Saturday, May 30, 2015

Solar Impulse takes off on longest leg of round-the-world flight

Solar Impulse 2 taking off from Nanjing, China towards Hawaii

With Swiss pilot André Borschberg at the controls, the solar-powered, single-pilot Solar Impulse 2 airplane took off from Nanjing Lukou Airport in China today bound for Hawaii on the longest leg of its round-the-world flight. But this isn't just a major leg of the Solar Impulse 2 solar-powered circumnavigation, it is also an attempt at the longest duration flight ever by a solo pilot in any type of aircraft.

.. Continue Reading Solar Impulse takes off on longest leg of round-the-world flight

Section: Aircraft

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Review: Jawbone UP Move fitness tracker

Gizmag reviews the Jawbone UP Move fitness tracker

The Jawbone UP Move is an entry-level fitness tracker which can monitor daily activity and sleep, and is priced to allow everyone in on the fitness tracking action. However, as part of the Jawbone UP family, can it offer more than its spec sheet suggests? Gizmag recently spent a bit of time with the diminutive tracker to find out.

.. Continue Reading Review: Jawbone UP Move fitness tracker

Section: Good Thinking

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Project Jacquard hands-on: Google's crazy/brilliant idea to make touchscreen clothing

Touching the future? Google ATAP's Project Jacquard wants to turn textiles into touchscreens

This year's Google I/O gave us Android M, updated Google Cardboard, along with free and unlimited photo storage. But it wouldn't be Google if there weren't also some moonshots in there. We go hands-on with one of them, Project Jacquard.

.. Continue Reading Project Jacquard hands-on: Google's crazy/brilliant idea to make touchscreen clothing

Section: Good Thinking

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EarthCruiser FX 4x4 expedition vehicle rolls far off the beaten track

EarthCruiser shows the new FX at Overland Expo West 2015

The EarthRoamer XV-HD wasn't the only all-new earth-shaking expedition vehicle at this year's Overland Expo West. Similarly named competitor EarthCruiser showed the FX, a new simpler, lower-priced Mitsubishi Fuso-based expedition truck with fixed roof.

.. Continue Reading EarthCruiser FX 4x4 expedition vehicle rolls far off the beaten track

Section: Outdoors

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Friday, May 29, 2015

Terapio autonomous robot designed to replace medical carts

Terapio with one of its developers in Japan

Doctors and nurses in Japan – or in other countries, for that matter – may soon have some robotic company when making their rounds. That's because researchers at Toyohashi University of Technology are developing an omnidirectional robot named Terapio, that's designed to take the place of a traditional medical cart.

.. Continue Reading Terapio autonomous robot designed to replace medical carts

Section: Robotics

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Solavore camping oven cooks and bakes with the power of the sun

The optional reflector helps to improve performance

Most of the equipment we saw at Overland Expo came in large, XL and XXXL sizes, but there were also a few interesting accessories on show. The Solavore Sport oven is a simple cooking device that transforms the sun's rays into baking and slow-cooking heat.

.. Continue Reading Solavore camping oven cooks and bakes with the power of the sun

Section: Outdoors

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World's largest hotel proposed for Mecca

Architecture conglomerate Dar Al-Handasah is aiming to build the world's largest hotel

Host to millions of Muslim pilgrims each year, the holy city of Mecca is a lucrative location for hoteliers. Architecture conglomerate Dar Al-Handasah aims to capitalize on this by building the world's largest hotel in the city. Dubbed Abraj Kudai, it's reportedly due to open its doors in 2017.

.. Continue Reading World's largest hotel proposed for Mecca

Section: Architecture

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

NASA begins testing InSight Mars lander in anticipation of a 2016 launch

The fully-constructed InSight lander

NASA has begun a comprehensive series of tests for its Mars Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport (InSight) lander. Once on the Red Planet, the lander will operate as a stationary science platform, attempting to answer a plethora of questions regarding the interior structure of Mars, and hopefully granting us some of the information needed to make a manned mission to the Red Planet in the 2030s a reality.

