A breakthrough with amazing potential.
Ultra-lightweight materials are an incredibly cool area of materials science, bringing us crazy substances like aerogel. And now, for the first time, scientists have produced a metal that’s so light it can balance on the fluff of a dandelion. Here’s why this material is revolutionary — and how it’s made…
Continue reading… “This metal is almost as light as air”
GreenBottle in action.
To drink or not to drink..from a bottle that isn’t glass, that is the question. A UK company has invented the world’s first paper wine bottle. But will purists drink wine from it?
Continue reading… “Will purists drink wine from a cardboard bottle?”
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kpbo0000O08[/youtube]
The robotic bear may be soft and pillow-shaped, but you might want to think twice before curling up for a nap on Jukusui-kun. If you snore, it will stroke your face with its furry paw.
Continue reading… “Robotic bear pillow hits you when you snore”
The new shape of cell?
Nokia apparently feels like the smart phones we have today aren’t rubbery or flexible enough to take us into the future, so they are introducing a design that will change the way we use, and touch, our phones.
Called the HumanForm, this rubbery surfboard shaped device is virtually unbreakable, has twist control functionality, and will supposedly allow us to feel textures via “electro tactile technology”.
Continue reading… “Nokia’s wacky new cell phone design”
Sensors in the steering wheel monitor the driver’s vital signs while driving.
Working in collaboration with BMW, researchers from Germany’s Technische Universitaet Muenchen have extended the function of the humble steering wheel with the development of a sensor system integrated into the steering wheel that can give the driver a quick health check while driving.
Continue reading… “Smart steering wheel monitors health while driving”
Nature provides another model for technological advancement.
Ohio State University researchers have discovered that a weed, Salvinia molesta, that clogs up the waterways of many parts of the Americas and Australia actually holds the clues to creating a new type of waterproof coating for materials — all thanks to a very unusual characteristic.
This weed has eggbeater-shaped hairs that trap air and keep the plant floating on the surface of the water — and these odd hairs have inspired a brand new type of coating for things like boats or submarines…
Continue reading… “Plant with eggbeater-shaped hairs inspires new waterproof coating”
A close-up image of the new material. A section has been removed to show the vertical nanotubes.
Engineers at Nasa have come up with a material that absorbs more than 99 per cent of all light that strikes it.
Continue reading… “NASA creates blackest substance on Earth”
0.03-inch wide close-up of the super-black, carbon nanotube coating.
Even though NASA has drastically scaled back its missions into space, that doesn’t mean the agency has stopped research for the benefit of space exploration. Evidence of this comes in the form of a new, super-black material that just got unveiled during the SPIE Optics and Photonics conference.
NASA is claiming it is the most light absorbent material ever developed, and capable of absorbing 99% of ultraviolet, infrared, far-infrared, and visible light. That may not sound too impressive on its own until you find out what it can be used for and the benefits it brings…
Continue reading… “NASA creates groundbreaking super black light absorbing material”
An award winning innovative invention.
The winner of this year’s James Dyson Award is one that focuses on the water crisis in Australia. A continent faced with severe droughts, it is no wonder that Edward Linacre from Swinburne University of Technology in Melbourne wanted to come up with a solution that will provide fresh water where there is no source on the ground.
A press release notes, “Edward studied the Namib beetle, an ingenious species which lives in one of the driest places on earth. With half an inch of rain per year, the beetle can only survive by consuming the dew it collects on the hydrophilic skin of its back in the early mornings. Airdrop borrows this concept, working on the principle that even the driest air contains water molecules which can be extracted by lowering the air’s temperature to the point of condensation. It pumps air through a network of underground pipes, to cool it to the point at which the water condenses. Delivering water directly to the roots of plants.”
Continue reading… “Airdrop design pulls water from air to irrigate deserts”
Walk in Sync
The Walk In Sync™ Humane Dog Walking and Training System was developed by veteran trainer Alecia Evans and it is revolutionizing the way we walk our dogs and train our puppies. (Pics)
Continue reading… “Walk in Sync – revolutionary humane dog walking and training system”
Samsung flexible screen.
Samsung has announced it’s new mobile device lineup that will feature flexible screens starting in 2012.
Continue reading… “Samsung to roll out new phones with flexible screens in 2012”
Featured invention at the DaVinci Inventor Showcase 2011
The Klinggon is an eloquently simple solution to the age-old problem of managing your earphone cord.
Continue reading… “Klinggon – magnetic earphone cord holder”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.