Sweating up a storm? A new health sensor will eat that up
Today’s wearables generally depend upon your pulse and heart rate to gauge your fitness and health, but a team of scientists from Stanford are taking a closer look atcreated a flexible wearable that senses cortisol levels in sweat.
The coming hydrogen fuel cell evolution
Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe, and on Earth. Our oceans are mostly made of Hydrogen. So why have hydrogen fuel cells had such a hard time catching on? We met with the California Fuel Cell Partnership to get the low-down on how they can make hydrogen-fed cars more mainstream.
Explore the deep blue sea with these awesome underwater drones
This underwater drone revolution is underway thanks to a handful of ambitious drone manufacturers willing to push the limits on drone technology. Check out our list of the best underwater drones available currently for purchase or pre-order.
Weekend workshop: Make this 3D-printed side table, even without a 3D printer
You can't 3D print a full piece of furniture, but you can 3D print joints that make building your own furniture a snap. In this article, we'll show you how to do just that, and create an awesome tripod end table that's partially 3D printed
Can a gadget save you from the distraction of gadgets? We tried Foci
Foci is a biometric wearable that looks a lot like a bluetooth earpiece that you wear on your waist. Using tiny sensors and a machine learning algorithm to monitor your breathing patterns, Foci helps identify your cognitive state and keep your mind on track if it begins to wander.
DARPA’s latest endeavor is a tiny robotics challenge called the SHRIMP Olympics
DARPA is seeking proposals for tiny robots, weighing less than a gram and smaller than one cubic centimeter, to compete against one another in a 'series of Olympic-themed competitions.' The hope is to develop new robots which can be used in emergency search and rescue missions.
Prototype ‘smart bandage’ can detect infections and auto-apply antibiotics
Researchers at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln have developed a new, sensor-equipped smart bandage that's not just capable of checking whether a wound is infected, but also proactively treating it with antibiotics if it deems this to be the case. Here's how it works.
Prisons are fighting back against contraband-dropping drones. Here’s how
The threat of people smuggling contraband into prisons via drone is a genuine threat here in 2018. To defend against this misuse of unmanned aerial vehicles, prison technologies company Securus Technologies has created a new smart drone detection system, called AirWarden.
Blue Origin reaches a big milestone, lands rocket booster and crew capsule
Blue Origin is inching ever closer to sending folks into space, and with tickets slated to cost around $250,000, it's safe to say that folks are getting antsy for their opportunity to blast off. Jeff Bezos' space endeavor completed its most important test - a live separation of its crew capsule from its rocket booster
Geologists discover a quadrillion tons of diamonds that are impossible to reach
A journey below Earth's crust. A global team of scientists. And a bounty of a quadrillion ton of diamonds, which are darn near impossible to reach. No, it’s not Dwayne Johnson’s next summer blockbuster, but a real geology discovery by researchers at MIT and other universities.
Genetically modified bacteria may be the key to plants that fertilize themselves
Scientists from Washington University in St. Louis have developed genetically engineered bacteria capable of pulling fertilizer out of thin air. Because bioavailable nitrogen is a critical nutrient for crop productivity, this could turn out to be an agricultural game-changer.
Gotta catch em all: Harvard’s undersea grabber is a Poké Ball for sea life
Harvard University’s new folding robot grabber is designed to be able to perform delicate feats, such as catching underwater creatures with ease -- and, crucially, without injuring them in the process. Here's how it works, and just what makes it so impressively innovative.
Moving around in zero gravity is hard. MIT’s solution? Spider-Man’s web shooter
Researchers from MIT have been researching optimal ways for astronauts to more easily move around in microgravity conditions. One of their suggestions? That astronauts use Spider-Man-style web shooters to pull themselves from location to location. Check out the device they created.
World’s first VR-augmented waterslide is totally unnecessary, but also amazing
An amusement park in Germany unveiled the world's first waterslide that requires riders to wear a virtual reality headset. The results sound unusual, but also kind of awesome at the same time. Here's what went into making this particular waterlogged VR dream a reality.
Rolls-Royce is creating a fleet of robotic snakes and beetles to repair planes
Want to know what the future of airplane engine maintenance is? According to researchers from Rolls-Royce it involves a combination of snake and swarms of insect-inspired robots, designed to crawl inside engines to carry out inspections and perform maintenance. Check out a preview.
12 new moons were discovered orbiting Jupiter, and one’s an ‘oddball’
Jupiter's got 12 new moons. Well, not exactly. Those dozen moons have, of course, always been in Jupiter's orbit, but it was only this week that researchers from the Carnegie Institution for Science announced their discovery. The new additions bring the total number of moons (that we know of) to 79.
From picking to pollinating, agribots are pushing farming into the future
Agricultural scientists are turning to emerging technologies, such as robotics and AI, to help deal with the challenges associated with modern-day farming. Here are some of the tech being harvested today.
New VR horror game gets scarier if your heart rate isn’t fast enough
In new VR game Bring to Light, players have the option of strapping on a heart rate monitor to help personalize the game’s fear factor. Get too comfortable with the experience, and the game’s A.I. will know to ramp up the terror. Because who wants a relaxing game experience, right?
