SmokeBot robot can see things human firefighters can’t in smoke-filled rooms
Created by researchers in Sweden, SmokeBot is a firefighting robot designed to see and navigate in smoky areas. It could one day be used by firefighters to help assist in instances such as search-and-rescue missions. Here's how it works, and how it could one day save your life.
Get a peek at some of our favorite emerging tech on display at CE Week 2018
In between listening to fascinating discussions between tech leaders, we walked the halls of CE Week in NYC to take a look at the exciting products making their way to store shelves. Here are a few of our favorites.
China speeds up its subway with palm scanners and facial recognition
The Chinese capital of Beijing is now considering the introduction of "bio-recognition technology" to its subway stations. This technology would include palm scanners and facial recognition scanners, and would purportedly increase efficiency and decrease gridlock in key stations during rush hour.
Pair your smart mattress with Eight Sleep’s A.I.-powered Sleep Coach
For something so important, it can really be quite hard to get. We're talking, of course, about a good night's sleep. Back in 2016, Eight Sleep launched the Smart Mattress to help us get some shut-eye, and now, two years later, it's back with an A.I.-powered personal sleep coach, available for both iOS and Android.
Quickstarter inspires creators to dream up small but fun Kickstarter projects
If you're itching to launch a Kickstarter project but your ideas are on the ambitious side, then how about gaining some experience with a small, manageable project? The crowdfunding site has launched Quickstarter to inspire fun, low-budget ideas that can be completed in a short time frame.
Norway tests its first all-electric plane, hopes for passenger flights by 2025
Norway has witnessed its first successful test of an electric-powered plane in a short flight around Oslo airport. The country's transport minister said that a commercial service using a similar design "is not a far-off vision of the future but a reality achievable within a few years."
Could thermal-imaging sensors help make self-driving cars safer?
Thermal imaging company FLIR Systems thinks that one way to make autonomous vehicles safer would be to give them the ability to use thermal reading tech to better deal with challenging lighting and weather conditions. And they're doing their bit to help change things. Here's how.
Meet the Italian composer who conducts the world’s biggest all-robot orchestra
For his next album, Italian electronic music producer Leonardo Barbadoro is skipping synthesizers for robots capable of playing real instruments, ranging from piano to percussion. Here's why he's decided to shake up electronic music production in favor of a new approach.
After 70 years, a working Dick Tracy two-way watch radio is finally available
Created by brothers Nick and Charlie Mathis, the Dick Tracy Watch not only looks like the timepiece featured in the comics -- it actually works, too. That’s thanks to an integrated Bluetooth module, microphone and speaker, allowing you to make and receive calls from a paired smartphone.
Wait, what? These ridiculous hacks will make you do a double-take
For a lighter look at the hacking world, we found the most ridiculous hacks that have ever occurred. From dinosaur pranks and octopus viruses to cupcake counterterrorism, here are the hacking stories we can barely believe really happened.
Google’s A.I. tools can predict death risks more accurately than hospitals
Google is beating hospitals at their own game -- at least when it comes to death risk assessment. Google’s Medical Brain team has begun training its A.I. system to evaluate the risk of death among hospital patients, and the results so far are more accurate than the prediction rates in hospitals.
Slovenian startup’s electric motor design signals advance for self-driving cars
Building on its 15 years of experience with high-torque in-wheel electric motors, Slovenia-based Elaphe has developed modular platforms for autonomous vehicles. The Elaphe platform uses electric motors in all four wheels, producing massive power for acceleration and torque-vectoring control.
Make it so! 8 ‘Star Trek’ technologies that actually exist now (sort of)
For the past half-century, across hundreds of TV episodes, multiple spinoffs, and more than dozen movies, 'Star Trek' has offered us a tantalizing glimpse of the future. Here are eight examples of amazing 'Trek' technologies which now exist, to some extent, in the real world.
This net-blasting security drone can stay airborne forever. Here’s how.
The DroneCatcher shoots a net at rogue drones in restricted airspace over places like airports and prisons. A recent update has added a power cord, enabling it to stay airborne around the clock for faster response times. In such cases, the cord automatically detaches, allowing it to go after the rogue drone.
Chinese search giant Baidu creates an open-source A.I. for detecting cancer
Chinese search giant Baidu has developed an A.I. algorithm which can help doctors to more accurately diagnose breast cancer. In tests, it can outperform both human pathologists and the previous best algorithms for carrying this out. And did we mention they're open-sourcing it, too?
Is the Australian bee the key to better outdoor gear?
Biotech startup Humble Bee has made it its mission to eliminate toxic plastics and other materials by using products that are made from naturally occurring materials that are produced in ways that create a "bioplastic" that is stronger, more durable, and water-resistant thanks to methods used by Australian bees.
Here’s what art looks like in 2018: Spheres that react to your presence
Zoological is an art project created by the group Random International. It involves a fleet of autonomous flying spheres, which flock together like a group of birds, while keeping an eye on nearby humans. Depending on their mood, they can stay away or choose to follow you.