.. Continue Reading NASA begins testing InSight Mars lander in anticipation of a 2016 launch

Section: Space

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Top Tips to Get Fit For Summer

Set a reasonable goal
Most people try to aim high but more often than not, not achieving your goal can be demotivating. Instead, challenge yourself but set your goals to something you know you can achieve with reasonable effort. Keep this in mind when setting a daily activity goal on your Misfit Shine or Flash with the Misfit app.

Make small changes
Little habits enable changes. Start parking as far away from your office as possible. Walk to lunch. Buy a water container and put it on your desk. Scrap processed foods from your grocery list. You can still indulge on the occassional bag of chips at a social setting, but take it out of your everyday life.

Get social
Get a friend to commit to working out or eating healthy with you. You can help motivate each other and get each other on track. Capitalize on social networks and start a challenge. The extra motivation will help. Add friends on the Misfit app to stay motivated.

Get enough sleep
Monitor your sleep. If you’re getting less than 8 hours of shut-eye a night, start monitoring your habits before going to bed. Do you find yourself reading on your tablet or watching TV a lot before sleeping? Electronic gadgets have been shown to affect the quality of sleep. Set a sleep goal on the Misfit app and check in often.

Stay positive
Don’t underestimate the power of positivity. Keep going and the results will start coming in.

We wish you a happy and healthy summer season!

Fast and fun: John Cooper Works Mini is big where it matters

The Mini John Cooper Works will hit 62 mph (100 km/h) from a standstill in 6.3 seconds

Late last year, Mini announced that there was to be a new John Cooper Works (JCW) model of its iconic car. That meant taking the Mini's typical bubblegum style, churning it through the JCW performance-machine and creating something altogether less wholesome. Gizmag took it for a spin.

.. Continue Reading Fast and fun: John Cooper Works Mini is big where it matters

Section: Automotive

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Avago Buys Broadcom for $37 Billion

Broadcom makes communications chips that power many, if not most, of your wearables, as well as big data switches. As part of an ongoing consolidation in that business, it’s being acquired by Avago — what used to be the semiconductor division of HP — for $37 billion.

The deal is expected to close in the first quarter of next year. The surviving company will be called Broadcom Ltd. and led by Avago CEO Hock Tan.The Wall Street Journal has extensive background on the deal, the two companies, and the sector as a whole.

GoPro quadcopter confirmed for 2016, with virtual reality gear also in sight

GoPro CEO Nick Woodman has officially announced the company's plan to launch a quadcopter next year

GoPro CEO Nick Woodman has confirmed long-swirling rumors that his company will tap into the fast-growing drone market, outlining plans to launch its own quadcopter in 2016. Making the announcement at the Code Conference in California on Wednesday, Woodman also spoke of a spherical six-camera array that could capture content for virtual reality applications.

.. Continue Reading GoPro quadcopter confirmed for 2016, with virtual reality gear also in sight

Section: Aircraft

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Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Trisak – a bum bag for your tripod

Trisak - big enough to hold a second camera

Trisak is a simple invention but a nice one – it's a little bum bag for your tripod that hangs off the tripod legs. Big enough to hold a lens, a second camera or a big coffee, it also collapses so you don't ever have to take it off your sticks.

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Section: Digital Cameras

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Trisak – a bum bag for your tripod

Trisak - big enough to hold a second camera

Trisak is a simple invention but a nice one – it's a little bum bag for your tripod that hangs off the tripod legs. Big enough to hold a lens, a second camera or a big coffee, it also collapses so you don't ever have to take it off your sticks.

.. Continue Reading Trisak – a bum bag for your tripod

Section: Digital Cameras

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Verizon Flowchart Leads Readers to the Right Fitness Tracker

With all the new wearables appearing in the fitness market, it can be hard to decide which one is the right fit. Luckily for those people who are still on the fence, Verizon Wireless has posted an infographic that can lead prospective tech-fitness buffs to the right activity trackers.

