Good Thinking
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Adhesive Gift Wrap for a busy lifestyle
March 24, 2008 Self-adhesive Gift Wrap was announced today by Hallmark , a first-of-its-kind product coated on one side with a low-tack adhesive formulated by Hallmark, which sticks firmly to packages, creating a beautifully-wrapped gift with a cleaner presentation, and apparently, a lot less fuss. Essentially, if you can operate a sticky note, you can wrap like a pro with Adhesive Gift Wrap. Apart from the saving of time, we’re told that ribbons aren’t required. We know it all sounds a bit devoid of the joy-of-giving ethos, so scoff if you must, but the exclusive Hallmark Adhesive Gift Wrap is the result of requests from consumers who want the act of gift wrapping to be more convenient for their busy lifestyles. (read more...)
Sink or swim: floating Hybrid XPliers
March 6, 2008 Robrady is a name most of our readers will associate with bleeding-edge electric motorcycle designs, but the company’s portfolio has several facets including a partnership with marine tool specialists XTools. The latest product to emerge from this collaboration is a pair of rugged hybrid pliers, which like all tools in the range, float when they hit the water. (read more...)
Kiddo proximity alarm system offers parents peace of mind
February 19, 2008 Smart Target has developed a wireless proximity alarm system designed to boost child safety by helping parents quickly locate wayward young ones and keep them within a pre-set "virtual fence". (read more...)
Georgia Tech proposes carbon capture concept for automobiles
February 18, 2008 Carbon capture and storage has been touted as a method for slashing carbon emissions in power plants – now researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology say it can be used to combat one of the most widespread greenhouse gas offenders: the automobile. Georgia Tech has outlined a concept system where carbon is isolated from fossil fuels, disposed of at a refueling station, and eventually recycled into new fuel. Not only is the closed-loop cycle carbon emission free, it is also renewable and efficient. (read more...)
Electrolux launches 2008 Design Lab competition
February 12, 2008, Electrolux have announced the opening of their annual design competition for 2008. Aimed at industrial design students from all over the world, this year's theme is “Designs for the Internet Generation” and the brief is to design an innovative, cutting-edge product that addresses food storage, cooking, and/or washing with a view 2 to 3 years into the future. (read more...)
eKo Pro Series wireless crop monitoring system
February 12, 2008 Wireless sensor specialist Crossbow Technology has announced the forthcoming release of a new precision agricultural monitoring system that uses a network of solar-powered sensors to deliver critical real-time data on crop health via an Internet browser. (read more...)
Nemorelax targets personal tranquility amid airport mayhem
February 5, 2008 Finding a quiet space to de-stress, phone home, check emails or catch a quick, comfortable nap in the middle of a busy airport is a challenge that's nigh-on impossible at the best of times. While airport lounges offer some comfort to the weary traveler, the Nemorelaxer aims to take this to a whole new level by providing a fully-connected personal oasis where users can watch films, access wi-fi Internet, make calls, listen to music or just recline for a well earned nap without fear of interruption. The staffed service, to be sold in 30 minute time-blocks, also incorporates wake–up calls, a luggage lock-up facility and the free loan of a laptop. (read more...)
Datamatic demonstrate Remote Shutoff Valve system for water utilities
January 24, 2008 Water utility companies waste significant labor resources each year as staff try to overcome irate customers, vicious canines and difficult to access properties in an effort to disconnect or reconnect water services. Datamatic Ltd. has developed a solution to this problem in the form of its radio-frequency operated RSV™ Remote Shutoff Valve - a system that by-passes the need for physical access to properties, thereby reducing field service costs and preventing theft from inactive services. (read more...)
Loc8tor ‘Lite’ makes losing your keys a thing of the past
January 23, 2008 Loc8tor Ltd has released a new addition to its personal homing device range. Significantly smaller and lighter than previous models, the credit card sized Loc8tor Lite helps to find any lost or mislaid possessions and fits easily into a wallet or purse. Dubbed the Loc8tor Lite, the 6mm thick device, uses active RFID technology to guide users to within an inch of any tagged item using audio and visual cues to point users in the right direction. The unit can help locate lost possessions that are within 400ft (122 meters). (read more...)
Communications “Gizmo” to aid emergency response
December 19, 2007 It may look like just another remote-controlled toy truck, but this "Gizmo" has the potential to save lives in disaster response situations. Javier Rodriguez Molina, a 24 year old electrical engineering graduate student and programmer analyst at the UC San Diego's California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), is designing an advanced mobile, wireless communications machine that can venture into environments too dangerous for humans and collect and transmit critical information to emergency personnel. It is hoped that the design platform - which is will not be limited to its current toy-truck guise - can provide real-time assistance in emergency situations such as terrorist attacks, building collapses or hurricanes. (read more...)
The Top 10 things you CAN have for Christmas
December 17, 2007 Earlier this month we brought you a list of the most desirable items that will almost certainly not appear under the tree this year. Now with the final rush towards the holiday season upon us, here's our pick of standout products that are more likely to be within reach of the average consumer and - if you're lucky - just might show up in your stocking. So, chosen by virtue of their technological prowess, style , sheer inventiveness or simply because they promise heaps of fun, here's Gizmag's selection of the top 10 things you CAN have for Christmas in 2008. (read more...)
