Neova MIDI ring lets musicians control their musical creations through gestures
Like a smart whammy bar for a guitar, Neova is a brand new MIDI controller ring which musicians can wear on the index finger of their right hand to trigger different effects while they’re playing -- ranging from pitch bend to vibrato. It's currently seeking backers on Kickstarter.
A lightweight sensor can help sniff out survivors in disaster zones
There are a number of different ways that search and rescue teams look for survivors in the aftermath of disasters. A team of researchers have added a powerful new technology to the toolkit -- in the form of an inexpensive sensor which can be used to help find people trapped in rubble.
Is Alexa getting a big brother? Amazon is working on a secret home robot
Amazon is reportedly developing home robotics products at its Lab126 hardware research and development division. People with insider knowledge of the robotics work reportedly said they could be on the market as early as 2019.
In blow to coal industry, tech firms push for renewable energy
In a blow to the struggling coal industry, tech firms such as Google and Amazon are pushing for increased usage of clean energy. And many of their suppliers have made the move to renewable energy. Nearly two dozen of Apple's suppliers have announced that they will move to 100-percent renewable energy.
Coinbase bans Wikileaks from its currency exchange platform
Coinbase, one of the world's largest cryptocurrency exchanges, has banned Wikileaks from the use of its platform. Wikileaks will still be able to accept payments via Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, but it will have to find a new way, including other exchanges, to convert those tokens into hard currencies.
Forget plastic — Glowforge 3D laser printer builds with wood, fabric, leather
Seattle-based Glowforge unveiled its innovative 3D laser printer which utilizes subtractive manufacturing instead of using additives, meaning it has the ability to carve and etch almost any material. Instead of printing with additives, it cuts away at supplied materials to produce almost anything you want.
Rest that hand, this $365K machine can sign your name for you
With 585 moving parts packed into a pocket-sized box, The Signing Machine from prestigious Swiss watchmaker Jaquet Droz is an extraordinary piece of work. Created to showcase the company's mechanical clockwork technology, the machine can sign your name so you don't have to. It will, however, cost you $365,000.
We’re closer to China’s disturbing ‘Social Credit System’ than you realize
China's new Social Credit System offers a dystopian look at the future of online tracking, straight out of Nineteen Eighty-Four. But don't think that the same thing isn't happening a bit closer to home. Here's the reason why.
Google Arts & Culture explores remote world heritage sites in virtual reality
Using high-resolution cameras and 3D imaging, Google has opened up world heritage sites around the world for exploration to anyone with a virtual reality headset. The Open Heritge project is a collaboration with the non-profit foundation CyArk.
From robotic bees to bacteria, the tech that is making for a greener tomorrow
Humans have had an undeniable impact on the world, but that doesn't mean they've forsaken it. From cyborg bacteria to chimneys that are currently working to clean up our air, here are the top environmental projects making a difference on our planet (and changing industries in the process).
SEC files fraud charges against co-founder of Centra Tech
The third co-found of Centra Tech has been arrested after the SEC filed charges against him alleging his company defrauded investors.
NASA reveals its plans to have astronauts orbiting the moon by 2025
At the Space Symposium conference in Colorado Springs, Colorado, NASA outlined their plans for the Lunar Orbital Platform Gateway, a stepping stone for future missions to Mars. Test flights of the first components are planned for next year.
Celebrate 4/20 with the dopest weed gadgets in the observable universe
The 20th of April has arrived, and you know what that means. Stoners across the world are preparing to celebrate their favorite holiday by lighting up and getting lifted. For tech lovers, we picked out the coolest weed gadgets around, including vapes, grow boxes, and more.
Tiny dents in solar cells could make them more efficient than ever
Looking for a way to make solar panels more efficient? Why not try putting a dent in them? No, it’s not a “fix the TV by banging your hand on it” solution, but an actually demonstrable discovery from researchers at the United Kingdom’s University of Warwick. Here is how it works.
Inside Cellink, the Swedish company building 3D printers for living tissue
Digital Trends recently paid a fascinating visit to the headquarters of Cellink, one of the most exciting companies working on 3D bioprinted organs. Here is how the up-and-coming bioprinting company from Gothenburg, Sweden is hoping to change the future of medical science as we know it.
Astonishing artificial muscle can lift 12,600 times its own body weight
Researchers have developed an impressive artificial muscle, which could one day be used for augmenting the strength of robots, and that is capable of lifting up to 12,600 times its own weight. Throw in a leather jacket and an Austrian accent, and we’re basically on track to create The Terminator.
An artificial beauty spot could warn you of cancer before symptoms emerge
Researchers from ETH Zurich have developed a smart biomedical “tattoo” that’s able to detect 40 percent of cancer types, including colon, breast and prostate cancer. The tattoo, which looks like a beauty spot, is able to identify these cancers before they have any visible symptoms.