Curiosity takes a detour

Example of the type of geological feature that the Curiosity team is hoping to examine

NASA's Mars Curiosity rover has been forced to alter its route after being faced with dangerous terrain. The current objective of the robotic explorer is to investigate a geological boundary between two distinct forms of bedrock as a part of its mission to explore the heights of Mount Sharp, and ultimately unlock the secrets of the Red Planet's ancient past.

.. Continue Reading Curiosity takes a detour

Section: Space

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Apple to Give Developers Direct Access to Watch Sensors

Apple-Watch-FitnessApple’s big developers’ conference is coming up soon, and one of the company’s top execs is spilling details about what goodies will be available for watch hackers.

Jeff Williams, senior vice president of operations, told a conference this week that there’s an SDK coming for the Apple Watch, and that developers will be able to get their hands directly on the watch’s sensors. Currently, data from the sensors needs to be transmitted first to the companion iPhone, which carries significant communications overhead and time lag. Added to the fact that first-wave developers had only emulators to code to before launch, and it’s no surprise that software for the Watch has left something to be desired.

Williams also suggested that there may be more sensors to come on later versions of the Watch, but he went into no more detail. There has been speculation that the Watch originally carried more sensors than its current array, but that Apple pulled them (or possibly just disabled them) after conversations with regulators. One might reasonably expect that those conversations did not end with the product’s announcement or shipping.

Kahn Design unleashes Aston Martin Vengeance and Land Rover Defender fury

The 105 Defender Pick Up starts just under £59,000

It's been a big year for Kahn Design. The British tuning shop has been making headlines over and over, thanks to projects like the Land Rover Defender 6x6. Its latest two designs aren't quite as extreme as that Geneva-debuted six-wheeler, but they're quite interesting in their own right. The Aston Martin Vengeance and Land Rover 105 Defender Pick Up exist at opposite ends of the automotive spectrum, but they both share a level of "wow" factor.

.. Continue Reading Kahn Design unleashes Aston Martin Vengeance and Land Rover Defender fury

Section: Automotive

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New Wearable Glucose Monitor Readies TV Rollout

Echo Therapeutics, the medical device company that manufactures a continuous glucose monitoring system, will soon see that system highlighted on several paid television programs across the globe.

Is Your Technology Giving Too Much Information Away?

Whether it's finding locations, providing weather information, or any of a host of other functions, some out there would just as soon go naked as go without a smartphone.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Air2Nitrous device claimed to cut vehicle exhaust emissions by 90 percent

The Air2Nitrous device can be retrofitted to existing vehicles to slash emissions

Driving an electric car that gives off no emissions is one of the best ways to reduce your personal transport carbon footprint. But if an EV is out of reach, the next best thing could be a simple retrofittable, scalable device called Air2Nitrous (A2N). Its creators claim it can reduce engine emissions by 90 percent, while cutting fuel consumption by 20 percent.

.. Continue Reading Air2Nitrous device claimed to cut vehicle exhaust emissions by 90 percent

Section: Environment

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KTM takes to the streets with Freeride E-SM

Freeride E-SM is KTM's first street-legal electric bike

The third model of the Freeride E family is KTM’s first street-legal electric bike. After the Motocross and Enduro versions, the Supermoto is a battery-powered playbike that can also double as one of the coolest commuters out there.

.. Continue Reading KTM takes to the streets with Freeride E-SM

Section: Motorcycles

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Smartphones could run 30 percent longer, by harvesting their own radio waves

Drawing on their own radio signal, smartphones could get considerably longer battery life

Scientists have already devised systems that allow electronic devices to scavenge power from ambient electromagnetic energy sources such as radio waves. While the technology has generally been limited to small devices such as wireless sensors, a research team has recently created a scavenging system that charges a smartphone's battery, letting it last up to 30 percent longer per charge – and the system does so using radio signals emanating from the phone itself.

