Category: Science & Technology News

Impact Lab > Science & Technology News
Great Videos, Robots, Science & Technology News

BionicOpter – a hyper-realistic dragonfly drone

BionicOpter

The BionicOpter was created by German automation company Festo. It was designed to mimic the look and flying dynamics of a dragonfly. The 1.5-foot-long ultra-light flying robot operates via remote control from a smartphone and can maneuver and hover in place just like a real dragonfly. Each of the robot’s four wings operate independently using servo motors, allowing each wing to be twisted by up to 90 degrees. (Video)

 

 

Continue reading… “BionicOpter – a hyper-realistic dragonfly drone”

Robots, Science & Technology News

Drones to deliver newspapers in France

A drone delivering a newspaper.

It looks like news delivery is another job being obviated by robots.  In Auvergne, France, residents get their daily news the old-fashioned way: through newspapers. But the delivery of said newspapers, apparently, will soon be executed with the help of high tech — because it’ll be done with the help of drones.

 

 

Continue reading… “Drones to deliver newspapers in France”

Analysis, Business, Economy, Science & Technology News

Small business is big

Small business is an American cultural icon.  Companies with fewer than 500 employees account for almost two-thirds of net new jobs and generate 13 times more new patents per employee than large ones do. But optimism among these enterprises is at its lowest levels in almost 20 years. If the US economy had generated as many start-ups in the Great Recession’s aftermath as it did in 2007, the country would have almost 2.5 million more jobs.

 

Continue reading… “Small business is big”

Robots, Science & Technology News

Swarms of small robots could be the servants of the future

A swarm of robots can carry out simple fetching and carrying tasks.

At the Sheffield Center for Robotics, jointly established by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Hallam University, researchers have been working to program a group of 40 robots, and say the ability to control robot swarms could prove hugely beneficial in a range of contexts, from military to medical.

 

 

Continue reading… “Swarms of small robots could be the servants of the future”

Analysis, Breakthrough Thinking, Business, Education, Latest Trend, People Making a Difference, Science & Technology News

Credit Banks, Testing Centers, and Micro-Credits – Missing Elements of a Future Education System

Futurist Thomas Frey: A couple years ago I was on a weekend outing in Vail, Colorado and ended up attending a kayaking tournament taking place on the Gore Creek in the heart of town.

 

 

Continue reading… “Credit Banks, Testing Centers, and Micro-Credits – Missing Elements of a Future Education System”

Health & Fitness, Medical Breakthrough, New Inventions, Science & Technology News

Stanford engineers create biological computer

We’re going to be able to put computers inside any living cell you want,” said lead researcher Drew Endy.

A team of engineers at Stanford University have made a simple computer inside a living cell, where it could detect disease, warn of toxic threats and, where danger lurked, even self-destruct cells gone rogue.

 

 

 

Continue reading… “Stanford engineers create biological computer”

Analysis, Business, Internet, Latest News, Science & Technology News

Startups usher in retail revolution by clearing out cash registers

Business are replacing traditional cash registers with such products as Square’s Business in a Box.

The cash register has reigned as an icon of American commerce ever since the Civil War era. It’s an American ritual to pay for your purchases at the cash register. But, the average point-of-sale (POS) system is expensive, inconvenient to set up and manage and not connected to the internet. Despite all of this, these types of transactions occur a million times every day.  The last significant shift happened in the 1950’s when credit card terminals enter the scene.

Continue reading… “Startups usher in retail revolution by clearing out cash registers”

Great Videos, Health & Fitness, New Inventions, Science & Technology News

College student creates Veti-Gel that instantly stops bleeding wounds

Joe Landolina pictured on the far left created Veti-Gel.

Twenty-year-old New York University student Joe Landolina is working toward an MS in Biomedical Engineering and Biomaterials.  While trying to get a degree, he has created a gel called “Veti-Gel” that instantly stops bleeding wounds and starts the healing process. (Video)

 

 

Continue reading… “College student creates Veti-Gel that instantly stops bleeding wounds”

Analysis, Business, Games, Internet, Latest Trend, Science & Technology News

Gamification increases site engagement 29% according to billions of online user actions

Are you looking to increase commenting, social sharing, and other user engagement on your site? Billions of user actions with partners like Pepsi, Nike, and Dell, adding gamification to your site boosts engagement by almost a third, according to a Gigya study.

 

 

Continue reading… “Gamification increases site engagement 29% according to billions of online user actions”

Analysis, Great Videos, Health & Fitness, Science & Technology News

Healthcare’s data-driven revolution

Wearable health devices are playing an enormous role in this revolution by helping track your metrics passively.

Swissnex San Francisco explored the topic of Big Data and Health Devices together with The Hive, a Silicon Valley Big Data incubator on March 6th. Roger Magoulas (Director of Research at O’Reilly Media), Ian Blumenfeld (Data Scientist and Co-Founder of InSample), and Rachel Kalmar (Data Scientist at Misfit Wearables) talked about how data science is transforming healthcare, and how we can improve our health by using devices and better analyzing the metrics we track. (videos)

Continue reading… “Healthcare’s data-driven revolution”