodhound’ rocket car needs a speedy cash injection to survive
The company behind the rocket-powered Bloodhound car needs a multi-million-dollar cash injection to save its dream of attempting a land speed record of 1,000 mph. The team has been working on the supersonic vehicle for the last 10 years and has its sights set on a record attempt in 2020.
This intelligent parachute system can bail out clumsy drone pilots
Parachutes can save drones from damage — and prevent injuries on the ground — when they unexpectedly fall from the sky. Among a number of such systems, Austrian company Drone Rescue is this week showing off its latest design that automatically deploys when it senses trouble.
Shrimp eyes inspire new camera focused on helping self-driving cars see better
By mimicking the vision of mantis shrimp, researchers were able to make significant improvements on today’s commercial cameras. They hope their technology can help mitigate accidents by letting self-driving vehicles see more clearly and making underwater GPS more accurate.
Here’s how Microsoft’s Hololens is helping NASA build the new Orion spacecraft
Lockheed Martin is turning to Microsoft’s mixed reality Hololens smartglasses to help its technicians build NASA's new Orion spacecraft, which could one day help rocket astronauts as far afield as Mars. Here's how it's helping them replace dusty old, 1500-page paper manuals.
Regular paints and plastics will soon be able to ‘heal’ like skin
Imagine if it was possible for paints, plastics, or other coatings to heal up like human skin in the event that they suffered damage. That’s what researchers at Clemson University have been working toward -- and their solution is almost ready for mass-manufacturing prime time.
With cameras that know dogs from Dodges, Honda is making intersections safer
Honda and the city of Marysville, Ohio are working on creating a smart intersection. The goal would not only help better direct the flow of traffic, it could also help save the lives of pedestrians and cyclists.
Boston Dynamics is trying to make fetch happen with its new working robot dog
Boston Dynamics wants to see Spot in the workplace, but not as part of take-your-dog-to-work days. Quite the opposite, in fact, as the Massachusetts-based technology company believes its extraordinary robo-dog is now ready to start work, and a new video shows exactly why.
The deaf gamers making gaming more accessible
A group of deaf and hard-of-hearing players have taken to social media, blogs, and streaming to increase awareness of accessibility issues in the gaming industry.