.. Continue Reading Smartphones could run 30 percent longer, by harvesting their own radio waves

Section: Mobile Technology

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A look at the Top Smartwatches with Android Mobile Operating System

These days when it comes to mobile operating systems and devices it is two companies that dominate the market and they are the iOS from Apple and the Android from Google. Both operating systems have their pros and cons but they both have loyal followings. Android has been getting a bigger and better reputation over the last couple of years since Google decided to get into the mobile computing and device market. Smartwatches also have been taking advantage of operating systems such as Android. Now with the Apple Watch starting to become more and more popular and Android Wear also selling modestly, smartwatches are becoming an emerging thing. The following is a look at some top smartwatches that run Google’s Android operating system.

Sony Smartwatch 3

The first Android powered smartwatch that will be featured here is the Sony Smartwatch 3. This device is Android Wear powered and also has Google Now integration. The Sony Smartwatch 3 has all of the fitness tracking features such as GPS, accelerometer, gyrometer, and compass. The Sony Smartwatch 3 has BlueTooth 4.0 connectivity as well. Some of the other specifications that are with the Sony Smartwatch 3 are a 16 bit transreflective display, voice and touch input, 4 GB of internal memory along with 512 MB of RAM, and is also IP68 rated for water resistance.

The Sony Smartwatch 3 is compatible with any Android powered smartphone that is a 4.3 version or higher and with Android Wear. Google Play has a huge library of apps for the Sony Smartwatch 3 for purchase at the Google Play online store. For $249, the Sony Smartwatch 3 is certainly a good buy as you are essentially purchasing a small computer that fits nicely and comfortably on your wrist.

http://store.sony.com/smartwatch-3-zid27-M/SWR50/cat-27-catid-SmartWear?cid=14005388

Pebble

The Pebble smartwatch is certainly a device that combines a sleek and simplistic look along with some very innovative technology and function. The $99 price tag here is also another huge up sell for this device. The Pebble is both Android and iOS compatible when it comes to the different digital faces and apps that are available.

The Pebble also comes in various enticing and exotic colors as well. It is BlueTooth connective and also has the companion app for keeping track of workouts and fitness activities. Some of the other features and logistics for the Pebble are a scratch resistant optical hard coating, 3D accelerometer and compass, and water resistance up to 50 meters. When it comes to Android powered smartwatches, the Pebble will certainly hold its weight in the market. The reason is that the smartwatch packs a lot of innovation and this innovation can be had at a very low price. Certainly a smartwatch to look out for in 2015. The Pebble can be found at the website located getpebble.com.

https://getpebble.com/pebble

Moto 360 by Motorola

The Android compatible Moto 360 by Motorola is a smartwatch that its developers like to say is one with a classic look but the internal power of a smart computer and device. A lot precision and craftmanship has gone into making the Moto 360 and it certainly can be seen from the stainless steel face and casing and its patented Horween leather to the ever durable Corning Gorilla Glass. The Android Wear power here allows for notifications at a glance, weather and traffic reports in real time, and fitness tracking in real time through the companion app.

The voice control features for the Moto 360 allow for a person to be able to manipulate their smartwatch with just a few simple commands. Moto Body is the fitness tracking app and technology and has all of the fitness tracking and coaching that the active person would want. When it comes to industry leading smartwatches these days, the Moto 360 by Motorola is one of them that is at the top. The Moto 360 can be found all over the world at various retailers and online and it retails for around $249.

https://moto360.motorola.com/

LG Watch Urbane

The LG Watch Urbane is another one of those Android powered watches that has that classic look that is very aesthetic and appealing. A simple sliding of the finger across the face of the watch will automatically change the projection on the face. Android Wear features here with the LG Watch Urbane are the Ask Google voice activation and it also has the news and weather notifications. As shown in the picture here, the LG Watch Urbane comes with a gold finish and a stainless steel finish.

