Impact

Ford introduces inflatable seat belts

20:03 November 5, 2009 PST

Ford's new inflatable seatbelts, which are designed to provide additional protection for r...

Most seat belts are designed to stretch during a crash to reduce the force of impact on the wearer while still preventing contact with the interior of the vehicle. Ford has gone one step further with plans to introduce inflatable seat belts designed to reduce the pressure on the chest and help control head and neck motion in rear seat passengers, spreading the crash force across five times more of the occupant’s torso than conventional seat belts. Read More

ELECTRONICS

VIDEO: Sony crash tests PS3 into Bravia LCD TV at 50mph

By Jeff Salton

18:58 October 20, 2009 PDT

Point of impact ... the PS3 crashes into the Sony Bravia LCD TV at 50mph

What’s more fun than watching a brand new out-of-the-box PS3 slim-line console slam into a fully-functional Sony Bravia 46-inch LCD TV at 80kmh (50mph)? Well, not a lot, really, unless you get to watch it happen three times. Gizmag was one of only two media outlets invited by Sony Australia to witness the stunt at a vehicle safety testing facility in Melbourne, Victoria. The event was aimed at promoting a forthcoming advertising campaign – buy a Sony Bravia and get a PS3 thrown in free (though not as literally as the ones I witnessed). Read More

SCIENCE AND EDUCATION

NASA live broadcast of LCROSS impact

By Paul Ridden

06:42 October 8, 2009 PDT

Artist's rendering of the Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) spacecraft...

NASA's Lunar Prospector first detected some hydrogen signatures in craters on the dark side of the moon in 1999. Ever since, researchers have been keen to confirm the presence of water on the moon. The Lunar CRater Observing and Sensing Satellite (LCROSS) is tasked with crashing through the mists of speculation and conjecture and discover the truth. And you can watch all the action as it happens. Read More