Ford’s sweaty robot bottom can simulate 10 years of seat use in mere days
Ford has developed 'Robutt,' a sweaty robot bottom that's designed to simulate the effects of having a pair of human buttocks sitting on its car seats for thousands of hours. And here we were thinking the role of an automotive engineer was just dreaming up concept cars!
In a first for humankind, China is growing plants on the moon
Having recently landed a probe on the far side of the moon, China has now announced that it's managed to grow the first plant on the moon, too. This took the form of a cotton seed brought to the moon by China's Chang'e 4 lander. Here's why that matters for deep space travel.
Yamaha’s new app lets you tune your motorcycle with a smartphone
If you’re interested in tuning your dirt bike’s performance but aren’t interested in buying a bunch of specialized tools to get the job done, then you should definitely check out Yamaha’s new Power Tuner app. It’s a game-changer.
Short film celebrates New Yorker’s amazing robot costumes
New York City resident Peter Kokis creates stunning robot costumes out of household trash. His designs are huge, heavy, and extremely intricate, and never fail to turn heads when he's out and about. A new documentary short offers a fascinating look at Kokis and his Transformers-inspired creations.
Drones: New rules could soon allow flights over people and at night
The U.S. government is looking to loosen restrictions on drone flights with a set of proposals that would allow the machines to fly over populated areas and also at night. The news will be welcomed by commercial operators keen to use the technology for a range of tasks.
Why wait? Here are some CES 2019 gadgets you can buy right now
Companies come to CES to wow us with their cutting edge technology, but most items are not ready for prime-time consumption. A handful of companies break this mold by showcasing products that are slated to hit the market right away. Here is our list of the best CES 2019 tech you can buy right now.
Researchers discover a way to make 3D printing 100 times faster using light
Researchers at the University of Michigan have invented a new method of 3D printing which is up to 100 times faster than conventional existing 3D-printing processes. Here's how it works, and why it could prove a game-changer for the way that 3D printing is currently used.
Lasers and bovine breathalyzer help determine how much methane cows produce
Cow farts and belches don't exactly sound like catastrophic threats, but they contribute to the massive amounts of methane pumped into the atmosphere. Recently, scientists set out to measure quantities of bovine flatulence -- using lasers, GPS and a 'breathalyzer for cows.'
Face-scanning A.I. can help doctors spot unusual genetic disorders
Facial recognition can unlock your phone. Could it also be used to identify whether or not a person has a rare genetic disorder, based exclusively on their facial features? DeepGestalt, an A.I. built by the Boston-based tech company FDNA, suggests the answer is a resounding "yes."
The enormous ‘Flying Bum’ moves toward a commercial design
A prototype of the world's largest aircraft is being retired as the company behind it prepares to build a production model. The new Airlander 10, also known as the "Flying Bum" for its butt-shaped leading end, could be ready for commercial use by 2025, with a range of possible uses cited.
SpaceX nails its first launch and landing of 2019, but job cuts loom
SpaceX has nailed its first launch and landing of 2019 with a mission that deployed more satellites for Virginia-based Iridium Communications. Its Falcon 9 blasted off from California's Vandenberg Air Force Base on January 11. But it wasn't all good news as it was revealed SpaceX is gearing up to axe hundreds of jobs.
Watch China’s moon mission touch down on the planet’s far side
China's Chang'e 4 mission to the far side of the moon landed successfully at the start of the month, and now footage has been shared of a lander's-eye view of the touchdown. The mission touched down in the Von Kármán Crater and captured footage of the descent with a camera which was attached to the probe.
Brightest quasar ever seen discovered by Hubble, may be star-producing machine
The brightest quasar even seen in the early Universe has been observed with the Hubble Space Telescope. The quasar was identified using a technique called strong gravitational lensing, and its identification gives a glimpse into how galaxies were born when the Universe was young.
Scientists debate mysterious flash of light in space, known as ‘The Cow’
On June 16, 2018 there was an unusual flash in the sky which puzzled astronomers around the world. NASA researchers have collected data on the event and have shared two competing theories for what could have caused it: a black hole shredding a white dwarf, or a supernova giving birth to a neutron star.
Earth’s magnetic field is shifting, vital map can’t be updated due to shutdown
The movement of the Earth's magnetic field is described by the World Magnetic Model, used by navigation systems of all kinds. The most recent version of the model should have been good until 2020, however, the magnetic field has moved so quickly that an update is required sooner than that.
Black holes devour nearby stars and spew brilliant X-rays during outburst phase
Using data from the International Space Station, physicists have investigated an explosion of X-ray light that originated from a black hole in an outburst phase. The data suggests that during an outburst, black holes consume huge amounts of stellar material and shrink in size by a factor of ten.
Scientists find a technique to identify electricity-producing bacteria
A new development in bacteriology could allow microbes to be used to run fuel cells and purify sewage water, according to a team at MIT. They have developed a new microfluidic technique which can process samples of bacteria to see if they are able to produce electricity.