The LG Watch Urbane is BlueTooth 4.1 capable and is IP67 rated for dust and water resistance. It has a 9-Axis and PPG sensor and also has 4GB memory and 512 MB RAM. Alerts and driving directions are very easy to find and get with the LG Watch Urbane. Up to date information about release dates and availability of the LG Watch Urbane can be found at www.lg.com where you can fill out an email updates form.

LG G Watch R

If there is a watch here on this Android smartwatches list that is comparable to the Moto 360 by Motorola it is this one and it is the LG G Watch R. The LG G Watch R is a simple round face watch that has that classic watch look. The thing is that its functions and internal power is what makes this smartwatch stand out. The Android Wear system gives this watch life so you will get the companion app for any Android powered mobile device which means the thousands of apps that will be at your touch.

The LG G Watch R is BlueTooth 4.0 ready and has a 9-Axis gyro and accelerometer and PPG sensor that keeps track of heart rate and blood stats. Again the consumer will get 4GB of internal memory along with 512MB of RAM. The LG G Watch R can be found at all of the major online retailers and auction websites and on the LG company website. The LG G Watch R retails for right around $279.

http://www.lg.com/global/gwatch/index.html#main

ASUS Zen Watch

The Android compatible ASUS Zen Watch is a new smartwatch that is out on the market that has been getting some comparisons to the Apple Watch. The look and design of the face would certainly make you think that it could be related to the Apple Watch. The ASUS Zen Watch has a stitched Italian leather wristband with a unique clasp that makes the band easy to remove and comes in three colors. This smartwatch comes with AMOLED display and has a curved face that is constructed with Corning Gorilla Glass which is designed to be anti-scratch.

The Android Wear technology with the ASUS Zen Watch has the Ask Google features and gives you notifications, texts, and incoming calls in real time and with the utmost of ease. The companion app allows for you to keep track of fitness information and also has a health coach. There are over 100 different watch face combinations that come with the ASUS Zen Watch as well. If there is an Android powered smartwatch that could rival the Apple Watch then the ASUS Zen Watch is just that. The ASUS Zen Watch can be found all over the internet at various retailers and sells for around $249.

http://www.asus.com/Phones/ASUS_ZenWatch_WI500Q/

Huawei

Here is the Huawei Watch. There are some analysts out there who are saying that this smartwatch could possibly be the best Android powered smartwatch on the market. On the outside this watch has a simple round face but it certainly packs a lot of power inside. The watch face is made with sapphire crystal which is very durable and scratch resistant. The stainless steel case just adds that much more a pleasing look to the watch. Then there are all of the smart features such as fitness tracking with heart rate monitor and activity counter and the companion app that allows you to get real time access and data to your fitness results.

Instant messaging, call notifications, and access to all of the top Google Now apps are also at your employ. The Huawei Watch has over 40 different easy changeable watch faces. It also has interchangeable leather and stainless steel bands as well. It is certainly the Android Wear technology that makes this smartwatch stand out for sure. The Huawei Watch was first introduced back two months ago at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona and will eventually be on the market by the end of this year. It is also being said there will eventually be a gold Huawei Watch which will no doubt be a rival to the Apple Watch Edition.

http://consumer.huawei.com/minisite/worldwide/huawei-watch/

Alcatel OneTouch

The Alcatel OneTouch is an Android Wear powered smartwatch that has followed a common trend in the current smartwatch industry and that is a simple round face that is loaded with top notch smart technology. All of the important updates, email messaging and notification, and social media updates can be accessed right from the watch. Pictures can easily be taken with the Alcatel OneTouch with simple pressing of a button on the face of the watch. Remote control functions from the watch will allow you to access the songs on your compatible smartphone very easily and without having to reach for the phone.

There are fitness tracking and real time information on the companion app. Probably the most innovative feature that is here with the Alcatel OneTouch is that no cable is needed for charging. All you have to do is plug the watch into your computer or USB charger and then you can charge the watch. For only $149, the Alcatel OneTouch is priced very well for the stuff that it is able to deliver.

http://www.alcatelonetouch.com/global-en/products/accessories/watch.html#.VUzUmfntmko

TAG Heuer

TAG Heuer is well known for their prominent stature and status in the world of Swiss watchmaking. What better of a combination in the smartwatch industry than Tag Heuer and Google. It was back in March when it was announced that TAG Heuer, Google, and Intel are coming together to put a smartwatch on the market. This here will bring the Android Wear technology to the luxuriousness of a TAG Heuer Swiss made watch.

