Performance
Springy spandex is main ingredient in interactive performance concept
Invented in 1959, the extremely elastic synthetic fiber spandex can be found in cycling shorts and other figure-hugging sportswear. It's also made its way into home furnishings and served as a leave-nothing-to-the-imagination 70s rock god favorite. Now, it has well-and-truly entered the digital age with the creation of Firewall, an interactive performance wall that alters the speed, volume or intensity of music in response to a user pressing into its membrane, while also showing off some eye-popping, user-reactive visuals. Read More
Pioneer Electronics has taken its first step into the world of performance cycling with the launch of its new Cyclocomputer and Pedaling Monitor at this year's Interbike show in Las Vegas. In addition to displaying speed, distance, time, power and cadence, the computer can also show exactly where power is lacking within the monitored pedaling rotation. The crank-based monitor system is designed to work with Shimano DURA-ACE crank sets and is made up of sensors and ANT+ wireless transmitters that feed data back to a paired computer. Read More
Hennessey's 1,226 horsepower Cadillac CTS-VR
Talk about American muscle … Thumbing its nose at hippie ideals like fuel efficiency, the 6.2-litre Cadillac CTS-V is a monster muscle car in stock form, putting out 556 horsepower and 551 foot-pounds of torque straight out of the crate. But for those for whom too much is never enough, aftermarket tuner Hennessey Performance has released details of a souped-up "CTS-VR 1200" that brings together every performance upgrade in the Hennessey catalogue to produce an eye-watering 1,226 horsepower and 1,109 foot-pounds of torque. Handy if you need to tow a trailer… Just watch this thing light up on the dyno rollers. Read More
Last Sunday, attendees of the 2012 Coachella music festival were shocked when infamous rapper, Tupac Shakur, took the stage in the form of a hologram to give a live performance - quite a feat, considering the man has been dead for over 15 years. Fans gawked and cheered as the incredibly realistic-looking hologram moved around the stage, called out to the audience, and even performed a song alongside his old friend, Snoop Dogg, before disappearing in a burst of light. The impressive show has already caught the imaginations of many music lovers, and it's all thanks to the work of AV Concepts and effects studio, Digital Domain, who worked together to bring the deceased rapper back to life. Read More
Kia presents the bulldog-like 4WD Track'ster concept
The Chicago Auto Show got underway on Wednesday, and Kia had one of the noteworthy debuts of day one. The company's Track'ster concept is essentially a race-inspired hot hatch version of its popular Soul. The car gets a potent powertrain and aggressive look. Kia is clearly empowered by its recent success. Once essentially the baby brother of Hyundai, a brand that itself has a historical reputation as a cheap, entry-level automaker, Kia is really starting to come into its own. According to the company's numbers, it launched more new models in the US between 2009 and 2010 than any other automaker and was one of the world's fastest growing auto brands. Read More
Bionic Ballerina's captivating LED light dance sequence
Zhantra Entertainment has recently merged dance and technology to create a captivating spectacle. Resembling characters from sci-fi films such as Blade Runner and Minority Report, dancer Milena looks like she has stepped straight out of a cyberpunk future world. Dressed in an outfit custom-designed by Zhantra’s in-house designer, Gustavo, featuring LED lights, 17 individual lasers, and ballerina point shoes, the Bionic Ballerina displays moves that seem to defy the laws of human flexibility. Read More
