In the house of the future, wire-free energy transfer could be as easy as wireless internet.
When Katie Hall saw a light-bulb glowing in the middle of a room with no wires attached she was shocked. Looking back, it was a crude experiment, she remembers: a tiny room filled with gigantic copper refrigerator coils — the kind you’d see if you cracked open the back of your freezer. She walked in and out between the coils and the bulb — and still the bulb glowed. (Video)
74% of all travelers surveyed were open to having hotels proactively enhancing their stay.
The iPhone was launched less than seven years ago, yet we tend to forget how life was ‘before’ the advent of smartphones. Social media has flipped the power from brands to travelers, with review sites now common and influential in the decision-making process. Not to mention everyday access to increasing amounts of content and services now accessible via tablets and smartphones 24/7, anywhere in the world. How are hotels embracing thia change?
Continue reading… “What mobile features travelers want most from hotels”
Samsung ultrasonic smartphone cover for the visually impaired.
A smartphone case that helps the visually impaired by enhancing their awareness of their surroundings has been developed by Samsung. The Ultrasonic Cover for its Galaxy Core Advance smartphone helps owners sense the presence of people and objects up to two meters away.
This month, the Web is 25 years old. If you think about it, it’s quite astounding how entwined with and dependent our lives are on the internet. Pew Research published a weighty report this week in honor of the Web’s anniversary, Digital Life in 2025. The results are thought-provoking, even controversial.
Continue reading… “Experts predict what education will look like in 2025”
Bitcoin
Today, the single most prominent, and telling, feature of bitcoin is its massive controversy in the media. Not a single day goes by without an article or televised mention about its dangers, risks, and dubious mainstream appeal.
Continue reading… “Bitcoin: How the digital currency is changing everything”
How much personal data are we willing to give up for the convenience of prediction?
The biggest change in years in how we interact with computers is happening now. It will mean less input from you. Apps like Google Now, Tempo AI, and others represent the first wave of “predictive technology.” These are apps and services that are smart enough to fetch information for you — before you realize you even need it.
Continue reading… “Predictive technology gets smarter but more controversial”
A screen shows a rolling feed of new generic top-Level domain names that have been applied for.
U.S. officials announced plans to relinquish federal government control over the administration of the Internet last week., a move that pleased international critics but alarmed some business leaders and others who rely on the smooth functioning of the Web.
Continue reading… “U.S. to give up remaining control over the internet”
Svalbard Global Seed Vault
The Svalbard Global Seed Vault, or “doomsday vault,” on a remote Norwegian island in the Arctic Circle took its first deposits in March 2008. The vault’s builders had spent some $7 million and 12 months blasting a tunnel and three chambers into the mountainside’s hard permafrost. To be stored within? Treasure.
Continue reading… “‘Doomsday vault’ keeps over 800,000 plant species on ice”
Contour crafting
3D printing has incredible potential to overhauling manufacturing. The same principles could upend building construction too.
Continue reading… “How contour crafting will change construction”
This recyclable cardboard desk is assembled without any glue or fasteners and costs only $65.
If you are looking for a cheap and sturdy standing desk. There are many DIY options. But if you have always wanted to have some cardboard furniture in your home or office (and who hasn’t?), try one of the standing desks from Chairigami.
Continue reading… “Chairigami – cheap, sturdy cardboard standing desk”
The geometry of the plastic sheets and placement of the holes interact with sound waves to make it (and objects beneath it) appear as if they are not there.
Duke University engineers have demonstrated the world’s first three-dimensional acoustic cloak using a few perforated sheets of plastic and extensive computation. The new device reroutes sound waves to create the impression that both the cloak and anything beneath it are not there. (Video)
Continue reading… “3D acoustic cloak makes objects undetectable with sound”
Sheerwind
“What if you could scoop the air? Scoop it and move it downward, amplifying its kinetic energy along the way, concentrate it to a single point of intensity, the way a magnifying glass concentrates sunlight to a single incendiary point?”
By delving into the futuring techniques of Futurist Thomas Frey, you’ll embark on an enlightening journey.
Learn More about this exciting program.