The UN and Yale unite to build a ‘smart’ tiny house for the future
In an effort to create more sustainable and affordable housing for future populations, the United Nations and Yale University recently teamed together and created the Ecological Living Module, a roughly 240-square-foot tiny house, which they designed to test ways to minimize water and natural resources.
Man vs. machine: An A.I. algorithm attempts to break a world speed record
A new machine learning algorithm created at Switzerland’s EPFL is being used to design what its creators hope is the world's fastest bicycle. The A.I.-designed vehicle will be put to the test later this year when it attempts the World Human-Powered Speed Challenge in Nevada.
New light-emitting implant zaps cancer tumors with incredible precision
Researchers from Japan's Waseda University have developed a light-emitting, NFC-powered implant which could help battle cancer in sensitive parts of the body by emitting light. Here's how it works, and what its creator plan to do to get it from the lab to real patients.
Rolls-Royce wants to put you in a flying taxi come the early 2020s
Rolls-Royce wants to take you for a ride in the skies. The U.K.-based jet engine maker has unveiled a new concept for a propulsion system that would power a flying taxi. This would rival similar offerings from Airbus and Uber, and could make air travel far more common (and affordable) than ever before.
Pilot’s sneaky puff on his e-cigarette causes chaos on passenger plane
A relaxing smoke turned out to be anything but for an Air China pilot last week. As he flew from Hong Kong to a city in eastern China, an effort to prevent the vapor from reaching the passengers in the cabin ended up causing untold chaos on the aircraft, with the incident ultimately costing the pilot his job.
Aston Martin flying concept brings style and luxury to the skies
Aston Martin has joined the list of companies racing to deploy flying taxis above the world's most crowded cities. Envisioned for ultra-wealthy commuters, the Volante Vision concept previews a hybrid aircraft with vertical take-off and landing capability. It could become a reality in the near future.
Nintendo Virtual Boy emulator lets you enjoy VR like it’s 1995 again
Compared with today's VR headsets, Nintendo’s ill-fated, red-tinted head-mounted Virtual Boy display now looks massively dated. However, thanks to modern Oculus Rift headsets, you can now relive it -- courtesy of an emulator that makes you believe it's 1995 all over again.
These 3D-printed houses could be one-tenth the price of regular homes
Could 3D printed houses be the way of the future? Researchers from Estonia have created a 3D printable concrete-style material that’s created from milled peat, oil shale ash, and silica nanoparticles. The results could reduce the construction costs of houses by around 10 times.
AirSelfie’s second-gen selfie drone with better flight time is now available
AirSelfie's second-generation drone more than doubles the original's camera resolution, quadruples its internal memory, and adds 50 percent more flight time. The drone, which was originally shown off at CES 2018 in Las Vegas, is now available at a retail price of $199.95.
Spider silk could be used to create artificial skin to help heal wounds
From creating super-strong shields to forming microcapsules to deliver drugs inside the body, spider silk is pretty versatile stuff. The latest use for its unusual mix of strength and elasticity? Creating artificial skin and dressings for helping heal wounds. Here's how it works.
The BlackFly by Opener is a flying car that could turn us all into pilots
Forget self-driving cars. The race to build the first flying car is now very much on. This week, California-based startup Opener officially entered the flying car space with BlackFly, heralded as "the world’s first ultralight all-electric fixed-wing vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft."
Lockheed Martin 3D printed an impressive titanium dome for satellite fuel tanks
Lockheed Martin has just taken 3D printing to new heights, printing an enormous titanium dome meant for satellite fuel tanks. It's the largest space part the firm has 3D printed to date, and measures 46 inches in diameter. This month, the new structure passed its last rounds of quality testing.
Elon Musk fires back at British diver who was critical of his submarine
While Elon Musk's offer of a submarine to help rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach from a Thailand cave made for interesting news and likely helped keep the emergency in the public eye, not everyone is thrilled with Musk. Vern Unsworth, a British diver who played a major role in the rescue, called the sub a PR stunt.
These ‘tentacular’ jellyfish lamps bring the deep sea to the surface
In the tradition of bio-inspiration, a German designer named Max Jürgensen in a labor of love has created a stunning lamp that mimics the appearance and movement of jellyfish. The Jellyfish Motion Lights, now being crowdfunded, are part lamp, part installation, and completely captivating.
Chinese authorities break up billion-dollar cryptocurrency gambling ring
Chinese law enforcement authorities have broken up a more than 1.5 billion-dollar gambling ring that made use of the dark web and cryptocurrencies to facilitate betting on the outcome of the World Cup.The action was part of a larger crackdown on illegal betting on the World Cup tournament.
This 21-year-old’s 3D-printed aquatic jetpack makes scuba fins look prehistoric
For his final year Product Design class at university, Archie O’Brien built a 3D printed underwater jetpack, capable of propelling you through the waves in style. And very soon he hopes that he'll be able to sell you one. Here's everything you need to know about his awesome project.