Who needs a nurse? This robot can extract and analyze your blood
Researchers at Rutgers University have developed a blood-drawing robot that’s designed for inserting intravenous needles into people’s arms with the purpose of drawing and analyzing blood samples. Here's how it works, and what it could mean for medicine's most common procedure.
Canon’s new large sensor is too big for you, but not for scientists
Think medium format digital is big? A CMOS sensor that's almost 40 times larger than a full- frame sensor has been used to capture meteors that researchers couldn't previously spot. The Canon sensor can shoot at 60 fps with only the light of a full moon and measures 7.8 inches on each side.
Volvo has designed a self-docking system for yachts
We're already working on self-parking cars, so why not take things a step further and investigate self-parking boats? Of course, the correct vernacular here isn't "parking," but rather "docking." But semantics aside, Volvo -- an expert on both land and water -- has now designed a self-docking yacht.
Winnebago and Motiv Power Systems partner on all-electric outreach vehicles
Winnebago and Motiv Power Systems are partnering on a variety of all-electric mobile medical clinics and community outreach vehicles. Because traditional outreach vehicles such as bloodmobiles idle all day on diesel fuel, battery-powered alternatives are quieter, save gallons of diesel fuel, and cut harmful emissions.
Some folks still think it’s a good idea to fly drones over wildfires
Hobby drones are a lot of fun, few people will dispute that. So it's disappointing to learn that some folks just can't help making life difficult for the authorities, disrupting airborne efforts to tackle wildfires. It's happening more frequently, with incidents in Colorado reported in recent days.
Jaguar smashes a world record for the fastest electric speedboat
If you're looking to satisfy that need for speed, you don't want to go pounding the pavement -- instead, you should be hitting the waves. This week, Jaguar managed to set new world and national records with its battery-powered boat, the Jaguar Vector V20E. It managed to hit top speeds of over 88 mph.
The Boring Company doesn’t sound so boring anymore
The founder of SpaceX and Tesla is accustomed to flashy enterprises and larger-than-life dreams (that all seem to be coming to fruition), and now, he's turning his attention to a simple problem that plagues all of us: Traffic. Now, you can watch a Tesla Model X zoom through a tunnel in LA - the first test.
Astronauts install hi-def docking cameras for Crew Dragon, Starliner capsules
In preparation for the commercial crewed modules that will arrive at the International Space Station soon, astronauts took a lengthy spacewalk to install some crucial equipment to the docking module. The extra-vehicular activity moved commander Drew Feustel to third on the list of all-time spacewalkers.
Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes could face 20 years in prison
Theranos founder and CEO Elizabeth Holmes has been charged with fraud by the SEC. And now Holmes and former president Sunny Balwani have been indicted on criminal charges regarding fallacious statements they made about the accuracy of their blood testing devices. They'll face 20 years in prison.
What is 3D printing? Here’s everything you need to know
Haven't caught up on the 3D printing craze yet? If you've been wondering, "What is 3D printing, anyway?" You've come to the right place! We're going to go over the basic definition, the different types of 3D printing, and the coolest ways 3D printing is being used today!
At Stephen Hawking’s memorial, his message of peace was beamed into the cosmos
As Stephen Hawking's ashes were buried in the famous Westminster Abbey between the graves of Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin, a composition featuring a message of hope from the renowned scientist was being broadcast to a black hole thousands of light years away.
Here’s who’s going to win the World Cup, according to A.I.
With the FIFA World Cup kicking off in Russia, San Francisco-based tech firm Unanimous A.I. has used its considerable artificial intelligence expertise to predict the outcome of the entire 32-team tournament. Here's who should expect to win. Well, according to swarm A.I., at least.
This diving system lets you stay submerged for 2 hours, no tank needed
Do you want a diving system that bridges the gap between scuba diving and snorkeling, minus the limitations of both? If so, a new Kickstarter product -- letting you stay underwater for up to two hours -- could be for you. Here's what you need to know about the Supa Huka.
Spider silk microcapsules could deliver vaccines to help battle cancer
Researchers from Switzerland’s University of Geneva demonstrated how microcapsules made of spider silk could be used to deliver life-saving vaccines direct to your immune cells as a way of fighting cancerous tumors. Here is why spider silk turns out to work so well.
Mount this head-up display to your helmet to project any phone app
The Hudway Sight uses a projector and brain connected to your smartphone to project any app onto a head-up display lens. You can communicate with friends, navigate through traffic, listen to music, and more without taking your eyes off the road.
Check out these wacky designs from Boeing’s $2 million passenger drone contest
Winners in the first round of the Boeing-sponsored GoFly contest have been announced. Aimed at encouraging viable designs for electric-powered passenger drones, the 10 winners now have nine months to build a prototype capable of vertical takeoffs and landings, and flights that can cover at least 20 miles.
Report: Microsoft is building checkout-less store tech to take on Amazon
Microsoft is reportedly developing technology for checkout-less stores similar to Amazon Go, which lets you simply "grab and go." The computer giant is believed to be talking to Walmart ahead of a possible partnership, though it could also sell the technology to multiple retailers around the world.