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Design
Willow Garage offers free robots to researchers
By Ben Coxworth
14:07 February 9, 2010 PST
Imagine if every time someone wanted to develop a new piece of software, they first had to design and build a computer to run it. Not only would this greatly add to the time and expense required for software development, but it would also mean that all of us consumers would have to own multiple computers. Well, that’s what it’s like in the field of robotics. Because there is no robot-equivalent of the PC or Mac, every time someone wants a robot that can do something new, a new robot has to be built from scratch. Wouldn’t it be easier if there were one standard robotic platform, for which people just designed new hardware or software? Californian robotics company Willow Garage seems to think so, which is why they’re giving ten of their PR2 robots to deserving research organizations. Read More
First line of defense: AMATOYA fire reconnaissance vehicle concept
22:05 February 8, 2010 PST
Wildfire is one of the few natural disasters that we are at all equipped to combat, but when it takes a ferocious hold we are often able to do little more than limit the spread. Responding to a need for better equipment at the front line, AMATOYA is a concept fire reconnaissance buggy designed to improve vehicle and crew safety while maintaining off road capabilities and delivering better fire suppression technology in the critical initial response phase Read More
Solar Decathlon hits the road to catch some Spanish sun
By Paul Ridden
17:05 February 4, 2010 PST
Madrid will host the first European version of the Solar Decathlon competition this summer which sees teams from universities throughout the world designing, building and displaying efficient and sustainable solar homes. The overall competition winner being decided after the completion of ten trials aimed at gauging each entry's energy efficiency and sustainability credentials. Read More
Transfer cutting board keeps kitchen benchtops clean
By Jude Garvey
20:50 February 3, 2010 PST
I’m not sure about TV celebrity chefs any more…nothing personal, but they have really raised the bar when it comes to preparing food for guests. Are we expected to smear, tower or stack all our food - or do we just arrange it in one messy heap? Who knows? However, if you do want to look like a professional - the Transfer board could help. Its simple but clever design helps you move chopped food to a single plate quickly and effortlessly - which will make it easier to cook…and to impress. Read More
Russia announces test-flight of fifth generation fighter aircraft
By Mick Webb
16:11 February 3, 2010 PST
Russia has reportedly successfully test-flown its first fifth generation fighter jet prototype. Formally known as the Prospective Aircraft Complex of Frontline Aviation (PAK-FA), the craft made its 47 minute maiden voyage on 29th January. Manufactured by the Russian state owned Sukhoi Aircraft Corporation, the development of this tactical frontline stealth fighter jet is being seen as a significant milestone in the efforts of the country to modernize its post Soviet–era military technology. Read More
Honda aerodynamic scooter conversion results in 214 mpg
By Paul Ridden
14:50 February 3, 2010 PST
Adding a self-built aerodynamic outer shell to a brand new Honda Innova 125i big-wheeled, step through scooter has resulted in its already pretty impressive fuel efficiency being improved considerably. Experienced Dutch cycle designer Allert Jacobs has spent the last couple of years designing, building and tweaking his machine before hitting the road recently for the all important road test. Read More
The $100,000 Dynasty billiard table
By Mick Webb
17:04 February 2, 2010 PST
The Dynasty is a very 21st Century take on a gaming platform that's been with us for more than 500 years - the billiard table. The US$100,000 Dynasty features sculptured metal, slate pockets, and neon–look LED under lighting. Add to that a host of other top of the line fittings and you have yourself one very sharp looking centerpiece for the games room. The owner of the first known indoor billiard table - King Louis XI of France (1461–1483) - would surely approve. Read More
IsoTruss-tubed Delta 7 bikes look funny, but boast high strength to weight ratio
By Ben Coxworth
16:29 February 2, 2010 PST
Go ahead, stare. It’s OK, they want you to. Delta 7 Bikes currently manufactures two of the most unusual-looking bicycles on the market, the Arantix hardtail mountain bike and the Ascend road bike. Their open-lattice spider-web tubes incorporate patented IsoTruss geometric design, wherein carbon fiber and Kevlar are woven into a network of isosceles triangles. The triangles join together to form pyramid-shaped trusses, which provide incredible structural support while using a minimum of material. If you’re a bicycle-maker looking for something with a great strength-to-weight ratio, it’s hard to beat. Read More
Unique three-layered snail shell could lead to tougher body armor
23:06 February 1, 2010 PST
They say life imitates art, but any scientist knows that the best designs imitate life. Researchers from the MIT Institute for Soldier Nanotechnologies (ISN) are drawing new biomimicry inspiration for body armor design from a hardy ocean snail that boasts a shell structure unlike anything else seen in nature... or in material research labs. Read More
Build your own electric car with Trexa
By Paul Ridden
02:55 January 30, 2010 PST
Trexa has revealed details of a lithium-powered, all-wheel vehicle development platform that will enable engineers and developers to create custom "vehicle apps", doing for builders of electric vehicles what the iPhone did for application developers. Modular and scalable, the standard Trexa platform will feature an aluminum, carbon steel tubing and thermoplastic shell containing open source and user programmable electronics and advanced battery technology. Read More
A first-ever human-powered Canada-to-Hawaii crossing?
