Tag: Robots
Astronaut Glove Competition rewards low-cost cleverness
Peter Homer won $200,000 in the Astronaut Glove Competition, despite knowing nothing about glove-making at the start of the two-day competition. NASA wanted a glove that was lighter-weight, stronger and more durable than the one in current use, as…
New supernova from star 150 times the size of the sun
Supernovae usually occur when a star runs out of energy and collapses in on itself, but scientists have just spotted a monstrous star explosion that instead blasted all its energy outward. The result has lasted over 70 days, with…
Nanoparticle clothes to keep you healthy
Clothing designed by Olivia Ong for this year's Cornell Design League fashion show wasn't just hip or chic, it also destroyed smog and VOC particles. The fabric is impregnated with nanoparticles that not only give the garment futuristic health…
Plezo PMG-250 plays tunes and games
Given I slogged through a recent savage bout of flu with the lovingkindness of Nethack, the Plezo PMG-250 is particularly appealing, with its built-in old-school game emulation. It runs retro-chic fun from the Sega MegaDrive, Nintendo NES and GameBoy…
Noise cancelling technology for windows
For once, vibrations are causing less noise. Thilo Bein, head of the business unit for energy, environment and health at Fraunhofer Institute for Structural Durability and System Reliability LBF, has a German team working with treating glass with small…
From the size of that projector, you're very happy to see me
So it turns out stealing a Toshiba multimedia projector by stuffing it down the front of your trousers is not as difficult as you might think. All it requires is you keep going, no matter how compressed your genitals…
Desktop Factory 3D printer brings rapid prototyping to YOU!
In rapid prototyping, you design a real-world object in 3D software, and then use a 3D printer to "print" it into existence. By you, I mean you, since Desktop Factory 3D printers are aimed at home use. Can't find…
Bloggers "crossed the line" in posting HD-DVD breaking code, sez industry
Over 700,000 pages have now published the HD DVD key which exploded on digg.com last week, and unsurprisingly, the AACS group controlling HD DVD encryption is rousing its legal muscle. AACS chair Michael Ayres also reminded the public that…
Artificial snot for electronic noses
Scientists at my alma mater, Leicester, and their fellows over at Warwick, have created artificial snot for electronic noses. The faux-mucus improves sensitivity of the faux-nose by a huge factor, allowing them to pick out a wider range of…
5 inventions that shouldn't have been made
Pull up a Monday morning cuppa and save your energy – the project you're working on might be one of those which shouldn't have been made. My personal fave is the USB-powered barbeque, since it reminds me of the…