New research could allow fast diagnosis of viruses like Ebola and Zika
A new development in molecular biology is a step towards mobile and instant diagnosis of viruses like Ebola or Zika in the field. Researchers at the French agriculture research center CIRAD have found a way to use a mobile device to identify plant viruses and potentially animal and human viruses too.
Booth babes, banned sex toys, and other mishaps at CES 2019
From female sex toys bans, to fake Tesla/robot collision stories, there was some weird stuff going on at CES 2019 this year. While nothing can top last year's show floor blackout, here are some of the biggest mishaps and flubs we saw this year at the world's biggest tech show.
The robot invasion arrived at CES 2019 — and it was cuter than we expected
Robots are finally at our doorsteps, but they’re not here to annihilate us (yet). They’re here to listen, they’re here to help, and most importantly, they’re here to be our friends. CES 2019 showed us some of the cutest companion robots we’ve ever seen. Here are some of our favorites.
A citizen of the universe? Dutch startup wants to deliver a baby in space
Netherlands-based startup SpaceLife Origin plans to be the company responsible for delivering the first baby born in space. And it wants to do it by 2024. 'We owe it to our children and future generations,' Egbert Edelbroek, one of the company’s executives, tells Digital Trends.
A.I. can generate pictures of a finished meal based on just a written recipe
Feeling hungry? Researchers from Tel-Aviv University in Israel have created an A.I. that's able to generate complete photos of meals, based only on reading the written recipes. Here's how it works and which meals the system finds easier or harder to generate accurately.
Scribit graffiti robot climbs your walls to draw (and erase) giant artwork
Scribit, the wall-crawling graffiti robot that can draw (and, just as importantly, erase) any image you can think of onto a vertical surface of your choice, made its debut this week at CES 2019. It's coming soon to a living room, office, food eatery, or some other place else near you.
Did you see that?! Tour the blockbuster booths of CES 2019
You may not be able to attend CES in Las Vegas, but the folks here at Digital Trends are bringing all of the best booths to you. From LG’s wall of OLED TVs to a full-scale flying taxi, these are spectacles we won’t forget.
This high-tech shopping cart has the same aim as Amazon Go
The technology behind Amazon Go's cashier-free stores is pricey and a challenge to set up, but a high-tech shopping cart from a New York startup offers a similarly frictionless experience for far less. The cart uses sensors to ID items as you pop them in the cart, and has a tablet showing special offers.
Treat your furry friend with the best pet tech at CES 2019
There were some intriguing and some slightly mad pet tech gadgets on show at CES 2019. From self-cleaning toilets for cats and dogs to genetic tests, dog flaps, and remote cameras. We've gathered together the cream of the crop right here, so you can see what's coming soon in the world of pet technology.
Robots can now carry out plutonium production process for space exploration
Plutonium-238 is a crucial component in deep space exploration to the outer reaches of our solar system. The only problem? We've been running low on our stockpiles. Fortunately, researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory have found a way to automate part of the production process.
Furrion’s luxurious smart yacht looks like the perfect vessel for a Bond villain
Forget smart watches and the like: when it comes to the biggest smart technology we saw at CES, the literaral answer can be nothing else but Adonis, the 78-foot, luxury smart yacht. If a James Bond villain was going to own a high tech boat, this would be the one for them.
Stomach implant device uses jolts of electricity to fight obesity
A new implant created by engineers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison could help fight the obesity epidemic by attaching to the outside of a user's stomach and then suppressing feelings of hunger using jolts of electricity. Here's how effective it's proven to be so far.
This energy-generating treadmill cuts your waistline and your power bill
Fitness equipment maker SportsArt made its first appearance at CES 2019 showcasing its latest piece of sustainable sports equipment - the Verde G690 treadmill. Part of its Eco-Pwr line, the G690 will take the people power generated during a workout and turns it into utility grade electricity.
VisionCheck might give you the option to ditch your visit to your optometrist
Next time you want to get your eyes tested, you may not have to visit the optician -- you could test your eyes yourself at home. Using the EyeQue VisionCheck, an automated optical device, you can measure your eyes' refractive error and find out what strength of glasses you need.
The best CES 2019 health gadgets combat stress, pain, and more
We checked out a wide range of different health and wellness gadgets at CES 2019 and these are the pick of the bunch. We've got a robotic care assistant, a treatment for tinnitus, wearables designed to combat stress and pain, and even gadgets to monitor your blood pressure and test your urine.
Ubtech’s new and improved robot assistants take a bow at CES 2019
Chinese startup Ubtech has debuted its new, improved Walker humanoid robot and Cruzr service robot at CES 2019, reminding us that we’re closer than ever to the kind of future promised to us decades ago by The Jetsons. Here's what distinguishes the new models from their predecessors.
CES 2019: The coolest new gadgets and gizmos from the show floor
From foldable TVs to sleep trackers and quantum computers, the Digital Trends team has scoured the CES 2019 show floor for the coolest gadgets and gizmos out there this year. Here are a few of our favorites, and expect more to come as the show stretches on.