By Ben Coxworth
17:13 January 27, 2010 PST
Back in January 2007, we brought you the story of Greg Kolodziejzyk, a Canadian adventurer who was planning to break the human-powered transatlantic record. What made Greg’s record attempt so interesting was that he was going to do it in a fully-enclosed pedal-powered sea kayak. The boat was still under construction at the time. Flash forward to January 2010, and Greg has had to call off the transatlantic attempt due to logistic problems. His new boat, however, is a marvel of marine engineering, and he’s planning on pedaling it from Canada to Hawaii. Read More
AirMouse - the mouse that fits you like a glove
By Ben Coxworth
12:36 January 27, 2010 PST
It’s no secret... Studies have shown that excessive mouse usage can cause repetitive stress injuries. Unfortunately for most of us, “excessive” can mean anything more than a few hours a day. Fortunately, however, there are alternative styles of mice out there designed to be easier on the hands and arms. One of the more interesting ones to come along in a while is the AirMouse, made by Canadian firm Deanmark Ltd. What makes it unique is the fact that you wear it like a glove. Read More
The age of the Misa Digital Guitar has dawned
By Paul Ridden
12:29 January 22, 2010 PST
A software engineer based in Sydney, Australia has created a digital guitar controlled by open source software which he hopes will see musicians play electronic music in a live environment. Players control the pitch, speed and volume of notes produced by the Misa Digital Guitar via a 24 'fret' neck and touchscreen interface. Read More
Oregon man thrashes local children in treehouse-building contest
By Loz Blain
21:06 January 20, 2010 PST
Everyone loves a treehouse - they seem to inspire a universal feeling of childlike wonder, and done right they really tickle the old 'living in harmony with nature' glands too. We've covered some beauties over the years here at Gizmag, but this one has to be the grand-daddy of them all. The work of architect Robert Harvey Oshatz, the Wilkinson Residence makes use of a steeply sloped block to put the house's main level right up in the tree canopy. Stunning from every angle, it uses curves and waves to echo the owner's love of the natural landscape with a slightly musical theme. Read More
The SEED Project - from unused shipping container to sustainable emergency housing
By Mick Webb
02:20 January 19, 2010 PST
Aside from tragic loss of life and incomprehensible destruction, events like last week’s devastating earthquake in Haiti create a myriad of problems in their wake, not least of which is homelessness. With over 30 million shipping containers the world over currently lying dormant, a team of researchers at Clemson University in South Carolina are working to help solve the issue of accommodation in disaster affected areas by developing a method to convert the unused containers into sustainable emergency housing. Read More
Automotive X PRIZE events to begin in Michigan from April 2010
By Ben Coxworth
20:03 January 17, 2010 PST
Things are beginning to heat up in the race for the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE, as the kick-off date for the actual on-the-road events approaches. The fun will begin April 26th in Michigan, continue through August, and culminate in a September awards presentation in Washington, DC. A number of the contenders were on hand at the Detroit Auto Show this week, where the official announcement was made. Read More
The world's first motorcycle comes up for auction
By Gizmag Team
14:22 January 16, 2010 PST
An unrestored example (top left) of the very first vehicle to which the name ‘motorcycle’ (motorrad in German) was ever applied is to come up for auction in April. The 1895 Hildebrand & Wolfmüller motorcycle sounds like a modern motorcycle in its specification – twin-cylinder, four-valve, water-cooled, 1488cc engine – but it is indeed as unconventional as it is rare. Check out the diagram and you’ll see the rear wheel doubled as a pseudo flywheel and indeed, the piston connecting rods and the pushrods that actuate the valve gear are also attached to the rear wheel, there’s no clutch, no brakes and there’s a lot of work to be done on a machine that’ll cost you GBP40,000 to 60,000 before you start. At the end of it all though, you’ll have a bonafide centrepeice for any transport museum. Read More