The announcement was made on March 19th at the BaselWorld technology conference and featured TAG Heuer CEO Jean-Claude Biver, the director of Android Wear engineering in David Singleton, and the general manager of Intel’s New Devices division in Michael Bell. While nothing has been seen of this planned watch, one could certainly know that the combination of the best in Silicon Valley and the best in the Swiss watchmaking regions will mean nothing but a high class product. Consumers should see a functioning product here hopefully by the end of 2015.

http://us.tagheuer.com/en/watch-news/tag-heuer-google-and-intel-announce-swiss-smartwatch-collaboration

Android Wear is certainly holding its own in the smartwatch industry and they should certainly be able to do just that despite what iOS and Apple is able to produce. The Apple Watch is the big thing at the moment and is predicted to dominate the smartwatch market but Android Wear devices will always be there nipping at their heels. As any consumer can tell by the Android Wear products that have been shown here, Android powered mobile devices should be around for a long time to come.

Is Your Activity Tracker Tracking More Than Just Your Activity?

contextisThe security firm Context Information Security recently put up an extensive and interesting post that points out that gadgets that use Bluetooth Low Energy — as most wearables do — can be tracked, and could therefore be seen as a security or privacy risk.

The report gives background on beacon technology, which uses wireless signals to serve up location-dependent content. Major League Baseball and Apple are particularly advanced in the way they use beacons.

But Context also makes the point that Bluetooth Low Energy has beacon technology built into the spec — and that any device that uses BLE is broadcasting location data and some kind of identifying tag. In some cases, it’s just a MAC address; in others, it’s semi-random data like “Jawbone3049-103.” In still others, it may be an ID like “Dan’s Fitbit Surge.” The company has built an Android app that can scan the nearby area (BLE has a very limited range) for beacons.

Whether this horrifies you or makes you think this is a market opportunity depends largely on who you are. We had a conversation a few weeks ago with Dave Matthews at the beacon platform company NewAer, who makes a good case that discoverability of devices can be a social and business good. Imagine walking into a party and being able to tell who in the crowd is a LinkedIn or Facebook contact and where in the room they are, so you could either engage them or avoid them.

Context notes that the beacon capability was built into version 4.0 of the Bluetooth spec, and that the most recent version (4.2) has added some encryption to make associating devices with people a little more difficult. But it may be well to keep in mind: if you’re wearing an activity tracker, it’s not just activity that it’s tracking. It’s you, too.

A Wearable Tech Circus In Toronto

When technology and the arts meet, the result can be either disappointing or profound or someplace in between. A wearable tech-oriented  performance at a circus arts festival in Toronto, reported in The Star, sounds like something we’d have liked to have been at.

One performer used motion sensors to control lights and music as she danced. This act sounded interesting, too:

Another presentation featured a dancer, a pole, LEDs and a costume collaboration: Performer Liona Davies thrilled audiences with her acrobatic chrome pole act. Her costume, a joint effort by dance apparel company HeyHey & Co and Ian Parker of Parker Designs, was created from conductive fabric that interacted with the pole to create a living light show.

Conductive fabric meets metal pole. Very cool.

Canada, for those who don’t follow such things, is home to a strong circus culture. Remember, Cirque du Soleil is based in Montreal.

Magnetika Bathroom range makes interior design a snap

The Magnetika Bathroom range features high-end fixtures and fittings that simply snap into place

Drilling multiple holes to hang cabinets, shelves, and the like can be a real hassle – doubly so if you decide the mirror looks better on the other wall after all. Italy's Ronda Design has developed a range of magnetic interior design accessories that can be moved around as you wish, by simply snapping them into place.