SpaceX is planning to build its new ‘BFR’ space vehicles in Los Angeles
Los Angeles is already home to the stars, but soon, the city could be helping us reach new ones -- or really, new planets. In his annual State of the City address on Monday, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti announced that Elon Musk's SpaceX would be building its Big Falcon Rocket ships in the Port of LA.
Bose patent filing points to sport earbuds that can keep themselves cool
Do the headphones you wear on your run get more uncomfortable as you start to warm up? Bose could be working on a solution to this very problem, as a patent application filed by the company points to the development of sport earbuds that could be able to cool themselves down when you start heating up.
Gaming is just the beginning. Here are 8 innovative ways VR is being used today
Ready Player One is introducing virtual reality to a whole new audience. Want to know how VR is being used in the world today? Here are 8 eight ways.
Say hi to Daisy, an Apple-made robot that recycles old iPhones
Apple has set itself recycling targets with its tech products, and to help it meet them it's employing the services of Daisy. Daisy is a highly dexterous robot that's able to take apart 200 iPhones an hour, identifying the reusable parts and components before carefully extracing them from the device.
Robot chefs are the focus of new Sony and Carnegie Mellon research
Sony and Carnegie Mellon University are collaborating on A.I. and robotics research, starting with a focus on optimizing food preparation, cooking, and delivery. Food preparation tasks are complex and varied, so the resulting tech could eventually be applied to a wide range of industries.
By assembling Ikea chairs, robots steal the one job we never wanted
Researchers from Nanyang Technological University in Singapore have demonstrated how a pair of off-the-shelf robot arms can be used to assemble a flat-packed Ikea chair in just a matter of minutes. Best of all? They can apparently do it without having a massive argument, too.
Lexus LS may get plug-in hybrid, EV, and hydrogen fuel cell variants
The latest and greatest Lexus LS launched with a new twin-turbo V6 and a hybrid variant. It may receive a more powerful hybrid version, a plug-in hybrid, an all-electric, and potentially even a hydrogen fuel cell variant in the span of its current generation over the next few years.
Low-cost Ghost AR headset promises MacOS multitasking on steroids
AR headsets are expensive, so Los Angeles-based creative director Jean Helfenstein has invented an alternative called Ghost, which boasts a more affordable price tag. Using it, you can take computer multitasking to the next level by creating infinite MacOS windows in virtual space.
Mylo vegetarian leather grows from mushroom roots in days
Bolt Thread's Mylo vegetarian leather grows from mushroom root networks in days without the environmentally harmful gases cattle produce for years until harvested for their meat and hides. The company's goal was to produce a synthetic leather-like material from biomaterials with no harm to animals or the environment.
Rock stars wear them, and so should you: A review of earplugs for concertgoers
We tried out a range of universal earplugs designed specifically for musicians and live music listeners, including a few different approaches manufacturers take to attenuate dBs without distorting sounds. Here’s our non-exhaustive look at a few earplug options for live music.
A sensor-packed exosuit lets you fly a drone by pretending to be one
Researchers at Switzerland’s École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) have developed a smart superhero-style exosuit which allows users to pilot a drone by, essentially, pretending to be one. Let's just hope you're not too shy to use it in public! Here is how it works.
Blue Origin is working on the BE-4, a rocket engine that can launch 100 missions
Look out, SpaceX. You may not be the belle of the ball in the industry forever. This week, Blue Origin, the rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos, announced that its new rocket engine would have the capacity to launch "100 full missions," as per CEO Bob Smith. The BE-4 could begin launching quite soon.
From monkey selfies to Intel allergies, here are the 7 weirdest tech lawsuits ever
With tech forming a massive part of our lives, and tech giants having some of the deepest pockets around, it’s no surprise that aspects of tech culture have found themselves the subject of lawsuits. From monkey selfies to the evils of autocomplete, here are seven of the strangest.
The best drone apps
Find the best drone apps for everyone from beginners to experienced pilots! Whether you want the top mobile app for recording and sharing geographical data, or the best software for capture complex, ultra-high-def video, we have the picks that aspiring drone pilots will love.
This chessboard isn’t haunted, it just moves the pieces on its own
Chess player? Having trouble finding opponents? If chess apps and websites don't cut it for you, Square Off is a smart chess board that lets you interact with a physical board, while connecting you with millions of players around the world. The pieces move by themselves, like Wizard's Chess from Harry Potter.
Nike’s 3D-printed uppers take weight off your feet
Nike is no stranger to innovation when it comes to crafting the perfect shoe. Now, it has taken its quest to a new level. This week, the athletic company introduced Flyprint, a 3D-printed textile upper for your sneaker. It's the first of its kind and may just bring about a new standard in performance shoes.
You can help a cyborg drummer get a new, improved robot arm so he can tour
Thanks to researchers at Georgia Tech, amputee Jason Barnes received a robot arm prototype that lets him play the drums again. Now he's hoping to get a new, improved robot prosthesis to go on tour with. And through a new Kickstarter campaign, you can do your bit to help.