A solar-powered 3D printer that prints glass from sand

Marcus Kayser’s Solar Sinter project

When Markus Kayser, a design student, wanted to test his solar-powered, sand-fed 3-D printer, he knew the gray skies outside his London apartment wouldn’t do. So he shipped the 200-plus-pound contraption to Cairo, Egypt, flew there himself, and haggled with officials for two days to get it out of customs. A few small “tips” and 11 hours of driving later, he finally made it to the Sahara. But soon the mercury hit 104 degrees, his components nearly overheated, and he was forced to improvise.

 

 

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The next generation of wearables designed specifically for women

Cofounders of Ringly


Christina Mercando spends a lot of her time shopping. She shops for rings and picks out the ones that can be Ringlys, a ring that connects to a smartphone and alerts wearers about incoming texts or calls via vibration and flashing lights.

 

 

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3D printed prosthetic eyes could be made faster, cheaper, and better

3D printed prosthetic eyes.

U.K.-based Fripp Design has found a surprising application with 3D printing: prosthetic eyes. Fripp Design says it can churn out as many as 150 prosthetic eyes an hour, and sell them for as low as $160 each. That’s a major improvement over glass prosthetic eyes, which not only take weeks to make, but also sell for thousands of dollars.

 

 

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Volocopter VC200 – 18-rotor electric helicopter takes flight

Volocopter VC200

Greener transportation options have become a priority in the modern world. Greener and more efficient vehicles of all types are eventually becoming the standard. Even helicopters are becoming greener. One German company, E-volo, designed several electric helicopters, and one of its models, the Volocopter VC200, recently passed its first flight tests. (Video)

 

 

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The flying machine that was inspired by a jellyfish

Flying robotic jellyfish.

Leif Ristroph, an applied mathematician at New York University, wanted to build the “simplest possible” flying machine.  Ristroph glued together several tubes of carbon fiber to build this: a sphere with four wings attached to it that propels it as a jellyfish swims. (Video)

 

 

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Circuit Scribe: A rollerball pen that let’s you draw electronic circuits with conductive ink

Circuit Scribe, a new Kickstarter project, seems to have made laying out a new electronic circuit a less cumbersome task. Instead of fiddling with those components, you can just draw a circuit on paper, hook up a battery to it, and go on your way.

 

 

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Scientists create electrode that lets you taste virtual food on your tongue

The same research team is also working on a digital lollipop.

In Sword Art Online, an anime series, gamers take part in a virtual world that is teeming with danger, but also with food. What if such an experience was a reality? What if you could not only interact with food in a virtual environment, but also actually taste it? Scientists at the National University of Singapore have developed a new electrode that could be the first step in making that happen. (Video)

 

 

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SmartWig – Sony’s bizarre concept of using wigs to connect wirelessly to smartphones

Sony’s SmartWig

Sony’s patent for a “SmartWig” is a strange concept that leaves you scratching your head. While tech companies are chasing the smartwatch and eyeglass form factors for the future of wearable computing devices, Sony’s exploring the possibility of using wigs that connect wirelessly to smartphones.

 

 

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Coin: High-tech card could replace everything in your wallet

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9Sx34swEG0[/youtube]

What if you could carry a single credit card device in your wallet that would digitally store up to eight credit, debit, membership, and gift cards and lets you switch between them with just a push of a button? Companies like Apple and Google have tried to give us digital wallets, but nothing has really caught on. People still feel tied to their physical wallets.

 

 

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Sono could soundproof your home from city noise

Sono

Living in a city has plenty of perks. You have convenient metro systems, plenty of gourmet dining choices and endless shopping destinations. But with all that activity comes a whole lot of noise pollution. The noise is an unavoidable side effect of living with millions of other people. That noise is likely to permeate your living space unless you’ve gone through the trouble of retrofitting your home with some kind of soundproofing. (Video)

 

 

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Discover the Hidden Patterns of Tomorrow with Futurist Thomas Frey
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By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.

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