.. Continue Reading Magnetika Bathroom range makes interior design a snap

Section: Around The Home

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Quality is still an Important Factor in Wearables

We were really happy to have ComfTech as one of our exhibitors at our WT | Wearable Technologies Conference 2015 MILAN. Please read the interview to see what the CEO Alessia Moltani has to say about wearable technology:

What is the most important thing you learned while being involved in the topic of wearable technologies?

Well, quality is still an important matter in wearables, main topic let’s say; I learned that one has to be really focused. Wearable technologies can involve many markets and offer different solutions. That’s why companies should aim to a kind of specialization. ComfTech wearable systems offer high quality textile sensors embedded in high quality garments, made in Italy.

How can your company help bringing the world of fashion and the world of technology closer together?

ComfTech specializes in textiles and is absolutely interested in completely embedding electronics into garments. We strongly believe that in order to create successful wearable both engineers and designers are required, and they have to cooperate since the very beginning of the project

What is your favorite wearable product/device (besides your own) of 2015?

I was captured by the visionary synapse dress by Anouk Wipprecht, not an “everyday” solution, but nice concept of fashion tech.

Driving a real car blind through a virtual world with an Oculus Rift

Formula Drift driver Matt Powers has successfully driven his Roush Stage 3 Mustang at high speed in the real world while immersed in a 3D virtual world (via an Oculus Rift headset). Instead of the test track that he was actually driving on, Powers saw falling boulders, sheer cliff drops, crumbling and collapsing track, and other game-like elements.

.. Continue Reading Driving a real car blind through a virtual world with an Oculus Rift

Section: Wearable Electronics

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Could NASA take CubeSats interplanetary?

The Micro-Reentry Capsule (MIRCA) prototype re-entry vehicle that may one day land on other planets

CubeSats, tiny satellites about the size of a loaf of bread or smaller, hold the promise of opening space up to low-budget space missions, but currently they're largely restricted to Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). To broaden the scope of these pint-sized spacecraft, NASA is developing its CubeSat Application for Planetary Entry Missions (CAPE) concept, which would see the development of miniature space probes that can be sent in fleets on interplanetary missions for multi-point sampling, as opposed to the bus-sized, do-it-all probes that are currently in service.

.. Continue Reading Could NASA take CubeSats interplanetary?

Section: Space

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Monday, May 25, 2015

Hyperlens significantly boosts image resolution of microscopic objects

Scientists at the University of Buffalo have created a prototype visible light

Using visible light magnified through a compound series of lenses to image small objects, standard optical microscopes have been with us for many centuries. Whilst continually being improved, the result of these many advances of optics and image-capturing techniques means that many high-end optical microscopes have now reached the limit of magnification possible as they push the resolution properties of light itself. In an attempt to resolve this issue, scientists at the University of Buffalo (UB) have created a prototype visible light "hyperlens" that may help image objects once only clearly viewable through electron microscopes.

.. Continue Reading Hyperlens significantly boosts image resolution of microscopic objects

Section: Science

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Halo WX warns of smoke, fire ... and tornadoes

Halo is a smoke detector that also alerts homeowners of natural disasters

A smoke detector is necessary for keeping your home safe, and with the rise of smart devices, it only makes sense for them to be one of the first items to get connected. Halo WX, a new smoke detector just hitting the market, features all of the smoke and carbon monoxide detection one would expect, while also adding in alerts for natural disasters.

.. Continue Reading Halo WX warns of smoke, fire ... and tornadoes

Section: Around The Home

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Rain Lamp makes a splash at home

The Rain Lamp refracts light through a pool of water

A new light by designer Richard Clarkson puts two elements together that are ordinarily kept well apart. The Rain Lamp combines water and electricity, with light shone through a reservoir in the bottom of a large, clear, acrylic globe. The light creates "mesmerizing ripple patterns" on the floor or surface below.

.. Continue Reading Rain Lamp makes a splash at home

Section: Around The Home

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