Aigo Glide mouse - effortless control at your fingertips
By Mick Webb
15:02 January 12, 2010 PST
Recent developments in the war on repetitive strain injury have seen swiveling mice and applicable gel pads in an effort to make the everyday user experience a more comfortable one. Appearing at CES this year was another take on the ubiquitous peripheral, the Aigo Glide mouse. Designed to offer ease of use and minimal strain, the lightweight mouse features indentation for fingertips and side scrolling wheels, while the USB cord and connection even tuck away around and under the mouse for easy storage. Read More
Orbitsound T12 soundbar and T3 personal speaker hit the sweet spot
By Mick Webb
12:53 January 12, 2010 PST
UK company Orbitsound chose CES 2010 to showcase several of its speaker units that make use of its airSOUND technology, the T12 soundbar and T3 personal mobile speaker. The T12 dock features six front speakers, two side speakers and a subwoofer that create a permanent “sweet spot” no matter where the listener is in the room, while the T3 can be hung around the listener’s neck, also creating quality spatial stereo sound. Read More
US$15k uPrint personal 3-D printer brings rapid prototyping to the desktop
By Loz Blain
21:23 January 6, 2010 PST
3-D printing technology is maturing to the point where rapid prototyping machines are becoming affordable to small business owners - and even for high-end home use. Dimension's uPrint 3D printer has just been released at a retail price of US$14,900, giving anyone with CAD skills the ability to prototype and even manufacture pretty much any small shape they want in hard ABSplus plastic - including pre-assembled objects with moving parts. What would you create if you could have any plastic shape you wanted? Read More
Sustail clockwork mouse concept
By Paul Ridden
01:59 January 5, 2010 PST
Designer Ahmet Bektes is proposing using centuries-old technology to provide the power for a familiar modern device. Rather than drawing energy from a computer or batteries, a user will need to remove a key from below the Sustail mouse and wind it up before being able to use it. It is hoped that the Bluetooth-connected input device would also encourage users to take regular breaks and have a more responsible attitude towards power consumption. Read More
Touch, smell and feel before you buy with Project Sense
By Paul Ridden
20:11 December 30, 2009 PST
The Sense concept designed by CD&I Associates is a wireless device that will, it's claimed, offer a "more emotional connection between users and experiences" through touch and smell. It aims to give users haptic, thermal and olfactory sensations while playing games, watching movies and shopping online via a tactile hand sheath and flavor-ink printed output. Read More
The bewildering Minitopz PC from Artopz
By Paul Lester
15:31 December 28, 2009 PST
We’ve seen some weird and wacky PC designs in our time, but few are as surreal as the Minitopz range from US firm Artopz Technology. The fusion of art and computing is entirely a subjective one, so we won’t cast too many opinions on the actual design, but what is intriguing here is that the Minitopz range has chosen the humble desk lamp as the subject of its hybrid. Read More
Picture Table: a clever piece of furniture that transforms into a work of art
By Jude Garvey
18:43 December 21, 2009 PST
Short on space but still need somewhere to sit down and eat? Here’s an innovative solution – the Picture Table is a unique dining table that flips back against the wall and becomes a stylish showcase for your favorite photograph, poster or piece of art. Read More
The Bulbdial Clock - a high-tech sundial
By Mick Webb
14:57 December 14, 2009 PST
The Bulbdial Clock is an electronic take on our oldest way of telling time - the sundial. Instead of relying on shadows cast by the sun, this timepiece features three layers of colored LEDs that rotate around the clock face, casting shadows to represent the hour, minutes and seconds. Read More
Rod
- February 9, 2010 @ 23:30 UTC