Pedal-powered supercomputer: MIT Cycling team sets new record
December 15, 2007 Cyclists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have set a new world record in Human Powered Computation (HPC). The team of 10 used bicycles to power a SiCortex SC648 supercomputer drawing 1.2 kilowatts of electricity, riding non-stop for 20 minutes to achieve the feat of the largest HPC in history. (read more...)
The Top 10 things you CAN'T have for Christmas
The holiday season is fast approaching, meaning it's time to start racking your brain for the ideal gift for that someone special. If this sounds like you, we're afraid the following selection will be of no help whatsoever, unless of course you have remarkably deep-pockets... and in some instances, even that wont help. The team at Gizmag has scoured the archives to assemble a list of the ten most desirable luxury items that you wont find under the tree... from million dollar laptops to ultra-exclusive supercars and outlandish personal aircraft. So forget the Christmas list for a moment and check out our pick of the ultimate in what high-end technology has to offer. (read more...)
Solar powered road studs offer 10-fold visibility improvement
November 21, 2007 As drivers we tend to ignore "cat's eyes" until we strike inclement weather or unfamiliar roads at night, at which point their safety value in showing us the road ahead comes very much to the fore. Standard reflective road studs rely on illumination from the headlight beams of the approaching vehicle and are effective to a distance of up to 90 meters, a situation that is being greatly improved by the application of solar power to the create stand-alone, self-powered illumination devices. The latest generation of solar road studs has just been announced by pioneering British company Astucia - the SolarLite™ “smart” road stud uses stored solar power to run built-in Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs), providing an effective guide for drivers at up to a distance of 900 meters and extending reaction times from 3.2 to over 30 seconds when driving at 60mph. (read more...)
CFX: tiny compressed-air foam firefighting system
November 2, 2007 This simple but revolutionary firefighting system features what its inventor claims is the smallest, lightest and most inexpensive Compressed Air Foam System on the market. Mounted on a small utility vehicle, the CFX system can get firefighting foam into restricted and difficult areas a firetruck can’t reach. (read more...)
New technology helping the blind to “see” images
October 31, 2007 A recently completed licensing agreement for two new technologies may help bring affordable graphic reading systems for the blind and visually impaired to market. The two systems bring electronic images to life in the same way that Braille makes words readable. (read more...)
Wine bottle USB key opens the door to the château
October 29, 2007 If sniffing, swirling and sipping isn’t enough to cure your craving for wine, perhaps this novel new USB key is. Loaded with information about the Grand Cru Classé winery in Bordeaux, the USB key comes in the shape of a bottle of the vineyard’s Pontet-Canet. (read more...)
CEO IQ’s rCard now available
October 28, 2007 Gizmag first encountered the rCard – a device about the size of a business card with an interactive screen that displays text, graphics, photos, and slide shows – back in late 2005, and now this novel new technology that lends itself to countless business applications is hitting the market at a cost of around USD$40. (read more...)
TV remote and hands-free phone combo to aid vision impaired
A decline in her mother’s eyesight was the catalyst for Catherine Crichton to turn her hand to inventing and as result, the TeleMax® III was born - a universal TV remote control and hands free phone for people with vision impairment or disabilities. (read more...)
World-first technology combines payment card and authentication in a single device
October 24, 2007 A next-generation credit card that incorporates a 12-button keyboard, a microprocessor and an embedded alphanumeric display promises to provide unprecedented security in phone and online banking transactions. (read more...)
Sky Garage: off-street parking for the upwardly mobile
October 23, 2007 Parking is the cause of much stress in any major city around the world and New York is definitely no exception. The tiny island of Manhattan has a land area of just 22.96 square miles (59.47 km²) but is home to more than 1.5 million people. With limited space and residents needing somewhere to park their cars, one property developer is planning to take to the sky to accommodate residents. (read more...)
Gunshot location system boosts city surveillance
October 12, 2007 When battling gun related crime, police are often faced with the problem of being unable to pinpoint the direction or proximity of overheard gunfire. In order to combat this issue over a wide area, the ShotSpotter Gunshot Location System uses acoustical triangulation to accurately detect incidences of gunfire and combines this with an integrated camera network to provide law enforcement with instant situation reports. After its celebrated role in capturing the Columbus sniper of 2003/2004, 20 major US cities, most recently Baton Rouge, Louisiana, have adopted the ShotSpotter GLS as a tool to combat gun related crime and as a deterrent against future crimes. (read more...)
Visa Micro Tag contactless payment device
October 5, 2007 Designed to allow customers to make small purchases without swiping, signing or PINs, the keychain-sized Micro Tag is Visa's smallest payment device to-date. To be issued as a companion device to existing credit, debit and prepaid cards, the Micro Tag enables payment by waving the device in front of a contactless payment terminal. (read more...)
Revolution Money offers online payment alternative
October 12, 2007 Online shopping has become a way of life for many consumers with 39 per cent of adults in the US reportedly making a monthly purchase online according to a study from icrossing. With the advancements in technology has come increased security risks and fees, opening up a market for new approaches to online financial transactions. One of the newest players in this field is Revolution Money - a company founded by the co-creator of the AOL Internet service, Steve Case, that claims to have developed a better way of managing money in cyberspace. (read more...)
Micro-adjustable Branie sports belt
October 5, 2007 Designed for outdoor sports and sailing, the Branie belt features a ratcheted closure system similar to that used on ski boots which allows adjustments in micro increments of 2 millimeters. The durable belt is also 100% waterproof and recyclable, making it a practical and eco-friendly option. (read more...)
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